zotero/storage/YZZQ5ZHY/new-papers-deal-huge-blow-t...

483 lines
1.6 MiB
HTML
Raw Permalink Normal View History

2024-08-27 21:48:20 -05:00
<!DOCTYPE html> <html lang=en-us style><!--
Page saved with SingleFile
url: https://arstechnica.com/science/2012/07/new-papers-deal-huge-blow-to-nasa-backed-finding-on-arsenic-based-life/
saved date: Sat Jul 06 2024 07:32:16 GMT-0400 (Eastern Daylight Time)
--><meta charset=utf-8>
<title>New papers deal huge blow to NASA-backed finding on arsenic-based life | Ars Technica</title>
<style>/*! lightgallery - v1.2.19 - 2016-05-17
* http://sachinchoolur.github.io/lightGallery/
* Copyright (c) 2016 Sachin N; Licensed Apache 2.0 */@keyframes a{0%{left:0}50%{left:-30px}to{left:0}}@keyframes b{0%{left:0}50%{left:30px}to{left:0}}/*! lightslider - v1.1.6 - 2016-10-25
* https://github.com/sachinchoolur/lightslider
* Copyright (c) 2016 Sachin N; Licensed MIT *//*! lightslider - v1.1.3 - 2015-04-14
* https://github.com/sachinchoolur/lightslider
* Copyright (c) 2015 Sachin N; Licensed MIT */@keyframes c{0%{left:0}50%{left:-15px}to{left:0}}@keyframes d{0%{top:0}50%{top:-15px}to{top:0}}@keyframes e{0%{left:0}50%{left:15px}to{left:0}}@keyframes f{0%{bottom:0}50%{bottom:-15px}to{bottom:0}}.icon{display:inline-block;background-repeat:no-repeat;background-size:contain}.comment-count{background-image:url(data:image/svg+xml;charset=utf-8,%3Csvg\ xmlns=\'http://www.w3.org/2000/svg\'\ viewBox=\'0\ 0\ 37\ 37\'\ preserveAspectRatio=\'none\'\ fill=\'%235f6265\'%3E%3Cpath\ d=\'M18.5\ 36.25A17.6\ 17.6\ 0\ 0\ 1\ 7.85\ 32.7l-.37-.28-5.8\ 2.9\ 2.9-5.8-.28-.37a17.75\ 17.75\ 0\ 1\ 1\ 14.2\ 7.1z\'/%3E%3Cpath\ d=\'M18.5\ 1.5A17\ 17\ 0\ 1\ 1\ 8.3\ 32.1l-.74-.56-.83.41-3.37\ 1.69\ 1.69-3.37.41-.83-.56-.74A17\ 17\ 0\ 0\ 1\ 18.5\ 1.5m0-1.5A18.5\ 18.5\ 0\ 0\ 0\ 3.7\ 29.6L0\ 37l7.4-3.7A18.5\ 18.5\ 0\ 1\ 0\ 18.5\ 0z\'/%3E%3C/svg%3E);background-repeat:no-repeat}/*! normalize.css v4.1.1 | MIT License | github.com/necolas/normalize.css */html{font-family:sans-serif;line-height:1.15;-ms-text-size-adjust:100%;-webkit-text-size-adjust:100%}body{margin:0}article,figcaption,figure,footer,header,main,section{display:block}a{background-color:transparent;-webkit-text-decoration-skip:objects}a:active,a:hover{outline-width:0}img{border-style:none}svg:not(:root){overflow:hidden}figure{margin:1em 40px}::-webkit-input-placeholder{color:inherit;opacity:.54}::-webkit-file-upload-button{-webkit-appearance:button;font:inherit}@font-face{font-family:bitter;src:url(data:font/woff2;base64,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
<link rel=alternate type=application/rss+xml href=http://feeds.arstechnica.com/arstechnica/index>
<link rel=me href=https://mastodon.social/@arstechnica>
<meta name=application-name content="Ars Technica">
<meta name=msapplication-starturl content=http://arstechnica.com/>
<meta name=msapplication-tooltip content="Ars Technica: Serving the technologist for 1.2 decades">
<meta name=msapplication-task content="name=News;action-uri=http://arstechnica.com/;icon-uri=https://cdn.arstechnica.net/favicon.ico">
<meta name=msapplication-task content="name=Features;action-uri=http://arstechnica.com/features/;icon-uri=https://cdn.arstechnica.net/ie-jump-menu/jump-features.ico">
<meta name=msapplication-task content="name=OpenForum;action-uri=http://arstechnica.com/civis/;icon-uri=https://cdn.arstechnica.net/ie-jump-menu/jump-forum.ico">
<meta name=msapplication-task content="name=Subscribe;action-uri=http://arstechnica.com/subscriptions/;icon-uri=https://cdn.arstechnica.net/ie-jump-menu/jump-subscribe.ico">
<meta name=advertising content=ask>
<meta property=fb:admins content=592156917>
<meta property=fb:admins content=108943>
<meta property=fb:pages content=19374573752>
<meta name=format-detection content="telephone=no">
<meta name=theme-color content=#000000>
<meta name=viewport content="width=device-width,initial-scale=1">
<meta name=parsely-page content='{"title":"New papers deal huge blow to NASA-backed finding on arsenic-based life","link":"https:\/\/arstechnica.com\/science\/2012\/07\/new-papers-deal-huge-blow-to-nasa-backed-finding-on-arsenic-based-life\/","type":"post","author":"John Timmer","post_id":125965,"pub_date":"2012-07-09T18:25:35Z","section":null,"tags":["arsenic","biochemistry","biology","exobiology","type: report"],"image_url":"https:\/\/cdn.arstechnica.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/07\/503444main_M_LAKE-150x150.jpg"}'>
<meta name=parsely-metadata content="{&quot;type&quot;:&quot;report&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;New papers deal huge blow to NASA-backed finding on arsenic-based life&quot;,&quot;post_id&quot;:125965,&quot;lower_deck&quot;:&quot;Two labs revisit the study: strange bacteria tolerates, but doesn't use arsenic.&quot;,&quot;image_url&quot;:&quot;https:\/\/cdn.arstechnica.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/07\/503444main_M_LAKE-150x150.jpg&quot;,&quot;listing_image_url&quot;:&quot;https:\/\/cdn.arstechnica.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/07\/503444main_M_LAKE-300x150.jpg&quot;}">
<link rel=canonical href=https://arstechnica.com/science/2012/07/new-papers-deal-huge-blow-to-nasa-backed-finding-on-arsenic-based-life/>
<link rel=shorturl href="https://arstechnica.com/?p=125965">
<meta name=description content="Two labs revisit the study: strange bacteria tolerates, but doesn't use arsenic.">
<meta name=twitter:card content=summary_large_image>
<meta name=twitter:url content=https://arstechnica.com/science/2012/07/new-papers-deal-huge-blow-to-nasa-backed-finding-on-arsenic-based-life/>
<meta name=twitter:title content="New papers deal huge blow to NASA-backed finding on arsenic-based life">
<meta name=twitter:description content="Two labs revisit the study: strange bacteria tolerates, but doesn't use arsenic.">
<meta name=twitter:site content=@arstechnica>
<meta name=twitter:domain content=arstechnica.com>
<meta property=og:site_name content="Ars Technica">
