4 ms·

I remember as a kid wondering if we could give humans chlorolaplasts.

rustyhancock 5mo ago
I believe that mitochondria and chloroplast both were originally independent single celled organisms. So kind of funny that, chloroplast is being "stolen" again by this sea slug.
- morphle 5mo ago
  Yes, it is funny that biological history repeats itself. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Symbiogenesis https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Symbiogenesis
- chasil 5mo ago
  Chloroplasts are but one variety of plastids. Assimilation has occurred multiple times. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plastid https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plastid
gus_massa 5mo ago
Somewhat related https://what-if.xkcd.com/17/ https://what-if.xkcd.com/17/ The surface is too small and you only get like 4% of the energy you need (Assuming you like being naked under full sunlight all day long. The article is for cows, but I guess the number is similar for humans.) 4% of 2400 kcal is almost 100 kcal, that is the content of a small diet treat or 2 apples. These sea slugs can survive because they move very slowly. For a human, I think it's not enough energy to survive even if all the activity is to watch TV inside a hot swimming pool.
- eigenspace 5mo ago
  Dietary need scales with volume, whereas incident sunlight would scale with surface area. Assuming a spherical cow and a spherical human, the calories needed would scale with the radius cubed, whereas the calories gained from sunlight would scale with the radius squared. So while I agree this wouldn't be very many calories, even if you sat under the sun all day, I think the 4% figure is probably quite pessimistic.
  - pfdietz 5mo ago
    The square cube law pops up all over the place, my favorite being in fusion reactors, where it is a two edged sword.
  - KnuthIsGod 5mo ago
    Marvelous... Finally a good reason to assume a spherical cow!
  - gus_massa 5mo ago
    Mmm... Cows weight like 5 persons, 5^(1/3)=1.7, so 4%*1.7=7%, so 170 kcal that is still less than a single cheeseburger.
- deleted 5mo ago
  [deleted]

I believe that mitochondria and chloroplast both were originally independent single celled organisms. So kind of funny that, chloroplast is being "stolen" again by this sea slug.

morphle 5mo ago
Yes, it is funny that biological history repeats itself. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Symbiogenesis https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Symbiogenesis
chasil 5mo ago
Chloroplasts are but one variety of plastids. Assimilation has occurred multiple times. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plastid https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plastid

gus_massa 5mo ago

Somewhat related https://what-if.xkcd.com/17/ https://what-if.xkcd.com/17/ The surface is too small and you only get like 4% of the energy you need (Assuming you like being naked under full sunlight all day long. The article is for cows, but I guess the number is similar for humans.) 4% of 2400 kcal is almost 100 kcal, that is the content of a small diet treat or 2 apples. These sea slugs can survive because they move very slowly. For a human, I think it's not enough energy to survive even if all the activity is to watch TV inside a hot swimming pool.

eigenspace 5mo ago
Dietary need scales with volume, whereas incident sunlight would scale with surface area. Assuming a spherical cow and a spherical human, the calories needed would scale with the radius cubed, whereas the calories gained from sunlight would scale with the radius squared. So while I agree this wouldn't be very many calories, even if you sat under the sun all day, I think the 4% figure is probably quite pessimistic.
- pfdietz 5mo ago
  The square cube law pops up all over the place, my favorite being in fusion reactors, where it is a two edged sword.
- KnuthIsGod 5mo ago
  Marvelous... Finally a good reason to assume a spherical cow!
- gus_massa 5mo ago
  Mmm... Cows weight like 5 persons, 5^(1/3)=1.7, so 4%*1.7=7%, so 170 kcal that is still less than a single cheeseburger.
deleted 5mo ago
[deleted]