Freethought & Rationalism Archive

tensorproduct · 05-13-2003, 10:49 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Nowhere357
2) Is step 4 of the scientific method always valid?

This is an important part of any scientific enquiry, if the predictions made in step 3 based on the theory formulated in step 2, disagree with the new observations made in step 4, then one must return to step 1 with the new evidence and go around again.

Quote:

Originally posted by Nowhere357
3) Have my definitions invalidated "historical" science?

Not really, the definitions he gives of "historical" and "lab" sciences seem to be quite weak. Evidence obtained in a lab experiment is no less valid than evidence uncovered in the field (e.g. fossils)

Quote:

Originally posted by Nowhere357
4) Is the big bang considered scientific fact?

No more than evolution or gravity.

scigirl · 05-14-2003, 07:05 AM

Quote:

show me a single celled organism "evolving" into a multicelled organism.

How about bacterial biofilms?

Quote:

Biofilm forms when bacteria adhere to surfaces in aqueous environments and begin to excrete a slimy, glue-like substance that can anchor them to all kinds of material � such as metals, plastics, soil particles, medical implant materials, and tissue. A biofilm can be formed by a single bacterial species, but more often biofilms consist of many species of bacteria, as well as fungi, algae, protozoa, debris and corrosion products. Essentially, biofilm may form on any surface exposed to bacteria and some amount of water. Once anchored to a surface, biofilm microorganisms carry out a variety of detrimental or beneficial reactions (by human standards), depending on the surrounding environmental conditions.

I think they illustrate that the path between single cell and multicell organisms is not so tough to imagine.

scigirl

Wounded King · 05-14-2003, 07:43 AM

Or Dictyostelium, first its a whole lot of little slime mold cells, take away its food, suddenly its a coordinated little slug with specialised tissue populations for fruiting. Or things like volvox, limited multicellular/colonial organism.

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05-14-2003, 07:43 AM	#13
Wounded King Veteran Member Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Edinburgh Posts: 1,211	Or Dictyostelium, first its a whole lot of little slime mold cells, take away its food, suddenly its a coordinated little slug with specialised tissue populations for fruiting. Or things like volvox, limited multicellular/colonial organism.

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