From: 69jpil69@gmail.com
On Wed, 7 Jan 2026 01:13:42 +1100, MarkE wrote:
>I've recently claimed here that the 80 megabytes of information in the
>functional portion of the human genome is wildly insufficient to specify
>the development of a human [1] into the system that is us [2]. I've
>suggested that the "missing" information must be located in the ovum's
>cytoplasm, organelles and membrane.
>
>I've directly asked a number of contributors here if they believe 80 MB
>is sufficient to specify a human. This has generally been met with
>silence. I can understand why, after an even cursory consideration of
>[1] and [2]. Moreover, the implications of this for evolutionary theory
>and biology are profound.
That silence is the sound of one hand clapping, as all wait for you to
say on what basis you think 80 MB is *insufficient* to specify a
human.
>Anyway, it seems that ID agrees with me. This may not help convince you,
>but I'm encouraged that others think this is an issue that needs attention.
>
>If you're unfamiliar, what you may find interesting is ID's proposed
>solution: an "immaterial genome", with reference to Neoplatonism.
>
>I'm not discounting that position, but do find it surprising! Would this
>be a new creationist category, something like Continuous Creation? Some
>may have less complimentary suggestions.
>
>Anyway, enjoy (Ron, you may need medical attention after reading these):
>
>https://scienceandculture.com/2025/05/the-immaterial-genome-ric
ard-sternbergs-labor-of-love/
>
>https://scienceandculture.com/2025/04/the-math-behind-the-immaterial-genome/
>
>
>______________
>
>
>[1] FROM ONE CELL TO A HUMAN BEING: AN OVERVIEW OF THE PROCESS AND ITS
>MYSTERIES
>
>*Fertilisation* begins when a sperm and ovum fuse to form a single cell:
>the *zygote*. In that moment, a new, genetically unique human organism
>exists. Yet nothing visible distinguishes this cell from countless
>others. What follows is one of the most extraordinary processes known in
>nature.
>
>---
>
>## 1. Exponential division without growth: cleavage
>
>Within hours, the zygote begins dividing: 1 cell becomes 2, then 4, 8,
>16, and so on. These early divisions, called *cleavage*, are remarkable
>because the total size of the embryo does not increase. Instead, the
>original cytoplasm is partitioned into ever-smaller cells.
>
>Key features:
>
>* Division is rapid and tightly synchronized.
>* Cells remain enclosed in the original outer membrane.
>* The embryo reaches ~100 cells in a few days.
>
>*What is striking:*
>All cells initially appear equivalent, yet they are already on
>trajectories that will lead to radically different fates.
>
>*What we do not fully understand:*
>How early asymmetries—subtle differences in molecular concentrations,
>mechanics, and timing—bias later cell fate decisions with such reliability.
>
>---
>
>## 2. Self-organisation and implantation: the blastocyst
>
>After several days, the embryo reorganises into a *blastocyst*—a hollow
>structure with:
>
>* an *inner cell mass* (which will become the body),
>* and an *outer layer* (which will help form the placenta).
>
>The blastocyst implants into the uterine wall, establishing a
>biochemical dialogue with the mother that allows pregnancy to continue.
>
>*What is striking:*
>This organisation emerges without a central controller. Cells “decide”
>their roles through local interactions, gene regulation, and physical
>constraints.
>
>*What we do not fully understand:*
>How global structure arises so robustly from local rules, and why
>implantation succeeds or fails so often despite apparently normal embryos.
>
>---
>
>## 3. The body plan appears: gastrulation
>
>Around the third week, the embryo undergoes *gastrulation*, often called
>*the most important event in your life*. A simple sheet of cells folds
>and rearranges to form three foundational layers:
>
>* *Ectoderm* ? nervous system, skin
>* *Mesoderm* ? muscle, bone, blood, heart
>* *Endoderm* ? gut, liver, lungs
>
> From this point onward, the basic body axes—head to tail, back to
>front, left to right—are established.
>
>*What is striking:*
>A consistent human body plan emerges from dramatic cellular movements
>that look, under a microscope, almost chaotic.
>
>*What we do not fully understand:*
>How genetic instructions, chemical gradients, and mechanical forces are
>integrated in real time to yield precise, repeatable anatomy.
>
>---
>
>## 4. Differentiation and organ formation: organogenesis
>
>Cells now differentiate into hundreds of specialised types and assemble
>into organs. Neural cells wire themselves into circuits. Blood vessels
>branch through tissues. The heart begins beating while still forming.
>
>Cell numbers increase exponentially, eventually reaching *tens of
>trillions*, yet:
>
>* proportions are maintained,
>* left–right symmetry is mostly preserved,
>* errors are detected and corrected.
>
>*What is striking:*
>No cell “knows” the whole plan, yet the whole plan reliably appears.
>
>*What we do not fully understand:*
>
>* How large-scale structures (like vascular trees or neural
>connectivity) are specified without explicit blueprints
[continued in next message]
--- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
* Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)
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