<meta name=twitter:image:src content=https://cdn.arstechnica.net/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/503444main_M_LAKE-640x215.jpg>
<meta name=twitter:image:width content=640>
<meta name=twitter:image:height content=215>
<meta name=twitter:creator content=@j_timmer>
<meta property=og:url content=https://arstechnica.com/science/2012/07/new-papers-deal-huge-blow-to-nasa-backed-finding-on-arsenic-based-life/>
<meta property=og:title content="New papers deal huge blow to NASA-backed finding on arsenic-based life">
<meta property=og:image content=https://cdn.arstechnica.net/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/503444main_M_LAKE-640x215.jpg>
<meta property=og:description content="Two labs revisit the study: strange bacteria tolerates, but doesn't use arsenic.">
<meta property=og:type content=article>
<meta name=robots content=max-image-preview:large>
<style>@media (min-width:782px){}@media (max-width:781px){}@media (min-width:782px){}:where(.wp-block-columns.has-background){padding:1.25em 2.375em}@supports (-webkit-touch-callout:inherit){.wp-block-cover-image.has-parallax,.wp-block-cover.has-parallax{background-attachment:scroll}}@media (prefers-reduced-motion:reduce){}@supports (position:sticky){.wp-block-cover-image:after,.wp-block-cover:after{content:none}}@media (min-width:600px){}@media (min-width:600px){}@supports ((-webkit-mask-image:none) or (mask-image:none)) or (-webkit-mask-image:none){.wp-block-image.is-style-circle-mask img{-webkit-mask-image:url(data:image/svg+xml;utf8,<svg\ viewBox=\"0\ 0\ 100\ 100\"\ xmlns=\"http://www.w3.org/2000/svg\"><circle\ cx=\"50\"\ cy=\"50\"\ r=\"50\"\/><\/svg>);mask-image:url(data:image/svg+xml;utf8,<svg\ viewBox=\"0\ 0\ 100\ 100\"\ xmlns=\"http://www.w3.org/2000/svg\"><circle\ cx=\"50\"\ cy=\"50\"\ r=\"50\"\/><\/svg>);mask-mode:alpha;-webkit-mask-repeat:no-repeat;mask-repeat:no-repeat;-webkit-mask-size:contain;mask-size:contain;-webkit-mask-position:center;mask-position:center;border-radius:0}}@media (min-width:600px){}ul{box-sizing:border-box}@media (max-width:600px){}@media (min-width:782px){}@media (min-width:782px){}@media (min-width:782px){}@media (min-width:600px){}@media (min-width:600px){}:where(p.has-text-color:not(.has-link-color)) a{color:inherit}@media (min-width:600px){}@media (min-width:600px){}@media (prefers-reduced-motion:reduce){}@supports (position:sticky){.wp-block-video [poster]{-o-object-fit:cover;object-fit:cover}}:root{--wp--preset--font-size--normal:16px;--wp--preset--font-size--huge:42px}.screen-reader-text{border:0;clip:rect(1px,1px,1px,1px);-webkit-clip-path:inset(50%);clip-path:inset(50%);height:1px;margin:-1px;overflow:hidden;padding:0;position:absolute;width:1px;word-wrap:normal!important}.screen-reader-text:focus{background-color:#ddd;clip:auto!important;-webkit-clip-path:none;clip-path:none;color:#444;display:block;font-size:1em;height:auto;left:5px;line-height:normal;padding:15px 23px 14px;text-decoration:none;top:5px;width:auto;z-index:100000}html :where(.has-border-color),html :where([style*=border-width]){border-style:solid}html :where(img[class*=wp-image-]){height:auto;max-width:100%}</style>
<style id=global-styles-inline-css>body{--wp--preset--color--black:#000000;--wp--preset--color--cyan-bluish-gray:#abb8c3;--wp--preset--color--white:#ffffff;--wp--preset--color--pale-pink:#f78da7;--wp--preset--color--vivid-red:#cf2e2e;--wp--preset--color--luminous-vivid-orange:#ff6900;--wp--preset--color--luminous-vivid-amber:#fcb900;--wp--preset--color--light-green-cyan:#7bdcb5;--wp--preset--color--vivid-green-cyan:#00d084;--wp--preset--color--pale-cyan-blue:#8ed1fc;--wp--preset--color--vivid-cyan-blue:#0693e3;--wp--preset--color--vivid-purple:#9b51e0;--wp--preset--gradient--vivid-cyan-blue-to-vivid-purple:linear-gradient(135deg,rgba(6,147,227,1) 0%,rgb(155,81,224) 100%);--wp--preset--gradient--light-green-cyan-to-vivid-green-cyan:linear-gradient(135deg,rgb(122,220,180) 0%,rgb(0,208,130) 100%);--wp--preset--gradient--luminous-vivid-amber-to-luminous-vivid-orange:linear-gradient(135deg,rgba(252,185,0,1) 0%,rgba(255,105,0,1) 100%);--wp--preset--gradient--luminous-vivid-orange-to-vivid-red:linear-gradient(135deg,rgba(255,105,0,1) 0%,rgb(207,46,46) 100%);--wp--preset--gradient--very-light-gray-to-cyan-bluish-gray:linear-gradient(135deg,rgb(238,238,238) 0%,rgb(169,184,195) 100%);--wp--preset--gradient--cool-to-warm-spectrum:linear-gradient(135deg,rgb(74,234,220) 0%,rgb(151,120,209) 20%,rgb(207,42,186) 40%,rgb(238,44,130) 60%,rgb(251,105,98) 80%,rgb(254,248,76) 100%);--wp--preset--gradient--blush-light-purple:linear-gradient(135deg,rgb(255,206,236) 0%,rgb(152,150,240) 100%);--wp--preset--gradient--blush-bordeaux:linear-gradient(135deg,rgb(254,205,165) 0%,rgb(254,45,45) 50%,rgb(107,0,62) 100%);--wp--preset--gradient--luminous-dusk:linear-gradient(135deg,rgb(255,203,112) 0%,rgb(199,81,192) 50%,rgb(65,88,208) 100%);--wp--preset--gradient--pale-ocean:linear-gradient(135deg,rgb(255,245,203) 0%,rgb(182,227,212) 50%,rgb(51,167,181) 100%);--wp--preset--gradient--electric-grass:linear-gradient(135deg,rgb(202,248,128) 0%,rgb(113,206,126) 100%);--wp--preset--gradient--midnight:linear-gradient(135deg,rgb(2,3,129) 0%,rgb(40,116,252) 100%);--wp--preset--duotone--dark-grayscale:url(#wp-duotone-dark-grayscale);--wp--preset--duotone--grayscale:url(#wp-duotone-grayscale);--wp--preset--duotone--purple-yellow:url(#wp-duotone-purple-yellow);--wp--preset--duotone--blue-red:url(#wp-duotone-blue-red);--wp--preset--duotone--midnight:url(#wp-duotone-midnight);--wp--preset--duotone--magenta-yellow:url(#wp-duotone-magenta-yellow);--wp--preset--duotone--purple-green:url(#wp-duotone-purple-green);--wp--preset--duotone--blue-orange:url(#wp-duotone-blue-orange);--wp--preset--font-size--small:13px;--wp--preset--font-size--medium:20px;--wp--preset--font-size--large:36px;--wp--preset--font-size--x-large:42px}</style>
