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Darwin's Mystery of Appearance of Flowering Plants Explained
Two ecologists present a possible explanation for the rapid (in evolutionary terms) expansion of angiosperms in the Cretaceous period (100 - 65 million years ago). This problem upset Charles Darwin greatly, and he had no explanation for it when he proposed his framework for evolution by natural selection. I have an essay around here somewhere that goes into more detail about angiosperm evolution, but I am not sure where it is right now....
Anyone have any comments/thought about the mechanism proposed in this article?
A Pill for Longer Life?
Rapamycin, a drug commonly used in humans to prevent transplanted organs from being rejected, has been found to extend the lives of mice by up to 14% — even when given to the mice late in life. [...]until now, the only robust way to extend life in mammals has been to heavily restrict diet.
In terms of the average US life span of 78 years, this would add about 10 years. Would you take a drug that may increase your life span if it meant that you may be more susceptible to infections?
Holy $@%#! Swearing Eases the Pain
I thought this was kind of interesting...but I don't need you to make a list like the researchers had their subjects do.
49 comments:
Wow that's something new that I never heard of. I personally find it interesting but I believe that swearing is only good to a certain extent; kids might take advantage of it and just use it as an excuse. Also who honestly thinks that little toddlers and kids swearing because they got hurt is cute. It seems interesting but good to only a certain extent
Whenever someone gets hurt they always make some sort of noise after. Most of us tend to swear more often then just say ouch. It's obvious that making a noise after getting hurt has some sort of effect, otherwise why would we all have the tendency to naturally make noise after an injury.
I think in order to get a more accurate reading on if cursing actually lessens pain the type of pain has to be random. The subjects in the experiment knew they were going to be putting their hands in a bucket of ice water. Its not the same as just randomly stubbing your toe and yelling out a curse.
People may wish to take the pill Rapamycin, but it seems like a double-edged sword. The pill allows you to live longer, but you are more susceptible to infections, which can hinder your health. People taking the pill may be granted a few more years at life, but what if they caught an infection and are now bed-ridden. They wouldn't be able to completely enjoy the extra years they were given and may view it as a curse. I don’t know if I would take the pill, as it has only been tested on mice so far. I think I’d let time tell if the pill really worked on humans and then decide if I’d take the risk.
This is something new and interesting, but I feel that the statistics are really factual. Swearing is usually the first thing that pops into people's head when they get hurt, so I believe that its a natural tendency to swear. That doesn't necessarily mean that swearing can alleviate pain.
I would not take a drug that may increase your life span. First of all, you are still suceptible to infections so you may live an extra ten years in pain. Its not like the drug gives you an extra ten years to live as if you were young again. I believe that there are always consequences to these types of drugs.
I think its cool that swearing reduces pain. I swear when I hurt myself but I dont notice the difference when I dont swear. I'm going to try to test that out myself, one day. I'm going to try my hardest not to swear when I get hurt so I can see if it hurts more. Dont worry though I'm not masochistic so I wont hurt myself on purpose. I like that article.
Within the article on rapamycin, it was explained that drug was chosen for the experiment because it is know to affect "cellular pathway called TOR (for target of rapamycin)." This pathway is believed to be involved with the effects a calorie restricting diet has on age. Thus, the scientists involved in the experiment hypothesized that rapamycin could mimic the effects of a restricted diet.
Since it is supposedly imitating the natural process of a well-balanced diet, the drug is bound to have many more side effects in humans than an impeded immune system as it is completely unnatural. To me, the use of the drug is almost a form a cheating (not unlike the unnecessary use of steroids).
Btw, I couldn't find a way to read the artcle on the nature site without paying for it, so I just found some guy who cut/pasted it here:
http://www.soonerfans.com/forums/showthread.php?t=132231
I would not take a drug that may increase my life span. There are many factors to consider. First, I would still be suceptible to infections. Why would one want to live for an extra ten years in pain? If I lived with pain for the next ten years, it is just like living in pain for the last 3 months of life with the contraction of a disease. Maybe the pain from the drug is not as painful and severe, but either way, I would still be suffering and living life in pain. Secondly, the drug only prevents one's death biologically. There are other ways that leads to one's death like a critical sport accident.
