Complexification: Complexity not so costly after all
Further, the analysis showed that the ability of organisms to adapt is highest at intermediate levels of complexity. "This means a simple organism is not best, and a very complex organism is not best; some intermediate level of complexity is best in terms of the adaptation rate," Zhang said.
The new findings help buffer evolutionary biology against the criticisms of intelligent design proponents, Zhang said. "The evolution of complexity is one thing that they often target. Admittedly, there were some theoretical difficulties in explaining the evolution of complexity because of the notion of the cost of complexity, but with our findings these difficulties are now removed."
I've been mulling over complexity for decades. If everything tends to entropy (as I've been taught), then why do we have anything atoms, molecules, organisms, societies? In my view, everything tends towards complexity (I call it "complexification").
This study is reported to show that if you're too simple or too complex you're not going to adapt. Makes sense – you need to be flexible to find that sweet spot of survival and propagation, be too rigid or too loose and you lose.
links for 2010-09-27
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Something I wrote back in 2008: Biology is messy
Some folks think biology behaves properly and regularly like electronics (which we all know is a passing fad). Go into any laboratory and you will see the modern-day alchemist repeating experiments that work one day and not the other, joking about the phases of the moon or position of the chairs.
Do I feel this way because it is so early in the neo-biology game? Am I just an old fuddy-duddy who learned biology in the previous century?
I think that's irrelevant. Digital electronics have distracted us from the analogue world, such that when we turn our attentions to biology, we've forgotten how to think in gradients, thresholds, probability, or chaotic flows in regulatory networks. Indeed, the biochemistry I learned and did was all about this and it's a thrilling way of doing things. I think those with strong digital sensibilities will have a hard time embracing the uncertainty and variability so common in biological systems.
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"Noise, far from just a nuisance, has begun to be appreciated for its essential role in key cellular activities. Noise functions in both microbial and eukaryotic cells, in multicellular development, and in evolution." (reg required)
Great review.
links for 2010-09-23
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""I started doing it because nobody believed me," says Tom Gilbert, a geneticist at the University of Copenhagen who works with Fordyce. He got the idea to sequence ancient RNA after seeing a paper that described the germination of a 2,000-year-old date seed — a process that requires intact RNA1."
Hm. Plants are doing something interesting to preserve their RNA so well.
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"Researchers report in this week's issue of Nature that Thermococcus onnurineus, a single-celled organism known as an archaeon living in deep-sea vents, has another enviable ability. It is the first microbe found to survive on the meagre energy provided by a very simple respiratory pathway: the conversion of formate (HCOO−) and water into hydrogen and bicarbonate1."
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"And by looking at signals from GPS satellites in different locations, they were able to map the progress of the ionospheric electron 'wave' as it raced across the sky, about 10 minutes behind the tsunami."
Freaky.
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"It may be small-scale and without fanfare, but genomic medicine has clearly arrived in the United States. A handful of physicians have quietly begun using whole-genome sequencing in attempts to diagnose patients whose conditions defy other available tools."
DNA info to personalize treatment is no longer in the future. It's here and doing well.
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"Some of the best bits about working at BERG are how everyone, despite having particular specialist skills, gleefully ignores boundaries, disciplines, labels and predefined processes, and allows themselves space to just run with things when they get excited. Deciding to do the music for the first Making Future Magic film ourselves was one of those moments."
links for 2010-09-19
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"For more than four years, Hellyar, supply chain manager for Dunkin’ Donuts, has hunted for an alternative to the much maligned Styrofoam cup — long enough to earn him the nickname “Joey Cups.’’ The ideal container would have to be recyclable or compostable, keep coffee hot, and not cost franchisees too much."
links for 2010-09-17
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Interesting list of info. I'm very much a proponent for working with the noise in biology.
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The "competition closes in less than a week–though one imagines that if a solution is found, the race to develop a space dryer that doesn't lose astronauts' socks can't be far behind."
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"Anil Potti is under investigation for false claims on his CV and doubts over the data in his papers." Hoo-boy, an ivory tower, once more besmirched.
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Explains a few things.
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"It misread the way the industry was merging with computing and social networking."
Uh, no it didn't. As one of the many who were pointing the way, it wasn't a mis-read as much as a inability to translate the obvious into products.
links for 2010-09-15
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These guys have produced the most amazing things and they are still at it. This video is not to be missed.
links for 2010-09-14
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Absolutely brilliant.
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"Hey, guys, want to impress ladies on the dance floor?"
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"Researchers gave single-celled slime molds a “food test”"
links for 2010-09-14
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Absolutely brilliant.
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"Hey, guys, want to impress ladies on the dance floor?"
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"Researchers gave single-celled slime molds a “food test”"