<style>.wp-forum-connect-container{max-width:1200px;padding:0 10px;margin:0 auto}@keyframes lds-spinner{0%{opacity:1}100%{opacity:0}}</style>
<meta property=article:published_time content=2012-07-09T18:25:35+00:00>
<meta property=article:modified_time content=2012-07-09T22:35:21+00:00>
<meta name=twitter:partner content=tfwp>
<style id=onetrust-style>#ot-sdk-btn.ot-sdk-show-settings{-moz-transition:.1s ease;-o-transition:.1s ease;-webkit-transition:1s ease}#ot-sdk-btn.ot-sdk-show-settings:hover,#ot-sdk-btn.optanon-show-settings:hover{color:#fff;background-color:#68b631}@keyframes onetrust-fade-in{0%{opacity:0}100%{opacity:1}}@media only screen and (min-width:426px) and (max-width:896px) and (orientation:landscape){}@media only screen and (max-width:600px){}@media (min-width:400px){}@media (min-width:550px){}@media (min-width:550px){}@media only screen and (max-width:530px){}</style><meta name=referrer content=no-referrer><link rel="shortcut icon" href="data:image/x-icon;base64,AAABAAMAICAAAAEAIACoEAAANgAAABAQAAABACAAaAQAAN4QAABAQAAAAQAgAChCAABGFQAAKAAAACAAAABAAAAAAQAgAAAAAACAEAAAEwsAABMLAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAUXf8KFF3/QhRd/3wUXf+pFF3/xBRd/9IUXf/SFF3/xRRd/60UXf+DFF3/SBRd/w4AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAUXf8aFF3/ehRd/9MUXf/+FF3//xRd//8UXf//FF3//xRd//8UXf//FF3//xRd//8UXf//FF3/2xRd/4UUXf8hAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAFF3/aBRd/+AUXf//FF3//xRd//8UXf//FF3//xRd//8UXf//FF3//xRd//8UXf//FF3//xRd//8UXf//FF3//xRd/+gUXf94FF3/BgAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAFF3/FxRd/6oUXf//FF3//xRd//8UXf//FF3//xRd//8UXf//FF3//xRd//8UXf//FF3//xRd//8UXf//FF3//xRd//8UXf//FF3//xRd//8UXf+8FF3/IQAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAABRd/x0UXf/LFF3//xRd//8UXf//FF3//xRd//8UXf//FF3//xRd//8UXf//FF3//xRd//8UXf//FF3//xRd//8UXf//FF3//xRd//8UXf//FF3//xRd//8UXf/ZFF3/KQAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAUXf8VFF3/zRRd//8UXf//FF3//xRd//8UXf//FF3//xRd//8UXf//FF3//xRd//8UXf//FF3//xRd//8UXf//FF3//xRd//8UXf//FF3//xRd//8UXf//FF3//xRd//8UXf/cFF3/IAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAFF3/AhRd/6wUXf//FF3//xRd//8UXf//FF3//xRd//8UXf//FF3//xRd//8UXf//FF3//xRd//8UXf//FF3//xRd//8UXf//FF3//xRd//8UXf//FF3//xRd//8UXf//FF3//xRd//8UXf/CFF3/CQAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAUXf9mFF3//xRd//8UXf//FF3//xRd//8UXf//FF3//xRd//8UXf//FF3//xRd//8UXf//FF3//xRd//8UXf//FF3//xRd//8UXf//FF3//xRd//8UXf//FF3//xRd//8UXf//FF3//xRd//8UXf9+AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAFF3/FxRd/+QUXf//FF3//xRd//8UXf//FF3//xRd//8UXf//FF3//xRd//8UXf//FF3//xRd//8UXf//FF3//xRd//8UXf//FF3//xRd//8UXf//FF3//xRd//8UXf//FF3//xRd//8UXf//FF3//xRd//IUXf8mAAAAAAAAAAAUXf96FF3//xRd//8UXf//FF3//xRd//8UXf//FF3//xRd//8UXf//FF3//xRd//8UXf//FF3//xRd//8UXf//FF3//xRd//8UXf//FF3//xRd//8UXf//FF3//xRd//8UXf//FF3//xRd//8UXf//FF3//xRd/5IAAAAAFF3/CRRd/9YUXf//FF3//xRd//8UXf//FF3//xRd//8UXf//FF3//xRd//8UXf//FF3//xRd//8UXf//FF3//xRd//8UXf//FF3//xRd//8UXf//FF3//xRd//8UXf//FF3//xRd//8UXf//FF3//xRd//8UXf//FF3/6RRd/xYUXf9AFF3//xRd//8UXf//FF3//xRd//8UXf//E1z//whU//8FU///BlP//w5Z//8HVP//EVv//xFb//8GU///Elv//xVd//8VXf//D1r//wZT//8EUv//BFP//whV//8TXf//FF3//xRd//8UXf//FF3//xRd//8UXf//FF3/VhRd/3sUXf//FF3//xRd//8UXf//FF3//xNc//8QW///ZZX//6bC//+Bp///LG3//3Cc/v8nav//KWv//32l/v8laP//EFr//xFb//8oa///cJ3//6bB//+iv///U4j//w1Z//8TXP//FF3//xRd//8UXf//FF3//xRd//8UXf+UFF3/qRRd//8UXf//FF3//xRd//8UXf//CFT//2SU////////tMv//7nO///e6P///////zx4//9Ffv///////zp3//8LV///BlT//5u6/v/j6/7/qsT//7LK///3+f//aZj//whV//8UXf//FF3//xRd//8UXf//FF3//xRd/78UXf/CFF3//xRd//8UXf//FF3//xRd//8EUv//nLv+/+Lr/v8ATv//AEf//3Ke////////OXb//0J8///6+v//OHb//wxX//8RW///NHP+/xti//8ARv//AEj//8jZ//+4zv//BlP//xNd//8UXf//FF3//xRd//8UXf//FF3/1xRd/9EUXf//FF3//xRd//8UXf//FF3//wlW//9Qhv7/+fv+/6K///87dP//UYf///v8//86d///Qnz///n6//81dP//DFf//xZe//8GU///IWb//2uZ//+4zf///////3Ke//8HVP//FF3//xRd//8UXf//FF3//xRd//8UXf/jFF3/0RRd//8UXf//FF3//xRd//8UXf//FF3//wtX//9Kg/7/ts3//9rm/v/m7v///P3//zl2//9Be///+/z//zx4//8EUf//C1f//z56///j7P//8/f//7zR//9cj///Dln//xNc//8UXf//FF3//xRd//8UXf//FF3//xRd/+QUXf/EFF3//xRd//8UXf//FF3//xRd//8UXf//Fl7//xNc//8ATf//BlP//2WU////////N3X//z96////////yNj//yRo//8ATP//nLv//+nv//8eYv//AEn//wpW//8WX///FF3//xRd//8UXf//FF3//xRd//8UXf//FF3/2BRd/6wUXf//FF3//xRd//8UXf//FF3//w9a//8laf//0uD+/7XM//+Ss///1uP//+bu//8WXv//S4L///T3/v/J2f//8PX//3Gd/v9dj///9/n+/5u5/v+evP//1+P+/zt4//8LV///FF3//xRd//8UXf//FF3//xRd//8UXf/BFF3/gBRd//8UXf//FF3//xRd//8UXf//E1z//xVe//9cj///pMD//7nP/v+kwP/
<body class="post-template-default single single-post postid-125965 single-format-standard grid-view light blog-us sticky_support">
<noscript><iframe src="https://www.googletagmanager.com/ns.html?id=GTM-NLXNPCQ" height="0" width="0" style="display:none;visibility:hidden"></iframe></noscript>
<aside class="ad ad_crown sf-hidden" aria-label="Top of page advertisement"></aside>
<div class=site-wrapper>
<a class="screen-reader-text skip-link" href=#main aria-label="Skip to main content">Skip to main content</a>
<header class="site-header scrolled-up">
<div class=header-left>
<a href=https://arstechnica.com/ id=header-logo title="Ars Technica Homepage">
<span class="icon icon-logo-ars-us"></span>
</a>
</div>
<div class=header-right>
<nav id=header-nav-primary>
<ul>
<li><a class="nav-link section-information-technology" href=https://arstechnica.com/information-technology/>Biz &amp; IT</a></li>
<li><a class="nav-link section-gadgets" href=https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/>Tech</a></li>
<li><a class="nav-link section-science" href=https://arstechnica.com/science/>Science</a></li>
<li><a class="nav-link section-tech-policy" href=https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/>Policy</a></li>
<li><a class="nav-link section-cars" href=https://arstechnica.com/cars/>Cars</a></li>
<li><a class="nav-link section-gaming" href=https://arstechnica.com/gaming/>Gaming &amp; Culture</a></li>
<li><a class="nav-link store" href=https://arstechnica.com/store/>Store</a></li>
