Crab SETI
The primitive horseshoe crab lived on the Earth 250 million years ago, and is still with us today. Now scientists think they can use its blood to detect life on other planets. When a horseshoe crab is injured, its blood, which is the color blue, clots in order to keep infection out. “One of the reasons the horseshoe crab has survived for so long is its advanced immune system,” says biologist Norman Wainwright. “This system can be used to find microbial life.” Scientists have put the crab’s blood enzymes into a hand-held instrument that can test for signs of life.
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