Apparently the original paleo diet was big on starches. But where oh where is the subhuman who gorged on raw zebra flesh (or whatever) when you need him?
Plants
Fossil forest update: “Pretty sophisticated” for nearly 400 million years ago
Researcher: “Based on what we know from the body fossil evidence of Archaeopteris prior to this, and now from the rooting evidence that we’ve added at Cairo, these plants are very modern compared to other Devonian plants.
World oldest known fossil forest just found at 385 million years ago
Funny the way those sudden transitions occur, just as if they were spring loaded or something
Lichens evolved millions of years AFTER plants?
Researchers: “But a closer look at the DNA of the algae and fungi that form lichens shows that lichens likely evolved millions of years after plants. “
Researchers: Horizontal gene transfer allowed plants to move to land
This explanation makes explicit that this is not Darwinian evolution. One writeup even alludes to the type of Darwinian tale that is being replaced.
Early woman botanist failed to embrace Darwinism, fell from favor
Darwin was always a jealous god. We should find out when her birthday is and declare that Arber Day.
Did the mega dinosaurs grow so big on a “living fossil” grass?
Equisetum, considered a “living fossil” is the only surviving member of a large family of spore-bearing vascular plants found as early as 150 mya. It’s still here. The giant sauropods not so much.
Asked seriously: What if plants are smarter than we think?
The question is not whether plants are “as smart as SMART animals” (no) but whether many plants can use information to the same degree as many animals can (yes). It would make more sense to see that the reason they can is that nature is full of intelligence (not personal intelligences). And that the intelligence clearly did not get there by Darwinian means, as the above example illustrates.
Scientists: For the last time, plants are NOT conscious!!
We know something’s changed when scientists need to make these points. Maybe underestimating the significance of human intelligence plays a role. After all, if we are just clever apes, maybe lettuce is just-as-clever apes too. Maybe salad is murder…
Who knew bacteria could trap light without chlorophyll?
We are “trained,” if you like, to expect certain discoveries (dark matter, for example). Then we learn something significant that really surprises us and allows for new thinking about, for example, ecology.
Researchers: Plants were “remodelled” 450 mya to grow leaves
It looks very much like a plan rather than an accident.
Researchers: Photosynthesis may be a billion years older than thought … But WAIT!
“Dr Cardona also suggests that this might mean oxygenic photosynthesis was not the product of a billion years of evolution from anoxygenic photosynthesis, but could have been a trait that evolved much sooner, if not first.” So when did the billions of years of Darwinian evolution that “gradually evolved” photosynthesis happen?
Did land plants get started when algae moved into fungi?
“Surprisingly, when they are grown together for a long time — around a month — some algal cells enter the fungal cells. Both organisms remain active and healthy in this relationship. ” This is one likely vector but did all plants really need fungi to live on land?
Carnivorous plants: Darwinian evolution would have to be a miracle worker to explain them
Marcos Eberlin: Maybe one could grant the evolutionary miracle a single time, but six times?
Researcher: “Environmental crisis” spurs some scientists to believe plants are conscious
He worries that their concern is “clouding their objectivity.” But isn’t objectivity the next two-minute hate?