<li><a class="nav-link forums" href=https://arstechnica.com/civis/>Forums</a></li>
</ul>
</nav>
<a href=https://arstechnica.com/store/product/subscriptions/ class=header-highlight-link>Subscribe</a>
<div class=dropdown id=header-search>
<a href=https://arstechnica.com/search/ class="dropdown-toggle search-toggle" aria-label=Search aria-expanded=false>
<span class="icon icon-search-mag-glass"></span>
</a>
<div class="dropdown-content sf-hidden">
</div>
</div>
<div class="dropdown dropdown-mega" id=header-burger>
<a href=#site-menu class=dropdown-toggle aria-label=Menu aria-expanded=false>
<span></span>
</a>
<div id=site-menu class="dropdown-content sf-hidden">
</div>
</div>
<a class="navlink login-link" href="https://arstechnica.com/civis/login?_xfRedirect=%2Fscience%2F2012%2F07%2Fnew-papers-deal-huge-blow-to-nasa-backed-finding-on-arsenic-based-life%2F">
Sign in
</a>
</div>
</header>
<main id=main class=content-wrapper>
<article itemscope itemtype=http://schema.org/NewsArticle class="article-single standalone intro-default">
<div class=column-wrapper>
<div class=left-column>
<header class=article-header>
<h4 class=post-upperdek>
Science —
</h4>
<h1 itemprop=headline>New papers deal huge blow to NASA-backed finding on arsenic-based life</h1>
<h2 itemprop=description>Two labs revisit the study: strange bacteria tolerates, but doesn't use arsenic.</h2>
<section class=post-meta>
<p class=byline itemprop="author creator" itemscope itemtype=http://schema.org/Person>
<a itemprop=url href=https://arstechnica.com/author/john-timmer/ rel=author><span itemprop=name>John Timmer</span></a>
- <time class=date data-time=1341858335 datetime=2012-07-09T18:25:35+00:00>7/9/2012, 2:25 PM</time>
</p>
</section> </header>
<section class=article-guts>
<div itemprop=articleBody class="article-content post-page">
<figure class="intro-image intro-left">
<img src=data:image/jpeg;base64,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
<figcaption class=caption><div class=caption-text>The otherworldly waters of California's Mono Lake were the source of bacteria that, according to NASA, shed light on the search for life on other planets.</div><div class=caption-credit><a rel=nofollow class=caption-link href=http://www.nasa.gov/images/content/503444main_M_LAKE.jpg>NASA</a></div></figcaption> </figure>
<aside id=social-left class=social-left aria-label="Read the comments or share this article">
<a class="comment-count icon-comment-bubble-down" href="https://arstechnica.com/science/2012/07/new-papers-deal-huge-blow-to-nasa-backed-finding-on-arsenic-based-life/?comments=1">
<h4 class="comment-count-before sf-hidden">reader comments</h4>
<span class=comment-count-number>31</span>
</a>
</aside>
<p>A year and a half ago, a cryptic NASA press release focused attention on what it promised would be new evidence in the hunt for life on alien worlds. NASA and the journal involved (<em>Science</em>) sat on the results for days as rumors built. Eventually, the paper debuted: NASA scientists <a href=http://arstechnica.com/science/2010/12/bacteria-can-integrate-arsenic-into-its-dna-and-proteins/>had found evidence</a> that life on Earth could rely on alternate chemistry, one that replaced the phosphorus used in many biomolecules for a chemical relative that is usually toxic: arsenic.</p>
<p>Controversy did not end there. Researchers quickly identified a number of holes in the initial analysis, both logical and experimental. Less than six months later, <em>Science</em> published <a href=http://arstechnica.com/science/2011/05/is-there-arsenic-in-that-life-surprising-report-challenged/>a series of responses</a> to the original paper that raised significant questions about its accuracy. Now, the topic is back in the pages of the same journal. Two labs have obtained the original arsenic-tolerant bacteria and shown that some of the original paper's conclusions are completely off-base.</p>
<p>The bacteria themselves were originally obtained from California's Mono Lake, which naturally contains high levels of arsenic. Over multiple generations in the lab, scientists forced them to evolve further, gradually ramping up the arsenic concentrations while lowering the amount of phosphorus available to the organisms. After enough generations, the resulting bacteria reportedly had some rather exceptional properties: they could get by without having any phosphorus added to their growth media, but only if arsenic were added. And, possibly as part of that adaptation, the arsenic started appearing with biomolecules that normally contain phosphorus (although, as our initial coverage noted, the data didn't indicate how the arsenic was being used).</p>
<p>The responses suggested a couple of problems with the work. On purely theoretical grounds, we know that arsenate compounds should spontaneously fall apart in water. This makes their apparent presence in biomolecules difficult to accept. And, on purely practical grounds, it turns out to be really difficult to get rid of all the phosphorus from the other lab chemicals scientists typically rely on. That suggests these bacteria weren't really doing without the stuff.</p> <div class=ars-interlude-container></div>
<p>The new papers, from groups in Zurich and Vancouver, nail down a lot of loose ends. The material suggests that the initial results were a mix of artifact and not pushing the experiments sufficiently far.</p>
<p>First, the inability to grow without phosphate. The Zurich group shows that these organisms can survive down to remarkably low amounts of phosphorus—the equivalent of adding 0.000162 grams for every liter of liquid growth medium (for those of you hung up on English units, that's "almost nothing"). But if you use ultrapure materials that drop the phosphorus levels down to below what the team could detect (somewhere less than 20 percent of that level), the bacteria won't grow. They still need phosphate.</p>
