What Are You Made of?

Apoptosis is essentially when a cell is programmed to willingly die for the greater good of the whole. This is what happens when the cells holding a leaf on a tree die so the leaf drops off, when the cells holding our fingers and toes together die and slough off so we can spread our fingers and toes, etc. Though not recognized in the scientific community I call this micro apoptosis. Why? Because I think macro apoptosis exists too. Micro occurs at the level of cells within an organism, macro occurs at the level of organisms within a group of like organisms. Consider lemmings that drown themselves in droves, or an injured or sick animal that separates itself from the herd/pack - e.g. javelin. It sounds simple enough until you consider that it applies to people as well - think about people who volunteer to fight in war.

          This is not to say that we are just animals. We are more than the sum of our biological parts. All living things share genetic material because we are made from the same stuff - think of the chemicals that make up the genetic material. The atomic mass of the human body is about 65% oxygen, 19 % carbon, 10% hydrogen, and miscellaneous after that (nitrogen 3%, etc.). That means we are chemically about the same as a big bucket of water with a few handfuls of diamonds dropped in it (add a dollop of chicken manure to get even closer to us).

So much for being related to apes! Anyway, these are just a few things to think on.