[meteorite-list] Cyanobacteria in meteorites?

[Michael Fowler]

Eric, Kirk & Listees,

Most people post to the list (hopefully) when they think they have something useful and positive to contribute.  Perhaps the lack of posts simply reflects the fact that there may be many people on the list knowledgeable about meteorites, but few, if any, who are knowledgeable enough about the fields cyanobacteria, exbiology, or interpretation of microfossils in ancient rocks.

To know what you are up against read the following:

Cradle of Life: The Discovery of Earth's Earliest Fossils [Paperback]
J. William Schopf 

http://www.amazon.com/Cradle-Life-Discovery-Earliest-Fossils/dp/0691088640/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1282347539&sr=1-1

or:

http://www.nytimes.com/2002/03/12/science/oldest-bacteria-fossils-or-are-they-merely-tiny-rock-flaws.html

Sincerely,

Mike Fowler
Chicago


> Hi Kirk, I agree such a discovery, if true, is monumental. Perhaps even 
> larger than one person could ever conceive or comprehend. As huge as 
> news of this is, not one person responded with comment to even refute 
> this lastest link or argue against it, or propose another opinion at 
> all. It simply got ignored. 
> 
> I'm seriously curious about this apparent double standard on the burden 
> of proof. Sure, there's questions to be asked, but my point is no ones 
> asking... Even the NASA's announcement of 3 Martian meteorites having 
> "possible" evidence of life in the form of microbial fossils was 
> practically ignored from most list members a few months back. Barely any 
> discussion on it at all. It seems people would rather whine about what 
> meteorite is paired with what, complain about pricing than talk about 
> what really matters. 
> 
> Aliens! 
> 
> It's like no one wants to talk about the possibility of aliens or 
> something! ;) Is there really some alien stigma out there? 
> 
> Are people afraid of being accused of being crazy tinfoil hat wearing 
> alien mind probe freaks? 
> 
> Regards, 
> Eric