#32

All I want is for them to discover some space penguins. Is that too much to ask?

4 Likes
#33

something really comforting and reassuring about how plain science labs look and how they still have the stools we used at school, like science is just stuck in the 70s

1 Like
#34
  1. The universe is teeming with life, I reckon. If you think microbes and shit is life. Teeming, I say.
  2. What is ‘life’?
  3. If they discovered penguins on Venus then 2020 has been worth it
3 Likes
#35

done me a bit

#36

If they’re from space clouds it would explain how they’re so obviously unsuited to walking on land here, clumsy waddling idiots.

3 Likes
#37

They can’t just mention “Venus penguins” like it’s a possibility then dash our hopes like that

1 Like
#38

some discussion partner you are

#39

Men are from mars, penguins are from venus

10 Likes
#40

Just searched and apparently this is old news anyway, there’s loads of photos of them

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I’ve still not read the article

1 Like
#41

The sulfuric acid atmosphere thing is interesting and that BBC video of science man corroding some peas is stupid. The reason we look for water on exoplanets as potential sources of life is because water is amphoteric, meaning it can act as an acid and a base, which makes it able to do loads of catalysis. That’s important because self-replicating chemical reactions (i.e. the foundations of anything we’d recognise as life) become more accessible because you can do acid catalysis and base catalysis all in the same environment.

Sulfuric acid is also an amphoteric molecule and can behave as an amphoteric solvent system, so actually it’s potentially very helpful for theoretically doing the same acid and base catalysis.

Dissolving up some peas in acid as a demonstration of how nasty sulfuric acid is to “life” is stupid, because our ~18% oxygen atmosphere absolutely fucking obliterates loads and loads of molecules - including phosphine actually, which spontaneously combusts on contact with air - and yet we’ve got life here. Dumb science reporting.

2 Likes
#42

thread got boring

6 Likes
#43

I mean I hope it’s life, but as someone pointed out elsewhere, it’s more likely to be a novel synthesis because we haven’t invested a lot of time or effort into producing syntheses of a molecule we can already make, but using a factory the size of a planet, in tiny quantities, at 500C in the absence of water and oxygen.

1 Like
#44

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Benedict Cumberbatch knew then.

5 Likes
#45

No, his science lab’s just out of date.

1 Like
#46

:D!

He’s got suspicious eyes and mannerisms, he’s a parody of an English man. Wouldn’t be surprised if you opened him up and there was a tiny alien controlling him, like inside a Dalek.

3 Likes
#47

Blatantly made-up name gives him away too

4 Likes
#48

that orange rubber tubing that connected the bunsen burners to the gas pipes that you’re certain are close to perishing through age.

2 Likes
#49

burning shit loads of splints because you are bored and not paying attention

#sciencelabstories

2 Likes
#50

enjoyed the contrast between epimer and kermits posts right after one another

2 Likes
#51

what were splints for apart from mindlessly burning?

1 Like