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IGNORE TIME. "Why wait another billion years for genome improvement, when you can take evolution into your own hands?" (Karl Sims). https://lnkd.in/dD4T763 View in LinkedIn

MORE VARIANT CASES. “In nuclear genomes, variants are also rare, but as protist genome diversity is explored the number of cases is expanding. One interesting pattern to emerge is that the frequency of different kinds of changes in nuclear genomes is different from those of mitochondria and bacteria (the most obvious being the prevalence of UAR=Q versus UGA=W, respectively). Once again, this likely reflects a fundamental difference in their genomes, in this case the underlying translation systems (amino acyl tRNA syntheses and termination factors).” https://lnkd.in/d87ZWbH View in LinkedIn

SO ENDS this two weekend contemplation on the genetic code. Once again, the influence of microbial horizontal gene transfer has contributed to the conservation of the genetic code in unrelated living cells. It seems very likely other variant codes will be discovered. Whether there are creatures that can reproduce with hugely different genetic structures awaits to be seen, but is very relevant to the search for new life both on earth, and elsewhere. View in LinkedIn

NEW CELLULAR DNA. “Australian researchers have identified a new DNA structure -- called the i-motif -- inside cells. A twisted 'knot' of DNA, the i-motif has never before been directly seen inside living cells. The new shape looks entirely different to the double-stranded DNA double helix. We think the coming and going of the i-motifs is a clue to what they do. It seems likely that they are there to help switch genes on or off, and to affect whether a gene is actively read or not." https://lnkd.in/dC4Eqkg View in LinkedIn

CONSERVING FORCES. “Conceivably, frozen accident and the requirement of horizontal gene transfer were major, complementary factors that have kept the code universal.” https://lnkd.in/dKTqJpY View in LinkedIn

VIRTUAL EVOLUTION. "It is convenient to use the biological terms genotype and phenotype when discussing artificial evolution. A genotype is a coded representation of a possible individual or problem solution. In biological systems, a genotype is usually composed of DNA and contains the instructions for the development of an organism." https://lnkd.in/dh-4NJm View in LinkedIn

DOG IS MY COPILOT. "Sims agrees with Oxford zoologist Richard Dawkins, who makes the case in The Blind Watchmaker that the universe did not require an intelligent agent to establish evolution. Sims adds, "I think we are an example." https://lnkd.in/dD4T763 View in LinkedIn

RANDOM CREATIVITY. "Evolutionary design...can often solve problems better than we can using our own intelligence." https://lnkd.in/d4b3fY4 View in LinkedIn

LIMITED ONLY BY OUR DESIGN. "As computers become more powerful, the creation of virtual actors, whether animal, human, or completely unearthly, may be limited mainly by our ability to design them, rather than our ability to satisfy their computational requirements. A control system that someday actually generates “intelligent” behavior might tend to be a complex mess beyond our understanding." (Karl Sims). https://lnkd.in/dh-4NJm View in LinkedIn

"IMAGINATION was given to man to compensate for what he is not; a sense of humour to console him for what he is." (Francis Bacon). View in LinkedIn