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A Biochemical Magic FrequencyLife is composed principally of four classes of biomolecules - protein, nucleic acid, polysaccharide and lipid. Using 1) estimates of the reducing equivalents (electron pairs) needed to synthesize these biomolecules from carbon dioxide, and 2) measurements of the molecular composition of different organisms, we calculated the average number of electron pairs required for the reduction of carbon dioxide to biological carbon (electron pairs/carbon atom). These calculations showed that the carbon of the Earths biosphere is at the reduction level of formaldehyde that requires 2 electron pairs/carbon atom to be synthesized from carbon dioxide. This was also the reduction level of carbon of individual organisms, except for those that stored large amounts of fuel as lipid. Since this chemical property of life is easily discovered and probably universal, it's most likely known by other intelligent life in the universe. It could be the one thing we know about other carbon-based life in the universe, and the one thing that other intelligent life knows about us. We believe this common knowledge that formaldehyde represents the reduction level of life's carbon could lead to the selection of the 72.83814 GHz line of the 0,0,0,1,0,1 ground-state rotational transition of formaldehyde as a frequency for interstellar communication.
Document ID
19990116858
Acquisition Source
Ames Research Center
Document Type
Reprint (Version printed in journal)
Authors
Weber, Arthur L.
(NASA Ames Research Center Moffett Field, CA United States)
Date Acquired
August 19, 2013
Publication Date
January 1, 1993
Subject Category
Life Sciences (General)
Meeting Information
Meeting: Bioastronomy: Progress in the Search for Extraterrestrial Life
Location: Santa Cruz, CA
Country: United States
Start Date: August 16, 1993
End Date: August 20, 1993
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Other

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