I found the plant article interesting, as I read it, the thought that popped into my head was that, nature really does have a mind of its own. I thought this because the angiosperms were smart, they knew that a symbiotic relationship couldn't happen with the gymnosperms, since they dissipated all the nutrients in the soil, so they just found residence in areas free of them. As they started to inhabit these gymnosperm free areas, their efficient soil and nutrient use led them to grow in numbers exponentially, easily becoming the boss of all plant life on the planet during the Cretaceous. Also, Dr. H, I'm very happy to see that you're reading the Wheel Of Time series, I started reading them but stopped at 5 I believe, carry on.
The swearing article was very interesting in that it talked about something that happens very often yet is not looked at more carefully. Personally, whenever, I have stubbed a toe, letting loose with a curse has helped alleviate the pain. It's like a way to let loose your frustration. The concept of swearing turning on circuits in the brain that can tone down the pain is quite extraordinary.
The article about Rapamycin is also interesting because of the consequences. You would probably see an increase of your lifespan but becoming more vulnerable to infectious diseases would not be good for the patient or the people around him. I wouldn't personally take the treatment but it would be something if they found a safer way to prolong human life.
I found the article on swearing pretty interesting. I can understand that in order for people to relieve pain, they express it through swearing. Just like how people relieve their stress by exercising or meditating. It is natural for people to try to release any negative energies and I guess the most efficient way to relieve pain is swearing.
I believe we curse to get all our frustration and anger out. If you jam your toe you are cursing to get out the frustration you are feeling for jamming your toe. Who knows maybe if your concentrating on cursing, you are not focusing on the pain. So in a way I guess cursing is relieving your pain by getting your mind to focus on something else.
In reference to the article concerning Rapamycin, I would not take a pill that could possibly extend my life span and which could possibly mean that I might be more prone to infection. To me, the quality of life is more important than the quantity of life. What would be the point of living a longer life if you were not able to enjoy the life you were living? There are many infections that would incapcitate you so that you would not be able to live your life to the fullest. You might end up spending the extra years of your life bedridden or hospitalized.
When I stub my toe I curse sometimes, but I don't feel as if it helps.Its like when we were growing up and we hurt ourselves our parents kissed it to make it feel better. That what cursing does it alleviates the pain by distracting us.
I feel that when getting hurt, initial reaction is to swear or hit the object back; it is just to get some anger out. Whenever I hurt myself, I tend to swear to release anger because there is nothing else you can do to make you feel better. It is a distraction, like when I dislocated my shoulder I constantly swore, and when I was told to stop, I felt as though my mind was put back to the reason why I was swearing, which made me think it hurt even more. I think the theory is correct, alothough a different experiment should be ran to prove it.
Taking a drug that may increase your life span sounds tempting. However, after being exposed to the side effects, I do not think it would be a good idea to take rapamycin. Sure it can make a person live longer, but why would he take the drug if he would be more susceptible to infections? The infections may possibly cause death depending on what infection it is. A person could be perfectly healthy before taking the drug, but after taking the drug the person's health may deteriorate. Rather than living a good life and enjoying the time he had in his life without the drug, the person would be spending his last days in pain and misery. The pain and misery is not worth the extra ten years.
Swearing is just a form of releasing anger. I don't believe it really helps, but it just offers a minor distraction. Swearing is probably not the only words that could distract one's mind away from pain; I believe words that have set off an internal alarm work just as well.
Swearing eases pain. Well there’s a statement that people often argue about. But I personally do not think swearing eases pain when you get hurt. When someone gets hurt they automatically curse because that is the first thing that comes to mind. But most of the time when I hurt myself I do not usually curse and there isn’t a difference between the time I curse and the time that I do not. Swearing is just the reaction one tends to do when one gets hurt.
