Red Rain in India

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AuthorTopic: Red Rain in India
Shaper
Member # 73
Profile #0
http://education.vsnl.com/godfrey/

Odd Todd linked to the above site in his Daily Fact I Learned From The TV feature on his site. Is this guy making stuff up, or is he telling the truth? Has he ever sent a sample of it to someone else to study to verify whether he's telling the truth?

Or has nobody heard of this guy?

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Posts: 2957 | Registered: Thursday, October 4 2001 07:00
Raven v. Writing Desk
Member # 261
Profile Homepage #1
I am always worried when somebody uses really vague language to describe something, if just a teeny bit of specific clarification would make it seem reasonable instead of wacky. Such is the case with the "biological cell like nature" of the red particles. It would only take a few words to specify some unusual characteristics that might lead them to make the rather bizarre leap from "particle" to "cell like".

Similarly, the fact that they are more interested in describing the origin as "extraterrestrial" rather than "from a comet" probably tells you something about their target audience.

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Slarty vs. DeskDesk vs. SlartyTimeline of ErmarianG4 Strategy Central
Posts: 3560 | Registered: Wednesday, November 7 2001 08:00
Electric Sheep One
Member # 3431
Profile #2
It seems that it is far from clear that these are really alien cells from space, but that the hypothesis is a serious one being seriously advanced. The paper has appeared in a solid journal, published by Springer, and the author has presented the work at a conference at NORDITA in Copenhagen, which is a fine institution. The general reaction among experts seems to be that the author is probably wrong, but by no means a flake. And so far everybody admits that it's hard to say what these particle are, and that they look quite like thick-walled cells under an electron microscope.

So this is probably not, but could be, our first contact with extraterrestrial life. Cool!

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We're not doing cool. We're doing pretty.
Posts: 3335 | Registered: Thursday, September 4 2003 07:00
Law Bringer
Member # 2984
Profile Homepage #3
OMG OMG they're invading! :eek:

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My BlogPolarisI eat novels for breakfast.
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Posts: 8752 | Registered: Wednesday, May 14 2003 07:00
Law Bringer
Member # 6785
Profile #4
We've already been invaded. Don't you remember the Antartica meteorites from Mars that might have had cell life in them?

Actually it's been hypothesized that organic molecules could hitch a ride to Earth on meteors. This used to be pushed as an explanation for the origin of life here.

Don't worry until you see gigantic cylinders plunging to Earth and metallic tripod creatures emerging. Then just get drunk while they take over.
Posts: 4643 | Registered: Friday, February 10 2006 08:00
Shaper
Member # 247
Profile Homepage #5
quote:
Originally written by Randomizer:

We've already been invaded. Don't you remember the Antartica meteorites from Mars that might have had cell life in them?

Actually it's been hypothesized that organic molecules could hitch a ride to Earth on meteors. This used to be pushed as an explanation for the origin of life here.

Don't worry until you see gigantic cylinders plunging to Earth and metallic tripod creatures emerging. Then just get drunk while they take over.

It's more likely that i* created life on Earth.

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The Knight Between Posts.
Posts: 2395 | Registered: Friday, November 2 2001 08:00
Lifecrafter
Member # 34
Profile Homepage #6
'Revelations' says that blood rains are supposed to be precursors to Armageddon. That, coupled with that darn Mayan theory, and the weather being so darn hokey, leads me to believe that the world is pretty much going to be over in six years and I should sell all my stocks.

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Frisbeetarianism is the belief that when you die, your soul goes up on the roof and gets stuck.

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Posts: 702 | Registered: Wednesday, October 3 2001 07:00
...b10010b...
Member # 869
Profile Homepage #7
quote:
Originally written by Robinator, #034:

'Revelations' says that blood rains are supposed to be precursors to Armageddon.
My eschatology is a little rusty, but as I recall, what that passage actually says is that one-third of the world's waters will turn to blood. We are not quite observing that yet.

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The Empire Always Loses: This Time For Sure!
Posts: 9973 | Registered: Saturday, March 30 2002 08:00
Warrior
Member # 7002
Profile #8
The scary thing is, that when you think about it, we probably could cause our own Apocalypse.

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Polaris
Posts: 193 | Registered: Thursday, April 6 2006 07:00
Law Bringer
Member # 6785
Profile #9
The worst part is the leader of Iran believes that he is helping to usher in the Islamic version of the end of days. With a nuclear bomb and the belief that he is doing Allah's will we could get it.
Posts: 4643 | Registered: Friday, February 10 2006 08:00
Law Bringer
Member # 335
Profile Homepage #10
My eschatology was never good to begin with, but I'm pretty sure we can't manage a big A Apocalypse. That requires miracles or magic, and our technology is not sufficiently advanced.

—Alorael, who will just have to settle for apocalyptic mass annihilation.
Posts: 14579 | Registered: Saturday, December 1 2001 08:00
Warrior
Member # 7002
Profile #11
I kinda meant we could wreck the world in a more or less biblical fasion.

The Seven Vials- Bio warfare. I'm pretty sure if "something" happened, we could unleash plagues that would make The Black Death look like the flu,

Wormwood- Scorching the earth and poisoning the land and water? Sounds nuclear.

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Polaris
Posts: 193 | Registered: Thursday, April 6 2006 07:00
? Man, ? Amazing
Member # 5755
Profile #12
quote:
Originally written by Thuryl:

My eschatology is a little rusty, but as I recall, what that passage actually says is that one-third of the world's waters will turn to blood. We are not quite observing that yet.
It's almost time for tuna fishing.

We tend to attract quite a few sharks during the bloodletting.

