Robin, I think you need to take your example a little further. We thought God threw thunderbolts. But, now we can explain how that happens (build up of charge in clouds - requires no intelligent intervention), and how that happens (electromagnetic force etc. - requires no intelligent intervention), all the way back to the fundamental rules of the universe - caused initially by the creation of the universe. There is no need in any of this for a touch of the divine except for that last bit, which is a different matter (could have been God, could have been quantum fluctuation, could have been both - as there weren't any rules for the universe to go by automatically, as far as we know. That debate has too little evidence at the moment and is really just based on speculation).
To be honest, the only "classic" leap in logic is to say the God exists until proven false. I'm not saying that we can disprove God, but when he's completely unnecessary, we're not exactly proving him.

Chris, Sandhurst, UK

Plasma has been doing this for how long? And we think we can define a thing on our first glimpse? I think it's best we wait for the dust to settle, there could be profound implications to the discovery but we will be a while digesting it.

Jim Jardine, Vancouver, Canada

could this be the physical manifestation of a Boltzmann brain?

Adam Penkul, London, UK

Thank you, Robert, Austin, TX, for defining irrationality.

Taras, High Wycombe, England

Sorry, Andrew in Howell, OH, but just because we DO currently understand something doesn't mean God DIDN'T do it. Our relatively recent ability to explain natural phenomena scientifically is not proof that God doesn't exist, it's just an indication that we now have a clearer (although perpetually incomplete) understanding of how His creation works.

You make the classic humanist leap in logic that goes something like this: "We used to think that God threw lightning bolts when He was angry, but now we understand that lightning is simply the sudden discharge of atmospheric electricity - SO we were wrong to think God caused it." This conclusion is completely illogical. Theists understand that our ability to discover the inner-workings of the natural world does not deprive it of its miraculousness.

You say that our current ignorance is not proof of God. But you must acknowledge that even if we completely understood every detail of the universe, it would not DISPROVE God.

Robert, Austin, TX

Did this make anyone else think of the His Dark Materials trilogy? Obviously here we're not dealing with angels - or are we?
Ok anyway.
One of the issues here is "how do we define life?" I think that it's a bit mean to say "this is life" and "this isn't". There are degrees of life, depending on how complex the supposed organism is. How much can it affect its surroundings? how much does it show natural selection? etc. I remember being told that a virus isn't strictly life. I disagree. It evolves, it reproduces, it turns resources into more of itself, and - not only is it life - it's a very successful form of life. Just because it's very simple and has none of the features that even amoebae, doesn't disqualitfy it altogether. I think that this plasma structure could be an even simpler form. Though, having said that, I've basically said that everything I mentioned in the previous post is also life - which is why, to some extent, I agree with Bruno from Croatia.

Chris, Sandhurst,

If this stuff is indeed as complex as a plant or an an amoeba then my question is, "Does this helical structure exhibit behaviors, and are these manifested behaviors repeatable?" Comparing this helical structure to an amoeba or a plant might be a little sensational. Amoebas are not particularly smart, but they do have behaviors such as they are. As for plants, many track the sun, attract pollinating insects, and what not. In short, both have attributes that clearly distinguish them from a mundane crystalline structure, and we all know what I am talking about. (If a snowflake started moving around and eating things like an amoeba, we would all take notice.) So, do these self-replicating helical structures actually do anything that would place them on par with an amoeba or a plant? If so, please elaborate. That would be truly amazing. If not, then exactly what does Professor Greg Morfill mean by his statement? Was he misquoted?

John Baxley, Marietta, GA

The article mentions a "next generation", but does not describe how this "generation" occurs.
If the "next generation" is simply a copy, we have a complex crystal formation and nothing more.
I find the article lacking. Too little data, too many conclusions. Science needs to stick to Science, not conjecture or speculation.

