  This paper reports the extraordinary biology of the microorganisms from the
mysterious red rain of Kerala, India. These chemosynthetic organisms grow
optimally at an extreme high temperature of 300 degrees C in hydrothermal
conditions and can metabolize inorganic and organic compounds including
hydrocarbons. Stages found in their life cycle show reproduction by a special
multiple fission process and the red cells found in the red rain are identified
as the resting spores of these microbes. While these extreme hyperthermophiles
contain proteins, our study shows the absence of DNA in these organisms,
indicating a new primitive domain of life with alternate thermostable genetics.
This new biology proves our earlier hypothesis that these microbes are of
extraterrestrial origin and also supports our earlier argument that the
mysterious red rain of Kerala is due to the cometary delivery of the red spores
into the stratosphere above Kerala.
