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The difference between animals and plants is that animals can "do life" with movement, whereas plants, being stuck in place, use chemistry. Take self defense f

The difference between animals and plants is that animals can "do life" with movement, whereas plants, being stuck in place, use chemistry. Take self defense for example. Animals will run or fight. An onion will make you cry with chemistry. Think of any life function you do with movement. There are equivalent function for a tree that doesn't require movement, and they are all chemistry. Plants do a lot of amazingly sophisticated, almost impossible (photosynthesis!), chemistry to live. More chemistry means they need more genes.

sscarduzio 6y ago
Why photosynthesis is "almost impossible"? Genuine question!
- curtis3389 6y ago
  Although the overall chemistry of photosynthesis seems simple (mH₂0 + nCO₂ => Cₙ(H₂0)ₘ + nO₂), it is driven by a pretty complex arrangement of parts, called the reaction centre: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Photosynthetic_reaction_centre https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Photosynthetic_reaction_centre > The energy of the photon is used to excite an electron of a pigment. The free energy created is then used to reduce a chain of nearby electron acceptors, which have progressively higher redox-potentials. These electron transfer steps are the initial phase of a series of energy conversion reactions, ultimately resulting in the conversion of the energy of photons to the storage of that energy by the production of chemical bonds.
- simpleguitar 6y ago
  > Why photosynthesis is "almost impossible"? Genuine question https://www.discovermagazine.com/technology/physicists-see-quantum-effects-in-photosynthesis https://www.discovermagazine.com/technology/physicists-see-q...
Out_of_Characte 6y ago
I dont doubt that plants have more utility for keeping genetic information. Animals also have much more tricks to reduce their need for genetic information. Think of newborn animals often shaking untill their cerebellum develops more and is able to provide smooth motion while balancing against gravity. or birds singing songs to increase transient information. and one of the biggest information breaktrough ofcourse being the written word and now artificial intelligence
maxerickson 6y ago
Isn't most of the mechanism for photosynthesis encoded in the relatively short chloroplast DNA? https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chloroplast_DNA https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chloroplast_DNA (I'm asking sincerely; obviously there is more to it than just the chloroplast, but that part of it isn't ginormous)

sscarduzio 6y ago

Why photosynthesis is "almost impossible"? Genuine question!

curtis3389 6y ago
Although the overall chemistry of photosynthesis seems simple (mH₂0 + nCO₂ => Cₙ(H₂0)ₘ + nO₂), it is driven by a pretty complex arrangement of parts, called the reaction centre: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Photosynthetic_reaction_centre https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Photosynthetic_reaction_centre > The energy of the photon is used to excite an electron of a pigment. The free energy created is then used to reduce a chain of nearby electron acceptors, which have progressively higher redox-potentials. These electron transfer steps are the initial phase of a series of energy conversion reactions, ultimately resulting in the conversion of the energy of photons to the storage of that energy by the production of chemical bonds.
simpleguitar 6y ago
> Why photosynthesis is "almost impossible"? Genuine question https://www.discovermagazine.com/technology/physicists-see-quantum-effects-in-photosynthesis https://www.discovermagazine.com/technology/physicists-see-q...

Out_of_Characte 6y ago

I dont doubt that plants have more utility for keeping genetic information. Animals also have much more tricks to reduce their need for genetic information. Think of newborn animals often shaking untill their cerebellum develops more and is able to provide smooth motion while balancing against gravity. or birds singing songs to increase transient information. and one of the biggest information breaktrough ofcourse being the written word and now artificial intelligence

maxerickson 6y ago

Isn't most of the mechanism for photosynthesis encoded in the relatively short chloroplast DNA? https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chloroplast_DNA https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chloroplast_DNA (I'm asking sincerely; obviously there is more to it than just the chloroplast, but that part of it isn't ginormous)