Jonathan, Houston, USA

So dust sometimes naturally arranges itself in a double helix... that's pretty incredible, completely reshapes what we'd have to expect should we encounter life (sentient or otherwise) outside our earth. Beyond that, we shouldn't jump to conclusions; if, as some people hypothesise, some kind of God is behind it, then that God is more likely to be involved in the writing of the natural laws of the universe then day-to-day management, am I right?
That said, this neither proves nor disproves the existence of a God... it just shows that there are more things in heaven and earth than are dreamt of in any of our philosophies.

Eddie, Canterbury, UK

The idea of order appearting without life has a lot of background. Some examples are snowflakes, rock formations like the giant's causeway and the devil's letterbox, the way coffee stains dry - even fractals. They all certainly seem like they stick out from the disorder of nature by too much to be chance. So, maybe these helix-shaped plasma structures are no different. There is some basic reason why they form like that as there is to explain snowflakes. What I'm trying to say is that this doesn't prove life. The thing that interrested me is the idea of the "genetic information" being passed on. The problem with life is that the chances of having the right sort of protein form next to something which can reproduce it are so low that many consider it a wonder that it happened. After sussing that, the life on our planet - in millions of years - has become what we see now: plants, animals, bacteria, fungi, of all different sorts. If this plasma has sussed it, given time, what will happen?

Chris, Sandhurst,

I agree with Andrew in Athens insofar as the unexplained and unknown complexities of the universe are not proof of God. My understanding is that further scientific investigation does not denounce, nor decree, the existence of god; it is simply scientific observation and investigation.

However, for me, personally, there is no disparity between faith and science; God created the universe, and I thankfully have the scientific method to explore its breadth and wonder.

This article is intriguing and I hope it inspires other scientists to explore the topic further.

Steve Johnson, Columbus, Ohio, USA

Everything is alive; Eart, sea, rocks, the whole Universe. we are just the litle spores living in the shadow of bigger, much complexed live formes.

Bruno, Rijeka, Croatia

Sorry, Jason in Howell, MI, but just because we don't currently understand something doesn't mean God did it. If you take a look back at just the last century, you'll see plenty of things that certainly looked like divine handiwork that have since been explained because we bothered to keep investigating. Our current ignorance is not proof of God, it's just an indication that we have a lot more to learn about the universe.

Andrew, Athens, OH

Hey, WHAT shapes the matter into the helix? "Electromagnetic forces"? Which one? How? Obvious questions. Think about it.

Anders, Stockholm, Sweden

it seems everyday I read an article about new discoveries in space. Science is still in its infancy and look how far we have come in the past half-century. This is the most amazing time to be alive as a human being.

Adam, Kingston, Ontario

I find it amazing that people go out of their way to find creation in particles of dust floating as plasma in zero-G space when they still can't answer the basic questions of life. People say "OOH" and "AAH" at this but can't explain it to any degree.

If people think this dust naturally formed itself, what created the rules to why it forms itself into this pattern? Gravity and electromacnetics are quoted at being a particullary important in things of this sort. Why do we even have gravity? I understand how gravity works but why do we have it? There's absolutely no logically reason for gravity to be since it can't evolve by itself, something had to enact gravity in our universe.

The dust is the same thing. People go out of their way to prove God doesn't exist but they just end up proving that He's still here. Why would inert dust ever come to life, it took God's word in the beginning? Why assume intelligence or life at all?

Let's be smart about this, not crazy.

Jason, Howell, MI

To all who read these articles:
What is in space? DNA? Why then are the great doctors of intellectual estime worried about traveling in space? If life came from space then it can return to space. All of the solar radiation is of no effect and the fear is unbased. How could actively hot atoms combine? Ions do not combine as far as I remember. They could form plasma gas, but life forms? I think we should dream, but those dreams need to be realistic.

Robert Elam, Conway , Arkansas

If only Fred Hoyle had lived a little longer to hear about this news. I think his ideas on panspermia will eventually be proven correct, and all those boring scientists who laughed at his brave ideas will have to run off with their tails between their legs.

