We are now able to detect the hidden microscopic world around us.
As science has progressed over the last century, we have undergone a significant shift. Science has dived deep into the molecular level, studying particles and tiny, tiny traces of DNA. A recent finding has discovered traces of the building blocks of life in water, but the catalog of information is still building.
How have we found evidence of life in the essence of life itself?
Water is the key to life in the universe; that much we know for sure
Without water, life as we know it would not exist.
Water is a great “boiling pot” for life, as its chemical polarity enables it to dissolve a far wider range of substances when compared to other types of fluid. This makes it the perfect medium to transport the necessary oxygen to cells as a universal solvent for biochemical reactions
And we suspect that water is the key to extraterrestrial life as well.
As it is made up of two of the most common elements in the universe, oxygen and hydrogen, it is most likely the foundation for life outside of our own planet. But to be fair, the evidence to support this hypothesis is yet to be found.
Society’s technological prowess has allowed us to trace more than just our DNA
We as a species have spent the best part of the last century digging up our planet to reveal a world of ancient life that explains, albeit partially, how we came to be what we are today.
Researchers have found ancient rocks that have been dated to be 500 million years old by simply digging beneath our feet.
The world of environmental sampling has reshaped our ability to study life in all its wondrous forms. But as our scientific progression increases with every passing year, a few unforeseen consequences have emerged.
Our deep-rooted need to understand our history has led to massive consequences for the environment.
As we need more and more energy to study life and the cosmos, our planet is feeling the full brunt of change. Several species have been saved from the brink of extinction only by significant conservation efforts by us humans.
Studying life is complex; as such, a team of researchers opted to study molecular life, or at least the traces of it, in water.
An article published by CSIRO has detailed how scientists found traces of DNA in water samples.
An empty catalog of water-based DNA is being filled, slowly
A team of researchers has been using what has come to be known as environmental DNA to study life in the very essence of it on our planet.
Environmental DNA, or eDNA if you will, allows scientists to dive deep into the hidden molecular world that exists around us. Think of the Ant-Man movie, just less cinematic and more scientific.
We know that your DNA may be the reason why you might be able to handle colder temperatures better than others.
The reason that we are able to study so many varied forms of life is that science has built a database, or catalog, of the life we have found so far. This allows us to easily differentiate between species and even different types of DNA.
eDNA is a step in the right direction to studying the hidden world of life at such a small scale, but the “catalog” of what they have found is not sufficient yet.
eDNA has allowed scientists to detect even the faintest traces of DNA in water, but the library of data has not had the time to be filled. So while our human DNA might be the reason that some of us are able to keep the flu at bay, eDNA still needs time to build up its catalog of information.