34,000 Years Old and Still Alive

[HeLiXe]

http://news.yahoo.com/s/livescience/20110113/sc_livescience/34000yearoldorganismsfoundburiedalive" [Broken]

It's a tale that has all the trappings of a cult 1960s sci-fi movie: Scientists bring back ancient salt crystals, dug up from deep below Death Valley for climate research. The sparkling crystals are carefully packed away until, years later, a young, unknown researcher takes a second look at the 34,000-year-old crystals and discovers, trapped inside, something strange. Something ... alive.

Couldn't find it on PF...just wanted to share!

 

[turbo]

Living in cavities in salt crystals, no less!

 

[Evo]

I had discussed that with someone earlier today. Amazing that they could slow themselves down that much.

 

[turbo]

I had discussed that with someone earlier today. Amazing that they could slow themselves down that much.

And still manage to maintain their genetic material for all that time.

 

[mugaliens]

Well, there's a fungus that's been growing in the inland northwest for quite some time...

Tens of thousands of years, from what I recall of the news story that broke a couple years back.

I would really prefer not to sample that sort of truffle, though!

 

[Evo]

Well, there's a fungus that's been growing in the inland northwest for quite some time...

Tens of thousands of years, from what I recall of the news story that broke a couple years back.

I would really prefer not to sample that sort of truffle, though!

No, it's between 2,000 to 8,500 years old, still long living.

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2003/03/030327074535.htm

But that's actively growing this has gone into a form of suspended animation, it's slowed to an incredible point, yet able to be revived.

 

[HeLiXe]

Living in cavities in salt crystals, no less!

I know!

I had discussed that with someone earlier today. Amazing that they could slow themselves down that much.

It is amazing. I'm sure they ruled out the possibility that it could be from this guy's nails

:tongue2:

Well, there's a fungus that's been growing in the inland northwest for quite some time...

Tens of thousands of years, from what I recall of the news story that broke a couple years back.

I would really prefer not to sample that sort of truffle, though!

Is that the really enormous one that is the largest living organism?
-----------------------------------
Edit: Nevermind, I just clicked the link Evo gave and saw that it is the same.

 

[mugaliens]

No, it's between 2,000 to 8,500 years old, still long living.

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2003/03/030327074535.htm

But that's actively growing this has gone into a form of suspended animation, it's slowed to an incredible point, yet able to be revived.

What? The fungus in the Northwest, or the bacteria in the salt?

If the bacteria in the salt, I'm starting to think about the possibilities of suspended life. Intriguing!

 

[fillipeano]

I try to stay away from the comments because they can be so idiotic to read. Great article, though. More proof that life can exist in so many different situations!