"We Have the Technology that Can Make a Cloned Child – (Independent – April 14, 2008)
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/science/now-we-have-the-technology-that-can-make-a-cloned-child-808625.html
A new form of cloning has been developed that is easier to carry out than the technique used to create Dolly the sheep, raising fears (and hopes) that it may one day be used on human embryos to produce 'designer' babies. Scientists who used the procedure to create baby mice from the skin cells of adult animals have found it to be far more efficient than the Dolly technique, with fewer side effects, which makes it more acceptable for human use."
Apr 28, 2008
He Wrote 200,000 Books (but Computers Did Some of the Work) - New York Times
Meteorites Delivered the 'Seeds' of Earth's Left-hand Life – (PhysOrg – April 6, 2008)
http://www.physorg.com/news126694357.html
Flash back three or four billion years — Earth is a hot, dry and lifeless place. All is still. Without warning, a meteor slams into the desert plains at over ten thousand miles per hour. With it, this violent collision may have planted the chemical seeds of life on Earth. Scientists have evidence that desert heat, a little water, and meteorite impacts may have been enough to cook up one of the first prerequisites for life: the dominance of “left-handed” amino acids, the building blocks of life on this planet. In a report at the 235th national meeting of the American Chemical Society, Ronald Breslow, Ph.D., University Professor, Columbia University, and former ACS President, described how our amino acid signature came from outer space.
http://www.physorg.com/news1266
Apr 26, 2008
Evolution: 24 myths and misconceptions - life - 16 April 2008 - New Scientist
Evolution: 24 myths and misconceptions - life - 16 April 2008 - New Scientist: "Shared misconceptions:
Everything is an adaptation produced by natural selection
Natural selection is the only means of evolution
Natural selection leads to ever-greater complexity
Evolution produces creatures perfectly adapted to their environment
Evolution always promotes the survival of species
It doesn't matter if people do not understand evolution
'Survival of the fittest' justifies 'everyone for themselves'
Evolution is limitlessly creative
Evolution cannot explain traits such as homosexuality
Creationism provides a coherent alternative to evolution"
Everything is an adaptation produced by natural selection
Natural selection is the only means of evolution
Natural selection leads to ever-greater complexity
Evolution produces creatures perfectly adapted to their environment
Evolution always promotes the survival of species
It doesn't matter if people do not understand evolution
'Survival of the fittest' justifies 'everyone for themselves'
Evolution is limitlessly creative
Evolution cannot explain traits such as homosexuality
Creationism provides a coherent alternative to evolution"
Evolution myths: 'Survival of the fittest' justifies 'everyone for themselves' - life - 16 April 2008 - New Scientist
Evolution myths: 'Survival of the fittest' justifies 'everyone for themselves' - life - 16 April 2008 - New Scientist: "Looked at from this point of view, the concept of the survival of the fittest could be used to justify socialism rather than laissez-faire capitalism. Then again, the success of social insects could be used to argue for totalitarianism. Which illustrates another point: it is nonsense to appeal to the 'survival of the fittest' to justify any economic or political ideology, especially on the basis that it is 'natural'.
Is cannibalism fine because polar bears do it? Is killing your brother or sister fine because nestlings of many bird species do it? Is murdering your children fine because mice sometimes eat their own pups? Is paedophilia fine because bonobo adults have sex with juveniles?"
Is cannibalism fine because polar bears do it? Is killing your brother or sister fine because nestlings of many bird species do it? Is murdering your children fine because mice sometimes eat their own pups? Is paedophilia fine because bonobo adults have sex with juveniles?"
Evolution myths: 'Survival of the fittest' justifies 'everyone for themselves' - life - 16 April 2008 - New Scientist
Evolution myths: 'Survival of the fittest' justifies 'everyone for themselves' - life - 16 April 2008 - New Scientist: "What we see in the wild is not every animal for itself. Cooperation is an incredibly successful survival strategy. Indeed it has been the basis of all the most dramatic steps in the history of life. Complex cells evolved from cooperating simple cells. Multicellular organisms are made up of cooperating complex cells. Superorganisms such as bee or ant colonies consist of cooperating individuals."
Evolution myths: Evolution is limitlessly creative - life - 16 April 2008 - New Scientist
Evolution myths: Evolution is limitlessly creative - life - 16 April 2008 - New Scientist: "Nevertheless, there are structures that would clearly be useful but have never evolved. Zebras with built-in machine guns would rarely be bothered by lions, some point out. So why can evolution invent some things but not others?"
Evolution myths: Natural selection leads to ever greater complexity - life - 16 April 2008 - New Scientist
Evolution myths: Natural selection leads to ever greater complexity - life - 16 April 2008 - New Scientist: "In fact, natural selection often leads to ever greater simplicity. And, in many cases, complexity may initially arise when selection is weak or absent.
If you don't use it, you tend to lose it. Evolution often takes away rather than adding. For instance, cave fish lose their eyes, while parasites like tapeworms lose their guts.
