Rock solid proof of alien life? Scientists claim fossilized algae inside meteorite

[n2doc]

An example of a supposedly fossilized diatom (Image from www.journalofcosmology.com)

Fossilized algae recently discovered inside a Sri Lankan meteorite could finally prove the existence of extra-terrestrial life, claim the authors of the new paper.

In a recently published article in the Journal of Cosmology titled “Fossil Diatoms in a New Carbonaceous Meteorite”, scientists from the UK and Sri Lanka claim to have found fossilized algae in a meteorite.

The paper alleges that “microscopic fossilized diatoms were found in the sample,” which fell in Sri Lanka in December last year. The finding, the work suggests is a “strong evidence to support the theory of cometary panspermia.” The theory argues that life across planets is spread by meteorites and asteroids. Panspermia suggests that life could have existed on another planet and moved to Earth.

The scientists concluded the paper by saying “the presence of structures of this kind in any extra-terrestrial setting could be construed as unequivocal proof of biology.”


more
http://myscienceacademy.org/2013/01/29/rock-solid-proof-of-alien-life-scientists-claim-fossilized-algae-inside-meteorite/

The finding however has already come under sharp criticism, with astronomers claiming that the meteorite looks more like a rock that could be found on earth as the study provides vague details of the finding.

[longship]

1. Isn't Chandra Wickramasinghe involved in that?

He's been blowing the panspermia trumpet for decades (formerly with the now dead Fred Hoyle).

If I remember correctly he was one of the guys in on this. He's ideologically aligned with panspermia which makes his rationale for this claim highly suspect. Kind of like pious fraud.

Confirmed. Chandra Wickramasinghe heads the team.

[LunaSea]

2. An excellent dissection of this claim

http://www.slate.com/blogs/bad_astronomy/2013/01/15/life_in_a_meteorite_claims_by_n_c_wickramasinghe_of_diatoms_in_a_meteorite.html

[bloomington-lib]

3. Seems unlikely that a planet or moon was around long enough to develop life, then somehow explode,

then get caught in the solar systems gravity, then brought down to earth. I would love it if it happened, but I'm skeptical.

[Posteritatis]

4. The Journal of Cosmology might as well be the Weekly World News. (nt)

[defacto7]

5. It looks.... kind of..... like......

the Andromeda strain!

I think they actually got that picture from journalofcosmetology.com . It was just a typo.