These bases are paired in DNA; A-T, and C-G across a spiral frame called the double helix, forming simple unique features such as spiral groves, a sense of direction, held in structural place by sugars and phosphates all together remarkable in their role in life everywhere.

Where is a huge set of strong supporting RNA etc. outside, the DNA preserves what might be called memory, a stable place to preserve meaning full sequences. Just for the fun of it I borrowed the DNA sequence analyzed from popular set of 7 million or so, a very long sequence of AATCGGTTAACC. Since there are just four representing an edge, it is possible to perform ‘counts of repeats’ with just four numbers. The obvious theoretical decrease by exact factor of four for each count of 2, 3, 4, 5 …, then comparing with a random string coming in slightly more than 4, and finally a set found on line, that decreased by 3.4 or whatever. This is the tiniest confirmation that Mother Nature prefers strings longer than just random, visible yes after simple preparation but laborious calculation. This is the entirety of my DNA career now over by the starvation of tools.

These strings are themselves coded to have markers, codons, genes, chromosomes, starts, ends, folding strategies and to interact with RNA in ways being better described by thousands of brilliant scientist. I want to call them units having length, pattern, special roles, and control structures; after all they do produce life!

These are very basic units that combine at great length to create self-replicating prions, viruses, bacterial, and higher forms, and have done so for a very long time, over the vast oceans of Earth, and with the Earth itself being reformed again and again. This is quite an impressive record and humbling to humans still having an acknowledged connection to the Earth. The article references the great progress with tools for looking at the ‘units’ above, by taking massive collections and by breaking them down over and over to determine the similarity to species found across the world, and of the swift change from place to place, and rapid relocation due to current flows, as well as time, temperature, pressure, salinity, sunlight, freezing, drying and pollutions.

What is found, can be suspected, with proof following shorty is that species replicate, delete, and change ‘units’, in response to changes in this huge bowl of soup. It may not be surprising that species varieties change under stresses and recover under others. Not only is life made from this vast repertory, but it capable of changing in every possible direction. This technological wunderkind could establish that the largeness of the whole of the Earth is held in the life that lives within. Not really a surprise, after the fact (of everyman’s speculation).

For larger life forms we reinforce the replicate and differentiate paradigm, corresponding to all units and to the more important larger genes. In certain species known to have lived in stable conditions for 10 million years, we find curious facet that they they have a huge number of extra genes, many identical but of unknown necessity, and other nearly identical but with small changes. It seems that the increase of the genome occurs naturally, again making perfect sense. When species those long stable conditions are changed by rising mountains chains, lower and flooding valleys, with in flowing seas and separating continents. Those accumulated genes are subject to stresses; they adapt by deletion and are more readily available for additional changes.

The technological progress has been stunning, being led by strong leadership by many who will stand tall in history. The many that are doing this hard work, will need good communication talent.

I’m wondering because if the threshold is very high, then that suggests an astonishing plasticity. If the archaea feeding on sulfur at 300 celsius are genetically identical to the ones in the channel, then that’s really something. But if the threshold is lower and they have evolutionarily significant differences, it’s less surprising that they would evolve and survive as they swirl around the globe.