I believe that cursing when hurt is just a natural tendency for people now a days. I find it very interesting that cursing may ease pain. Then again cursing may just be a distraction. For example, when I am in pain I try to keep myself busy to distract myself from the pain. Maybe cursing just creates that distraction.
I agree with the swearing article. Most of the time after someone hurts themselves, some sort of response follow, often swearing. This is one of the methods that can be used to vent that pain. As for why curses work better then just regular words, i believe it is becuase they are not just everyday words, but a way to vent anger, which according to the artice, is related to pain. Swearing is certainly a better way to vent your pain then punching someone or something like that.
In regards to the swearing article, I think that swearing is no more than a means of releasing frustration. It's as natural to adults as temper tantrums and crying are to children. When someone feels helpless, the fear and pain and anger need to be released in some way; bottling anything up isn't good. Therefore, I don't believe the act of swearing actually reduces pain, but the release of emotion does.
And as for the Rapamycin, I would definitely not take the drug until it has been perfected and its side effects have become evident. There is a certain risk in taking any drug, especially a new one. And since negative effects are already visible, I don't think it's worth the risk at this point.
In my opinion, the only way that Rapamycin would be useful would be to somehow get around the side effects. The drug was tested on mice, who were shielded from most infections. It might be really dangerous to try the drug in a higher dose or on a day to day basis on humans who are very capable of getting sick. I wonder how much harm it causes the immune system and if the side effects could somehow be avoided.
The article on swearing was interesting and entertaining. As I was reading it, i found myself laughing at the fact that swearing actually eases pain. But, I find that cursing doesn't really ease the pain, but the screaming or shouting does. When people are angry and they scream and it releases some of that anger and I think that this works the same way. If they scientists were to ask the men and women to not shout the results would, probably, have been different.
I am just adding on to those who commented the swearing article. Making a noise or so is the normal first reaction for people when getting hurt. Swearing is just an extra extent to it. One may swear when in pain to express the pain in a deeper emotional view. Noncurse words like "ouch" does not let others understand the emotional reaction he or she might want to express. Language usage is important. Today, people are exposed to swearing on a daily basis, so swearing is a reflexive response. It may not exactly alleviate pain or be a distraction, but it may just deeply express one's pain emotionally.
The article about swearing presents some really interesting points. Like others, I agree that swearing after an injury just provides a distraction. I am not sure whether or not it truly alleviates pain, but that is really intriguing to me. I also agree that swearing acts as an emotional release, and that could be the reason why we feel less pain. Shouting, in general, can reduce one's stress level, that's why we yell when we are angry. This article was truly entertaining, and brought up a couple of ideas that really got me thinking.
The article about rapamycin was also very interesting, especially with people's obsession to live for as long as possible. With medical and technological advancements, prolonging one's life span, or preserving beauty has become quite possible. As for the drug rapamycin, I'm almost positive that I would stay away from it. I would much rather live life making healthy choices and enjoying as many years as I could rather than taking drugs with imperfections that may lead to unnecessary pain
I found the article about the angiosperms and the gymnosperms to be very interesting. The fact that these flowering plants changed the world to fit their needs rather then the other way around, which was very common during those times, is strange. It makes sense though that after a fire, flood or other disaster would whip the gymnosperms out, the angiosperms would move in and create their prime conditions in this area. The most interesting fact from that article in my opinion is that the angiosperms were replaced by the flowering plants, which then resulted in more edible plants and more plant-eaters.
Pain and Anger are two closely related emotions that the human body expresses. I believe that the use of curse words could draw the mind off any temporary pain by focusing it on the word and the aggression that it expresses. In my life when I stub my toe and yell words I believe it actually feels better. The mind is transferring to the emotion of anger instead of pain. As my coach says "pain is all mental and you must focus the get rid of it."
