New Antifreeze Molecule Isolated In Alaskan Beetle 108
Arvisp writes with the news of a recently discovered antifreeze molecule in an Alaskan beetle that departs from most commonly identified natural antifreeze. "'The most exciting part of this discovery is that this molecule is a whole new kind of antifreeze that may work in a different location of the cell and in a different way,' said zoophysiologist Brian Barnes, director of the University of Alaska Fairbanks Institute of Arctic Biology and one of five scientists who participated in the Alaska Upis ceramboides beetle project. Just as ice crystals form over ice cream left too long in a freezer, ice crystals in an insect or other organism can draw so much water out of the organism's cells that those cells die. Antifreeze molecules function to keep small ice crystals small or to prevent ice crystals from forming at all. They may help freeze-tolerant organisms survive by preventing freezing from penetrating into cells, a lethal condition. Other insects use these molecules to resist freezing by supercooling when they lower their body temperature below the freezing point without becoming solid."
YES! (Score:5, Funny)
Re:wait... (Score:5, Funny)
For the record, i can't RTFA from where i'm posting.
Well of course not. This is Slashdot, after all.
On the down side... (Score:2, Funny)
...the beetles have no protection against boil-over.
Re:YES! (Score:2, Funny)
Re:Cryogenics? (Score:3, Funny)
Does that mean we'll finally be able to travel to Tau Ceti and give the Race a taste of it's own medicine?
Re:Am I the only one... (Score:1, Funny)
Ew, this oxygen molecule I just breathed had previously passed through a sea slug, a mosquito, AND microsoft's main office. I think I am going to be sick.
New organic anti-freeze (Score:5, Funny)
Re:Cryogenics? (Score:2, Funny)
Re:Cryogenics? (Score:3, Funny)
Y3K? COBOL programmers could be very valuable.
air-cooled (Score:1, Funny)
I believe the Beetle (at least the real type 1) was air-cooled, so it did not contain any antifreeze.
Re:Cryogenics? (Score:1, Funny)
It would be fun to proclaim in a loud voice: "Welcome to the world of tomorrow!"
Science beats nature (Score:3, Funny)
I used to drive a 1963 Beetle. They don't need antifreeze!
Re:YES! (Score:1, Funny)
Well they could try removing the child with dynamite
Re:Cryogenics? (Score:1, Funny)
This opens up a really gray area in terms of medical ethics
Think about the problems in the in the legal arena:
1) Gramps is still alive.
2) Gramps always voted Democrat.
3) Therefore...
4) Profit!
Oh wait, it's already been done.