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  • WEDNESDAY SEPTEMBER 26 2007 6:00 PM

More Terror From Outer Space

Submitted by Flux

Edited by Gerry_D

Tags: bacteria, space, disease, salmonella

So, last week I told you about eldritch horrors from beyond the stars bent on our destruction. The inimitable Ms. _DictionaryGirl_ followed up with a harrowing tale of space trilobites.

Get ready for more terror from the final frontier, because the NSA has announced that germs carried to space come back deadlier than before.

The researchers placed identical strains of salmonella in containers and sent one into space aboard the shuttle, while the second was kept on Earth, under similar temperature conditions to the one in space.

After the shuttle returned, mice were given varying oral doses of the salmonella and then were watched.

After 25 days, 40 percent of the mice given the Earth-bound salmonella were still alive, compared with just 10 percent of those dosed with the germs from space. And the researchers found it took about one-third as much of the space germs to kill half the mice, compared with the germs that had been on Earth.



Holy shit, y'all! Killer germs from outer space! What the fuck?

Well, apparently 167 genes in the space salmonella (this would be a good band name) had changed. The researchers aren't sure as to why, but they are guessing it has something to do with the low fluid shear of the microgravity conditions in which the space bug was cultured. This environment is somewhat similar to that of the gastrointestinal tract. The salmonella changed in order to adapt to the environment of space and ended up also becoming well-adapted to the conditions of our guts. Great.

As outer space is overrun by humans, we'll be bringing along a lot of hitchhikers. There has been some concern about "superbugs" evolving in response to the overuse of antibiotics. What lies in store out in the big black for the common cold and the rest of our pantheon of little demons?

At least it's fodder for a killer Bond villain. Imagine a new-millenium Donald Pleasence sending Ebola Zaire to the moon. Because a 90% mortality rate just isn't enough for Pure Evil!

Prognosis? We're all doomed.

Flux is going to start wiping down everything she comes in contact with pure ethanol. "Officer, I swear I didn't have anything to drink! It's the bacteria!"

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Comments
Heathen_Dave

Heathen_Dave

Birmingham, AL
July 2005

SEP 26, 2007 06:12 PM

You and DG are worse than raising the terror alert level.

I'm going to go hide in my closet until everyone else is killed by space germs...

Or space trilobytes...

Or Cthulhu...

This is a bad month for me.

Fixxxer

Fixxxer

Berlin, MD
August 2004

SEP 26, 2007 06:18 PM

personally I find this funny. Idiot scientists just go and do the dumbest shit without thinking. I mean ok, if no risks are taken, no breakthroughs will happen but... c'mon

allright...bacteria sent to space get's worse..here's a thought..DON'T FUCKING SEND BACTERIA INTO OUTER SPACE.

straight up

RudieCantFail

RudieCantFail

I'm lost
January 2006

SEP 26, 2007 06:26 PM

I, for one, welcome our new extraterrestrial microbial overlords.

PatrickY

PatrickY

Vancouver, WA
December 2003

SEP 26, 2007 06:27 PM

Fixxxer said:
personally I find this funny. Idiot scientists just go and do the dumbest shit without thinking. I mean ok, if no risks are taken, no breakthroughs will happen but... c'mon

allright...bacteria sent to space get's worse..here's a thought..DON'T FUCKING SEND BACTERIA INTO OUTER SPACE.

straight up



Given that limited, semi-permanent colonization of space is a realistic possibility within our lifetimes, it doesn't seem particularly dumb to test the effects of space on viruses, bacteria, germs, et al. In fact, it would seem particularly dumb NOT to do so.

Heigai

Heigai

Columbus, OH
May 2004

SEP 26, 2007 06:35 PM

Fixxxer said:
personally I find this funny. Idiot scientists just go and do the dumbest shit without thinking. I mean ok, if no risks are taken, no breakthroughs will happen but... c'mon

allright...bacteria sent to space get's worse..here's a thought..DON'T FUCKING SEND BACTERIA INTO OUTER SPACE.

straight up



Yes, yes, of course, because hypotheses that take months (years?) to craft and NASA funding "(dumb) shit without thinking."

