Scientists Decipher 3-Billion-Year-Old Genomic Fossils 217
hnkstrprnkstr writes "MIT scientists have created a sort of genomic fossil (abstract) that shows the collective genome of all life underwent an enormous expansion about 3 billion years ago, which they're calling the Archean Expansion. Many of the new genes appearing in the Archean Expansion are oxygen related, and could be the first biological evidence of the Great Oxidation Event, the period in Earth's history when oxygen became so plentiful that many anaerobic life forms may have become extinct."
At last! (Score:4, Funny)
I can breathe!
Wait, what? (Score:4, Funny)
I'm confused. So they were on the Ark or what?
Re:Creationism (Score:5, Funny)
40% of US residents believe in creationism. What are you going to say to them, huh?
As little as possible.
The Great Memory Leak (Score:3, Funny)
This is what happens when you don't free() your genes after you're done with them.
Re:Wait, what? (Score:4, Funny)
I'm confused. So they were on the Ark or what?
Why do you think they call them 'Archean'?
Re:Wait, what? (Score:5, Funny)
so, gimmee something here, how do you discuss geologic events when people seem so driven to think in terms of their own lifespans?
Very, very slowly.