Boiling Point 21 May 2019

Tim, Alex and Cat discuss the options of alien life in space, microbial helpers and the issue with the rhesus factor

Grumpy monkey? - the downside of having rhesus factor negative

Alone in space? - the Drake equation knows the odds

Friends on Mars? - tiny bacteria may help us colonize Mars

Rhesus factor - being rhesus negative is usually not a big deal. Most of the time it's just one of 33 blood group systems without any relevance. It can become an issue when a rhesus negative woman is pregnant with a rhesus positive baby. If the mother-to-be doesn't receive treatment, the embryo can die.

Drake equation - a complicated equation with a simply statement, the chances are almost 50:50, however it's a little more likely that we are not alone in space after all.

Cyanobacteria on Mars - thanks to cyanobacteria we have oxygen to breath on earth. Millions of years ago, the tiny bacteria helped creating the oxygen-rich atmosphere we have today. Researchers are currently working on cultivating cyanobacteria called Chroococcidiopsis that may help us breath on Mars one day.

Sources:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20608477

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-06-15/hardy-bacteria-could-help-humans-breathe-on-mars/9871614?fbclid=IwAR123fv638z9p9dxNc-TBFCSfKsVxJaa8JmE5OM5lCJxP53mtahHskeN8J8

http://science.sciencemag.org/content/360/6394/1210.full

Picture: https://voiceofpeopletoday.com/india-looking-monkey-kidnapped-baby/