Controversy about the presence of microscopic life forms

US scientists have found that in calcified arteries, there are spheres of less than one fifth of the smallest creature. They think it is also a form of life. Exist or not other life forms in the nano-small world? It remains the unsolved problem.

Ordinary forms of life must exist in the DNA sequence, so its size must be at least 140 nanometers (1 nanometer is 1 billionth of a meter). Scientists are wondering whether or not life forms are smaller than the upper limit, meaning that the DNA structure is forming or not.

Nanobacteria.
(Photo: Nanopicoftheday)

During the isolation of cells from human arterial tissues, a group of American scientists discovered in calcified arteries with microscopic spheres, about 30 nanometers in size. Tracking these microscopic spheres, they discover a strange thing that they can divide themselves. Even if kept in an experimental dish, they are capable of absorbing uridine (a substance needed to form the RNA chain). This proves that RNA may be being produced in these particles.

In addition, when observed under electron microscopy, nanobacteria have something similar to a cell wall. It is possible to call these forms of life because they reproduce themselves in nutrient environments although they do not detect the DNA structure in them.

However, some scientists claim that it is not possible to confirm that these are life nanoparticles. They may be viruses that enter the environment (because most modern laboratories cannot confirm complete nanoscale isolation); and the above division process is just a mineralization process (also absorbs some uridine). The usual way to evaluate the present life form is to dye, but for these nanobacteria, only false positives will be given.

Meanwhile, the team claims they will continue to cultivate nanobacteria and seek to extract their DNA sequence to confirm that nanobacteria is a true life form. If there are enough tools to prove what they believe is true, the study will open a new way to detect and control disease. Nanobacteria may be the origin of the pathogenic process (for example, in this study, it is in calcified artery walls, cardiac muscle, kidney stones, ovarian tumors .).

To prove whether nanobacteria is a life form or not, scientists will surely have to resort to new generation scientific tools. But now, research on the nano world is just the beginning.