Re: Ancient Radiation levels

[Martin Fraser <mfraser@channel1.com>]

Actually, Harold, this is I believe a common misunderstanding of Darwinism.
'Lower' forms of life have been evolving for as long as they've in
existence. Their genes are experimenting with modifications with every
generation as are ours. They may have settled into a niche which doesn't
require(1) of them  sight or locomotion or other traits which might be
associated 'higher' forms but an evolutionary biologist would (I suspect,
not being one)  tell you that they are every bit as sophisticated or
unsophisticated as apes or snails. Their compliment of DNA is not
necessarily smaller than our own and repair mechanisms would confer upon
them the same benefit it would to any organism.

This fallacy can lead so some erroneous conclusions or in this case theories.

(1) or more accurately these 'features' will offer no survival advantage

regards
Martin

>Well, not yet ...
>
>A while ago I had a short discussion with Andrew on one of my favourite
>hypothesis: Having observed out of studies cited in the literature that
>lower organised (= older) forms of life show a lower sensitivity against
>radiation, I speculated on the possibility that the specific sensitivity
>might have been adequate to the level of radiation prevailing at the
>time when the species derived. (Just applied Darwinism ...)
>
>Greetings, Harald
>
>These are my personal opinions, which do not necessarily coincide with
>those of my employer or his customers.
>
>---
>Harald Weiss
>Preetzer Strasse 263
>D-24147 Kiel (Germany)
>..
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