Ice oceans discovered on Mars!

[KrazyHorse]

Originally posted by Sagacious Dolphin


Why assume they would be a problem. As pathogens go, they are unlikely to be any worse than what is already on Earth.

Why would they even be able to feed off of us? Wouldn't the proteins etc. be different?

[red_jon]

Originally posted by KrazyHorse


US oceans?

i.e. any ocean on the planet Earth.

[Dauphin]

Originally posted by KrazyHorse


Why would they even be able to feed off of us? Wouldn't the proteins etc. be different?

That was my point re compatability.

[KrazyHorse]

Sorry; read that later. Was catching up on this thread.

[SpencerH]

Whether or not they've "evolved" in humans (or other organisms for that matter) is not relevant with respect to their ability to cause disease in humans or in other animals. There are plenty of examples of microorganisms that are resonably non-virulent in their natural niche or host that are extremely virulent in another. Although the primary host of Ebola is not known, current efforts are looking at bats. In humans that are not the natural host for the virus, the fatality rate is around 40-50% depending on the clade (the viral equivilant of strain).

[KrazyHorse]

Spencer, we are fairly close, biochemically speaking, to a bat.

[Dauphin]

The chances of us being affected by Martian virii is akin to the chances of a PC being susceptable to the common cold.

[Eli]

Originally posted by Firelad
Just colonize it already!!! :doitnow:
We are SOOO behind schedule. Just look at Space Oddysey...

ANOTHER ISRAELI!!!

[Eli]

*starts crying*

It's Mark Lipovsomething's new account.

[TCO]

Originally posted by red_jon


i.e. any ocean on the planet Earth.

[TCO]

Originally posted by KrazyHorse


US oceans?

Ah...crap. Freudian slip?

[KrazyHorse]

We caught you! Hah! No more crap from you about spreading peace and democracy. Naked territoral ambition is your obvious goal.

[TCO]

54-40 or...compromise?

[KrazyHorse]

I think we should divy up the oceans proportional to coastline length...

[SpencerH]

Originally posted by Sagacious Dolphin
The chances of us being affected by Martian virii is akin to the chances of a PC being susceptable to the common cold.

In order for your analogy to make any sense at all a martian microorganism would have to have a totally different system of biochemistry than ours such that we might not recognize it as a living organism. Even so, what you are not appreciating is that at a basic level, an organisms ability to cause disease in (for example) a human is dependent upon its ability to enter the host and trigger a response. The rate of growth of the organism in the host and whether there are responses to the organism and level of protective responses are factors in the severity of the disease. Since I'm not a science fiction writer, but a cellular microbiologist I have to assume that martian organisms will be carbon-based and using energy generating mechanisms that are similar to those present on earth. Under these conditions martian microbes are a potential biological hazard.