SUPPORT DOCUMENT #55 I've re- posted document #54 here, with some added information: Please read the post, First Life, a very rough draft, part one > first. > Let's continue: > Step 1 raw material into RNA > Step 2 RNA replicates. I've included some supporting evidence in this post. Most of it involves the viroid, Potato Spindle Tuber Viroid or PSTV. It is from Scientific American Jan. 1981, T.O. Diener. A viroid is smaller than a virus. A virus has both genetic material and aprotein coat. A viroid does not have to code for the protein coat and is only a single strand of RNA. Viroids are the smallest known agents of infectious diseases - about a dozen diseases have been found to be caused by viroids so far - all plant diseases. PSTV is 50 nanometers long. > Step 1. Day breaks and soon our soup kettle begins to boil. There is one > bond that stands out from the rest, the G-C bond (G=Guanine nucleotide, > C= Cytosine nucleotide. Its noted as a very strong bond) The G-C bases > are one of the pair of bases of RNA (the other being A=Adenine > nucleotide, and U=Uracil nucleotide). During the day they connect up and > form strings of G-C bonds. They are sturdy chemical bonds, but not sturdy > enough. > Each afternoon, the hottest time of the day, the G-C bonds melt from the > heat and whatever was forged together is broken apart. Note: "Regions linked by base pairing are "denatured," or separated, when a nucleic acid molecule is heated to break the hydrogen bonds between complementary bases, and the rate and the range of temperatures at which denaturation (separation) takes place vary with the structure of the molecule." (the text goes on to say "The extent of thermal denaturation is most conveniently determined by measuring a nucleic acid preparations ultraviolet absorbance, which increases with denaturation." which may be a clue to testing this theory. See below) > Evolution enters the equation. One day the G-C bond has an interloper, > one or more A's replaces a G (both purines), and/or U replaces a C (both > pyrimidines). And something miraculous happens. First I want to note that although G usually bonds with C, I have learned that G SOMETIMES codes with U just as I had predicted it might. Also an excess of G's and C's is characteristic of viroids in general, again as I predicted. > This slows down the melting process and the G-C bonds do NOT melt at the > hottest time of the day. They survive the day - with a bond that is > longer and stronger and more 'fit' to survive. This retardation of the > melting point of the G-C bond is enough to keep our 2 bases G and C, plus > the 2 stop bases A and U progressing. (and the stop codons are mostly A's > and U's - also see my post on why there are duplicate codons for many > amino acids). They progress in 2 directions: > RNA - as enzyme and as protein maker (then evolve into other properties) > and PROTEINS (synthesized by the RNA) Note: in the viroid PSTV there are 359 nucleotides. If the above were correct we would assume that there would be mostly C's and G's (the basic bond) then more U's (G sometimes codes with U - our slow down mechanism) and then the least number of A's. PSTV = 359 nucleotides: 108 C's 101 G's 77 U's 73 A's > Replication comes about whenever the heat DOES melt/divide the 2 strings > of G-C and A-U bases - much like DNA divides now. Though each day the > strings that survive become longer and longer before they melt/divide > from the heat. Over time the pre-life that survives evolves to more and > more control when this division takes place. "...base paried regions separate when the temperature is increased." > HOW TO TEST: > We should be able to test this theory and see if any of this works. > CLUE First note that there are wide variations in the ratio of A-U to G-C > in various organisms and this must be explained somehow. This aspect > should be studied. > Take a kettle of purines, pyrimides (mostly G and C), minerals, etc. > Begin to heat (sun radiation? earth heat? both?). The G-C bond should 1st > bind together. Then as the heat continues to rise, it should break apart > at its melting point. Then cool the mixture down and repeat (This > experiment is similar to that of Sydney Fox who made proteinoids) > Add more A and U. The A-U bond should act as a catalyst and slow down or > inhibit this melting point. (Also the water in the kettle may have to be > boiled away so that the contents that are left, are dry, then re-wet as > they cool.) > If any of this produces results, use the results as clues on how to > proceed. Also here are some other aspects of PSTV that may provide clues. It is a single strand of RNA that curves back on itslef like a hairpin. Yet if this RNA can curve back on itself, then perhaps the first pre-RNA can curve back not only on itself but on other RNA too and build from there. At some point our 'slowed down G-C' would have survived longer than its neighbors thus usurping the necessary molecules in the 'soup'. This RNA replication would have been imperfect, so that many variant autocatalytic RNA molecules would have arisen. Any variations that increased the speed or the fidelity of self-replication and further evolved to better survive the changes in temperature and energy availability, would have enabled those variant RNA molecules to outmultiply