BioSec 2012: Luc

Random Thoughts

Cell signalling

Chemistry vs Photonics, Electric, Sound

Chemical signalling allows the signal to carry methods of transformation (essentially code) in addition to communicating state.

Thought Experiments

What sort of emergence could we evolve from a dynamic system comprised of little computers that were essentially something akin to battery powered RFID / smartcards with limited wireless range and had interfaces for connecting themselves together for closer interactions.

Other

IKKB protein and the reversal of insulin resistance

Programming Atoms

Is it engineering or programming?

'Simple' building blocks coming together to create complex interactions

Emergence

Extensible, Reused, Re-factored, Re-appropriated, Hijacked

Contaminate, Corrupt, Desecrate, Mutate, Profane, Taint, Tarnish.

Life seems without qualms to re-appropriate pieces for completely different tasks.

Pragmatic.

I think I'm going to end this tangent here.

Light

Photons are absorbed when they correspond to the difference in energy between two different possible electron states. Observed colours are the inverse of the objects ability to absorb photons.

Light can cause physical deformations in molecular structures. An excited electron will have an orbital that allows it to bond with the second nucleus in a way that requires more energy (is stretched)

Simple organisms seem to be hard-wired to respond to stimuli in predictable manners. Instead, humans get things like desire and impulses that can, to a certain extent, be overridden. The fact that we're significantly less hard-wired, where instead, we come pre-programmed to learn, this is a big deal.

Is the creation of silicon-based computational devices the practice round for when we start playing with carbon?

Life

Life seems to exist to promote its existence.

Dynamic, yet stable. Homoeostasis.

Stable yet evolving.

Cells are the smallest unit that we consider holding the gestalt that we call life.

Organelles are highly structured and almost appear to be appropriated forms of life, yet we do not consider them life?

What would a computer program look like if its primary design goal was to survive indefinitely as an individual? As a species? If a computer program propagated autonomously over the network, would that be considered the individual or the species?

It's hard not to wander into personal philosophies. As a theist, I find the order of this humblingly incomprehensible emergence to be divinely inspiring. However, I readily admit that the Atheists have just as good a reason to stand where they do.