This is why I regard the basic principle of natural selection as almost a logical tautology. It is so essentially true that it can't even be described as a scientific theory, almost a logical law like 1 + 1 = 2 (strictly speaking that is a definition, but I'm sure you understand).
Yeah, I don't see any aurochs around these days. The thing is there are not many large vertebrate species compared to something like beetles. So losing hundreds of vertebrate species is a big deal.
This article itself points out that they look the same, it is the genetics that is different. On other worlds there would be strange solutions to niches but there would also be some oddly similar species as well. If you look back at the history of mammals, forgetting the understandable fascination with dinos, you will see that there have been many different kinds of mammals but certain forms are roughly similar: herbivores, large (very large) grazers, carnivores, tree dwelling. Not always but quite often there are similarities. On an alien world given similar situations then some similar forms are likely to evolve. However, sometimes a new environment may arise that creates new opportunities, if they are unique to a particular world then the creatures may not resemble anything we are familiar with. For example, the evolution of grasses and flowering plants. Some things would be universal: vision using light (IR to UV approximately), two eyes, smell sense, nervous system, some kind of brain though it may be more distributed, herbivores vs carnivores, etc. Life being Life however, there is always the opportunity for surprises.
No. I think he is correct. The only real conspiracy theory with big pharma is that they are companies and only want to make money. They aren't in it for altruistic reasons. Natural cures are irrelevant to them unless they can extract and patent any active component. The US FDA also has a government mandated conspiracy to forbid people to peddle 'cures' if they haven't been fully tested whatever their actual merits. This isn't rocket science. Did you actually read what he/she said?
Aspirin [wikipedia.org] a man made synthetic compound mimicking the pain relieving properties of willow bark?
Willow bark does not relieve pain. It has anti-inflammatory properties just as aspirin does, but not pain relief. The addition of the acetyl group artificially produced the pain relief effects.
Come on, you know it makes more sense. Bwahahaha!
Although I am tempted to agree with you I cannot. There are some topics where insider information is invaluable but identifiable posts would likely cause repercussions for the poster. We still need that. Anonymous Cowards on this topic are just that, cowards, but I don't see how we can get rid of them without getting rid of the more useful aspects of that role.
BTW, "OFF TOPIC"
I was getting kind of bored with the old looking slashdot. Been using it for what
Dan Ariely. He talked about this at one point. What people want is not what management thinks.
I think slashdot must be one of the few places where Poe's Law does not apply, or as much. Funny, but accurate.
The distro that can be named by Man
Is not the Fedora 21 distro.
-- with apologies to Lao Tzu.
... of it happening in the next few hundred years: very slim. Prospects of stopping it if it was going to happen: zero. Though I wouldn't recommend underground nuclear tests at Yellowstone.
It used to be that feminists also were concerned with "male liberation" as well. I see none of that now. And there are indeed a selection of strange extremist types that tend to poison the well. If you want to see some of the disturbing ideas out there just google "piv feminism". These people are so far from the goals of feminism that it should be regarded as deviant. But it isn't. I've experienced a little bit of it myself, but I tend to regard people who have this attitude as a waste of space, so not worth thinking about. But it can bite in situations that matter
Don't forget it is easy for idiots to ask questions that the smartest person cannot answer. He will have to be careful of such tactics.
Nice SF list. Such a list could go on and on and on. Here are some I would recommend, just at random. I'll probably miss quite a few that I really like.
Agree with Consider Phlebas. I just gave up on the list there are too many even before you get to non SF stuff.
Type louder, please.