Kathi Wyldeck, Sydney, Australia

Dear Robert Booth,

Some time ago, Iwondered if dust, following electromagnetic lines of movement might somehow help form the shape of the universe itself.

Coronal mass ejections i.e. mass following the suns magnetic lines of force fling solar matter out into space.

Dust(on a duster albeit in conditions of gravity )can 'jump about'when charged. The 'speculative' shape of the universe itself might be slightly helical, and rotational in it's expansion. The dust particals unfettered by gravity echoing this.

m allworth, Letchworth, UK

So, were Fred Hoyle and/or the "Panspermia" theorists correct, after all?

G. Tingey, London,

In the ideal double helix (for electrical purposes) the two helices are at right angles to each other. Should each helix have an electrical current (which, to avoid a short circuit, must be in the same direction) the magnetic field generated by one helix will line up with the current of the other helix and somehow reinforce it. Thus, the double helix shape somehow reinforces naturally occurring electrical current. The mirror image of the double helix has the opposite property (undermining rather than reinforcing electrical current). This suggests that naturally occurring double helices should be oriented a particular way, and their mirror image should not occur, which is a testable hypothesis.

The website www.thunderbolts.info has a lot of good information on the electric universe theory, which is revolutionizing cosmology. Plasma may be central to oxidation both in fire and in living organisms--perhaps the essential component of life.

Tom Zavist, Greensboro, NC

Congrats to scientists - at last they raised the major question that was long answered by ancients - what life is? Imagine the shock that awaits them ahead - life is everything and everything is alive! But no, their imagination is not that well developed, most probably they will drop this question as "too philosophical" and return to their narrow cave of "intelligence" - as if they knew what intelligence is.

He, hehehe, malaysia

Yes, by all means, let us turn this 'recent' scientific discovery into the thinnest of strands to grasp at so as to 'prove' the existence of supernatural heroes and villains.

MH, Topeka, KS

God's programing code!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Chris, Lynchburg, Va, Virginia

Just because the elements making up the possible plasma based life in space are not considered "organic" to our standards, does not mean it can't be life. As Robert said, it is based on the chemical interactions with other elements. Many people don't realize that silicone has extremely similar properties to carbon in terms of interaction with other molecules. Silicone and carbon both have the same number of valence elections (electrons available for bonding with other atoms) which means that in theory silicone can replace carbon in DNA. It would give it different properties do to the difference in atomic mass, total number of elections and protons, and viable isotopes. But one more thing that many people fail to realize, life can be classified as anything that can reproduce themselves and are able to create a different internal environment. The first 'living' organisms on Earth were no more than small 'bubbles' for lack of a better word with a different environment inside the 'wall'.

Brandon Millis, El Dorado Hills, California, USA

this is a really interesting article!!!! it somehow indicates that the way our DNA has been arranged is not arbitrary.... and the economy sustained by such arrangement was adopted by other systems in the universe pointing to the unity of the laws that the universe runs on... but im not sure about calling it life, why should we consider organized attraction a sort of life? if so, water that assumes the tetrahedral arrangement when frozen and loses it when in the liquid state only to reacquire it once frozen is alive.... isn't it?

osama aldalahmah, amman, jordan

The DNA double helix is not a Fibonacci spiral.

Andrew, Chicago,

The quoted scientist: "Going by our current narrow definitions of what life is, it qualifies. The question now is to see if it can evolve to become intelligent."

Let's see if WE can evolve to become intelligent.

Evolution suggestion:

(a) Notice whether you have been making the assumption that everything is basically lifeless, and that life, consciousness, and intelligence have to "evolve" somehow, "out of" something.

(b) If you have been making this assumption, try what it's like to start by assuming, as given, that consciousness and life-energy is what starts everything off, and that it's what everything including ourselves comes from, and what everything consists of.

One way we know this: Subject and object always occur together. (This appears to be the case, not as an college-philosophy debating point, but in actual, normal experience.)

