Life (split from New studies on the brains of flys with an interesting animation)

[swansont]

17 minutes ago, Luc Turpin said:

Life’s complexity making the step from molecules to life that much more difficult to contend.

Conditions required to transition doing the same

it is not proof of concept, but might be an indication of a need to recalibrate

Still not evidence

[studiot]

Let me commend to you this delightful little book, which compares and contrasts the ways in which Nature and Man achieve the similar goals with different designs.

You might be pleasantly suprised.

Cats Paws and Catapaults

Steven Vogel.

 

 

3 hours ago, CharonY said:

Potentially off-topic, but I am curious (and not familiar) with that one, do you have a link or other resources I could check?

 

No I don't think it is off topic.

Alvin was the first manned sub to dive to the bottom of the Atlantic, and thereby visit the mid atlantic ridge.

 

The relevant part of the expedition was the discovery of hydrothermal vents and the organisms associated with it.

Not only were lifeforms living in 200 - 300 degrees C videoed, organisms ranging from anaerobic  bacteria throught iny shrimps to medium sized fish, they were sampled and DNA tested later back in the lab.

There may be better records of this dive and many subsequent dives around the world. this was only part of the programme whcih was

 

Episode 2 of the BBC programme series 'Earth Story'  entitled The Deep

 

Edited October 8 by studiot

[CharonY]

1 hour ago, studiot said:

Not only were lifeforms living in 200 - 300 degrees C videoed, organisms ranging from anaerobic  bacteria throught iny shrimps to medium sized fish, they were sampled and DNA tested later back in the lab.

Thanks, I am vaguely familiar with major processes in at vents and was under the impression that chemolithoautotrophy is the major mechanism of energy generation (and used for carbon fixation), which is an aerobic respiratory process (e.g. from hydrogen to metals). I was therefore curious about the non respiration part of your comment i.e. whether there are other energy harvesting strategies specific to the vents that I am unaware of (as it is more on the outer fringe of the organisms I know of). Thanks!

 

 

[Luc Turpin]

A meaningless expanse of mostly nothing, yet we stand, breathe and think.