The article about the Rapamycin was interesting but the studies on it are not far enough along for me to even consider taking the drug. A lot of problems were presented with using Rapamycin to increase the life of humans like the amount that would need to be taken to give the desirable affect. Also i often get sick because of my allergies and sinuses. Anything that gives me a greater chance of getting sick I would like to avoid. All of the rats were tested in a controlled environment so disease was not an issue. If this drug weakens your immune system than the effects could be negated by the diseases you could easily contract.
Regarding the swearing article, I think that to an extent, this is true. I know that when I get hurt, my automatic response is to shout out a random swear word, though I have not noticed if it actually helps to alleviate the pain I am in. However, I do not think it matters what type of word I shout out or how else I express my pain outloud. Any type of expression would help in some way to distact myself from the pain I am feeling, so I do not think it would matter how I would do so. Though, I do find it interesting that the test proved the swear words to be more effective.
As a football player it is very common for fellow athletes to curse whenever one gets injured. Throughout the course of a game or practice profanity becomes a part of regular vocabulary when an injury, such as a slightest scratch, occurs. I have never heard of this connection before being tested scientifically; however, this research make further develop and expand the knowledge of human pain tolerance. I know that it is my initial reaction to shout out a swear word when I am in pain and I have noticed it slightly reduces the feelings of uncomfort. I believe that shouting a curse word just distracts someone from the pain that they experience, much like biting you lip when you stub a toe.
Regarding the Rapamycin drug article I do not think I would consider taking the drug. The research was not tested on humans and is not known to be 100% safe. However if there was a drug that was completely effective in expanding human life I would possibly consider taking it. The negative aspects would be the increased rates of infection you became susceptible to. Humans in the past have seemed to survive just fine without a life extending drug so the current need for one is not in great demand from my perspective.
In regards to the swearing article, it makes complete sense that cursing after being injured can lessen pain. It's similair to punching a pillow when you're angry; it's one way to let out tension that builds up in your body. When one is upset, taking your anger out in inanimate objects is healthy; the same goes for swearing when injured. Because you feel the pain of an injury so quickly, it is only normal to react just as quickly in a way that alleviates the pain or tension. However, I agree with Pooja and believe that this method of relief should be frowned upon if the person engaging in it is too young.
I believe that the pill which may extend one's lifetime is a great step forward into the future and the advances that will shape tomorrow. However, it seems to me that it is too much of a risk to take. Who wants to live a long life when a good percentage of it may be spent in a hospital due to infections?
I found the article on swearing interesting but I would think that cursing would not reduce pain any more that yelling another word or noise might. The affect that yelling the word seems to have probably would be the same if another word was chosen. If I were to pick a random word and yell it everytime I hurt myself would it eventually have the same effect?
There are definitely some pros and cons about the drug Rapamcyin. Of course, as it stated in the article that the drug could increase a person's life span. The con of it is that the person's immune system gets weaker. So the question is: is it worth it to take Rapamcyin?
Depending on the person, some might say yes and others no. Personally, I would not take the drug only because it would mean that I would get sick some other way and possibly be in a more worse condition if I had not taken the pill.
The swearing article is interesting because pain and a reaction to pain is obviously interconnected, but I didn’t know it would be to the point at which pain is alleviated. I think swearing is just a common immediate reaction to the pain- not necessarily a conduit to ease it. In the experiment saying things like ‘brown/square/wooden’ is preplanned and unnatural. When the article says that purposely putting your hand in a bucket of ice water and swearing is different than being surprised by pain and swearing is different, I agree. The change would alter the outcome.
I would be skeptical to take the drug Rapamycin, even if it prolongs the lifespan in mice. In my opinion, there is no use of taking a drug that will cause an individual to lead an unhealthy life. In other words, I would much rather enjoy life while maintaining my health. What's the use of living a longer life in pain?
