Quantum evolution would not require that all or even most of the mutations
be "quantized", only that some of them are. Suppose that the rate is (say)
one in a million. Of the vast majority of non-quantized events some small
portion would be compatible with the existing system and not be selected
against. That's the conventional understanding of natural selection.
But the "one-in-a-million" mutations which have undergone pre-selection in
the multiverse might still be the important ones.
(Does anyone know what the percentage actually would be?)
-----Original Message-----
From: owner-extropians@extropy.com [mailto:owner-extropians@extropy.com] On
Behalf Of Robert J. Bradbury
Sent: Sunday, February 06, 2000 1:10 AM
To: extropians@extropy.com
Subject: Re: Evolution goes quantum
On Sun, 6 Feb 2000, Damien Broderick wrote:
> >http://unisci.com/stories/20001/0204006.htm
>
> < Mutations have always been assumed to be random. But mutations are
> < caused by the motion of fundamental particles, electrons and
> < protons-particles that can enter the quantum multiverse-within
> < the double helix.
[Snip the rest because it really goes off the deep end!!!]
I'll just point out for the education of all that the molecules that cause
most DNA mutations (hydrogen peroxide, the superoxide ion, singlet oxygen,
perhaps in association with Fe/Cu ions, and certain larger toxins (e.g.
aflotoxin)) are all "atoms" or "molecules" (and *not* fundamental particles
like electrons or protons). Atoms or molecules are *large* compared to
quantum effects (spin states, electron energy states, etc.) and cannot be
affected by quantum scale activities unless you do something like cool the
atoms almost to absolute zero generating things like a Bose-Einstein
condensate. At the level of the cell, the motion and location of atoms &
molecules is driven by Brownian motion, e.g. heat, *not* quantum effects.
And scientists who study mutatation know that they *are not* "random".
There may be preferential mutations based on DNA sequence, sources of the
damage, whether the genes are active or inactive in a particular cell, etc.,
etc. Then there is the genetic background against which the mutations occur
since some of us have better error checking and repair than others.
Gobbeldygook, blech, phooey!
R.
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