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Computer Chip Designed to Detect Alien Life

- By - Source : Tom's Guide US

This hopeful professor really wants to find aliens on Mars.

Popular Science reports that a professor of genetics at Harvard University is currently working on a processor that can detect alien life. While NASA seems to have stalled any future plans in taking man beyond the International Space Station, Professor Gary Ruvkun is shooting to have this new processor on some type of land-roving vehicle bound for Mars.

According to the report, the chip will use a combination of buffer solution, detergent, and high-frequency sound waves to disrupt microscopic cells found within the Martian dust. This disruption will cause the cells to release their genetic material. Chemicals in the chip then amplify the released DNA and label it with fluorescent dyes.

Naturally there are many factors leaning against this new chip: an environment of extreme cold temperatures, potentially high doses of radiation, and NASA's overall faltering schedule. With that in mind, Ruvkun and his team have loads of time to perfect the alien detector, as the team is still only 3-percent of the way into condensing the technology down into a small device for rover or other Martian vehicle use.

Although it's highly doubtful that we'll see this technology at work in our lifetime, Ruvkun thinks that the chip has at least a 50-percent chance in finding something on Mars. If it actually does work, Ruvkun suggested that everyone break out the champagne and have a toast.

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bv90andy 04/20/2010 11:39 PM
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Quote :it's highly doubtful that we'll see this technology at work in our lifetime
it depends whos lifetime... :)

LATTEH 04/20/2010 11:57 PM
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lol idk why but this reminded me a that show fringe

grieve 04/21/2010 12:10 PM
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""Although it's highly doubtful that we'll see this technology at work in our lifetime""

I am 35 and willing to bet we will discover "aliens" before i die. Think how much Science has achieved in the last 40 years... the next 40 will be amazing!

darraghcoy 04/21/2010 12:20 PM
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But can it play....

No. I must be stronger than this. Must not say the forbidden word.

gekko668 04/21/2010 12:29 PM
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@darraghcoy

I'll rephrase that for you.

But can Martian/aliens play Crysis?

dameon51 04/21/2010 12:37 PM
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gekko668 :
@darraghcoyI'll rephrase that for you.But can Martian/aliens play Crysis?


Even martian gpu's can't handle crysis.

superblahman123 04/21/2010 12:44 PM
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Quote :According to the report, the chip will use a combination of buffer solution, detergent, and high-frequency sound waves to disrupt microscopic cells found within the Martian dust. This disruption will cause the cells to release their genetic material. Chemicals in the chip then amplify the released DNA and label it with fluorescent dyes.


So this thing will beat the ground, clean it off, blast some sound, and when something finally looks up long enough to say "wtf?" it gets lit up like a christmas tree? That'd freak me out of hiding!

mrhappy50 04/21/2010 1:05 AM
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NO!!!!!!!! not that crysis stuff again...... crysis 2 is more formidable. :)

NuclearShadow 04/21/2010 1:18 AM
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I doubt anything more advanced than bacteria will be found on Mars if anything. However even something so simple as bacteria would be something both worth discovering and studying. If anything is out there though no matter how small I would love to live to see it.

Gin Fushicho 04/21/2010 1:41 AM
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Really? It'll take that long?

turk_1000 04/21/2010 2:08 AM
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Quote :amplify the released DNA


Why would Aliens have DNA?

brendano257 04/21/2010 2:12 AM
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turk_1000 :
Why would Aliens have DNA?



Because so far, it's been one of the only things that tie all living organisms together on this Earth. (I believe there are 7) So its a good assumption that any other living creature/being/thing would have SOME sort of genetic material.

RazberyBandit 04/21/2010 2:14 AM
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^ Because scientists have come to the conclusion that since all life on Earth has DNA, even microbial life, then all potential life elsewhere must also have DNA. So basically, since it's the ONLY kind of life we know, it's the only kind we know how to detect.

Nexus52085 04/21/2010 9:23 AM
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Well, we could put this chip in a hand-held flip-open device and call it a tricorder. :)

wild9 04/21/2010 1:19 PM
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I heard someone released a beta version that went into the Whitehouse only to find zero intelligence.

techguy911 04/21/2010 2:43 PM
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Nobody is going anywhere the government pulled the space programs funding, shuttle program is scrapped so chances of going to mars in my lifetime is zero.
Most of the people working at nasa were let go, i laugh at obama speach about reaching for mars ,its kind of hard without a space program.
Well this scientist better talk to the chinese because they will be the first on mars with no space program in the US.

JohnnyLucky 04/21/2010 4:17 PM
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The truth is out there!

gm0n3y 04/21/2010 7:03 PM
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wild9 :
I heard someone released a beta version that went into the Whitehouse only to find zero intelligence.



Yeah, I read that one too. It was a few years ago I think.

anamaniac 04/21/2010 9:19 PM
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I always thought colonizing Mars was the next major step for humanity. Too bad it seems to be on every governments backburner. :(

Impulse Fire911 04/21/2010 11:06 PM
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LATTEH :
lol idk why but this reminded me a that show fringe


I LOVE FRINGE! :3

eddieroolz 04/21/2010 11:37 PM
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As long as it lights up like that, I'd buy one xD

rambo117 04/22/2010 4:26 AM
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Nexus52085 :
Well, we could put this chip in a hand-held flip-open device and call it a tricorder.


Just what I was thinking ;)

Mottamort 04/23/2010 1:13 AM
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Why can't I think of anything other than laundry detergent and a buffer you clean stuff with :P