RE: Ancient Radiation levels

["Neil, David M" <neildm@id.doe.gov>]

Off-topic answer to an off-topic question; only because I thought others in
the forum might be interested

Let's take any further discussion off-line

The processes usually anthropomorphized as "Nature" don't "care" about
individuals.  Not all deleterious characteristics are removed, nor
beneficial ones spread in the gene pool.

Assuming that homosexuality is genetically determined - which is far from
proven - the inheritance mechanism could be complex enough that the
"elimination" of individuals does not exert a selective pressure.  An
example would be some of the diseases that have been recently thought to
have multiple causal factors - a genetic susceptibility, which has to be
coupled to a viral attack to be expressed

Another possibility is that it is a side effect of a beneficial gene, in
similar manner to sickle cell anemia, which confers malaria resistance.  No
gene - normal red cells, but maybe die of malaria; two genes - no malaria,
but maybe die of abnormal red cells; one gene - normal red cells, resistant
to malaria

Dave Neil		neildm@id.doe.gov

The theory yields a lot, but it hardly brings us any closer to the secret of
the Old One. In any case I am convinced that He does not throw dice.
--Einstein, writing to Max Born, 4 December 1926

On Wednesday, December 22, 1999 10:48 AM, Bernard L Cohen
[SMTP:blc+@pitt.edu] wrote:
> 
> 
> On Fri, 17 Dec 1999, Karam, Andrew wrote:
> 
>   Fatal mutations (at least, those that are fatal before an
> > organism can reproduce) are invariably not passed on, but sublethal
> > mutations are.
> 
> 	This reminds me of a question that has nothing to do with this
> discussion but has always plagued me. Please believe me that I have no
> moral or political motives in asking this -- I am just trying to reach a
> scientific understanding. My question is, why has homosexuality not been
> bred out of the human race since it is generally unfavorable for
> reproduction? 
> 
> > 
> Bernard L. Cohen
> Physics Dept.
> University of Pittsburgh
> Pittsburgh, PA 15260
> Tel: (412)624-9245
> Fax: (412)624-9163
> e-mail: blc+@pitt.edu
> 
> 
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