<p>The original paper reported that when phosphate starved, the organisms needed arsenic in their media to grow at all. But the Vancouver group found that wasn't the case. They suggest this was an artifact: the bacteria also had a requirement for a specific amino acid, something that was not reported in the original paper. They suspect that the arsenic solution used in the original experiments had been contaminated with the amino acid, explaining its apparent requirement.</p>
<p>So the bacteria don't appear to require arsenic. But, just as clearly, they can tolerate extremely high levels of the substance, and there was evidence that it is incorporated into biomolecules, including DNA. The new papers tackle this as well. The Zurich group used a technique called mass spectrometry, in which every chemical in the cell is separated based on how much an individual molecule weighs. The results can be compared to a database of known weights to identify most molecules very specifically. In this case, the authors updated their database to include molecules with phosphate replaced by arsenate.</p>
<p>The results largely came back blank. Some arsenate was associated with sugars, but this apparently formed spontaneously, without the need for any biochemical activity. If you let the standard lab bacteria <em>E. coli</em> grow in a medium containing some arsenic, they formed all of these compounds as well. This suggests they have nothing to do with a newly evolved tolerance to arsenic.</p> <div class=ars-interlude-container></div>
<p>The Vancouver group focused on the reported association of arsenic with DNA, a phosphate-rich molecule. That makes DNA a great candidate for detecting even a rare substitution of arsenate for phosphate, a change that should make the DNA sensitive to breaking down in a simple solution of water. But, even after extended storage in water, DNA obtained from these bacteria was as stable as that obtained from the same strain grown without arsenic. Based on the groups' measurements, that means that less than one-in-25,000 phosphates could possibly be swapped out.</p>
<p>Given all this data, it's hard to argue with the Vancouver team's conclusion: "The end result is that the fundamental biopolymers conserved across all forms of life remain, in terms of chemical backbone, invariant."</p>
<p>But an argument may be brewing. MSNBC's Alan Boyle has been <a href=http://cosmiclog.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/07/08/12628012-two-studies-show-weird-life-microbe-cant-live-on-arsenic>communicating with the team</a> behind the original findings, and they suggest there's a paper in the works that backs up their initial findings. Although the two new publications seem like the final word on the topic, more appears to be forthcoming.</p>
<h2>Arsenic and open science</h2>
<p>The researcher who led the Vancouver group, Rosie Redfield, deserves special mention in this saga. Redfield has embraced <a href=http://rrresearch.fieldofscience.com/>blogging as part of the scientific process</a>, and was one of the first researchers to publicly raise doubt about the original arsenic results. Her doubts caught the attention of science journalists and led to some of the <a href=http://www.slate.com/articles/health_and_science/science/2010/12/this_paper_should_not_have_been_published.html>first skeptical coverage</a>. Once she obtained the bacteria and started working on them, she put <a href=http://rrresearch.fieldofscience.com/2011/08/first-evidence-refuting-wolfe-simon-et.html>results up on her blog</a> as they came in. As she prepared her paper for publication, she also put draft versions <a href=http://arxiv.org/abs/1201.6643>up on the arXiv</a>.&nbsp;That is common in physics and astronomy, but almost unheard of in biology.</p>
<p>Not only is Redfield pushing her fellow biologists for greater openness, she has apparently pushed the journals as well. <em>Science</em> normally distributes papers that will be released in a given week to the press on Sunday night, but asks the press to hold them for a Thursday embargo. Redfield was scheduled to speak at an evolution meeting last night, and let the editors of <em>Science</em> know that <a href=http://rrresearch.fieldofscience.com/2012/07/consider-publication-embargo.html>her arsenic work would be the topic</a> (and, naturally, she blogged about letting them know, too). In response, <em>Science</em> made these two papers available without restrictions last night.</p>
<p>Had <em>Science</em> been equally responsible with its embargo of the initial results from NASA, some of the hype that developed in response to the uncertainty might never have become a problem in the first place.</p>
<p><em>Science</em>, 2012. DOI: <a href=http://dx.doi.org/10.1126/science.1218455>10.1126/science.1218455</a>, <a href=http://dx.doi.org/10.1126/science.1219861>10.1126/science.1219861</a> &nbsp;(<a href=http://arstechnica.com/science/news/2010/03/dois-and-their-discontents-1.ars>About DOIs</a>).</p>
</div>
<section id=promoted-comments>
<h2>Promoted Comments</h2>
<ul>
<li class=comment data-post-id=23037872 data-poster-id=51654>
<header class=byline>
<span class=author data-post-author=HodyOne><a href="http://arstechnica.com/civis/memberlist.php?mode=viewprofile&amp;u=51654">HodyOne</a></span>
|
<span class=rank>Ars Tribunus Militum</span>
<aside class=icons>
<a href="http://arstechnica.com/science/2012/07/new-papers-deal-huge-blow-to-nasa-backed-finding-on-arsenic-based-life/?comments=1&amp;post=23037872#comment-23037872" class="timeago datetime">jump to post</a>
<span class=hidden-icon-start></span>
</aside>
</header>
<div class=body>
If you want to see some amazing backtracking and contorted logic from Felisa Wolfe-Simon, read her <a href=http://cosmiclog.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/07/08/12628012-two-studies-show-weird-life-microbe-cant-live-on-arsenic#c67779535 class=postlink rel=nofollow>email exchange</a> between the msnbc correspondent.
