New life for stars, and stars for life

Life searchers have found a new form of DNA in a bacterium where arsenic replaces phosphorus. (Does it surprise anyone that a new form of bacteria is found in a place named Mono Lake?) Whatever, it means there are more ways for life to exist.

Star counters have upped their tally to 300 sextillion (300 x 10^21). Cosmologists make a distinction between the observable universe and, for lack of a better name, the universe. The new tally is for the former. There is no count of stars in the latter, or any consensus on what is or how much is outside the observable universe. Whatever, it means there are more places for life to exist.

Odds just got better we are not alone.