4 ms·
I believe if you look at their genetics they fit snugly within the tree of life
by superduperycomb 5y ago
I believe if you look at their genetics they fit snugly within the tree of life
- andruby 5y agoWhat would be the odds that other planets/habitats have a similar "tree of life"? I don't know. Given the huge number of similarities in DNA, I'd say it's extremely small.
- bumby 5y agoI don’t want to speak for the OP but I read their comment as “why did they evolve certain features that wouldn’t have be reasonable given the evolutionary pressures of earth?” E.g., their ability to survive high levels of radiation or vacuum. There’s some speculation that a large amount of their genetics were transferred from other animals.[1] I wonder how much this muddles the tracing through the evolutionary tree. [1] https://www.pnas.org/content/112/52/15976.abstract https://www.pnas.org/content/112/52/15976.abstract
- someguyorother 5y ago> E.g., their ability to survive high levels of radiation or vacuum. If I recall correctly, the tardigrades (and extremophiles like D. radiodurans) have evolved to handle damage brought on by desiccation. As a fortunate side-effect, this general robustness also protects against radiation.
- rozab 5y agoThis is one of my favourite websites, and I share it all the time: https://www.onezoom.org/life.html/@=111445?img=best_any&anim=flight#x-954,y34,w6.8520 https://www.onezoom.org/life.html/@=111445?img=best_any&anim... (hopefully that links to the right place)