</div>
<footer>
1781 posts | registered <time class=reg-date>Jan 20, 2003</time>
</footer>
</li> </ul>
</section>
<section id=promoted-comments>
<h2>Promoted Comments</h2>
<ul>
<li class=comment data-post-id=23037872 data-poster-id=51654>
<header class=byline>
<span class=author data-post-author=HodyOne><a href="http://arstechnica.com/civis/memberlist.php?mode=viewprofile&amp;u=51654">HodyOne</a></span>
|
<span class=rank>Ars Tribunus Militum</span>
<aside class=icons>
<a href="http://arstechnica.com/science/2012/07/new-papers-deal-huge-blow-to-nasa-backed-finding-on-arsenic-based-life/?comments=1&amp;post=23037872#comment-23037872" class="timeago datetime">jump to post</a>
<span class=hidden-icon-start></span>
</aside>
</header>
<div class=body>
If you want to see some amazing backtracking and contorted logic from Felisa Wolfe-Simon, read her <a href=http://cosmiclog.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/07/08/12628012-two-studies-show-weird-life-microbe-cant-live-on-arsenic#c67779535 class=postlink rel=nofollow>email exchange</a> between the msnbc correspondent.
</div>
<footer>
1781 posts | registered <time class=reg-date>Jan 20, 2003</time>
</footer>
</li> </ul>
</section>
</section>
</div>
<div class=xrail>
<div class=xrail-content>
<aside class="ad ad_xrail ad_xrail_top ad_xrail_last sf-hidden" aria-label="Top sidebar advertisement"></aside>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<div class=column-wrapper>
<div class=left-column>
<div id=social-footer>
<a class="comment-count icon-comment-bubble-down" href="https://arstechnica.com/science/2012/07/new-papers-deal-huge-blow-to-nasa-backed-finding-on-arsenic-based-life/?comments=1">
<h4 class=comment-count-before>reader comments</h4>
<span class=comment-count-number>31</span>
</a>
</div>
<section class=article-author>
<a style="background-image:url(data:image/jpeg;base64,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
<div class=author-bio>
<section class=author-bio-top>
<a href=https://arstechnica.com/author/john-timmer class=author-name>John Timmer</a>
John is Ars Technica's science editor. He has a Bachelor of Arts in Biochemistry from Columbia University, and a Ph.D. in Molecular and Cell Biology from the University of California, Berkeley. When physically separated from his keyboard, he tends to seek out a bicycle, or a scenic location for communing with his hiking boots.
</section>
</div>
</section>
</div>
<div class=xrail></div>
</div>
<div id=article-footer-wrap>
<aside class="ad_wrapper sf-hidden" aria-label="Full width advertisement">
</aside>
<section id=comments-area class="comments-area column-wrapper">
<div class="row comments-row left-column">
<a name=comments-bar></a>
<div class=wp-forum-connect-container>
</div>
</div>
<div class="xrail xrail-comments sf-hidden">
</div>
</section>
<section class=inline-playlist>
<div class=ars-video-playlist>
<h3 class=ars-video-playlist-module-header>Channel <span>Ars Technica</span></h3>
<div class=ars-video-playlist-module data-playlist-id=arstechnica-channel-ars-default data-video-options=[]><div class=ars-video-playlist-container><div class=ars-video-playlist-player-container><div class=ars-video-playlist-player><figure class=ars-video-playlist-player-video><div style="box-sizing:content-box;display:inline-block;height:0px;padding-top:56.25%;position:relative;transition:height 300ms ease-in-out;vertical-align:top;width:100%" class=cne-player-container id=4459694-a2c-e528-67c2-ba6c3ed0848a></div></figure></div><h4 class=ars-video-playlist-title>Unsolved Mysteries Of Quantum Leap With Donald P. Bellisario</h4><p class=ars-video-playlist-description>Today "Quantum Leap" series creator Donald P. Bellisario joins Ars Technica to answer once and for all the lingering questions we have about his enduringly popular show. Was Dr. Sam Beckett really leaping between all those time periods and people or did he simply imagine it all? What do people in the waiting room do while Sam is in their bodies? What happens to Sam's loyal ally Al? 30 years following the series finale, answers to these mysteries and more await.</p></div><div class=ars-video-playlist-videos-container><div class=ars-video-playlist-videos-container-inside><ul class=ars-video-playlist-items><li class="ars-video-playlist-item active"><a href=https://www.arstechnica.com/video/watch/unsolved-mysteries-unsolved-mysteries-of-quantum-leap-with-donald-p-bellisario class=ars-playlist-video-thumb><div class=ars-playlist-video-thumb-image><img alt="Unsolved Mysteries Of Quantum Leap With Donald P. Bellisario" src=data:image/jpeg;base64,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
</div>
</section>
<div class=prev-next-links>
