Lenski's having a back-and-forth with Behe about the latter's new cash cow, which I personally think is a waste of time since Behe has never seemed interested in anything like listening to critics...or learning...or not repeating the same tired crap virtually verbatim for coming up on three decades, but I digress.
Anyway, Lenski explains an experiment on a bacteriophage (Lambda phage) that demonstrates a clearcut case of 1) an "irreducible" biochemical trait evolving, and 2) a novel function evolving without the loss of the original function.
My favorite example of such an evolutionary event is the evolution of tetherin antagonism in HIV-1 group M Vpu, but this will be number two on my list going forward.
Here's Lenski's explanation, which I'll summarize.
The short (and somewhat simplified) version is that Lambda uses a specific protein on the surface of it's host to inject its DNA, and it's never, in decades and decades of watching it evolve in the lab, evolved to use a different protein.
But this experiment (pdf) resulted in a strain that uses a different protein to inject its DNA. Once they isolated that strain, they replicated the conditions and found the same trait over and over. In every case, four mutations were required to use the alternate receptor (two of which were always the same, and two of which could vary slightly). Anything less and the trait did not appear. They actually generated triple mutants to check that all four mutations were needed and showed that three of the four were insufficient.
By Behe's own definition, this is an irreducible trait. But the researchers watched it evolve, over and over, 25 times in total, always requiring four mutations.
That is a direct refutation of Behe's original creationist argument, as articulated in "Darwin's Black Box". The next finding directly contradicts his argument in "Darwin Devolves".
This second finding is that these strains, exhibiting a novel trait, retained the ability to use the original receptor. In fact, some of the mutations required for the new function also improved the old function. This is a direct refutation of Behe's newish (ish because he's been making this argument for as long as I can r
... keep reading on reddit β‘
Phil
Sudden Lee
Go post NSFW jokes somewhere else. If I can't tell my kids this joke, then it is not a DAD JOKE.
If you feel it's appropriate to share NSFW jokes with your kids, that's on you. But a real, true dad joke should work for anyone's kid.
Mods... If you exist... Please, stop this madness. Rule #6 should simply not allow NSFW or (wtf) NSFL tags. Also, remember that MINORS browse this subreddit too? Why put that in rule #6, then allow NSFW???
Please consider changing rule #6. I love this sub, but the recent influx of NSFW tagged posts that get all the upvotes, just seem wrong when there are good solid DAD jokes being overlooked because of them.
Thank you,
A Dad.
So far nobody has given me a straight answer
I am currently in the hospital. I had a back operation yesterday. The surgical nurse came in my room and started asking questions about my back. She asked me if I had any falls during the last year. I responded just one. It was after summer.
She laughed and said in 20 years of doing this she never was told that joke.
..... Will get a reward.
Because they work on many levels
Well, toucan play at that game.
Argon does not react.
Windows
Martin Freeman, and Andy Serkis.
They also play roles in Lord of the Rings.
I guess that makes them the Tolkien white guys.
Me : For starters, I bring a lot to the table
She said apple-lutely
'Eye-do'
This is my first post pls don't kill me lol.
The people in the comment section is why I love this subreddit!!
Cred once again my sis wants credit lol
Keep in mind, my son is 4 years old, so everything is an original to him.
I had to work late into the evening yesterday, and he was just going to bed when I got home. I had left home for the office nearly 14 hours prior, had a long day, lots of meetings, traffic, etc.
When I walked through the door, I was exhausted, run down, and starving. My wife hugged me and asked how my day was, and I replied, "Done. It was a good day, but has got me exhausted. I just want to grab a bite and go to bed. I'm hungry."
From my son's bedroom, I hear him shout, "Hi Hungry! Nice to meet you!"
Not only did it make me laugh, but I completely forgot about how hungry and tired I was. I went to his bedroom, and we laughed together about it. It was exactly what I needed.
Edit: Thanks for all the awards, kind strangers! I'll let my son know y'all enjoyed his joke too!
I heard parents named their children lance a lot.
First post please don't kill me
Edit: i went to sleep and now my inbox is dead, thank you kind strangers for the awards!
To get to the... Bottom...
(as told by my 5yo son, I'm so proud)
Japan.
"No, the regular kind!" I laughed.
second hand stores!
it's Hans free now..
Old Neeeeiiiiighvy
10+10 is twenty and 11+11 is twenty too
A buck-an-ear!
I Thank ye kind Matey for the booty! I be truly overwhelmed! Thank you!
Holy cow! Thank you everyone for the upvotes and awards! I wasnβt expecting this!
