[meteorite-list] Kerala Red Rain Was From A Comet, Study Suggests

From: Sterling K. Webb <sterling_k_webb_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Fri Jun 2 21:49:34 2006
Message-ID: <004801c685ff$7d598010$fe40e146_at_ATARIENGINE>

Hi, Martin, List

    Discharges of meconium contain waste materials
of all kinds, degraded organic materials, and blood
cells. Meconium would (and does) contain DNA,
which the samples do not. It is clear from Geoffrey's
own micrographs that only one variety of material
is present, that it is of only one geometric type, and
that is of an erythrocyte (a red blood cell), which has
no DNA.
    These two sources dismiss bat blood:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red_rain_in_Kerala
http://www.tmcnet.com/usubmit/2006/03/03/1427866.htm
    But their reasons for doing so is in error. They
imagine from usual characteristics of mammalian
blood in general that its red cells would dissolve in
rainwater, that blood lipids would be present (and
bat fragments!). But bat's blood is more than unusual;
it's dramatically unique, and it WOULD be preserved.
    But the fact that the cell-like particles are exactly the
size and of the exactly the geometric configuration as
red blood cells -- imaged micrographically they are
identical! -- is too much coincidence,
    They're saying that here is evidence of something that
is INDISTINGUISHABLE from a red blood cell,
but it's REALLY an alien because it's too unlikely
to be blood from an earthly creature. Too unlikely?
Is being an alien invader somehow MORE likely?
    Silly. Silly. Silly.
    Yes, Martin, Wickramasinghe says he MAY have
found traces of DNA, but Geoffry Louis is adament
that there isn't any, and repeat tests by specialist labs
agree with that. When each scientist says he has found
what -- surprisingly! -- we know he would WANT
to find, we can be very, very suspicious.
    Louis himself released a claim that they "multiplied,"
but then refused to acknowledge it publically. He has
his supporters (Monica Grady for one), but his scientific
pronouncements are absurd. He asserted that the absence
of DNA was absolute proof of the cells' alien origin,
as if he'd never heard of erythrocytes.
    The Indian government's identification of them as algae
spores (full of DNA) is one more piece of bad science.
The visual identification of the cells as mammalian (rather
that avian or other) erythrocytes corresponds rather nicely
with the fact that there is a mammal that inhabits the
atmosphere. And I think we can all agree that bats
can stay over a region much longer than a comet!
    Signs of lousy science abound in this affair.
    Ron, the extreme stability of the massive DNA
molecule is why it's a good one to encode, oh, say,
our whole being on for a lifetime! Sealed in a aqueous
solution for a few years is no problem. Remember, trace
fragments of DNA have been recovered after tens of
millions of years. Organic samples in the soil for thousands
of years are routinely identified by their DNA.
    I can't tell you how bat's blood got there, other than
that it fell from the sky (where the bats are). I'm sure it's
a fascinating (and unlikely) story, but it's not as unlikely
as the interstellar snake oil these guys are peddling. And
you have to realize that I am not biased against the notion
dogmatically. I'm a panspermatic agnostic. Gimme enough
proof and I'll be convinced.
    This story is not proof of anything but human folly.


Sterling K. Webb
-----------------------------------------------------------

----- Original Message -----
From: "Martin Altmann" <altmann_at_meteorite-martin.de>
To: <Meteorite-list_at_meteoritecentral.com>; "'Mike Bandli'"
<fuzzfoot_at_comcast.net>; <mqfowler@mac.com>
Sent: Thursday, June 01, 2006 11:13 AM
Subject: AW: [meteorite-list] Kerala Red Rain Was From A Comet, Study
Suggests


Hola list

Prof. Wickramasinghe emailed today and wrote, that they will explore the
hypothesis, which we gathered together here on the list, that those cells
may origine from the meconium of insects.

Buckleboo!
Martin


-----Urspr?ngliche Nachricht-----
Von: meteorite-list-bounces_at_meteoritecentral.com
[mailto:meteorite-list-bounces_at_meteoritecentral.com] Im Auftrag von Mike
Bandli
Gesendet: Mittwoch, 31. Mai 2006 23:09
An: 'Meteorite Mailing List'
Betreff: RE: [meteorite-list] Kerala Red Rain Was From A Comet, Study
Suggests

I have been following this story for a while now and am surprised that the
media has not had much coverage on it. Personally, I think it is a
fascinating theory, though stranger things have rained from the sky like
frogs, fish, and sticky white goo, which was later determined to be bee
poop.

Here is another (older) link with some good info:

http://education.vsnl.com/godfrey/

Best,
Mike Bandli



-----Original Message-----
From: meteorite-list-bounces_at_meteoritecentral.com
[mailto:meteorite-list-bounces_at_meteoritecentral.com] On Behalf Of Ron Baalke
Sent: Wednesday, May 31, 2006 9:36 AM
To: Meteorite Mailing List
Subject: [meteorite-list] Kerala Red Rain Was From A Comet, Study Suggests


http://www.chennaionline.com/colnews/newsitem.asp?NEWSID=%7BEC0520F4-92DC-45
2E-AB55-AD89E642DF32%7D&CATEGORYNAME=National

Kerala red rain was comet disintegration
Ceannai Online
May 31, 2006

Kottayam, May 31: The "red rains" in Kerala five years ago was the result
of the atmospheric disintegration of a comet, according to a study.

The study conducted at the School of Pure and Applied Physics of the MG
University here by Dr Godfrey Louis and his student a Santosh Kumar
shows that red rain cells were devoid of DNA which suggests their
extra-terrestrial origin.

The findings published in the international journal 'Astrophysics and
Space Science' state that the cometery fragment contained dense
collection of red cells.

Commenting on the study at a press conference here, Dr N Chandra
Wikramesinghe, Director of Cardiff Centre for Astrobiology, UK, said
"what makes this study most important is the similarity of the red
particles with living cells."

"If the red rain cells are finally proved to be of extra-terrestrial
origin then that would be one of the most important discoveries in
human history. It will change our concept about the universe and
life," he added.

The red coloured rains were reported in different parts of Kerala
from July to September 2001.
Received on Fri 02 Jun 2006 12:46:18 AM PDT