<a href=https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2012/07/uk-judge-galaxy-tab-not-cool-enough-to-infringe-ipad-design/ rel=prev><span class=arrow></span> Previous story</a> <a href=https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2012/07/rapeutation-charles-carreon-still-not-done-with-the-oatmeal/ rel=next>Next story <span class=arrow></span></a></div>
<footer id=article-footer>
<div class=recommendations-footer>
<div id=story-recommendations>
<div class=heading-column>
<h3>Related Stories</h3>
</div>
<ul id=story-recs class=rec-wrap></ul>
</div>
</div>
<div id=taboola-below-article-thumbnails---at></div>
<div class=recommendations-footer>
<div id=latest-stories>
<div class=heading-column>
<h3>Today on Ars</h3>
</div>
<ul id=latest-recs class=rec-wrap><li class="article tease-" data-post-id><article><a href=https://arstechnica.com/science/2024/07/egalitarian-oddity-found-in-the-neolithic/ class=recommendation-latest role=presentation tabindex=-1 aria-hidden=true><figure style="background-image:url(data:image/jpeg;base64,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
</div>
</div>
</footer>
</div>
</article>
</main>
<footer class=site-footer>
<nav class=nav-footer>
<section>
<ul>
<li><a href=https://arstechnica.com/store/>Store</a></li>
<li><a href=https://arstechnica.com/store/product/subscriptions/>Subscribe</a></li>
<li><a href=https://arstechnica.com/about-us/>About Us</a></li>
<li><a href=https://arstechnica.com/rss-feeds/>RSS Feeds</a></li>
<li><a rel=nofollow href="https://arstechnica.com/science/2012/07/new-papers-deal-huge-blow-to-nasa-backed-finding-on-arsenic-based-life/?view=mobile">View Mobile Site</a></li>
</ul>
</section>
<section>
<ul>
<li><a href=https://arstechnica.com/contact-us/>Contact Us</a></li>
<li><a href=https://arstechnica.com/staff-directory/>Staff</a></li>
<li><a href=https://advertising.condenast.com/brands/ars-technica>Advertise with us</a></li>
<li><a href=https://arstechnica.com/reprints/>Reprints</a></li>
</ul>
</section>
<section class=footer-newsletter>
<div class=newsletter-wrapper>
<h3>
<a href=https://arstechnica.com/newsletters/ class=footer-newsletter-sign-up>Newsletter Signup</a>
</h3>
<p>Join the Ars Orbital Transmission mailing list to get weekly updates delivered to your inbox. <a href=https://arstechnica.com/newsletters/ class=footer-newsletter-sign-up>Sign me up →</a></p>
<div class=footer-social-links>
<a href=https://twitter.com/arstechnica class=footer-social-twitter>
<svg style=height:40px;width:40px id=b xmlns=http://www.w3.org/2000/svg xmlns:xlink=http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink viewBox="0 0 40 40">
<defs>
<clippath id=e>
<rect width=40 height=40 fill=none></rect>
</clippath>
<clippath id=f>
<rect width=40 height=40 fill=none></rect>
</clippath>
</defs>
<g id=c>
<g id=d>
<g clip-path=url(#e)>
<g clip-path=url(#f)>
<path d=M16.3,28.1c7.5,0,11.7-6.3,11.7-11.7s0-.4,0-.5c.8-.6,1.5-1.3,2-2.1-.7,.3-1.5,.5-2.4,.6,.9-.5,1.5-1.3,1.8-2.3-.8,.5-1.7,.8-2.6,1-.6-.7-1.4-1.1-2.3-1.2s-1.8,0-2.6,.4c-.8,.4-1.4,1.1-1.8,1.9-.4,.8-.5,1.7-.3,2.6-1.6,0-3.2-.5-4.7-1.2-1.5-.7-2.7-1.8-3.8-3-.5,.9-.7,2-.5,3,.2,1,.9,1.9,1.7,2.5-.7,0-1.3-.2-1.9-.5h0c0,1,.3,1.9,.9,2.7,.6,.7,1.4,1.2,2.4,1.4-.6,.2-1.2,.2-1.9,0,.3,.8,.8,1.5,1.5,2s1.5,.8,2.4,.8c-1.5,1.1-3.2,1.8-5.1,1.8-.3,0-.7,0-1,0,1.9,1.2,4.1,1.8,6.3,1.8 fill=currentColor></path>
</g>
</g>
</g>
</g>
</svg>
</a>
<a href=https://mastodon.social/@arstechnica class=footer-social-mastodon>
<svg style=height:40px;width:40px id=b xmlns=http://www.w3.org/2000/svg xmlns:xlink=http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink viewBox="0 0 40 40">
<defs>
<clippath id=e>
<rect width=40 height=40 fill=none></rect>
</clippath>
<clippath id=f>
<rect width=40 height=40 fill=none></rect>
</clippath>
</defs>
<g id=c>
<g id=d>
<g clip-path=url(#e)>
<g clip-path=url(#f)>
<path d=M29.3,16.6c0-4.3-2.8-5.6-2.8-5.6-1.4-.7-3.9-.9-6.5-1h0c-2.6,0-5,.3-6.4,1,0,0-2.8,1.3-2.8,5.6s0,2.2,0,3.4c.1,4.2,.8,8.4,4.7,9.5,1.8,.5,3.4,.6,4.6,.5,2.3-.1,3.5-.8,3.5-.8v-1.6c0,0-1.7,.5-3.5,.4-1.8,0-3.7-.2-4-2.4,0-.2,0-.4,0-.6,0,0,1.8,.4,4,.5,1.4,0,2.7,0,4-.2,2.5-.3,4.7-1.8,5-3.3,.4-2.2,.4-5.4,.4-5.4h0Zm-3.4,5.6h-2.1v-5.1c0-1.1-.5-1.6-1.4-1.6s-1.5,.6-1.5,1.9v2.8h-2.1v-2.8c0-1.3-.5-1.9-1.5-1.9s-1.4,.5-1.4,1.6v5.1h-2.1v-5.3c0-1.1,.3-1.9,.8-2.6,.6-.6,1.3-1,2.2-1s1.9,.4,2.4,1.2l.5,.9,.5-.9c.5-.8,1.3-1.2,2.4-1.2s1.7,.3,2.2,1c.6,.6,.8,1.5,.8,2.6v5.3Z fill=currentColor></path>
</g>
</g>
</g>
</g>
</svg>
</a>
<a href=https://www.facebook.com/arstechnica class=footer-social-facebook>
<svg style=height:40px;width:40px id=b xmlns=http://www.w3.org/2000/svg xmlns:xlink=http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink viewBox="0 0 40 40">
