Bacterial find in Antarctica

[kittyfox_kumiko]

I've been to NASA's Jet Propulsion Lab before and saw both pictures side by side, hard copies. They're definitely the same plot of land.  

[Sayuri-Ryuu]

They are. Definitely.  

[kittyfox_kumiko]

What Angry Kitsune said is probably right, but it isn't going to help the no-panicking thing. sweatdrop  

[Sayuri-Ryuu]

True. Well, we would all die if we took no precautions, but we would - if it ever happened - such as blocking off the particular country in which the strain is spreading, etc. it can only spread if we let it spread - e.g. HIV only spreads if you get bodily fluids of the infected person into your bloodstream. Don't do that, and you're ok. Stop the spread of the bacteria, and we'll be fine.

Also its entirely possible the body itself could create antibodies for the bacteria. Or we could engineer some. We'll have time to do that, anyway. Killing 6 billion people takes a while.  

[kittyfox_kumiko]

Also true. It's all in Antarctica, too, and we already know it's there. We can start taking precautions now.  

[Sayuri-Ryuu]

Yeah. This is all, of course, assuming its harmful bacteria. It might be bacteria that makes humans somewhat immortal by fighting off all other infections to the body. We have just as much evidence for that point of view.

....but people always go for that bad, for some reason.  

[kittyfox_kumiko]

The article didn't say what the bacteria did.  

[Sayuri-Ryuu]

Aha! My point exactly! From now on, we're going to assume that its magical bacteria sent by the good fairy to help mankind. Just 'cause. The evidence (cough) points to it as much as evil bacteria sent by demons to destroy us.  

[kittyfox_kumiko]

It could be totally neutral, too.  

[Sayuri-Ryuu]

Theres always that. Imagine, all the white-coated scientists gathered around a test-tube; they open it up, there is a feeling of breathless excitement, aannnnddd........nothing. Poof. Nada.  

[kittyfox_kumiko]

I doubt any scientist would be dumb enough to open a vial of a potentially-harmful substance without more protection than a lab coat.  

[goddess velya]

Sayuri-Ryuu

Aha! My point exactly! From now on, we're going to assume that its magical bacteria sent by the good fairy to help mankind. Just 'cause. The evidence (cough) points to it as much as evil bacteria sent by demons to destroy us.

i know there is a virus like that, it completely destroys the host's own imunity but then takes over. it attacks nearly everything, foreign bactera and virus, even parasites. the found it in a small african village when they noticed that the entire village is immune to maleria yet had no white blood cells. the downside to that is reaseach shows that you needed a certain genetic trait for the virus to take over other wise all you get is what looks like a common cold confused  

[Sayuri-Ryuu]

stare It was a joke, Kittyfox. A joke.

Veyla: really? Cool! Thats the most interesting thing I've heard in months! Do you by any chance have any links or anything so I can research it? *goes on google anyway*  

[kittyfox_kumiko]

It's freaking TRETONIN!!! eek

I thought so. Just making absolute sure it was a joke. mrgreen  

[goddess velya]

Sayuri-Ryuu

stare It was a joke, Kittyfox. A joke.

Veyla: really? Cool! Thats the most interesting thing I've heard in months! Do you by any chance have any links or anything so I can research it? *goes on google anyway*

it happened a few years ago, it was a big thing in my zoology department. there was talk of maybe using a varient of the virus to treat cancers and even the HIV virus. no idea how far along they are now.