October 20, 2000

12:10 AM

Oldest liveing organismfound in salt cave in New Mexico. 250 million and counting. What gets me is this quote: ``If something can survive 250 million years, what's the difference .. another 250 or longer,'' wonder if digital data can be stored in bacterium.
posted by stbalbach (7 comments total)

Someone out there in MeFiLand will have details on storing data in bacterium or on bacterium technologies, but meanwhile:

"Researchers are considering storage mediums based on the phosphorescent properties of Halobacterium found in the lagoons off of San Francisco Bay or in the iridescent covering of jelly fish."
posted by gluechunk at 1:09 AM on October 20, 2000

Oh, and some people are trying to do computation with leeches.
posted by lagado at 3:05 AM on October 20, 2000

In Canada we call it 'living'. Maybe that's another example of our weird spelling.
posted by fbeach at 6:51 AM on October 20, 2000

Silly Canadians.
posted by Doug at 7:17 AM on October 20, 2000

New Mexico (Reuters) -- Scientests working at the Carlsbad, New Mexico
salt cave to discover the worlds oldest living organism reported today
that 3 shift workers have disapeared. Vreeland the project leader has
ordered the caves sealed off while a US Marine search team armed with
flame throwers explore the catacombs for the missing men. One searcher is
quoted as saying "Its an egg man, we shouldnt have disturbed it". Another
said he saw somthing "big, really big" moving at "unnatural speed" but
independent confirmation is pending. The bacterium represents the greatest
scientific find in recent times says Vreeeland and has commited his team
to finding and preserving any life forms found for further research.

posted by stbalbach at 8:28 AM on October 20, 2000

Researchers are also trying to use Strom Thurmond's basal cells to create a perpetual-motion machine. In an interview, Mr. Thurmond was quoted as saying, "Hey! You kids get offa mah lawn!" and then fell into a lengthy narrative about how he used to babysit Eubie Blake while gnawing on dead rats on the banks of the Euphrates.
posted by Skot at 11:32 AM on October 20, 2000

This proves the point that bacteria will be around long after we're gone. That's a good thing.Skot, Strom proves the fact that if your beyond a certain age you shouldn't be allowed to serve in the FedGov! Yes, democracy doesn't work!
posted by Mr. skullhead at 4:18 PM on October 20, 2000