Flux' no doubt electrifying tongue being lodged firmly in her cheek aside, please let's not all ramp up the "O NOES SCIENCE BAD" hysteria any. It's not as if these bacteria escaped.





...THAT WE KNOW OF.

Uncognitive

Uncognitive

Brooklyn, NY
May 2003

SEP 26, 2007 06:44 PM

I'm now changing my porn star name to "Ebola Zaire".

StarBelliedBoy

StarBelliedBoy

Philadelphia, PA
December 2003

SEP 26, 2007 06:51 PM

I have two comments on this subject.


Cosmic rays even work on bacteria! I, personally, would not want to fact a bacteria that can light itself on fucking fire and then shoot that fucking fire at me! Oh god, please do not send gonorrhea into space!


Also

I, for one, welcome our new captain trips overlords!

Valeyard

Valeyard

Shreveport, LA
January 2005

SEP 26, 2007 06:54 PM

Toku666 said:
It's not as if these bacteria escaped.

...THAT WE KNOW OF.



...Actually they did escape, and that's the very reason the Sci Fi channel inflicted Steven King's, "The Stand" marathon upon it's viewers (because Sci Fi is in the "know" didn't you know?) Yes that's right next time you get the flu it's the super virus for you! biggrin

redheadedleague

redheadedleague

Pinole, CA
September 2003

SEP 26, 2007 07:41 PM

And then they will adapt to the ethanol, and the they will be Drunken Killer Space Bugs!

Seriously, if lame shit like this keeps us from colonizing the stars, I'm gonna be severely pissed.

Lil_Louie

Lil_Louie

East Stroudsburg, PA
February 2007

SEP 26, 2007 07:46 PM



After the shuttle returned, mice were given varying oral doses of the salmonella and then were watched.



Why do they do this instead of injecting rapists and child molesters with this shit? That would be a better way to judge how the HUMAN body would react to it, wouldn't you think? And yes, I'm well aware of the whole "Cruel and unusual punishment" thing, but personally, I don't think there is such a thing for people like that.
I know, I'm a sick twisted individual....At least I'm succeeding in my purpose here.

Flux

Flux

SUICIDEGIRL

Georgia, USA

SEP 26, 2007 07:51 PM

Lil_Louie said:


After the shuttle returned, mice were given varying oral doses of the salmonella and then were watched.



Why do they do this instead of injecting rapists and child molesters with this shit? That would be a better way to judge how the HUMAN body would react to it, wouldn't you think? And yes, I'm well aware of the whole "Cruel and unusual punishment" thing, but personally, I don't think there is such a thing for people like that.
I know, I'm a sick twisted individual....At least I'm succeeding in my purpose here.



I totally agree with you, because we all know that the criminal justice system is 100% infallible!

DCruz

DCruz

Montreal-nord, QC
November 2006

SEP 26, 2007 08:45 PM

Uncognitive said:
I'm now changing my porn star name to "Ebola Zaire".



just for that, I'd be a fan ! surreal

Razorshimmy

Razorshimmy

Los Angeles, CA
July 2005

SEP 26, 2007 08:48 PM

The funny thing about all of this is that it's become fodder for bacterial comic-books. If you look really, really close at the space-salmonella, one strain can light itself on fire, one can become invisible, one is made of microbial rock, and one can stretch itself reeeeeal thin and long... I mean, like, thin and long even for bacteria.

punk

punk

Phoenix, AZ
January 2004

SEP 26, 2007 09:26 PM

Here on Earth, Jesus saves. But who is going to save us from the terrors of outer-space?

...L. Ron Hubbard?

Quick, someone call up Tom Cruise! We need consultation!

punk

punk

Phoenix, AZ
January 2004

SEP 26, 2007 09:26 PM

The site is fucked up, yo.

[Edited double-post.]

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