Multicellular Organisms Function Better Than Modern Society
Posted by Wraith on Saturday, May 10, 2008
At the molecular level, it has been widely assumed that, in single-celled organisms, each cell perceives its environment — and responds to stress conditions — individually, each on its own to protect itself. Likewise, it had been thought that cells in multicellular organisms respond the same way, but a new study by scientists at Northwestern University reports otherwise.
The Northwestern researchers demonstrated something very unexpected in their studies of the worm C. elegans: Authority is taken away from individual cells and given to two specialized neurons to sense temperature stress and organize an integrated molecular response for the entire organism.
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/05/080508143317.htm
Even simple, multicellular organisms have saner systems than we humans do. How is it that mindless, individual cells in an organism can structure themselves into functional hierarchies to flourish and grow, while we, the “intelligent” humans, have to whinge about equality and freedom and watch it all collapse because it sounds nicer?
Increasingly, I’m finding that the “natural world” possesses structural models that have worked well for millenia. Rather than interrupt it with our baseless ideals, why not try to follow its example?
