Re: fossil microbes make beer

[Stan Friesen <swf@ElSegundoCA.ATTGIS.COM>]

>From: NEIL CLARK <NCLARK@museum.gla.ac.uk>
 > 
 > Did anyone notice any press coverage on some Californian company 
 > that has extracted microbes from the bum of a bumble bee held in 40 
 > million year old amber and been able to cultivate them (resurrect from 
 > a 'dormant state')?  Apparently they are supposed to be marketing ale 
 > produced from this source and calling it, surprise, surprise, 'Jurassic 
 > Ale'.
 > 

The statements here are that the microbe was "only" 25 million years
old.  Either way, it is hardly "Jurassic", as even 40 MYBP is already
Tertiary.  The actual find seems real enough, though.

I seriously doubt they are going to make *any* products out of it,
however.  For one thing, the sort of microbe that lives in the gut
of a bee is hardly going to be the sort that one uses to ferment
beverages!

swf@elsegundoca.attgis.com              sarima@netcom.com

The peace of God be with you.