[Tigerkix (OP)]

Bacteria has been found in caves and glaciers that have no oxygen or sunlight that reach it
I just want to read some people's thoughts on your ideas of what these bacteria will advance to in 200, 400, 700 million years?

[Don_1]

I should think these have been around for the past 3 billion years already.

They probably haven't evolved much since they first appeared on Earth and I doubt they ever will.

[Variola]

The same bacteria as they always have been.

[BenV]

The same bacteria as they always have been.

Assuming there's no change in selective pressures...

[Variola]

The same bacteria as they always have been.

Assuming there's no change in selective pressures...

That is true,I was going to post up something slightly more considered but apathy got the better of me, plus I get a bit Bill Bryson with it all!
We can't even take a straight guess as to what any bacteria may evolve  into, but before oxygen became fashionable on Earth, we had anaerobic bacteria before that. And we still have squiggly things that lived thousands of meters down in the ocean trenches that survive happily without light. Maybe it will evolve into the new race of humans, non-pollutions vegetarians with at least 3 pairs of hands and the psychic ability to know where their child's PE kit has been left at 8.20am...
How's that for a scientific answer?? []

[Nizzle]

They occupy what's called an ecological niche.
They can't escape that niche since there would be too much competition for these bacteria.
They are well-adapted to where they are, so they'll stay the same.

[Don_1]

Maybe it will evolve into the new race of humans, non-pollutions vegetarians with at least 3 pairs of hands and the psychic ability to know where their child's PE kit has been left at 8.20am...

..... and two mouths, so we can answer the Mrs and carry on eating at the same time.

[Tigerkix (OP)]

The same bacteria as they always have been.

Assuming there's no change in selective pressures...

That is true,I was going to post up something slightly more considered but apathy got the better of me, plus I get a bit Bill Bryson with it all!
We can't even take a straight guess as to what any bacteria may evolve  into, but before oxygen became fashionable on Earth, we had anaerobic bacteria before that. And we still have squiggly things that lived thousands of meters down in the ocean trenches that survive happily without light. Maybe it will evolve into the new race of humans, non-pollutions vegetarians with at least 3 pairs of hands and the psychic ability to know where their child's PE kit has been left at 8.20am...
How's that for a scientific answer?? []

I was thinking that too =) well the first part at least... haha. What if earth was inhabited by bacteria that produced H2S (hydrogen sulphide) instead of oxygen billions of years ago. Then would organisms today would be relying on H2S instead of O2 to breathe?

Or another scenario would be to say an asteroid was to hit earth causing a change in orbit and rotation of our planet. The organisms now that rely on our sun may not be able to survive. Could this stimulate the evolution of the bacteria that does not rely on the sun?

[neilep]

The same bacteria as they always have been.

Is this A 'Talking Heads ' reference ?

If the above is meaningless then no worries !

[Variola]

The same bacteria as they always have been.

Is this A 'Talking Heads ' reference ?

If the above is meaningless then no worries !

Hmmmmm  I wasn't intended to be that![]
Do you mean 'Perfect World' ?

[neilep]

The same bacteria as they always have been.

Is this A 'Talking Heads ' reference ?

If the above is meaningless then no worries !

Hmmmmm  I wasn't intended to be that![]
Do you mean 'Perfect World' ?

I kind of meant this

  []

[neilep]

lol.....sorry for making my brain refer to banal stuff with the most tenuous of connections ! !!

[BenV]

The same bacteria as they always have been.

Is this A 'Talking Heads ' reference ?

If the above is meaningless then no worries !

Hmmmmm  I wasn't intended to be that![]
Do you mean 'Perfect World' ?

I kind of meant this

  []

Without watching it, can I guess that this is "once in a lifetime"?

It's not so tenuous that only your brain connects!

[neilep]

The same bacteria as they always have been.

Is this A 'Talking Heads ' reference ?

If the above is meaningless then no worries !

Hmmmmm  I wasn't intended to be that![]
Do you mean 'Perfect World' ?

I kind of meant this

  []

Without watching it, can I guess that this is "once in a lifetime"?

It's not so tenuous that only your brain connects!

Ben has wonderful insight !..he is a klevur chap who knows stuff !


Please continue the interesting thread..sorry for taking it down Tangent Avenue.

[Variola]

Ben has wonderful insight !..he is a klevur chap who knows stuff !


Please continue the interesting thread..sorry for taking it down Tangent Avenue.

Ah of course!!!!

yep, he is more clever than I that's for sure.

[Tigerkix (OP)]

ouch* this topic has been shot out of a cannon

[LeeE]

The bacteria will continue to evolve, insofar as mutations will always occur.  However, the hostile conditions might be such that the likely hood of any mutation being viable, let alone conferring an advantage, is incredibly low.  What is certain though, is that given enough time mutations will occur that do confer an advantage, even in hostile conditions, at which point the bacteria would be said to have evolved.

Because the nature of the mutations that result in evolution are entirely random it's impossible to predict how the bacteria will change or what they will become.