4 ms·

Extreme thermophiles can reproduce up to 122C but we think DNA can't survive past ~150C or so, much less the 462C surface temperature of Venus. So step 1 in ve

by dalke 12y ago

Extreme thermophiles can reproduce up to 122C but we think DNA can't survive past ~150C or so, much less the 462C surface temperature of Venus. So step 1 in venusforming humans is to create a non-DNA-based life form. That might take a while.

stickfigure 12y ago
That's if you wanted them to live on the surface, which seems to be a pretty tough problem to solve in any fashion. If we're contemplating living in the clouds, maybe a lifeform more birdlike or gasbag-jellyfish-like would make sense. Granted, I'm not sure I would want to show up to a blind date with a human/portuguese man-o-war hybrid.
- pavel_lishin 12y ago
  > Granted, I'm not sure I would want to show up to a blind date with a human/portuguese man-o-war hybrid. You should read K.W. Jeter's "Farewell Horizontal"; he makes it seem a lot more palatable.
waps 12y ago
Plus ATP, the cell-internal energy distribution mechanism that is a property of all life on earth destroys itself at 52 degrees celcius. That means no controlled energy actions can happen in cells above 52 degrees celcius. We'd have to redesign every enzyme, every single cell function.
- zaroth 12y ago
  > We'd have to redesign every enzyme... Exactly what the Venusians thought before starting work on ATP!
- dalke 12y ago
  "Extreme thermophiles can reproduce up to 122C" and 122 > 52. How should I resolve the apparent mismatch between your statement and observation?
  - Svenstaro 12y ago
    Extremophiles roll differently: http://phys.org/news203835088.html http://phys.org/news203835088.html
    - dalke 12y ago
      I am confused about your point. The original statement was "ATP, the cell-internal energy distribution mechanism that is a property of all life on earth destroys itself at 52 degrees celcius". I pointed out that thermophilic bacteria exists and reproduce at over 52 C. Therefore, there's an apparent contradiction. Is your statement about "roll differently" mean that there is no ATP synthesis? Certainly not, as your link shows. Is your statement that thermophilic bacteria isn't alive? I strongly doubt it. What then does it mean to "roll differently" in the context of ATP presence being a requirement for all life on earth, and hence a 52C upper limit?

by dalke 12y ago

stickfigure 12y ago

That's if you wanted them to live on the surface, which seems to be a pretty tough problem to solve in any fashion. If we're contemplating living in the clouds, maybe a lifeform more birdlike or gasbag-jellyfish-like would make sense. Granted, I'm not sure I would want to show up to a blind date with a human/portuguese man-o-war hybrid.

pavel_lishin 12y ago
> Granted, I'm not sure I would want to show up to a blind date with a human/portuguese man-o-war hybrid. You should read K.W. Jeter's "Farewell Horizontal"; he makes it seem a lot more palatable.

waps 12y ago

Plus ATP, the cell-internal energy distribution mechanism that is a property of all life on earth destroys itself at 52 degrees celcius. That means no controlled energy actions can happen in cells above 52 degrees celcius. We'd have to redesign every enzyme, every single cell function.

zaroth 12y ago
> We'd have to redesign every enzyme... Exactly what the Venusians thought before starting work on ATP!
dalke 12y ago
"Extreme thermophiles can reproduce up to 122C" and 122 > 52. How should I resolve the apparent mismatch between your statement and observation?
- Svenstaro 12y ago
  Extremophiles roll differently: http://phys.org/news203835088.html http://phys.org/news203835088.html
  - dalke 12y ago
    I am confused about your point. The original statement was "ATP, the cell-internal energy distribution mechanism that is a property of all life on earth destroys itself at 52 degrees celcius". I pointed out that thermophilic bacteria exists and reproduce at over 52 C. Therefore, there's an apparent contradiction. Is your statement about "roll differently" mean that there is no ATP synthesis? Certainly not, as your link shows. Is your statement that thermophilic bacteria isn't alive? I strongly doubt it. What then does it mean to "roll differently" in the context of ATP presence being a requirement for all life on earth, and hence a 52C upper limit?