Anyhow, just letting you know that I'm doing my part to hurry the Apocolypse.

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quote:
Originally written by Kelandon:

Well, I'm at least pretty sure that Salmon is losing.


Posts: 4114 | Registered: Monday, April 25 2005 07:00
Infiltrator
Member # 1092
Profile Homepage #13
Oh, that would be nice. The end of the world and everyone's being eaten by sharks and it all somehow ties down with tuna and an evil plan concocted by squirrels.

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When you think you can't get any lower in life and hit rock bottom, God hands you a shovel.

Why should I say somthin intelligent when idiots like you make me look intelligent in the first place.
Posts: 615 | Registered: Friday, May 3 2002 07:00
Warrior
Member # 7171
Profile #14
quote:
Originally written by Student of Trinity:

It seems that it is far from clear that these are really alien cells from space, but that the hypothesis is a serious one being seriously advanced. The paper has appeared in a solid journal, published by Springer, and the author has presented the work at a conference at NORDITA in Copenhagen, which is a fine institution. The general reaction among experts seems to be that the author is probably wrong, but by no means a flake. And so far everybody admits that it's hard to say what these particle are, and that they look quite like thick-walled cells under an electron microscope.

So this is probably not, but could be, our first contact with extraterrestrial life. Cool!

Rain is not extraterrestrial in origin.
Posts: 66 | Registered: Sunday, May 28 2006 07:00
Guardian
Member # 6670
Profile Homepage #15
From my quick once-over, it seems that the guy wanted to see extra-terrestrial cells, so extra-terrestrial cells is what he saw. Anyway, I say we give the ransom payments to the aliens so we can get Elvis back.

By Robinator:
quote:
that darn Mayan theory
Has someone been reading Steve Alten?

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Who's EyeStar?
Posts: 1509 | Registered: Tuesday, January 10 2006 08:00
Law Bringer
Member # 2984
Profile Homepage #16
quote:
Originally written by Randomizer:

With a nuclear bomb and the belief that he is doing Allah's will we could get it.
Calm down, we've been in that situation for so long one nuclear-powered fundie more or less matters little.

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Encyclopaedia ErmarianaForum ArchivesForum StatisticsRSS [Topic / Forum]
My BlogPolarisI eat novels for breakfast.
Polaris is dead, long live Polaris.
Look on my works, ye mighty, and despair.
Posts: 8752 | Registered: Wednesday, May 14 2003 07:00
Electric Sheep One
Member # 3431
Profile #17
quote:
Originally written by Maimonides:

Rain is not extraterrestrial in origin.
The idea is that the 'cells' are, having been shed into the atmosphere by a meteor. Dust floating in the atmosphere is likely to reach the Earth's surface in rain, because dust grains nucleate raindrops.

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We're not doing cool. We're doing pretty.
Posts: 3335 | Registered: Thursday, September 4 2003 07:00
FAQSELF
Member # 3
Profile #18
I've looked at the author's published article. As a whole the article is not too bad for an astronomer trying to do biology. Still, it's an astronomer trying to do biology. He's had one test to confirm the lack of DNA, and the work of other groups suggests he's wrong. He has no other info on any of the biochemistry of these purported aliens, other than a bulk chemical analysis.

Similarly, there's a few other things that seem wrong. The area of extent of the red rain is all along the coast of India, which corresponds better with a random rain event than with the fall path of a meteor.

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Posts: 2831 | Registered: Tuesday, September 18 2001 07:00
Raven v. Writing Desk
Member # 261
Profile Homepage #19
Has anyone made other suggestions as to what else the red particles might be, or what their origin was?

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Posts: 3560 | Registered: Wednesday, November 7 2001 08:00
Skip to My Lou
Member # 40
Profile Homepage #20
Martian snot.

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Posts: 1629 | Registered: Wednesday, October 3 2001 07:00
Law Bringer
Member # 335
Profile Homepage #21
According to Popular Science the cells are quite interesting. Reproduction without DNA (or, presumably, RNA) isn't a familiar trait of Earth life and superhyperthermophilia is also unique. On the other hand, the article makes it sound as though the solid-state physicist is doing the biological research. Oops.

—Alorael, who hopes that this leads to the discovery of superheated air pockets in the upper troposphere. Air pockets with magical flying lava kittens!

[ Monday, June 05, 2006 13:26: Message edited by: Fish Backwards ]
Posts: 14579 | Registered: Saturday, December 1 2001 08:00
? Man, ? Amazing
Member # 5755
Profile #22
Theory - Newer, crappier chemical added to avgas creates chemtrails with reddish precipitate.

All the really cool stuff happens way far away from where I am. That sucks. I'll start etching messages in corn fields in preparation for the arrival of the overlords.

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quote:
Originally written by Kelandon:

Well, I'm at least pretty sure that Salmon is losing.


Posts: 4114 | Registered: Monday, April 25 2005 07:00
Lifecrafter
Member # 34
Profile Homepage #23
To be honest, looking at the cells, it just looks like a whole lotta Utah sand.

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Frisbeetarianism is the belief that when you die, your soul goes up on the roof and gets stuck.

'Spiderweb Software' anagrammmed: 'Word-bereft A**wipe'
Posts: 702 | Registered: Wednesday, October 3 2001 07:00
Infiltrator
Member # 1092
Profile Homepage #24
Could be some sorta of freak nuclear incident thats starting to mutate things, next thing you now we will discover 3 eyed fish walking the streets of Delhi.

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When you think you can't get any lower in life and hit rock bottom, God hands you a shovel.

Why should I say somthin intelligent when idiots like you make me look intelligent in the first place.
Posts: 615 | Registered: Friday, May 3 2002 07:00

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