"If arqueobacteria are the first forms of life to look for on Mars, how do we propose to find and recognize them?"
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Question
Are there possible alternatives to nucleic acids for the encoding of genetic information?
This is a difficult question to answer. Terrestrial life uses only nucleic acids (DNA and RNA) to store and transmit genetic information from one generation to the next. Quite possibly alien life has developed different methods to carry out these functions, based on other complex molecules. But these ideas are purely speculative at present. David Morrison
NAI Senior Scientist
April 24, 2006
- How frequently are questions answered?
- I asked a question but there was no answer?
- Who is the Astrobiologist answering these questions?
- Will I get an email when my question is answered?
- What college courses should I take to become an astrobiologist?
- How can I get a job as an astrobiologist at NASA?
- Have aliens visited Earth? Are UFOs real?
- Is there a planet or brown dwarf called Nibiru or Eris that is approaching the Earth and threatening our planet with widespread destruction?
- Is it true that the Sun will be in the center of the Milky Way Galaxy in December 2012 and that this will cause a pole shift and massive destruction.
- Has NASA discovered life on other worlds?
- Astrobiology Career Path Suggestions