their neighbor RNA. Plus survivor RNA could merge at some point. (some of this from Britannica.com) As the source of energy/heat slowed down, it is likely that the pre-life that survived, switched to an alternate form of energy/heat - probably some type of fermentation SUPPORT DOCUMENT #56: I've reposted some of document #54 with more added information: Here are 2 more points in this post, that may support this theory. It may be important to note that the charges holding the G-C and the A-U nucleotides together, are slightly different, they will tend to migrate across a blotter and take up slightly different positions on it in the process known as gel electrophoresis where one edge of the blotter has a positive charge and the other edge a negative charge. Thus there is another difference between the 2 bonds. (Blueprints, Edey & Johanson) > As the source of energy/heat slowed down, it is likely that the pre-life that survived, switched to an alternate form of energy/heat - probably some type of fermentation. Also note that there are 2 types of sugar metabolism that produce energy: fermentation and respiration. Fermentation is an anaerobic process that takes place in the absence of any external electron acceptor. It was probably the first true form of metabolism. What's noteworthy is that fermentation not only occurs when SUGAR is broken down into smaller organic molecules which accept the electrons that have been released during the breakdown of the energy source, - but fermentation also works with AMINO ACIDS in the place of sugar. It's feasible that the first metabolism was the fermentation of amino acids, then when that source ran out, the fermentation of sugar - remember a 5-carbon sugar (along with a phosphate group and the nitrogen base)) is a part of the nucleotide so it is handy. (Britannica.com) SUPPORT DOCUMENT #57 Two posts on sex: The real difference between a male reproductive cell and a female reproductive cell is size. Female eggs large, and male sperm small. I've suggested in my Hendricks Health Theory that sexual determination (as well as everything else) is based on the 4 options of energy moderation. Low end of energy (needs more) is related to the options 1 take in, and 3 hold in = female High end of energy (too much) is related to the options 2 block out and 4 excrete out = male (Note no action or reaction of any organism is outside of these 4 options) The female reproductive cell - eggs, are large enough to hold enough food to feed daughter cells until they can feed themselves. These cells have evolved to take in and hold in more. The male reproductive cell - sperm, are specialized for movement out of the male and toward the egg. These cells have evolved to excrete out. TURTLE EGGS: In my Hendricks Health Theory I have suggested that sex can be defined as each of the 2 sides of energy use.(I define all life as reacting to or moderating energy) High energy use is male and corresponds to option 2 and 4 of my 4 options of energy reaction/moderation. Low energy use is female and corresponds to option 1 and 3 of my 4 options of energy reaction/moderation. Sex helps evolve the fitness of the species by combining 2 parents of opposite ends of energy moderation.. Here is some more evidence that may support that. "Turtles have no sex chromosomes; an embryo can become either sex depending on the temperature at which it is incubated. If all the eggs in a nest are kept cool, all the turtles may hatch out as male. If all the eggs are kept warm, all the turtles may hatch out as female." (S. Stein, The Evolution Book) Temperature then is important in determining the sex of turtles. I believe some how temperature and energy moderation are related, thus the sex of the turtle is somehow related to energy moderation. (An interesting side note. Sara Stein, suggests that IF dinosaur eggs behaved as do turtle eggs, then it is conceivable that IF there was a drastic and sudden shift in temperature 65 million years ago by an asteroid crashing into earth and causing the dusting of iridium, THEN it is possible that most of the dinosaur eggs that hatched would be unisex. That then would account for why dinosaurs became extinct and mammals and marsupials would survive.) SUPPORT DOCUMENT #58 I have suggested in my Hendricks Health Theory that sex is the opposite ends of the energy moderation scale. Males moderate more energy, females less. This is a passage from The Evolution Book, about how some dinosaurs may have evolved to be warm blooded: "Their blood warmed by exertion, supplied a rich mix of air and fuel. They cranked up their metabolism, set their thermostat to high and became warm blooded ... there may have been an evolutionary spiral as selection favored the more energetic individuals. More active muscles need more food; more food produces more heat, more heat favors a higher metabolism; higher metabolism provides more energy to get food; more food feeds more muscle, fuels more motion, makes more heat." And though sex reproduction began with the eukaryotes, the passage above can just as easily be used to explain how males have evolved to being different from females. It is most easily seen in birds and mammals. Males have higher energy, are bigger, have more muscle strength, have more weight, are more active, more aggressive, with