Such simplification might be much more widespread than realised. Some apparently primitive creatures are turning out to be the descendants of more complex creatures rather than their ancestors. For instance, it appears the ancestor of brainless starfish and sea urchins had a brain.
Nevertheless, there is no doubt that evolution has produced more complex life-forms over the past four billion years. The tough question is: why? It is usually simply assumed to be the result of natural selection, but recently a few biologists studying our own bizarre and bloated genomes have challenged this idea."
If you don't use it, you tend to lose it. Evolution often takes away rather than adding. For instance, cave fish lose their eyes, while parasites like tapeworms lose their guts.
Such simplification might be much more widespread than realised. Some apparently primitive creatures are turning out to be the descendants of more complex creatures rather than their ancestors. For instance, it appears the ancestor of brainless starfish and sea urchins had a brain.
Nevertheless, there is no doubt that evolution has produced more complex life-forms over the past four billion years. The tough question is: why? It is usually simply assumed to be the result of natural selection, but recently a few biologists studying our own bizarre and bloated genomes have challenged this idea."
Evolution myths: Natural selection is the only means of evolution - life - 16 April 2008 - New Scientist
Evolution myths: Natural selection is the only means of evolution - life - 16 April 2008 - New Scientist: "Random genetic drift has certainly played a big role in human evolution. Human populations were tiny until around 10,000 years ago, and went through a major bottleneck around 2 million years ago. Other bottlenecks occurred when a few individuals migrated out of Africa around 60,000 years ago and colonised other regions.
There is no doubt that most of the genetic differences between humans and other apes – and between different human populations – are due to genetic drift. However, most of these mutations are in the nine-tenths of our genome that is junk, so they make no difference. The interesting question is which mutations affecting our bodies or behaviour have spread because of drift rather than selection, but this is far from clear."
There is no doubt that most of the genetic differences between humans and other apes – and between different human populations – are due to genetic drift. However, most of these mutations are in the nine-tenths of our genome that is junk, so they make no difference. The interesting question is which mutations affecting our bodies or behaviour have spread because of drift rather than selection, but this is far from clear."
Evolution myths: Natural selection is the only means of evolution - life - 16 April 2008 - New Scientist
Evolution myths: Natural selection is the only means of evolution - life - 16 April 2008 - New Scientist: "The DNA in all organisms is under constant attack from highly reactive chemicals and radiation, and errors are often made when it is copied. As a result, there are at least 100 new mutations in each human embryo, possibly far more. Some are harmful and are likely to be eliminated by natural selection – by death of the embryo, for instance. Most make no difference to our bodies, because most of our DNA is useless junk anyway. A few cause minor changes that are neither particularly harmful nor beneficial.
You might think that largely neutral mutations would remain restricted to a few individuals. In fact, while the vast majority of neutral mutations die out, a few spread throughout a population and thus become 'fixed'. It is pure chance – some just happen to be passed on to more and more individuals in each generation."
You might think that largely neutral mutations would remain restricted to a few individuals. In fact, while the vast majority of neutral mutations die out, a few spread throughout a population and thus become 'fixed'. It is pure chance – some just happen to be passed on to more and more individuals in each generation."
Evolution myths: Natural selection is the only means of evolution - life - 16 April 2008 - New Scientist
Evolution myths: Natural selection is the only means of evolution - life - 16 April 2008 - New Scientist: "Much change is due to random genetic drift rather than positive selection. It could be called the survival of the luckiest."
Evolution myths: Everything is an adaptation - life - 16 April 2008 - New Scientist
Evolution myths: Everything is an adaptation - life - 16 April 2008 - New Scientist: "For all these reasons and more, we need to be sceptical of headline-grabbing claims about evolutionary explanations for different behaviours. Evolutionary psychology in particular is notorious for attempting to explain every aspect of behaviour, from gardening to rape, as an adaptation that arose when our ancestors lived on the African savannah.
Needless to say, without solid evidence, claims about how, for instance, TV dinners 'evolved' should be taken with a large pinch of salt."
Needless to say, without solid evidence, claims about how, for instance, TV dinners 'evolved' should be taken with a large pinch of salt."
Apr 19, 2008
The Institute For The Future
The Institute For The Future: "The Institute for the Future (IFTF) is an independent, nonprofit research group with nearly 40 years of forecasting experience. The core of our work is identifying emerging trends and discontinuities that will transform global society and the global marketplace. We provide insights into business strategy, design process, innovation, and social dilemmas."
Delta Scan: The Future of Science and Technology, 2005-2055: Home
Delta Scan: The Future of Science and Technology, 2005-2055: Home: "Welcome to the Delta Scan. This is a forum for scanning the science and technology horizon over the next 50 years. The forum contains a hundred outlook pages covering a wide range of scientific disciplines and technologies. These include topics associated with the future geography and structure of science."
