Wednesday, October 10, 2007

O, the Birds and the Bees and the Cigarette Trees...

Let me start off by saying: If you aren't watching Pushing Daisies, you are missing one hell of a brilliant show... Fantastic, even...
So as we travel and discuss the not-so-meritorious merits of "creation science" and how it fails in comparison to even remotely give a satisfactory answer to the most basic questions even a two-year-old could think of on a bad day (such as, "Where did all the skeletons and fossils of non-homo sapiens come from?" and "What other explanation can you provide for why 99% of the world's marsupials are in Australia?"...), and dealing with such claims as "All you need is faith!" (when having such won't get your teeth clean in the morning, let alone use evolutionary-proven biological sciences to create a vaccine for the flu every year) and "I have all the proof I need!" (which would negate the fact that you are using faith at all...), it's always nice when science once again shows how evolution is the only way to explain the diversity of life we have here on this rock.

(Remind me one day to post about chimerism...)

Beyond chimerism, into heretofore unfathomable real-life revelations about DNA swapping and genome sharing, a bacteria comes to light that not only fuses it's DNA to it's host, but this once-independent-minded little creature actually has it's DNA passed on with it's hosts, and can be recreated even after antibiotics are used to kill it. From the article:

[...] The bacterium invades a member of a species, most often an insect, and eventually makes its way into the host's eggs or sperm. Once there, the Wolbachia is ensured passage to the next generation of its host, and any genetic exchanges between it and the host also are much more likely to be passed on.

Since Wolbachia typically live within the reproductive organs of their hosts, Werren reasoned that gene exchanges between the two would frequently pass on to subsequent generations. Based on this and an earlier discovery of a Wolbachia gene in a beetle by the Fukatsu team at the University of Tokyo, Japan, the researchers in Werren's lab and collaborators at J. Craig Venter Institute (JCVI) decided to systematically screen invertebrates. Julie Dunning-Hotopp at JCVI found evidence that some of the Wolbachia genes seemed to be fused to the genes of the fruit fly, Drosophila ananassae, as if they were part of the same genome.

[...]

Werren and Clark are now looking further into the huge insert found in the fruit fly, and whether it is providing a benefit. "The chance that a chunk of DNA of this magnitude is totally neutral, I think, is pretty small, so the implication is that it has imparted of some selective advantage to the host," says Werren. "The question is, are these foreign genes providing new functions for the host? This is something we need to figure out."

[...]

Before this study, geneticists knew of examples where genes from a parasite had crossed into the host, but such an event was considered a rare anomaly except in very simple organisms.
Well, slap me silly and call me Daisy Duke! It's almost a shame evolution is false, else this might help explain further and different ways we might utilize genome-sharing and distribution to find cures for all sorts of chromosomal disorders and inherited diseases!

But, since evolution is so "false," and such a lie perpetuated by demons and Satan to steal glory from sky god, I guess we'll never know what potential this knowledge could have lead to, eh? I suppose we'll just have to keep praying for miracles in an age when all the answers are right there--and being ignored in an effort to perpetuate dead traditions...

4 comments:

Darkmind said...

I am reminded of a joke:
A dam breaks and causes a flash flood during a terrible rain storm. A preacher is forced out of his house and up onto his roof to get out of the water. The water rises and rises up to his knees and he prays that God will help him. A man on a boat comes by and says "Do you want a lift?"
"No" says the preacher, "God will help me." So he continues to pray. Soon the water rises up more until it reaches the preacher's waist. A man on a raft floats by and says "Jump in." "No thanks," says the preacher, "God will save me." and he continues to pray. Soon the water rises up all the way to his chin. A kid in an inflated intertube floats by and says "You can grab on if you want, come on." "No," says the preacher, "God will save me." Soon the waters rise above his head and he drowns. He goes up to the pearly gates and says, "Dear Lord, I prayed with all my might for your help but you never came to me. Why?"
And God says, "What do you mean? I sent you a boat, a raft, and a fucking intertube! What do you want from me?!"
The point is, I seem to recall being told about something or other in the bible which says that "God helps those who help themselves." or something to that effect.
The fundies spend so much time battling scientific developments and medical breakthroughs that require experimenting with human tissue, genetic engineering, and "playing god" as they put it. These have lead to fantastic breakthroughs that have saved millions of lives. What if those breakthroughs were acheived with God's help, so that we could heal the sick, give the blind sight, make the lame walk, and possibly raise the dead (cryogenics)? I mean, that is essentially the purpose of medicine, isn't it? I mean, I don't believe God exists, but if he did, don't you think he would help us help ourselves with these medical advances?

Anonymous said...

the bible says nothing about 'the Lord helps those who help themselves' - if you are going to quote the bible make sure your quote is acutally in there - also let me just say you are extremely sick and darkmind actually describes you pretty well -

Darkmind said...

Well, in case you didn't notice, there is no quote from the bible anywhere in my comment. Not one book or chapter or verse anywhere. Take a look...I'll wait. What's that? Didn't see a biblical quote? I didn't see one either. And if you are going to quote my comment, make sure YOU get it right. I didn't say "the Lord helps those who help themselves." I said "God helps those who help themselves".

And granted, after doing a bit of research, I found that the phrase "God helps those who helps themselves." is the most quoted phrase NOT found in the bible. It is actually from Ben Franklin (someone who actually existed) in the Poor Richard's Almanac in 1757. In fact studies show that 75% of people in the US believe this is an actual teaching in the bible, (and that most people can only name 4 of the ten commandments) and since I live and grew up in the bible belt, you can imagine how misinformed I am.

Oh, and your comments about my moniker and me being sick...I take them as compliments. Thank you. And I'd have to say that "Anonymous" suits you pretty well too. An anonymous person is someone who contributes without acknowledgement, and as far as your arrogance and closemindedness goes, you are certainly that. One way the Random House Unabridged Dictionary (2007 edition) defines 'anonymous' is "Lacking unique character, individuality, or distinction"...And that IS a direct quote by the way...

Darkmind said...

I am reminded of a joke:
A dam breaks and causes a flash flood during a terrible rain storm. A preacher is forced out of his house and up onto his roof to get out of the water. The water rises and rises up to his knees and he prays that God will help him. A man on a boat comes by and says "Do you want a lift?"
"No" says the preacher, "God will help me." So he continues to pray. Soon the water rises up more until it reaches the preacher's waist. A man on a raft floats by and says "Jump in." "No thanks," says the preacher, "God will save me." and he continues to pray. Soon the water rises up all the way to his chin. A kid in an inflated intertube floats by and says "You can grab on if you want, come on." "No," says the preacher, "God will save me." Soon the waters rise above his head and he drowns. He goes up to the pearly gates and says, "Dear Lord, I prayed with all my might for your help but you never came to me. Why?"
And God says, "What do you mean? I sent you a boat, a raft, and a fucking intertube! What do you want from me?!"
The point is, I seem to recall being told about something or other in the bible which says that "God helps those who help themselves." or something to that effect.
The fundies spend so much time battling scientific developments and medical breakthroughs that require experimenting with human tissue, genetic engineering, and "playing god" as they put it. These have lead to fantastic breakthroughs that have saved millions of lives. What if those breakthroughs were acheived with God's help, so that we could heal the sick, give the blind sight, make the lame walk, and possibly raise the dead (cryogenics)? I mean, that is essentially the purpose of medicine, isn't it? I mean, I don't believe God exists, but if he did, don't you think he would help us help ourselves with these medical advances?