It is evident that after getting injured, whether its stubbing a toe or cutting your finger, most people have the proclivity to swear. I agree with the article in that swearing seems to ease the pain. On a daily basis most of us experience others cursing and or shouting upon getting hurt, this is because it is a normal, and immediate response. Agreeing with many of the previous comments, a drug that has not yet been tested and 100% effective in working is not worth putting it to the test. The amount of damage it may cause is not worth the little good it may or may not be able to do.
I personally think that blurting out profanity every time you stub your toe is inappropriate and needless. A sound like "ouch" would effectively express your feelings to people around you. For example, a skier gets injured and yells profanity. People passing by might not realize what actually happened and the wounded would be left untreated. Yelling words that signify that he is hurt may increase the chances of someone stopping. In addition, the words “ouch” or “ouweeee” are more likely to calm the hurt person down because he knows that these universal signs of pain will express to the people around him that he is in need of help.
When someone gets hurt, people say to "try not to think about the pain." Maybe saying/yelling profanity and getting a reaction from the people around you causes the brain to focus less on the pain and more on everyone else.
Taking a drug to expand one's life seems risky to me, and I would not do it. First of all, I do not like being sick or hurt at all. I would rather die a natural death (even if it would be sooner)than be more susceptible to infections and run the risk of being ill a lot. Also, the drug hasn't been tested long-term on human subjects to see that it really does work. Rapamyscin may have a reverse effect on the human body and kill people sooner.
The article about swearing eases pain is very interesting. Swearing can serve as an alarm, triggering the body’s flight or fight response, as Stephens postulates in the study. There are two ways one can express their emotions, physically or emotionally. When you are little the pain either is expressed with crying or saying “ouch”. As we get older, our vocabulary increases and the more we hear usage of such foul language.
I agree with Dylan. Another thought to consider is the way the experiment was tested. The experiment is not the same as just randomly stabbing your toe and yelling out a curse. The experiment itself the subject knows when the pain will start.
Rapamycin might not be ready for prime time. The pill allows you to live longer but makes a person on it, prone to infections. Why would one want to live for an extra ten years knowing that a simple infection can land you in the hospital? I know this pill is best for lethargic people but can’t this be done in a more natural way and a little bit more effort by making right choices in the habits like eating fruits and vegetables, not smoking and exercise.
It is quite common for people to swear when stricken with pain, and it could be a good possibility that it may alleviate some pain. The swear words could trigger some neural activity that can reduce the pain. This experiment could be linked to the idea of the gate control theory of pain, which suggests that non-pain-transmitting neurons, activated by something such as swearing, can interfere with the signals of pain-transmitting fibers, activated by putting one's hand into the ice bucket. So the idea of swearing to alleviate pain is quite reasonable.
Sharvari
In the article about angiosperms, many intriguing ideas were presented by both the ecologists, Frank Berendse and Marten Scheffer, on the matter of how the change in the vegetation occurred, as the angiosperms replaced the gymnosperms during the Cretaceous period. I strongly believe with Berendse and Scheffe's theory, which states that in the places where gymnosperms had disappeared, the angiosperms had the chance to increase, thus improving their own conditions. As the flowering plants started reproducing, plant eaters were able to eat the edible fruits and leaves, thus leading to an evolution of mammals and humans. I strongly agree with this theory because it seems logical and is coherent. In addition, the theory seems to fit Darwin's theory of natural selection. Charles Darwin, who believed that all species of life had evolved over time from common ancestors, supported this idea by a process called the natural selection. The theories presented in the article support Darwin's idea of natural selection, since the angiosperms could have developed traits, which have helped them survive throughout millions of years, ever since they first started reproducing in the areas where gymnosperms disappeared. In other words, angiosperms have evolved throughout time because of natural selection and therefore have formed advanced structure, which helps it survive in its environment.
