Epigenetics

[Kuroyagi]

Epigenetics is one of the main trajectories of research in medicine and biological sciences. If you imagine the DNA as a double snake then epigenetics is the box that contains the snakes and surrounds it. It was long thought to be "just an empty box", but actually it is a device that is more relevant to short term human mutations than the DNA itself. This is so incredible and awesome cause it is actually connected to the environment that surrounds us, it has a reciprocal effect on us. things like, whatever...food, or modern living or other influences are directly incorporated by it and it is these "epigenes" that IS mutating us rapidly.

look at it this way: our DNA is not very much different to the one of chimpansees or proto homo sapiens etc...genetically only a narrow spectrum of mutations have taken place in the last 2-3 million years, BUT look at the difference in body and brain size,upright spine and all the gadgets we got (recently in the West more obese and tall children for example- since the 1970! so we can see what time frames we could be dealing with here...)...look at the differences between a mammoth and an elephant, this is all epigenetic mutation. "Survival of the fittest"? we have overcome thator suspended it...selection? and mutation? yes but its NOT chaotic at all or not as chaotic as the Darwinists had thought...well,maybe a new paradigm soon, maybe..?

This is how I explain Epigenetics in my own words and I havent read wiki and dont know if its congruent with what I said, but I think its a fascinating line of research...

heres the wiki (will read it, too, later): http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Epigenetics

[oak]

hmm, typically wikilike article on an interesting thing, too boring to read :)

i found out a few very neat things about this branch of study elsewhere tho:
"With epigenetics, we are changing how we think of science itself," says Szyf. "We are analyzing how our thoughts, behaviour and upbringing can shape our DNA."
- source (http://www.macleans.ca/science/health/article.jsp?content=20070730_107339_107339&page=1)
so it probably wouldn't be much of stretch to assume it's the dreaded "subconscious" that's behind the shaping.

also, there's a relationship between stem cells and the "epigenetic signals":
Everyone hopes that one day stem cell-based regenerative medicine will help repair diseased tissue. Before then, it may be necessary to decipher the epigenetic signals that give stem cells their unique ability to self-renew and transform them into different cell types.
-source (http://www.esf.org/activities/eurocores/news/ext-news-singleview/article/epigenetics-to-shape-stem-cell-future-58.html)

so it basically seems like science is slowly working towards a commercial on tv-shop:

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[Kuroyagi]

Wow you're right on the "money" oak, with that last comment: cause even if we will have replicable organs and longevity it'll only be affordable by some...hmmm I heard of a book by one Lee Silver (The Cloned Paradise), or something, who's a scientist, and wrote about a future in that the homo sapiens is genetically "split" into several new species...maybe its a bit of an over-statement but there's at least some truth in it I feel..

The stem-cell thing is also very interesting: I think they are about to research and scrutinize especially the period of pregnancy of our females ;), when the organs of the child are "built". This has also got a very deep and true connection to tantra and energy manipulation and "qi" exercises: several women have told me that they had the most beautiful and smooth and youthful skin when being pregnant and I have experienced that they also had enhanced senses (e.g. they smell some herbs or cucumbers or whatever that noone else can. this, in my experience is NO illusion but rather a hightening of senses/ "superpower" so to speak: our friend Naomi could have told us much about it, since she had such experiences resulting from "tantra" and other practices in the recent past)...but I had them too, not the smell in particular but other enhanced senses for sure...very interesting this here...maybe we'll have a chance after all: the humans may divide into several species but not only those who are rich and can afford longevity by the grace of science and those who are too poor but also those who study "magic" and alchemy, who maybe can accomplish those regenerating mutation in themselves...well, who knows..?

[Ci Celli Ddu]

I'm not sure that seeing the Human species develop into several other species is all that likely. Change is driven by the need to survive in a particular environment, and the environments which mankind inhabits have grown rapidly less varied in the last few decades. The next step would probably be a cerebral one as the only significant change in our environment is the level of information we are exposed to. Even so the question arises as to who exactly would evolve, an individual or a group? Historically a new species only becomes recognised as such when it outlives its parent species, at least in a certain location, because the new genes are equiped to survive its particular environment whereas the parent genes are not. In the human scenario there are doubtless 'evolved' people among us, but their genes dissolve back into the human genepool, because the rest of us are equally able to survive our present environment.
Another aspect is that animals are driven by basic animal needs: to be able to feed, to reproduce etc. Does having a larger and imaginative brain increase the scope of evolution, or does is it remain limited to basic environmental-survival factors?

[Kuroyagi]

yes true, as I said Im also skeptical of the splitting up into various species as proposed by that author (Silver, have to read that!), but in todays West at least it is of no importance whether one is able to effectively acquire food and shelter, once you have a "job" its ok. We have in large part created our own environmet (civilisations, culture, cities, technology etc), we have suspended nature there to some extent...also the genetic natural develpoment is slow and ineffective if compared to its manipulation. maybe we fall back into the stone ages soon, but still...it could be that some of "us" have been genetically tempered with by science and thereby would have another path of genetical mutations "available" to them...yes, of course this is future talk etc...I know it, but it doesnt seem that unlikely to me...it depends on how much time this "striving" culture has left yet.