Tag: metabolism
Earth’s Atmosphere Demonstrates Stunning Biocentric Fine-Tuning
For photosynthesis to proceed on a planet like Earth, sunlight (visual light) must penetrate the atmosphere all the way to the ground.
“Primitive”? Lowly Cyanobacteria Boast Superpowers
Prochlorococcus, which lives in the ocean, may be the most abundant species of life on earth. It produces about 20 percent of the oxygen we breathe.
Prebiotic Muffins and an Air of Unreality
There is a cookbook being proposed for “prebiotic soup recipes” — that is, combinations of non-living chemicals plausibly present on the early Earth.
Studies on Insect Wings Validate Engineering Models for Adaptation
The “long-winged” phenotype is generated if the environmental conditions deteriorate due to reduced food supply or overpopulation.
Optimality Recognized in Core Biological Infrastructure
I will begin with an example from embryology, then turn to metabolism, and finish with the breadth of chemical space covered by the natural amino acids.