Sam Price, San Francisco, CA, USA

Well, when you think about it, it does make sense. I mean, the components of life,including DNA, and how they behave chemically, are attributes of chemical matter throughout our universe, not merely how they potentially combine here on earth. Though, I do have to admit, the idea that dust in space can combine hadn't occurred to me. It should've though, shouldn't it?

Robert Burt, Texas , USA

Ask Dawkins.

Paul, Taichung, Taiwan

We should all be skeptical at first when reading posts like this. However, if it is true it seems like a good candidate for what might have "spawned" life on earth. Such structures could serve as a catalyst or "scaffolding" for development of organic structures like DNA.

Gipson Arnold, Jacksonville, Texas

What's that you say? DNA could be pure physics and not theology?

If this isn't faked this experiment deserves the nobel peace prize.

Douwe, London,

Susan Joy Rennison - it hurts my head to read your comment. You label a report on some actual science "patronising", while expounding your deeply held belief in the magnetic plasma fairies at the bottom of the garden....

Joe Blo, London, UK

NASA is claiming to have discovered autocatalysis in space, not life. There's more to life as we know it than autocatalysis.

David McCulloch, Eindhoven, Netherlands

Well, I find the tone of this article rather patronising when we consider that this plasma based life is a representation of "divine consciousness". The statement about NASA being given a mission to study this "weird life" is ridiculous when we consider that a previously top secret British military report is already in the public domain and Russian research has available on the internet in english since 1998! So whilst some physicists think they have made a new discovery, the scientific discipline of plasma physics is over 100 years old. Meanwhile the metaphysical community are in deep dialogue with "magnetic entities", another name for these plasma-based lifeforms and some church folk have started to notice when they congregate, lots of this "divine" energy are in attendance, in the form of orbs! I think the inhabitants of Earth are about to experience an awakening of epic proportions. Susan Joy Rennison, author of the book, Tuning the Diamonds, Electromagnetism & Spiritual Evolution

Susan Joy Rennison, Stavanger, Norway

Well, I find the tone of this article rather patronising when we consider that this plasma based life is a representation of "divine consciousness". The statement about NASA being given a mission to study this "weird life" is ridiculous when we consider that a previously top secret British military report is already in the public domain and Russian research has been available on the internet in english since 1998! Some physicists think they have made a new discovery, but the scientific discipline of plasma physics is over 100 years old. Meanwhile, the metaphysical community are in deep dialogue with "magnetic entities", another name for these plasma-based lifeforms and some church folk have started to notice when they congregate, lots of this "divine" energy , in the form of orbs! I think the inhabitants of Earth are about to experience an awakening of epic proportions. Susan Joy Rennison, author of the book, "Tuning the Diamonds - Electromagnertism & Spiritual Evolution"

Susan Joy Rennison, Stavanger, Norway

Life is Al Hayyou. Allah Himself. The One who Sustains and Governs Its Creation according to His Created laws. Life is not the Organic or Inorganic. Life is not the Electromagnetic or the Gravitation nor is it the Weak interaction or the Strong interaction. All of these couples, multiples and other anoblished odds are only sustained by a First One named Life Himself.
Counting cannot start unless with number One. All the other numbers cannot exist without recognizing this First number One.

Ibrahim Abraham, Dakar, Senegal

Yes, by all means let us turn this 'recent' _scientific_ discovery into the thinnest of strands to vainly attempt to 'prove' the existence of supernatural heroes and villains.

MH, Topeka, KS

Can you say "Fibonacci"? Spiral helixes and similar spirals are the predominant naturally occurring form in the universe, from spiral galaxies, conch shells, hurricanes, DNA, whirlpools and the water going down the bathtub drain. The spiral helix form doesn't mean anything is alive, it just means that Fibonacci spirals are a common arrangement that matter naturally tends to make.

Brian, Sumter, SC

Seems familiar- man made from clay, or from dust, doesn't it? Clay and dust, both form repeating, multi-generational self-replicating "copies" of themselves.

Sdog, Euless, TX