Gromia Ameoba - challenge to a slow Cambrian.

[SoulReason]

This unicellular golf-ball sized organism is suspected of being around since 550million years ago, if going by its tracks is anything to go by.
Research is in its early days, but would suggest a Cambrian explosion after all.
I cannot link you as yet, but I got the info from wiki. Just search Gromia sphaerica, once in wiki.
Thoughts?

 

[MrPolo]

What's a Cambrian explosion?

 

[SoulReason]

"What's a Cambrian explosion?"
"The Cambrian Explosion or Cambrian radiation was the seemingly rapid appearance of most major groups of complex animals around 530million years ago..."
I googled it and this was the first site listed, under Wiki.
Cheers.

 

[MrPolo]

So if this organism is single-celled, and Cambrian explosion refers to "complex animals", how is this organism Cambrian?

 

[SoulReason]

Because its "trails" were found in Cambrian strata, the same trails it leaves today. So the experts say...

 

[MrPolo]

By trails do you mean in some Cambrian's excrement? I'm sorry I am not familiar with all these terms.

 

[SoulReason]

By trails do you mean in some Cambrian's excrement? I'm sorry I am not familiar with all these terms.

Thats okay. This organism has no observable way of getting around but it does so - it leaves a "trail" or groove in the mud to show where it has been.
I'll give you a bit more of a rundown.
There has been hot debate over the Cambrian, as to whether or not it can rightly be called an "explosion" or rapid radiation of life, for almost every major group sprang from this era. A rapid radiation gives credibility to a creation scenario, while a longer one favours the ToE.
It was always assumed by the proponents of the ToE that the organism that left this "trail" would have to be a multi-cellular one, as more than one part is required to move.
This guy, the Gromia, is a single-celled organism! And has the scientists puzzled as to how it gets its motive ability.
The crunch is, that it was assumed that a multi-celled creature must have left the identical trails in the Precambrian. If it was a single celled creature as is now demonstrated, then it does not necessarily have to be a multi-celled one, thus wiping out a long time frame, if it holds up, which is likely.
Hope that helps. Try googling "Gromia sphaerica".
Blessings.

 

[SpiritualAntiseptic]

So if this organism is single-celled, and Cambrian explosion refers to "complex animals", how is this organism Cambrian?

An amoeba is a eukaryotic organism. Although it is single-celled, it is vastly more complex than the prokaryotic single-celled organisms- bacteria.

The cell is incredibly complex. Before multi-celled animals could develop, they had to become far more capable and complex than bacteria originally were and still are. Human DNA shares an immense number of similarities to single celled eukaryotes like amoebas.

Don't think all single celled organisms are alike. The changes made between bacteria and amoebas were massive and became the basis for which modern multi-celled life was possible. They were so complicated that once the cells were able to come together as a single mass- certain cells were able to focus on one activity, while others focused on another. Before long, they started become different kinds of tissues, organs and body parts

Our bodies today reflect that. All our cells have the exact same DNA. The reason they look and behave so differently is because our cells were able to communicate with each other, each group being assigned different tasks and taking different shapes. Just like the early clustering of eukaryotic cells.

 

[LamorakDesGalis]

Cool, thanks for posting this.

I cannot link you as yet, but I got the info from wiki. Just search Gromia sphaerica, once in wiki.

Here is the wiki link:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gromia_sphaerica

Here is another link with more information, and even has a picture of the little fella, too:
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/27827279/


LDG

 

[SoulReason]

Thanks very kindly LDG! I had not seen the second link so that was informative as well.
I like the "magic box" analogy...heh heh. Blessings and reps.

 

[BreadAlone]

MOD HAT

This thread had been moved from Christian Apologetics to Origins Theology.

 

[juvenissun]

MOD HAT

This thread had been moved from Christian Apologetics to Origins Theology.

There is no theological content so far. And it is not likely to have.
May be better to put it in the Physics and Life Science forum.

 

[juvenissun]

This unicellular golf-ball sized organism is suspected of being around since 550million years ago, if going by its tracks is anything to go by.
Research is in its early days, but would suggest a Cambrian explosion after all.
I cannot link you as yet, but I got the info from wiki. Just search Gromia sphaerica, once in wiki.
Thoughts?

Has the nature of track been described? Is there any detail texture on the track? Could it be made by sliding? rolling (straight forward or back and forth)? or some kind of movement like walking? or, by digesting the mud on its way? Does the size of the track match the weight of the cell? Is the track uniform in size along its length?

This thing is seen in Cambrian shale, and is also seen in modern ocean. Right? What about the time in between?

 

[lemmings]

The tracks were commonly sinuous
grooves bordered by two low lateral ridges with a central ridge
that was especially well defined near the objects themselves

And a few pictures are here.

 

[juvenissun]

And a few pictures are here.

Two observations:

1. The modern tracks show one, two, or three ridges.
2. The PreC tracks have higher relief and it seems the middle ridge is not observed.

I did not read the article. But any info on the track material? Is there any chemical fingerprint? My hunch is that they are tracks made by digestive functions. If so, the movement may be passive in action.

----

Could this thing be observed in lab?

 

[SoulReason]

Two observations:

1. The modern tracks show one, two, or three ridges.
2. The PreC tracks have higher relief and it seems the middle ridge is not observed.

I did not read the article. But any info on the track material? Is there any chemical fingerprint? My hunch is that they are tracks made by digestive functions. If so, the movement may be passive in action.

----

Could this thing be observed in lab?

Hi Juvenissun.
From my understanding, the tracks were deemed to have been made by this Amoeba, or a close relative. This is according to the scientist who discovered the relationship.
Cheers.
Edit - the tracks were also discovered in the Precambrian, hence the conclusion that the tracks need not have been made by a multi-cellular organism as first thought. That a single celled organism had this motive ability was a surprise and thus lends credibility to the hypothesis of a rapid radiation in the Cambrian. Please refer to post #7 in this thread.

 

[juvenissun]

Hi Juvenissun.
From my understanding, the tracks were deemed to have been made by this Amoeba, or a close relative. This is according to the scientist who discovered the relationship.
Cheers.
Edit - the tracks were also discovered in the Precambrian, hence the conclusion that the tracks need not have been made by a multi-cellular organism as first thought. That a single celled organism had this motive ability was a surprise and thus lends credibility to the hypothesis of a rapid radiation in the Cambrian. Please refer to post #7 in this thread.

OK. Again, how would this Amoeba (track) credit the idea of Cambrian explosion? The track is left by a single-cell animal. Then what?