Paul Price and Gary Bates: These same scientists looking for coded information signals would never admit that such signals have already been found right here on Earth, encoded in the DNA of life!
Genomics
Is biology “hiding its deepest mysteries”?
Physics was “hiding its deepest mysteries” thousands of years ago too before anyone uncovered laws for how it works. There are still mysteries in physics, of course, but they are now more basic. The laws are now known. Let’s hope the same proves true for biology.
Icelandic genome provides clues to Neanderthal history, creates puzzle
Puzzle: However, the researchers also found significant fragments of genetic material from another archaic species of human, Denisovans, in the DNA of the Icelanders, and this was something of a surprise. Up to now, Denisovan genes have primarily been found in Australian Aborigines, East Asians and people in Papua New Guinea. So how did these genes end up in Islanders’ DNA? And when?
Deplorable words?: DNA is NOT the blueprint for life?
Remember the guy who showed us a CD of his genome and said this is me? Naw, we didn’t think so at the time either, but read on…
Stuart Newman, one of the Third Way evolution scientists, on why COVID-19 is deadly to seniors
Maybe viral “cold case” detective work will become a new specialty. Newman agree that seniors should be avoid public gatherings but doesn’t think mass quarantine of the entire population is the best strategy because it prevents the development of herd immunity.
Friends point us to this handy science-friendly summary of what is known about COVID-19
SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) as a virus. Updated on an ongoing basis.
At Justin Brierley’s Unbelievable: The scientific case for Adam and Eve
“He [Swamidass] is joined by atheist biologist Nathan Lents who has given his support to the book, believing that it may help Christians who hold to a traditional understanding of the Adam and Eve story, to also accept evolutionary science. “
Huge discordance between gene trees in a new phylogenetic study
“Deep phylogenetic incongruence” sounds like journalspeak for “our current phylogenetic tree is a hot mess.”
New layer of complexity of the month: Epitranscriptomics
Layers on layers, systems on systems. Puts one in mind of Darwin’s Warm Little Pond, doesn’t it? Legacy science media should ramp up those Pond graphics. And keep the speculation about random events accidentally producing life coming. Speculate HARDER!
Yes, genes from nowhere ARE an “evolutionary problem.”
Glad we are talking about this… No need to believe us (though we did warn you). What’s this about “rampant” order in the genome? “Rampant” is a word we associate with disease; it’s not a word we commonly associate with “order.” On the other hand, an order that frustrates the outworkings of Darwinian evolution in favor of an orderly system that produces needed innovations must seem a lot like a disease to some. 😉
Researchers discover sophisticated hospital system for DNA in cells
Challenging the belief that DNA “floats aimlessly.”
Another Darwin-kicker?: Diversity-Generating Retroelements (DGR)
A reader writes: They have a mechanism by which they can mutate a specific part of the DNA, in a pattern and rate that’s different from random mutation.
Key points in plant evolution featured “fundamental genomic novelties”
Researchers: “This approach reveals an unprecedented level of fundamental genomic novelties in two nodes related to the origin of land plants: the first in the origin of streptophytes during the Ediacaran and another in the ancestor of land plants in the Ordovician.” Stuck for what to call this, some of us would call it creationism.
Giant squid genome map offers some surprises re its giant brain
“‘For a long time, we thought that having a lot of protocadherins was only found in vertebrates, so we were really surprised when we found more than 160 of them in the octopus genome,’ said Albertin, in reference to her 2015 paper on the subject.”
Ghost worms unchanged in form for 275 million years but show “highly distinct” genetics?
One wants to ask, how distinct ARE the genomes of these species that all look the same?
Would it be like mapping a cat’s genome and finding a German Shepherd’s GATTACA in there? What that level of distinction really tells us goes well beyond cats and German Shepherds. Or do the researchers really mean something less highly distinct? What? We search for analogies here.