Living cells communicate (Introduction)

by David Turell , Wednesday, October 17, 2012, 18:39 (4397 days ago) @ dhw


> The first part of my post was concerned with the process of innovation ... in particular, the possibility that innovations (as well as adaptations) arise through the intelligent cell's ability to exploit new environmental conditions.-Gould's theories as expressed in his final book included the observation that brisk environmental changes did not always result in organismal changes.-http://sandwalk.blogspot.ca/2012/08/the-paradox-of-stasis.html-http://sandwalk.blogspot.com/2012/10/more-evidence-of-short-term-stasis.html#more -> Obviously this requires permanent heritability, and in view of some scepticism concerning epigenetics, it raises the question of how precise scientists can be in separating genetic and epigenetic factors. May I take it that you have no scientific objections to these speculations? This is an important question for me.-The book is out on epigenetics, but there is no question that studies have shown permanent changes. Reznick's guppies come to mind. They changed as long as they were in a different stream.-> My point is that we have no idea what potential lies in the intelligent cell, and what it produces will depend on the environment, which itself may be subject to a vast range of variations beyond those that have already occurred in Earth's history. -Of course, I have to agree. The adaptability of life is shown in the extremophiles living in the most inhospitable places on the planet.