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HGT: Flowering plant genome captures four entire genomes

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From ScienceDaily:

A new study has uncovered an unprecedented example of horizontal gene transfer — the acquisition of foreign DNA from different, unrelated species — in a South Pacific shrub that is considered to be the sole survivor of one of the two oldest lineages of flowering plants.

The research also shows, for the first time, that an organelle genome has captured an entire foreign genome, in this case, at least four of them. It is also the first description of a land plant acquiring genes from green algae.

The researchers are sure most of it is junk:

But people have said that kind of thing before … The Myth of Junk DNA

Remember when some claimed that horizontal gene transfer was a minor — exceedingly minor — player in evolution, rarely happened, compared to the supposed creative power of natural selection acting on isolated random mutations (Darwinism)?

We agree that Darwinism makes better Christmas decorations.

Comments
Mapou, thank you for your answer. Fascinating stuff. Another one of those "How little we know" kind of things. Makes one wonder, how could we actually test to see if light is being slowed out there in the great black voids. Do you, or anybody else for that matter, know where I could find more bits and pieces about this? Pleasure to make your acquaintance Mapou.Ho-De-Ho
December 21, 2013
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Is light-speed necessarily constant?
Yes, light speed is constant in a true vacuum. In the experiment you referred to, the sodium atoms have been cooled down to just a few degrees above absolute zero. This causes light particles traveling through the sodium gas to be absorbed by the sodium atoms for a long time before being emitted back out. So the speed of light has not really been slowed down. It's an unfortunate choice of words by Prof. Len Hau, in my opinion. It's deceiving.Mapou
December 21, 2013
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Ho-De-Ho @4,
If light can be slowed down, is it possible that this may happen to starlight or interfere with our understanding of cosmology?
A number of people have thought of this as a possible explanation of the observed red-shifting of light coming from distant galaxies. If this is what is happening, then the Big Bang hypothesis is falsified. And not just the Big Bang, mind you, the accelerated expansion of the universe together with the required dark energy would be falsified as well. It would revolutionize cosmology and our current accepted understanding of the universe. Personally, I have always believed that the Big Bang hypothesis was bogus and contrived. There are way too many contradictions.Mapou
December 21, 2013
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Sorry about this everyone, but I have a question based upon this mind boggling link - http://youtu.be/-8Nj2uTZc10 If light can be slowed down, is it possible that this may happen to starlight or interfere with our understanding of cosmology? Not that I'm positing anything metaphysical in this. Just wondered if anyone had any thoughts on this. Is light-speed necessarily constant? Thanks all.Ho-De-Ho
December 21, 2013
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Absolutely topping stuff. Exceptional discovery that makes one say "how in the blazes...!" Although, Mapou, wouldn't one expect that there will be many who say that this makes evolution far easier to accomplish? I just wondered what you draw from this for the argument towards design? Would you mind giving me your opinion on that. Thanks ever so much. Ho-De-HoHo-De-Ho
December 21, 2013
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Horizontal gene transfers high up in the tree of life is a much bigger problem for the theory of evolution than most people think. It falsifies it. The ID movement should jump on this and make it their primary focus. This is the biggest vulnerability of evolution. Don't let the Darwinists get away with it with cockamamie pseudoscientific non-explanations like convergent evolution. Let the lay public know about this. Announce it on the rooftops. Horizontal gene transfers are what software designers call multiple inheritance. It can only occur via intelligent design.Mapou
December 21, 2013
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The main prediction of common descent is that branches of the tree of life are strictly nested. Gene sharing between distant branches of the tree are thus forbidden by the theory of evolution. The Darwinian theory of evolution has been falsified. No amount of bogus claims of convergent evolution can save the theory now. Read it and weep.Mapou
December 21, 2013
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