Recently, NASA uncovered a new form of life that has the alien trait of using Arsenic instead of phosphorus. If true, this would show an incredible breakthrough in understanding what could happen on earth. In a similar venue, we know that different forms of life evolved independently throughout the history of earth, giving rise to different species. There is a difference however; so far, all the life we know evolved using the same basic chemicals- Oxygen, Carbon, Phosphorus, Nitrogen, Sulfur, and Hydrogen. The enormity of this is kind of easy to see once you look at it closely.
On the other hand, the scientific review process is kicking in, and at least one person has sent in a letter about flaws in the design. The basic design is that they replaced the two elements in it, until they could have the organism immersed in water, as arsenic dissolves in water.
There are many criticisms of the research, but most is entirely jargon. The major theme of them seems to be an issue of contamination.
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