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Gizmodo
6 days ago
- Science
- Gizmodo
How Alien Life Could Exist Without Water
The search for alien life usually hinges on finding the same conditions that sustain life on Earth. But what if aliens don't need the same things that we need to survive? A new proposal tackles this question for water—arguably one of the most important factors in the search for alien life. Intriguing new research from MIT proposes that liquids are what's important for extraterrestrial habitability, and not just water. The new research specifically focuses on ionic fluids—substances that planetary scientists believe could form on the surfaces of rocky planets and moons. Ionic liquids are highly tolerant to high temperatures and low pressures, allowing them to remain in a stable liquid state that's potentially friendly to biomolecules. If confirmed, the proposal, published August 11 in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, would dramatically expand what's considered the 'habitable zone' among known exoplanets. By current standards, the habitable zone is defined as the band within planetary systems in which liquid water can remain stable on the surface. When it comes to life, we're understandably biased towards water; all life as we know it depends on it. 'We consider water to be required for life because that is what's needed for Earth life,' Rachana Agrawal, study lead author and a postdoctoral researcher at MIT, told MIT News. 'But if we look at a more general definition, we see that what we need is a liquid in which metabolism for life can take place.' Originally, the researchers were studying the toxic, gassy atmosphere of Venus and whether such conditions could support extraterrestrial life. The planet is shrouded in clouds of sulfuric acid, a common byproduct of volcanic activity on Earth and, presumably, on other rocky planets. While experimenting with different ways to extract organic compounds from sulfuric acid, the team noticed that each time, 'a stubborn layer of liquid always remained,' they explained. 'From there, we took the leap of imagination of what this could mean,' Agrawal said. 'Sulfuric acid is found on Earth from volcanoes, and organic compounds have been found on asteroids and other planetary bodies. So, this led us to wonder if ionic liquids could potentially form and exist naturally on exoplanets.' For the study, the researchers explored how ionic liquids could form naturally. (Earth's ionic liquids are largely synthesized for industrial purposes; the only natural instance is the venom mixture from two very specific species of ants). They mixed various nitrogen-containing organic compounds with sulfuric acid on basalt rock, a common geological feature of rocky planets. This reaction occurred under the hot, low-pressure conditions resembling the weather at Venus or other rocky planets. They found that ionic liquid emerged from these experiments at temperatures up to 356 degrees Fahrenheit (180 degrees Celsius) and also at extremely low pressures. 'We were just astonished that the ionic liquid forms under so many different conditions,' Sara Seager, study co-author and an astrophysicist at MIT, told MIT News. The results also demonstrate the extraordinary persistence of ionic liquids compared to water, Seager explained. If 'pockets' of ionic liquid could remain on a planet's surface for millennia, they'd be the 'small oases for simple forms of ionic-liquid-based life.' 'We just opened up a Pandora's box of new research,' Seager added. It's wholly reasonable to begin the search for alien life using Earth and Earth-based life as our starting point. But when we consider something that could contradict these baseline assumptions, that's when the most provocative, groundbreaking initiatives come to life.
Irish Times
20-05-2025
- Health
- Irish Times
Spider venom could aid future drug discovery, say Galway researchers
A new study on spider venom by researchers at the University of Galway 's School of Natural Sciences could help with future drug discovery, its authors have said. The research, published on Wednesday in the journal Biology Letters , analysed the venoms of more than 70 spider species. Dr Kevin Healy, senior author and head of the macroecology lab at the School of Natural Sciences, said the study will help people to 'understand the evolution of spider venoms' and 'how some venoms may be of particular interest for future drug discovery'. 'Venoms, in general, are actually a really good place to go look for new drugs,' Dr Healy told The Irish Times. READ MORE 'As a resource, they're incredible.' He explained that the biomolecules in venoms have evolved to perform many functions, such as lowering blood pressure or disrupting the circulatory system. Scientists can 'see the exact molecules in there, and then see how effective they are'. Venom could also potentially be used as an antimicrobial, an agent that kills microorganisms or stops their growth. In order to prevent spiders from getting an infection, there are often 'lots of antimicrobial molecules' in their venom glands, Dr Healy said. Dr Michel Dugon, head of the Venom Systems Lab at the university's Ryan Institute, added: 'By understanding the fundamental drivers of venom evolution, we can better predict the types of biomolecules in spider venoms that have yet to be explored for drug discovery.' The researchers discovered that diet is one of the most important drivers influencing the potency of spider venom. They found that spider venoms are 'prey-specific'. 'That means they are evolved to kill the thing they eat, they're not just evolved to kill things,' Dr Healy said. He noted that a Brazilian wandering spider, for example, is dangerous to humans because we are mammals. 'They feed on some small mammals, and so their venoms have components in them that are really, really good at disrupting mammal physiology. So while they don't prey on us, they kill things similar enough to us to make them dangerous to us.' By comparison, a giant house spider generally isn't dangerous to humans because it 'simply doesn't feed on anything related to us'. Brazilian wandering spiders are not found in Ireland. 'You do have to go down to South America, or at least the American continent, to get in trouble with one of those,' Dr Healy said. Another venomous spider not typically found in Ireland is the black widow, however one of its relatives – the false widow – poses a risk here. 'They're not the same ... but they are related and they do have pretty potent venom,' he said.
