• talk.origins

    From erik simpson@eastside.erik@gmail.com to sci.bio.paleontology on Mon Apr 28 13:04:35 2025
    From Newsgroup: sci.bio.paleontology

    Just out of curiosity, has anyone here seen (if you've looked) anything
    on talk.origins. It seems to be dead.
    --- Synchronet 3.21d-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From John Harshman@john.harshman@gmail.com to sci.bio.paleontology on Mon Apr 28 18:23:31 2025
    From Newsgroup: sci.bio.paleontology

    On 4/28/25 1:04 PM, erik simpson wrote:
    Just out of curiosity, has anyone here seen (if you've looked) anything
    on talk.origins.-a It seems to be dead.

    I see one post today, at 9:52 AM Pacific.
    --- Synchronet 3.21d-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Dale@dalekellytoo@gmail.com to sci.bio.paleontology on Thu May 1 03:26:36 2025
    From Newsgroup: sci.bio.paleontology

    On 4/28/2025 4:04 PM, erik simpson wrote:
    Just out of curiosity, has anyone here seen (if you've looked) anything
    on talk.origins.-a It seems to be dead.

    don't see anything yet
    --
    Mystery? -> https://www.dalekelly.org/
    --- Synchronet 3.21d-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Dale@dalekellytoo@gmail.com to sci.bio.paleontology on Sat May 3 17:01:09 2025
    From Newsgroup: sci.bio.paleontology

    On 5/1/2025 3:26 AM, Dale wrote:
    On 4/28/2025 4:04 PM, erik simpson wrote:
    Just out of curiosity, has anyone here seen (if you've looked)
    anything on talk.origins.-a It seems to be dead.

    don't see anything yet


    don't see anything yet ?
    --
    Mystery? -> https://www.dalekelly.org/
    --- Synchronet 3.21d-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From jillery@69jpil69@gmail.com to sci.bio.paleontology on Sun May 4 03:57:18 2025
    From Newsgroup: sci.bio.paleontology

    On Mon, 28 Apr 2025 18:23:31 -0700, John Harshman
    <john.harshman@gmail.com> wrote:
    On 4/28/25 1:04 PM, erik simpson wrote:
    Just out of curiosity, has anyone here seen (if you've looked) anything
    on talk.origins.-a It seems to be dead.

    I see one post today, at 9:52 AM Pacific.
    Several servers have nothing from T.O. since Simpson's post 4/30/2025
    --- Synchronet 3.21d-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From erik simpson@eastside.erik@gmail.com to sci.bio.paleontology on Sun May 4 07:22:54 2025
    From Newsgroup: sci.bio.paleontology

    On 5/4/25 12:57 AM, jillery wrote:
    On Mon, 28 Apr 2025 18:23:31 -0700, John Harshman
    <john.harshman@gmail.com> wrote:

    On 4/28/25 1:04 PM, erik simpson wrote:
    Just out of curiosity, has anyone here seen (if you've looked) anything
    on talk.origins.-a It seems to be dead.

    I see one post today, at 9:52 AM Pacific.


    Several servers have nothing from T.O. since Simpson's post 4/30/2025
    I suspect GG is a dying internet artifact. Too bad; it was fun while it lasted.
    --- Synchronet 3.21d-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From jillery@69jpil69@gmail.com to sci.bio.paleontology on Mon May 5 04:39:11 2025
    From Newsgroup: sci.bio.paleontology

    On Sun, 4 May 2025 07:22:54 -0700, erik simpson
    <eastside.erik@gmail.com> wrote:
    On 5/4/25 12:57 AM, jillery wrote:
    On Mon, 28 Apr 2025 18:23:31 -0700, John Harshman
    <john.harshman@gmail.com> wrote:

    On 4/28/25 1:04 PM, erik simpson wrote:
    Just out of curiosity, has anyone here seen (if you've looked) anything >>>> on talk.origins.-a It seems to be dead.

    I see one post today, at 9:52 AM Pacific.


    Several servers have nothing from T.O. since Simpson's post 4/30/2025
    I suspect GG is a dying internet artifact. Too bad; it was fun while it >lasted.
    It's dying from neglect.
    --- Synchronet 3.21d-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Martin Harran@martinharran@gmail.com to sci.bio.paleontology on Tue May 6 14:12:51 2025
    From Newsgroup: sci.bio.paleontology

    On Mon, 28 Apr 2025 13:04:35 -0700, erik simpson
    <eastside.erik@gmail.com> wrote:

    Just out of curiosity, has anyone here seen (if you've looked) anything
    on talk.origins. It seems to be dead.

