Darwin was always a jealous god. We should find out when her birthday is and declare that Arber Day.
Plants
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?
Why do plant scientists need to tell the world that plants are NOT conscious?
You didn’t think plants were conscious, did you? Did you really think salad is murder? Yet telling us that plants are not conscious is the gist of a recently published major paper in Trends in Plant Science. (open access) Part of the background to the “plants think like people” movement in science, which they oppose, […]
Plant expert: Very ancient fungi made life possible for plants on Earth
The history of life keeps changing on us. Much more stasis, much less Darwin. Where will we end up?
Pre-existing genes a more likely cause of herbicide resistance than new mutations
It sounds as though the necessary evolution occurred a long time ago and that a Darwinian process just isn’t happening. But they are not likely allowed to discuss it that way.
How maize corn’s wild ancestor teosinte prevents maize from breeding with it
The researchers don’t hazard a guess as to why the wild plant rejects its descendant. It’s tempting to liken it to a wolf pack chasing away a stray dog (if not outright killing him). Interesting development.
Researchers: Plants protect stem cells via diverse backup plans
Steady on here. “Evolution” randomly evolved a number of complex and specified strategies that hit the same target? And we can achieve “intelligent crop design” by co-operating with it? Better take your Darwin pills before you talk about this with colleagues.