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[nenjin]

Perhaps, but don't get caught up in the "Big Scary Arsenic Poison" aspect of this. It's a valid chemical, just not for humans.

I think it's more the question of substitution. We assumed some chemicals could not be incorporated into DNA. It implies a whole new model for life construction we haven't seen. Since we're viewing it at the level of micro-organisms, the question of what they would look like as complex organisms is interesting.

[Criptfeind]

Since we're viewing it at the level of micro-organisms, the question of what they would look like as complex organisms is interesting.

I bet the fuckers would look exactly the same as us in every way just to screw with us.

[nenjin]

No way. I imagine all sorts of non-euclidean body shapes dictated by stuff like having arsenic in their DNA. Non-human sensory mechanisms. All sorts of crazy biological adaptations designed to help them survive in environments hostile to humanity. Even the idea of limbs is pre-supposed by a lot of circumstances specific to Earth. Take the funkiest thing you find down in the Mariana Trench, and that's a start at what non-terrestrials would probably look like.

[Sowelu]

They do form similar compounds yes, but differences in mass, reactions to temperatures etc. could be interesting.

Also keep in mind that a lot of microorganisms and itty bitty plants are, for practical purposes, limited ONLY by phosphorous intake.  At least that's my understanding of estuary biology.  That's why fertilizer can seriously screw over water sources: it has phosphates, which get in the water, and suddenly allow a TON of stuff to grow and clog and suffocate the water.  You do not want an excess of phosphorous in your water, or it will be a little too full of life and (more importantly) things that aren't fish.

These critters play by different rules.  They could thrive in places that are full of arsenic, in the same way.  They could live on planets with no phosphorous.  Etc.

[KaguroDraven]

Also: Phosphorus and Arsenic are really quite close. If this was a bigger change (Outside of a group) I would be more surprised.

That's why it's toxic to most life on earth. A good portion of our DNA is made of Phosphorus, when Arsenic gets into our system the DNA can get confused, for lack of a better word, and replace the Phosphorus with the Arsenic, which kills us. Also, last I checked these life forms where discovered awhile ago, atleast over a year back.

[smjjames]

No way. I imagine all sorts of non-euclidean body shapes dictated by stuff like having arsenic in their DNA. Non-human sensory mechanisms. All sorts of crazy biological adaptations designed to help them survive in environments hostile to humanity. Even the idea of limbs is pre-supposed by a lot of circumstances specific to Earth. Take the funkiest thing you find down in the Mariana Trench, and that's a start at what non-terrestrials would probably look like.

Not entirely for limbs since they would be advantegous on land and governed by physics.

Still, they wouldn't neccesarily resemble those on earth because you have a potentially infinite number of bodyplans.

[nenjin]

Limb as we understand it anyways. I'm thinking more like highly functional tentacles.

[mainiac]

The difference in DNA is small enough that this probably doesn't indicate a separate genesis, these lifeforms probably evolved from normal DNA based bacteria which could somehow survive an arsenic rich environment.  What would have been really game changing is if life had independently emerged on earth twice.

[smjjames]

"The Future is Wild", inaccurate as it was in some parts (complete extinction of mammals and birds and also of fish? sounds like too much), had a pretty good concept with the landwalking cephalopods and their mode of walking.

Heck, there are probably other modes of moving around that went unexplored on Earth, especially for land.

[Sowelu]

The difference in DNA is small enough that this probably doesn't indicate a separate genesis, these lifeforms probably evolved from normal DNA based bacteria which could somehow survive an arsenic rich environment.  What would have been really game changing is if life had independently emerged on earth twice.

Well, define 'emerged'.  Life at the very very beginning didn't have DNA.  So that's one possible branch point...or it could have split off anywhere from then to now, I guess.  Amazingly unlikely, sure, but...hell, I don't know anything about the specifics.  Maybe there are already organisms that process arsenic without any problems, consume it as part of their diet.  For them, switching over is quite do-able.

[Fayrik]

Wooo! Let's start looking for any sort of planet with an atmosphere now.

Titan, the moon of Jupiter, has a temperature/pressure atmosphere that holds methane at tripple point.
Oh, and the place is lacking oxygen, so the stuff isn't flammable. Just sayin'.

[Nilocy]

The reason this is so very very important is that it opens up doors to the genuine posibilities of life on other planets that arn't Earth like. Which means that the chances for other sentient life out there is vastly increased.

Also, arsenic is basically carbon based lifeforms poison. So its sorted if we ever try to kill it, it'll just make us melt.

[Leonon]

It's got no legs. What's it going to do, bleed on us?

[Urist Imiknorris]

Summon demon princes.

Then bleed on us. Beware its deadly blood!

[Derekristow]

Also, arsenic is basically carbon based lifeforms poison. So its sorted if we ever try to kill it, it'll just make us melt.

Arsenic is poison for phosphorus based lifeforms.  These guys are carbon based just like us.  The problem with arsenic is that our bodies simply can't tell the difference between it and phosphorus, causing problems when we try to use it for certain life processes.  That's how it was explained to me anyways.

We should see if they can swap between phosphorus and arsenic.  Given how similar the two are, I'm not sure being some strange genetic offshoot from long ago is really necessary.