male birds having bigger feather plumes and brighter coloring, plus males supplies millions of sperm while females only a few choice eggs, etc . Though there are exceptions to the above, the rule seems to hold. SUPPORT DOCUMENT #59 Darwin's theory of evolution explains the survival of the 'species' My theory, Hendricks Health Theory (HHT) explains the survival of the"organism'. There is a difference. And by looking at the survival of the organism, one can answer many questions that Darwin's theory could not. (My theory is sort of a psychological/biological look at biology, and though a very unusual approach, it does answer many questions about life when the theory is backed up by biological evidence) HHT: life is defined as: reacting to energy that evolved to moderating energy. (It does this in 4 specific ways - the 4 options) Any organism will die if it gets too cold, or too hot, or if energy is too great or too little. All life begins to shut down or go into a type of hibernation when energy gets low, but at some point energy will be so low that that organism dies. All life becomes more active as energy increases, yet at some point energy is so high that the organism cannot survive. Therefore it is the ability of each organism to moderate energy, that insures the survival of that individual organism - which has nothing to do with that organism's ability to reproduce .. yet. Once an organism has survived its energy environment, then it can replicate* and Darwin's theory explains evolution from there on with this proviso: the most fit organism is that one that can best moderate the energy in its environment. (* actually, my theory suggests that replication evolved out of one of the techniques of energy survival. Replication was a way to safeguard the parent organism in times of increasing energy. Replication - in this very loose analogy 'divided the balloon in half before it would explode so each balloon could grow larger- take in more energy') SUPPORT DOCUMENT #60 There are an endless number of ways that organisms evolve, but all of them are 1 or more of these 4 options: 1. TAKE IN 2. BLOCK OUT (not take in) 3. HOLD IN (take in, digest, and hold in) 4. EXCRETE OUT (take in, digest, and excrete out) In this and the next 3 posts I'd like to look at each option separately. (Note these are all very loose evolutionary threads and at best suggest possible evolutionary paths.) OPTION #1 TAKE IN Take in began as - react to energy, which evolved to take in energy which evolved to take in any thing that would in any way benefit that organism. Take in evolved to mobility - move toward to take in. It evolved all the ways to help support how that organism takes in, example senses or brain to HELP take in energy,food,information,love, etc. Later in mammals take in food evolved to take in mother's milk, evolved to take in mother's love, evolved to take in love from the social group evolved to move toward the social group for love/nurturing of any kind, evolved to please mother, group in order to win food/nurturing/love etc. evolved to take in knowledge, pleasure, feeling, anything. POSITIVE BEHAVIOR OF TAKE IN OPTION 1: social and nurturing NEGATIVE BEHAVIOR OF TAKE IN OPTION 1: In K. Horney's classic "Inner Conflicts" the 3 inner conflicts of human behavior, Take in is 'MOVE TOWARD OTHERS' with all the problems associated with this behavior. Also all the diseases, and ailments associated with problems of option 1 TAKE IN evolved to any aspect of anyway any organism takes in what is nurturing in any conceivable way. Take in = female (option 1 & 3) social (option 1 & 2) animal (option 1 & 2) SUPPORT DOCUMENT #61 In this post I'd like to look at Option 2 OPTION #2 BLOCK OUT Block out began as react to energy, which evolved to block out excess or bad energy which evolved to block out anything that would in any way harm that organism. Block out evolved to mobility - move against to block out. It evolved all the ways to help support how that organism would block out anything that would harm it - any threat of any kind from any source, example senses or brain to HELP block out excess or bad energy, bad or excess food, predators, environmental threats, etc. Later in mammals block out food evolved to block out mother's milk, evolved to block out bad behavior from mother, social group, evolved to move against the social group to defend self, or family, or one's own social group, evolved to fight aggressively to protect self, group, values one stands for, religion, etc. or anything else of value to that organism. POSITIVE BEHAVIOR OF BLOCK OUT OPTION 2: strong defender of self and group. Leader, warrior. NEGATIVE BEHAVIOR OF BLOCK OUT OPTION 2: In K. Horney's classic "Inner Conflicts" the 3 inner conflicts of human behavior, Block out is 'MOVE AGAINST OTHERS' with all the psychological problems associated with this behavior, plus all the diseases and ailments associated with problems of option 2. Block Out: Male (option 2 & 4) Social (option 1 & 2) Animal (opiton 1 & 2) SUPPORT DOCUMENT #62: In this post I'd like to look at OPTION #3 OPTION #3 HOLD IN Hold in began as - react to energy, which evolved to take in and hold in energy which evolved to take in and hold in anything that would in any way benefit that organism. Take in and hold in evolved to