Re: Genesis-Wildfire

From: Sander Vesik (sander_at_haldjas.folklore.ee)
Date: 09/20/04 

Date: Mon, 20 Sep 2004 14:28:22 +0000 (UTC)

Ian Stirling <root@mauve.demon.co.uk> wrote:
> Sander Vesik <sander@haldjas.folklore.ee> wrote:
> > Ian Stirling <root@mauve.demon.co.uk> wrote:
> >> "Greg D. Moore \(Strider\)" <mooregr_deleteth1s@greenms.com> wrote:
> >> <snip>
> >> > This has been considered before.
> >> >
> >> > For one thing, consider lifeforms on earth. Very few infectious agents are
> >> > effective outside of their host species. Rabies, the flu and leprosy are
> >> > three of the few that come to mind and leprosy isn't lethal (I think) in
> >> > armidillos.
> >> >
> >> > And they all have DNA or RNA in common. So far we haven't seen any
> >> > lifeforms that don't contain DNA or RNA. So now the big question is... is
> >> > RNA/DNA unique to Earth or not? If so, it's doubtful that any other
> >> > lifeforms could infect us. If not, then it's more likely. However, as
> >> > they've been evolved in the absence of human hosts, it's again unlikely that
> >> > they can successfully be infectious to humans.
> >>
> >> Exactly the same argument could be made as to why nothing can infect
> >> culture mediums.
> >> They have no DNA/RNA, and are just jelly with some sugars and stuff.
> >
> > Like say 'flesh eating bacteria' (with flesh being live human flesh).
>
> Flesh eating bacteria is nasty, but it is presumably drastically slowed
> by the immune system.

Maybe - its just an analogous situation to something pretty much using
parts of humans as culture medium.

>
> >> The worst case is that we get hit by something so alien that all the
> >> immune responses are simply irrelevant, as it does not have cells based
> >> on the same compounds, and are just bags of impure water with handy trace
> >> elements.
>
> > Immune responses can be relevant at least n principle to nearly anything
> > as nearly anything can be either shredded or accumulated for disposal by it.
>
> True.
> Given time.
> But a lot of the rapid response (as I understand it) is pretty much only
> going to work on terran stuff.
>
> A lot of the poisons used to attempt to kill the attacking organism,
> and the ways that they are recognised as attacking in the first place are
> geared to work on earth stuff.
>
> Other responses may work for irritant or just toxic particles, but
> for stuff that's actually trying to eat you, it probably won't.
> (this is far outside my field)

Yes. But wold it necessarily try to eat humans? Especially if
it came from Mars? 

-- 
	Sander
+++ Out of cheese error +++