The Perpetual Motion of Evolution:

Discussion in 'Biology & Genetics' started by paddoboy, Nov 8, 2016.

  1. paddoboy Valued Senior Member

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    Model offers insight into how life continues to evolve
    November 8, 2016 by Lisa Zyga feature

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    In the new model of evolution, polymers can form new polymers of different lengths via an enzymatic ligation process, as shown here. Credit: Worst et al. ©2016 IOP Publishing
    (Phys.org)—One of the most puzzling things about evolution is that, even after 4 billion years, it hasn't stopped. Instead of culminating in a single best adapted species, today the Earth contains an estimated 8.7 million different species, all of which will one day die out as a variety of new species takes their places.

    Although scientists have tried to model these evolutionary dynamics in the lab, such as by using systems of molecules that change over time in some way, most of these models eventually generate a single dominant species and then come to a standstill. Scientists still don't completely understand how evolution continues to generate new species, which is known to occur even in the absence of changing external pressures.

    Now in a new study, a team of physicists has developed a theoretical and experimental model of evolution that continues without end, even under constant external conditions. The model may help scientists better understand how the biosphere continues to evolve over billions of years.





    Read more at: http://phys.org/news/2016-11-insight-life-evolve.html#jCp
     
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  3. paddoboy Valued Senior Member

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    http://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1088/1367-2630/18/10/103003

    Unbounded growth patterns of reproducing, competing polymers—similarities to biological evolution:

    Abstract
    Since the origin of life the interplay between reproduction, variation, and selection has been driving the emergence of new species. The evolution of the Earth's biosphere appears to innovate unceasingly instead of coming to a stall. Here, we introduce a model system of linear molecules where new polymers appear by spontaneous ligation. The polymers proliferate following a template-based mechanism. Our combined experimental and theoretical study shows that for sufficiently rapid autocatalysis the reproduction process selects particular lengths—while ever longer polymers emerge. We suggest similarities to biological evolution.


     
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  5. spidergoat pubic diorama Valued Senior Member

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    Internal improvements, disease resistance, genetic drift?
     
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  7. DaveC426913 Valued Senior Member

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    Because scientists' simulations are too simplistic to accurately model the sheer number of parameters - both external and internal - at-play in the propagation of organisms.
     
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  8. timojin Valued Senior Member

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    How does a cell knows what is a disease ? For a cell environment matters.
     
  9. DaveC426913 Valued Senior Member

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    Disease kills cells in organisms.
    Dead cells inhibit health and thus reproduction.
    Poorly-propagating species make room for other species to flourish.
     
  10. timojin Valued Senior Member

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    You are speaking from a mind that have understanding . Dou you think a cell have a mind to understand what a disease is ?
     
  11. DaveC426913 Valued Senior Member

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    No. Do you think that? Why did you even ask about what a cell "knows"?

    I think you're not following the conversation.

    Statement: "Scientists still don't completely understand how evolution continues to generate new species..."

    Reply: "...[some of the ways it does this are] Internal improvements, disease resistance, genetic drift"



    But this question makes no sense:
    Why would a cell need to "know" anything? Why even ask the question?
     
    Last edited: Nov 10, 2016
  12. The God Valued Senior Member

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    Probably you are referring to how mutation happens?
     
  13. spidergoat pubic diorama Valued Senior Member

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    Every cell has the same DNA. Evolution works on the level of DNA, not on the level of individual cells.
     
  14. PhysBang Valued Senior Member

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    Well, that's not exactly true. For one thing, there is going to be some very slight difference between at least some cells in their DNA. For another, Evolution works on populations of organisms. Organisms are what die or do not, what produce offspring or not, and the fitness of organisms in their environment then determines, over time, what the make-up of a given population is. That organisms have DNA that carries heritable traits that can vary between individuals is what allows evolution to occur.
     
  15. pluto2 Banned Valued Senior Member

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    Evolution is just junk science in my opinion. Evolution is an old theory that doesn't stand up to modern scrutiny and at the very best it is a very incomplete theory that doesn't explain everything we observe in nature.

    Anyone who studied biochemistry and biophysics in University knows that there is more than just DNA in our cells.

    Besides DNA there is also nucleic acids like RNA, nucleotides, lipids, carbohydrates, amino acids (which are the building blocks of protein), neurotransmitters, proteins and much more stuff in our cells.
     
  16. PhysBang Valued Senior Member

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    Well, since you are a junk scientist, your opinion on that carries a lot of weight.

    OK...

    a) there is not one single theory of evolution, there is an interlocking set of scientific theories that has developed over time
    b) every scientific theory is, by the nature of science, incomplete

    It is foolish to refuse to use vaccines because vaccine science is, necessarily, incomplete. It is foolish to refuse to fly for a life saving operation because aeronautics is, necessarily, incomplete.

    Yes, but irrelevant.
     
  17. timojin Valued Senior Member

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    I agree strongly with your position . As an example virus contain DNA or RNA without mechanics of enzymes and other components will go no were. To propagate it needs enzymes and proteines , amino acids ete.ete.
     
  18. iceaura Valued Senior Member

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    Rock, paper, scissors - a never ending game.
    I don't think any real world environment has ever reached a state of unchanging external pressures, for starters.

    And I'm absolutely certain no environment on this planet has had all its species-supporting niche possibilities filled with optimally adapted organisms - such an environment would be, for example, impossible for outside species of any kind to colonize.

    Second, the evolution of a species itself creates a new environment for other species, "external" pressures on everything else - I don't know how their lab setups prevent that, but clearly if they end up with a single dominant species they are missing that factor somehow. Evolution bootstraps itself.

    So I'm not sure where the mystery is, although finding yet another abettor of complexification in the progress of evolution is interesting news.
     
  19. spidergoat pubic diorama Valued Senior Member

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    Which are found in cells, where DNA is.
    But DNA is the cause of all those other substances. This line goes all the way back to the first cell. Before that there was a way for molecules to replicate outside of cells, but that gets into the Theory of Abiogenesis.
     
  20. pluto2 Banned Valued Senior Member

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    Evolution is false in my opinion.

    Evolutionary theory says that no human can live longer than 125 years.

    But in my opinion I can live for millions of years unless I get seriously injured.

    If one human being can live can live for millions of years (and maybe even billions of years) and evolutionary theory cannot explain why that is then evolutionary theory is obviously false or at best a very incomplete theory.
     
  21. exchemist Valued Senior Member

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    Are you an idiot or just mad? We have plenty of both here, but it would be nice to know on which basis I should write you off.

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  22. DaveC426913 Valued Senior Member

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    False.
    In my opinion, I can fly a chariot to the moon pulled by a flock of geese.
    Which they can't.
    Which it does not need to do.

    Which does not follow.
     
  23. DaveC426913 Valued Senior Member

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    Don't give him so much credit.
    He's just a guy with an opinion and an internet connection. Knowledge is not a requirement.
     

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