<defs>
<clippath id=e>
<rect width=40 height=40 fill=none></rect>
</clippath>
<clippath id=f>
<rect width=40 height=40 fill=none></rect>
</clippath>
</defs>
<g id=c>
<g id=d>
<g clip-path=url(#e)>
<g clip-path=url(#f)>
<path d=M17.3,13.9v2.8h-2v3.4h2v10h4.2v-10h2.8s.3-1.6,.4-3.4h-3.2v-2.3c0-.3,.5-.8,.9-.8h2.3v-3.5h-3.1c-4.4,0-4.3,3.4-4.3,3.9 fill=currentColor></path>
</g>
</g>
</g>
</g>
</svg>
</a>
<a href=https://www.youtube.com/@arstechnica class=footer-social-youtube>
<svg style=height:40px;width:40px id=b xmlns=http://www.w3.org/2000/svg xmlns:xlink=http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink viewBox="0 0 40 40">
<defs>
<clippath id=e>
<rect width=40 height=40 fill=none></rect>
</clippath>
<clippath id=f>
<rect width=40 height=40 fill=none></rect>
</clippath>
</defs>
<g id=c>
<g id=d>
<g clip-path=url(#e)>
<g clip-path=url(#f)>
<path d=M29.6,15.2c-.1-.4-.3-.8-.6-1.1-.3-.3-.7-.5-1.1-.7-1.6-.4-7.8-.4-7.8-.4,0,0-6.3,0-7.8,.4-.4,.1-.8,.3-1.1,.7-.3,.3-.5,.7-.6,1.1-.4,1.6-.4,4.8-.4,4.8,0,0,0,3.3,.4,4.8,.1,.4,.3,.8,.6,1.1,.3,.3,.7,.5,1.1,.7,1.6,.4,7.8,.4,7.8,.4,0,0,6.3,0,7.8-.4,.4-.1,.8-.3,1.1-.7s.5-.7,.6-1.1c.4-1.6,.4-4.8,.4-4.8,0,0,0-3.3-.4-4.8m-11.6,7.8v-5.9l5.2,3-5.2,3Z fill=currentColor></path>
</g>
</g>
</g>
</g>
</svg>
</a>
<a href=https://www.instagram.com/arstechnica/ class=footer-social-instagram>
<svg style=height:40px;width:40px id=b xmlns=http://www.w3.org/2000/svg xmlns:xlink=http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink viewBox="0 0 40 40">
<defs>
<clippath id=e>
<rect width=40 height=40 fill=none></rect>
</clippath>
<clippath id=f>
<rect width=40 height=40 fill=none></rect>
</clippath>
</defs>
<g id=c>
<g id=d>
<g clip-path=url(#e)>
<g clip-path=url(#f)>
<path d=M20,10c2.7,0,3.1,0,4.1,0,1.1,0,1.8,.2,2.4,.5,.7,.3,1.2,.6,1.8,1.2,.6,.6,.9,1.1,1.2,1.8,.2,.6,.4,1.4,.5,2.4,0,1.1,0,1.4,0,4.1s0,3.1,0,4.1c0,1.1-.2,1.8-.5,2.4-.3,.7-.6,1.3-1.2,1.8-.6,.6-1.1,.9-1.8,1.2-.6,.2-1.4,.4-2.4,.5-1.1,0-1.4,0-4.1,0s-3.1,0-4.1,0c-1.1,0-1.8-.2-2.4-.5-.7-.3-1.3-.6-1.8-1.2-.5-.5-.9-1.1-1.2-1.8-.2-.6-.4-1.4-.5-2.4,0-1.1,0-1.4,0-4.1s0-3.1,0-4.1c0-1.1,.2-1.8,.5-2.4,.3-.7,.6-1.2,1.2-1.8,.6-.6,1.1-.9,1.8-1.2,.6-.2,1.4-.4,2.4-.5,1.1,0,1.4,0,4.1,0m0,2.5c-2.4,0-2.7,0-3.7,0-.9,0-1.4,.2-1.7,.3-.4,.1-.8,.4-1.1,.7-.3,.3-.5,.6-.7,1.1-.1,.3-.3,.8-.3,1.7,0,1,0,1.3,0,3.7s0,2.7,0,3.7c0,.9,.2,1.4,.3,1.7,.2,.4,.4,.7,.7,1.1,.3,.3,.6,.5,1.1,.7,.3,.1,.8,.3,1.7,.3,1,0,1.3,0,3.7,0s2.7,0,3.7,0c.9,0,1.4-.2,1.7-.3,.4-.2,.7-.4,1.1-.7,.3-.3,.5-.6,.7-1.1,.1-.3,.3-.8,.3-1.7,0-1,0-1.3,0-3.7s0-2.7,0-3.7c0-.9-.2-1.4-.3-1.7-.1-.4-.4-.8-.7-1.1-.3-.3-.7-.5-1.1-.7-.3-.1-.8-.3-1.7-.3-1,0-1.3,0-3.7,0m0,2.2c.7,0,1.4,.1,2,.4,.6,.3,1.2,.7,1.7,1.1,.5,.5,.9,1.1,1.1,1.7,.3,.6,.4,1.3,.4,2s-.1,1.4-.4,2c-.3,.6-.7,1.2-1.1,1.7-.5,.5-1.1,.9-1.7,1.1-.6,.3-1.3,.4-2,.4-1.4,0-2.7-.6-3.7-1.5-1-1-1.5-2.3-1.5-3.7s.6-2.7,1.5-3.7,2.3-1.5,3.7-1.5m0,8.3c.8,0,1.5-.3,2.1-.9,.6-.6,.9-1.3,.9-2.1s-.3-1.5-.9-2.1c-.6-.6-1.3-.9-2.1-.9s-1.5,.3-2.1,.9c-.6,.6-.9,1.3-.9,2.1s.3,1.5,.9,2.1c.6,.6,1.3,.9,2.1,.9m6.6-8.1c0,.4-.2,.7-.4,1s-.6,.4-1,.4-.7-.2-1-.4c-.3-.3-.4-.6-.4-1s.2-.7,.4-1c.3-.3,.6-.4,1-.4s.7,.2,1,.4c.3,.3,.4,.6,.4,1 fill=currentColor></path>
</g>
</g>
</g>
</g>
</svg>
</a>
</div>
</div>
</section>
</nav>
<section class=footer-terms-logo>
<div class=cn-logo>
<a href=http://condenast.com/ class="icon icon-logo-cn-us" title="Visit Condé Nast"></a>
</div>
<p id=copyright-terms>
CNMN Collection<br>
WIRED Media Group<br>
© 2024 Condé Nast. All rights reserved. Use of and/or registration on any portion of this site constitutes acceptance of our <a href=https://www.condenast.com/user-agreement/>User Agreement</a> (updated 1/1/20) and <a href=https://www.condenast.com/privacy-policy/>Privacy Policy and Cookie Statement</a> (updated 1/1/20) and <a href=https://arstechnica.com/amendment-to-conde-nast-user-agreement-privacy-policy/>Ars Technica Addendum</a> (effective 8/21/2018). Ars may earn compensation on sales from links on this site. <a href=https://arstechnica.com/affiliate-link-policy/>Read our affiliate link policy</a>.<br>
<span style="display:inline-flex;flex-flow:row nowrap;align-items:center;gap:5px"><a href=https://www.condenast.com/privacy-policy/#california>Your California Privacy Rights</a> | <img src=data:image/png;base64,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 style=height:1em;width:auto> <a id=ot-sdk-btn class="ot-sdk-show-settings ot-sdk-btn--visible">Your Privacy Choices</a></span><br>
The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Condé Nast.<br>
<a href=https://www.aboutads.info/>Ad Choices</a>
</p>
</section>
</footer>
</div>
<div id=onetrust-consent-sdk><div class="onetrust-pc-dark-filter ot-hide ot-fade-in sf-hidden"></div></div>