    I replied to your post but nothing has appeared :(
    --- Synchronet 3.21d-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Martin Harran@martinharran@gmail.com to sci.bio.paleontology on Fri May 9 12:08:08 2025
    From Newsgroup: sci.bio.paleontology

    On Mon, 28 Apr 2025 13:04:35 -0700, erik simpson
    <eastside.erik@gmail.com> wrote:

    Just out of curiosity, has anyone here seen (if you've looked) anything
    on talk.origins. It seems to be dead.

    Has anyone contact DIG? He doesn't always pick up on a breakdown
    unless someone informs him.
    --- Synchronet 3.21d-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From erik simpson@eastside.erik@gmail.com to sci.bio.paleontology on Fri May 9 07:53:56 2025
    From Newsgroup: sci.bio.paleontology

    On 5/9/25 4:08 AM, Martin Harran wrote:
    On Mon, 28 Apr 2025 13:04:35 -0700, erik simpson
    <eastside.erik@gmail.com> wrote:

    Just out of curiosity, has anyone here seen (if you've looked) anything
    on talk.origins. It seems to be dead.

    Has anyone contact DIG? He doesn't always pick up on a breakdown
    unless someone informs him.
    I just wrote DIG. The last thing is see in TO is a post by me about an
    absurd article indicating that pine trees can predict eclipses.
    --- Synchronet 3.21d-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Martin Harran@martinharran@gmail.com to sci.bio.paleontology on Fri May 9 17:47:04 2025
    From Newsgroup: sci.bio.paleontology

    On Fri, 9 May 2025 07:53:56 -0700, erik simpson
    <eastside.erik@gmail.com> wrote:

    On 5/9/25 4:08 AM, Martin Harran wrote:
    On Mon, 28 Apr 2025 13:04:35 -0700, erik simpson
    <eastside.erik@gmail.com> wrote:

    Just out of curiosity, has anyone here seen (if you've looked) anything
    on talk.origins. It seems to be dead.

    Has anyone contact DIG? He doesn't always pick up on a breakdown
    unless someone informs him.
    I just wrote DIG. The last thing is see in TO is a post by me about an >absurd article indicating that pine trees can predict eclipses.

    Why dismiss it as absurd out of hand? It would have been more
    convincing for you to explain why you think it is absurd.

    You seem to be particularly annoyed about them bringing QFT into it
    but trees are a lifeform just as we are and I can't see why applying
    QFT to them is any more absurd that invoking it in regard to *any*
    lifeform.

    By coincidence, I was reading this article just before I saw your
    post.:

    "Never Underestimate the Intelligence of Trees" https://nautil.us/never-underestimate-the-intelligence-of-trees-237595/

    I have posted previously about the research by Suzanne Simard, the
    main focus of the article.



    --- Synchronet 3.21d-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From erik simpson@eastside.erik@gmail.com to sci.bio.paleontology on Fri May 9 10:52:17 2025
    From Newsgroup: sci.bio.paleontology

    On 5/9/25 9:47 AM, Martin Harran wrote:
    On Fri, 9 May 2025 07:53:56 -0700, erik simpson
    <eastside.erik@gmail.com> wrote:

    On 5/9/25 4:08 AM, Martin Harran wrote:
    On Mon, 28 Apr 2025 13:04:35 -0700, erik simpson
    <eastside.erik@gmail.com> wrote:

    Just out of curiosity, has anyone here seen (if you've looked) anything >>>> on talk.origins. It seems to be dead.

    Has anyone contact DIG? He doesn't always pick up on a breakdown
    unless someone informs him.
    I just wrote DIG. The last thing is see in TO is a post by me about an
    absurd article indicating that pine trees can predict eclipses.

    Why dismiss it as absurd out of hand? It would have been more
    convincing for you to explain why you think it is absurd.

    You seem to be particularly annoyed about them bringing QFT into it
    but trees are a lifeform just as we are and I can't see why applying
    QFT to them is any more absurd that invoking it in regard to *any*
    lifeform.

    By coincidence, I was reading this article just before I saw your
    post.:

    "Never Underestimate the Intelligence of Trees" https://nautil.us/never-underestimate-the-intelligence-of-trees-237595/

    I have posted previously about the research by Suzanne Simard, the
    main focus of the article.



    Trees do indeed communicate, but this "study" has many objections. You
    need to look at the original article. https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/rsos.241786

    The authors wired up trees in the Italian Dolomites and measured
    something that they attributed to older trees anticipating the coming
    eclipse by several hours(!) and warning younger trees.

    A) In any gien location, eclipses are very rare.
    B) Eclipse durations are very short, and absolutely of no import to
    plants. (Nights are generally much darker and longer than eclipses).
    C) The authors' gratuitously say their analysis uses methods of quantum
    field theory.