I'd rather exercise and eat healthy to increase my lifespan than taking the pill Rapamycin. The pill just seems like a cop out to not work for a longer life. Your also risking being more susceptible to diseases that can kill you anyway.
The swearing article doesn't really surprise me. Whenever a person gets hurt its usually a natural reaction to say a curse to let out the pain.
In the article "Darwin’s Mystery Of Appearance Of Flowering Plants Explained," I think this a great example how the base of the ecosystem affects everything. Most organisms have to adapt to their environment to survive; which can potentially become their down fall when their environment changes and their adaptations are no longer beneficial. The angiosperms changing their environment to suite themselves was an extreme form of evolution. As humans we also change and create our environment because it ensures our survival, and it is fascinating that these pretty flowers did the same a 100 million years ago.
Regarding A Pill for Longer Life , the above poster commented, "..the scientists involved in the experiment hypothesized that rapamycin could mimic the effects of a restricted diet" which the journal article "Caloric Restriction Delays Disease Onset and Mortality in Rhesus Monkeys." discusses. For over 20 years researchers used a caloric restricted diet on Rhesus monkeys. Caloric restricted monkeys preserved volume area in their brains that involve motor control, memory, and problem solving. By decreasing your caloric intake daily by 30% this would have dramatic affects on your life span. By doing this however you also have to balance your nutrition or else you'll have malnutrition symptoms. I'd rather count calories then take a pill that affects my immune system any day.
Swearing to reduce pain is a funny evolutionary trail because, first came pain, which led to swearing, then swearing ended the pain. :) I relate this to an interesting example of negative feedback.
Darwin's mystery reminds me of a concept my brother tried explaining to me: punctuated equilibrium. He said this principle allowed humans to evolve rapidly from cave dwellers to pyramid builders. Of course, the species under scrutiny here are not civilization builders, but rather, angiosperms were resilient enough to beat out its competition fairly quickly in an evolutionary scheme.
Personally, I would never take a cheat death supplement. I grew up with an immuno defficiency, so a pill that makes me more susceptible to infections does not sound attractive at all. If I lead a health-conscious life, then I shouldn't have to consider a pill down the road. At the rate I'm going, I'll live 10 years longer anyway!
After getting hurt, everyone makes a noise right after the impact. I find it really interesting that swearing accually eases the pain. Most swear words have a negative connotation and after getting hurt your mind does not think about anything happy, it focuses on the pain and triggers negative thoughts- swear words. I remember when i broke my leg in 7th grade, cursing sure made me feel a whole lot better.
Until more research is conducted on enhancing Rapamycin so it will not have negative effects on the immune system, I personally would not take it to live longer. I would rather live a normal life than be more susceptible to diseases since I might become very sick and die.
I believe that swearing helps ease pain for many people. Whenever I get hurt I usually just take a deep breath and I feel fine afterwards.
A pill for longer life that may make my body more susceptible to infections does not sound like a good pill to take. I feel that by taking the pill, you will end up getting some infection that in the end shortens your life instead of longing it. Even if the pill did not make my body more susceptible to infections, taking a pill to make your life longer is not a path I would take. When someone's life is coming to an end it is their time and interfering with their life span interferes with the course of nature.
Swearing to ease the pain is a very funny topic. In my opinion sometimes cursing does ease the pain. It may not ease the actual pain, but swearing probably sends signals to your brain which in return trick your body into thinking that swearing did help. Also, it does not necesarily have to be swearing, but even a scream may help the pain.
When i read the article about the swearing and pain i laughed because it all seemed so true. I've seen people curse the most when they are in pain. im not sure about decreasing the pain though. i think that's just because it takes your mind off the pain because you're using words that, to most people, arent in everyday conversations.
pill for a longer life - i feel like it may make you live longer but it seems like it ends in a painful death. because it slows down the immune system, the person taking the drug, is likely to just have a simple virus or bacterium attack the immune system and shut it down resulting in a sudden painful death.
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