Apr 18, 2008
KurzweilAI.net
KurzweilAI.net: "University of East Anglia scientist Andrew Watson has developed a new mathematical model of the probability of intelligent life in the universe.
His model, published in the journal Astrobiology, suggests the odds of finding new life on other Earth-like planets are low, given the time it has taken for beings such as humans to evolve, the remaining life span of Earth, and the low probability of the four independent evolutionary steps needed to create intelligent life (less than 0.01 per cent over four billion years)."
His model, published in the journal Astrobiology, suggests the odds of finding new life on other Earth-like planets are low, given the time it has taken for beings such as humans to evolve, the remaining life span of Earth, and the low probability of the four independent evolutionary steps needed to create intelligent life (less than 0.01 per cent over four billion years)."
KurzweilAI.net
KurzweilAI.net: "In the biggest analysis of flu strains ever, Cambridge University researchers have shown the annual flu epidemic comes from eastern and southeast Asia, a product of the connectedness of people and the patchiness of the region's rainy seasons.
New viruses appeared in eastern and southeast Asia 6 to 9 months before they showed up anywhere else, and took another 6 to 9 months to reach Latin America.
The team found that outbreaks follow the cooler temperatures of the rainy seasons, which are staggered in time across the region because of complex geography and air movements. There is always a flu epidemic happening somewhere in east and southeast Asia, they said.
Then when the climatic conditions are right in the northern or southern temperate zones, they seed the next winter epidemic, which goes to Europe, Oceania, and North America first."
New viruses appeared in eastern and southeast Asia 6 to 9 months before they showed up anywhere else, and took another 6 to 9 months to reach Latin America.
The team found that outbreaks follow the cooler temperatures of the rainy seasons, which are staggered in time across the region because of complex geography and air movements. There is always a flu epidemic happening somewhere in east and southeast Asia, they said.
Then when the climatic conditions are right in the northern or southern temperate zones, they seed the next winter epidemic, which goes to Europe, Oceania, and North America first."
KurzweilAI.net
KurzweilAI.net: "Among the forecasts:
- Our grandchildren will live to be 140 years old.
- Diseases such as breast cancer and heart disease will be preventable or even wiped out.
- Each of us will have a copy of our own complete DNA sequence, incorporated into a highly accurate electronic medical record and can be accessible from anywhere.
- Schizophrenia and bipolar disorders will be well understood and treatable.
- People will be forced to marry others based on genotypes and those who are not authorized will be subject to tremendous tax burdens for any sick or disabled children.
- Humans will have exhausted most of the coal and oil reserves of the planet and added many pollutants to the environment.
- We may have lived through a nuclear war."
- Our grandchildren will live to be 140 years old.
- Diseases such as breast cancer and heart disease will be preventable or even wiped out.
- Each of us will have a copy of our own complete DNA sequence, incorporated into a highly accurate electronic medical record and can be accessible from anywhere.
- Schizophrenia and bipolar disorders will be well understood and treatable.
- People will be forced to marry others based on genotypes and those who are not authorized will be subject to tremendous tax burdens for any sick or disabled children.
- Humans will have exhausted most of the coal and oil reserves of the planet and added many pollutants to the environment.
- We may have lived through a nuclear war."
Apr 4, 2008
Accelerating-Intelligence News: Single Article View
Accelerating-Intelligence News: Single Article View: "Recent insights from fields such as complexity theory suggest that the very nature of civilization means that ours, like previous civilizations, is destined to collapse sooner or later.
It appears that once a society develops beyond a certain level of complexity it becomes increasingly fragile. Eventually, the tipping point is reached when all the energy and resources available to a society are required just to maintain its existing level of complexity, says archaeologist Joseph Tainter and author of the 1988 book The Collapse of Complex Societies."
It appears that once a society develops beyond a certain level of complexity it becomes increasingly fragile. Eventually, the tipping point is reached when all the energy and resources available to a society are required just to maintain its existing level of complexity, says archaeologist Joseph Tainter and author of the 1988 book The Collapse of Complex Societies."
Apr 2, 2008
Technology Review: On Markets and Complexity
Technology Review: On Markets and Complexity: "complexity also raises the specter of risks that can cause a crisis in which you don't fully understand what's happening, because you're in a new environment where the structures are different from what they were ten years ago. There's a psychological reason for that. We tend to be much more comfortable doing something familiar than we are with doing something new, even if the risk is the same in both cases. I'm not saying that bad things haven't happened. But if you take a horizon of, say, ten years, on the whole, the system is structurally better, but we probably have had a mismatch between the infrastructural growth and the growth of the innovations such that we find ourselves in a situation that is very costly and expensive and unnerving."
Technology Review: On Markets and Complexity
Technology Review: On Markets and Complexity: "Sometimes the term 'complex' is used as a euphemism for 'less-well understood.' People sometimes say, 'Things have gotten more complex,' but what they're really saying is, 'I understand things less well.'"
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