Re: Ancient radiation levels were higher than today's levels

[Brian_Gaulke@hc-sc.gc.ca]

Taking this to be true, the higher sensitivity amongst later "derived", more
complex organisms seems to imply a cost in maintaining the better
protection/repair mechanisms.  If there is such a cost, then why would the less
complex organisms not have divested themselves of the unnecessary and costly
mechanisms now that environmental radiation levels are lower?

Brian R. Gaulke, CHP
Head, Dosimetry Section
Radiation Protection Bureau
Health Canada
Brian_Gaulke@hc-sc.gc.ca





Harald Weiss <weiss@ki.comcity.de> on 99/12/16 02:40:59

Please respond to radsafe@romulus.ehs.uiuc.edu

To:   Multiple recipients of list <radsafe@romulus.ehs.uiuc.edu>
cc:    (bcc: Brian Gaulke)

Subject:  Re: Ancient radiation levels were higher than today's levels




Jacobus, John (OD) schrieb:
>
> For you reading pleasure from the American Institute of Physics.  Of course,
> this does not validate the idea of hormesis as being a derived from our
> biological past.
>
>

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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