Time In A Bottle: Scientists Watch Evolution Unfold

This is quite a good read:

ScienceDaily

A 21-year Michigan State University experiment that distills the essence of evolution in laboratory flasks not only demonstrates natural selection at work, but could lead to biotechnology and medical research advances, researchers said.

Well at least they took their time and observed their experiment over thousands of generations!

Charles Darwin's seminal Origin of Species first laid out the case for evolution exactly 150 years ago. Now, MSU professor Richard Lenski and colleagues document the process in their analysis of 40,000 generations of bacteria, published this week in the international science journal Nature.

Lenski, Hannah Professor of Microbial Ecology at MSU, started growing cultures of fast-reproducing, single-celled E. coli bacteria in 1988. If a genetic mutation gives a cell an advantage in competition for food, he reasoned, it should dominate the entire culture. While Darwin's theory of natural selection is supported by other studies, it has never before been studied for so many cycles and in such detail.

They found that as expected:

By the 20,000-generation midpoint, researchers discovered 45 mutations among surviving cells. Those mutations, according to Darwin's theory, should have conferred some advantage

An brilliant study, maybe that's what humans are, a long running science experiment for ET!

reply to post by kiwifoot


Good find, bacteria are effectively gods evolutionary tool kit. The bacteria themselves can grab genes from one organism and implant it into another organism. (horizonal gene tranfer). The research done so far has shown that 12% of an organisms dna has been altered by bacterias action. Proof of evolution and a concern for GMO (genetically modified organisms) stability. The added genes are turning up in all sorts of places and really could cause a lot of harm.

Originally posted by Peter Brake
reply to post by kiwifoot

 

bacteria are effectively gods evolutionary tool kit

I can see some ATSers having fun with that.

I always wandered if God possibly created the world by evolution, a marriage of religion and science!

[edit on 20-10-2009 by kiwifoot]

reply to post by kiwifoot


We could have the religious and evolutionists arguing on the same side. That would be a bit like agreement. (practically unheard of) But only if the religious could admit that god was clever enough to create bacteria to enable evolution.

so natural mutations are normal, it's a part of evolution. So evolution occurs in part from mutation along with environment.

Another interesting question is how much does an organism evolve with or without the aid of bacteria mutations.

So..the various bacteria inhibiting our gut are a better version than the ones floating around in the stomachs of our ancestors over 50000 years ago. Or is it the other way around? I mean they could eat things we can't...

reply to post by cenpuppie


So..the various bacteria inhibiting our gut are a better version than the ones floating around in the stomachs of our ancestors over 50000 years ago. Or is it the other way around? I mean they could eat things we can't...

110 billion types of bacteria are thought to exist on earth, our science has checked out about 9000 of them. So yes I figure the evolution of the bacteria would bring about some very competitive micro organisms. They insert genes into an organism to make it produce a protein upon which it feeds.
Today this to me means we have the bacteria that have proven to be the best at doing this gene insertion (they eat more and survive more often)
Which leads to more mutations or evolution, their is a defense to this called the species barrier. Our science is lowering that barrier which is why I think we have more new diseases now and a serious risk of swine flu mutating.

reply to post by Peter Brake


ah, you have any texts or links on the species barrier? Or anyone for that matter? My interest is piqued!

online.sfsu.edu...
www.organicconsumers.org...

Perhaps you too will see that their is trouble brewing.