move towards self, move toward ones own needs. IT evolved all the ways to help support how that organism takes in and holds in what is beneficial, example senses or brain to HELP take in and hold in energy, food, information, love, etc. Later in mammals take in and hold in food, evolved to take in and hold in mother's milk, evolved to take in and hold in mother's love, evolved to take in and hold in love from the social group, evolved to move toward self and needs of self, nurture self, evolved to move toward self to please self,(evolved to move towards and nurture newborn within self), evolved to take in and hold in knowledge, pleasure, feeling, anything of value. POSITIVE BEHAVIOR OF HOLD IN OPTION 3: Positive self nurturing, protection and support to help hold, preserve, protect, keep anything that is of value within self or outside of self and connected with others. The Preserver, the builder, the safeguarder. NEGATIVE BEHAVIOR OF HOLD IN OPTION 3 (K. Horney does not have a corresponding inner conflict) Self centered, self involved, greedy, grasping; with all the psychological problems and physical diseases associated with problems of option 3. HOLD IN evolved to any aspect of anyway any organism takes in and holds in what is nurturing to it or anything it wants to nurture in any conceivable way. Hold in = female (option 1 & 3) self (option 3 & 4) plant (option 3 & 4) SUPPORT DOCUMENT #63: In this post I'd like to look at option 4 OPTION #4 EXCRETE OUT Excrete out began as - react to energy, which evolved to excrete out excess or harmful energy within the organism, which evolved to excrete out anything within the organism that is excess or harmful. Take in evolved to mobility - separate from whatever is excess or harmful. It evolved all the ways to help support how that organism excretes out waste of any kind, example senses and brain help excrete out waste of any kind Later in mammals excrete out waste mother's milk, evolved to excrete out excess or waste of mother's attention or perceived harmful or unwanted behavior, or unwanted or harmful behavior from social group, evolved to move away from breast when full, mother, social group, from anything not wanted. Excretes out anything within its body that is unwanted or harmful, but also anything within its world that is unwanted or harmful etc. POSITIVE BEHAVIOR OF EXCRETE OUT OPTION 4: Reformer, rebel, positive critic, one who revises and removes waste or harm in any way, or helps separate from any harm of any kind for self or group - waste remover. NEGATIVE BEHAVIOR OF EXCRETE OUT OPTION 4 In K. Horney's classic "Inner Conflicts" the 3 inner conflicts of human behavior, Excrete out is "SEPARATE FROM OTHERS" with all the physical and psychological problems associated with that behavior plus all the ailments and diseases associated with problems of that behavior. EXCRETE OUT evolved to any aspect of anyway any organism excretes out any waste or excess or unwanted aspect of its life in anyway conceivable. Take in = male (option 2 & 4) self (option 3 & 4) plant (option 3 & 4) SUPPORT DOCUMENT #64 I have suggested in my Hendricks Health Theory that every evolutionary aspect of ALL organisms is based on 1 or more of the 4 options. Option #2 is block out. This is the option for aggressive and predatory behavior in animals. But how can there be an option #2 in PLANTS? A few examples may help. "Aspirin, caffeine, nicotine, quinine , cocaine, digitalis, and hundreds of other drugs have evolved in plants as chemical weapons against pests." Also "When a conifer is injured, it bleeds sticky stuff called resin. This is its all-purpose band-aid. The resin quickly seals the wound and slowly hardens. It kills bacteria...An insect that caused an injury by biting through a conifer's bark may not get away with its crime - it may get stuck ... in amber, which is fossilized resin from conifers." Both quotes from "The Evolution Book" Sara Stein. SUPPORT DOCUMENT #65: In my Hendricks Health Theory, I suggested that if energy moderation was the key then most life would be found where energy is plentiful - the rain forests. "On that 6% or Earth's land (rain forest) there are today more kinds of plants and animals than have existed anywhere on land at any time in the history of the world. Two thirds of all terrestrial plant and animal species inhabit the rain forest. Almost the entire remaining third may have originated there." But if that is so, why would birds migrate BACK north and leave the tropical rain forest? "...During spring and summer the living is easier in the north. Come the first warm days, hordes of insects hatch out all at once. The days are longer than in the tropics, and so are the best hunting times of dawn and dusk, when bird and bug alike bustle into action. With the spring rains, uncountable earthworms squirm to the surface. When the blueberries ripen, they ripen by the billions. When the grass goes to seed, there are seeds everywhere. In the tropics there is never that much food all in one place, all at one time. and all laid out so conveniently. And northlands are safe lands. Birds that breed in the tropics have to contend with frightening numbers of egg-stealing, nestling-eating snakes, monkeys, opossums, raccoons, and kinkajous." both quotes from "The Evolution Book" Sara Stein.