The GOP has already lost one of its planks for the '08 election when, a few days ago, scientists presented stem cell production from epithelial cells. So much for their arguments against embryonic stem cell procedures. No doubt the GOP presidential committee is scrambling to replace that issue in the 'talking points' memo for the candidates in the up-coming elections.
Now scientists have opened more doors and some fresh air into the origins of life- another all-GOP issue. It seems that DNA just lying in Petri dishes tend to join together to form liquid crystals. The DNA molecules pair to form DNA double helices, which, in turn stack end-to-end to make rod-shaped aggregates that orient parallel to one another.
An article about the discovery released yesterday on several science websites this morning says:
A team led by the University of Colorado at Boulder and the University of Milan has discovered some unexpected forms of liquid crystals of ultrashort DNA molecules immersed in water, providing a new scenario for a key step in the emergence of life on Earth.
CU-Boulder physics Professor Noel Clark said the team found that surprisingly short segments of DNA, life’s molecular carrier of genetic information, could assemble into several distinct liquid crystal phases that “self-orient” parallel to one another and stack into columns when placed in a water solution. Life is widely believed to have emerged as segments of DNA- or RNA-like molecules in a prebiotic “soup” solution of ancient organic molecules.
Of course, this is only a small step in the direction of life-formation, but nonetheless, it is the beginning of the downfall for the defiant myopic IDers and Creationists who dwell in the far-right murky shadows of the GOP.
At least they still have the rights on homophobia until the genetic link is found.