    All of the above should have triggered peer reviewers and editors of the journal. Just what the authors measured is unclear. Did they perform
    similar experiments at other times or locations? How could any of this
    be repeated or tested?
    --- Synchronet 3.21d-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Martin Harran@martinharran@gmail.com to sci.bio.paleontology on Sat May 10 10:01:08 2025
    From Newsgroup: sci.bio.paleontology

    On Fri, 9 May 2025 10:52:17 -0700, erik simpson
    <eastside.erik@gmail.com> wrote:

    On 5/9/25 9:47 AM, Martin Harran wrote:
    On Fri, 9 May 2025 07:53:56 -0700, erik simpson
    <eastside.erik@gmail.com> wrote:

    On 5/9/25 4:08 AM, Martin Harran wrote:
    On Mon, 28 Apr 2025 13:04:35 -0700, erik simpson
    <eastside.erik@gmail.com> wrote:

    Just out of curiosity, has anyone here seen (if you've looked) anything >>>>> on talk.origins. It seems to be dead.

    Has anyone contact DIG? He doesn't always pick up on a breakdown
    unless someone informs him.
    I just wrote DIG. The last thing is see in TO is a post by me about an
    absurd article indicating that pine trees can predict eclipses.

    Why dismiss it as absurd out of hand? It would have been more
    convincing for you to explain why you think it is absurd.

    You seem to be particularly annoyed about them bringing QFT into it
    but trees are a lifeform just as we are and I can't see why applying
    QFT to them is any more absurd that invoking it in regard to *any*
    lifeform.

    By coincidence, I was reading this article just before I saw your
    post.:

    "Never Underestimate the Intelligence of Trees"
    https://nautil.us/never-underestimate-the-intelligence-of-trees-237595/

    I have posted previously about the research by Suzanne Simard, the
    main focus of the article.



    Trees do indeed communicate, but this "study" has many objections. You
    need to look at the original article. >https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/rsos.241786

    The authors wired up trees in the Italian Dolomites and measured
    something that they attributed to older trees anticipating the coming >eclipse by several hours(!) and warning younger trees.

    A) In any gien location, eclipses are very rare.

    IOt seems far more important to me that they can be accurately
    predicted in advance, allowing controlled studies to take place.

    B) Eclipse durations are very short, and absolutely of no import to
    plants. (Nights are generally much darker and longer than eclipses).

    Again, I don't see the significance of that. Birds and other animals
    are known to react in various ways to solar eclipses, I don't see why
    trees should be any different.


    C) The authors' gratuitously say their analysis uses methods of quantum >field theory.

    They don't just "gratuitously say " they used it, they a detailed
    explanation of why they think it is relevant and useful. Do you
    dismiss the usefulness of QFT in researching intelligence in general
    or just in relation to plants?


    All of the above should have triggered peer reviewers and editors of the >journal.

    I would like to think that peer reviewers and editors with the Royal
    Society know what they are doing.

    Just what the authors measured is unclear. Did they perform
    similar experiments at other times or locations? How could any of this
    be repeated or tested?

    The article only reports on their work at one location but they give
    precise details of the methods they used; why do you think anyone else
    would have trouble repeating the study at another location?

    --- Synchronet 3.21d-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From erik simpson@eastside.erik@gmail.com to sci.bio.paleontology on Sat May 10 08:08:56 2025
    From Newsgroup: sci.bio.paleontology

    On 5/10/25 2:01 AM, Martin Harran wrote:
    On Fri, 9 May 2025 10:52:17 -0700, erik simpson
    <eastside.erik@gmail.com> wrote:

    On 5/9/25 9:47 AM, Martin Harran wrote:
    On Fri, 9 May 2025 07:53:56 -0700, erik simpson
    <eastside.erik@gmail.com> wrote:

    On 5/9/25 4:08 AM, Martin Harran wrote:
    On Mon, 28 Apr 2025 13:04:35 -0700, erik simpson
    <eastside.erik@gmail.com> wrote:

    Just out of curiosity, has anyone here seen (if you've looked) anything >>>>>> on talk.origins. It seems to be dead.

    Has anyone contact DIG? He doesn't always pick up on a breakdown
    unless someone informs him.
    I just wrote DIG. The last thing is see in TO is a post by me about an >>>> absurd article indicating that pine trees can predict eclipses.

    Why dismiss it as absurd out of hand? It would have been more
    convincing for you to explain why you think it is absurd.

    You seem to be particularly annoyed about them bringing QFT into it
    but trees are a lifeform just as we are and I can't see why applying
    QFT to them is any more absurd that invoking it in regard to *any*
    lifeform.

    By coincidence, I was reading this article just before I saw your
    post.:

    "Never Underestimate the Intelligence of Trees"
    https://nautil.us/never-underestimate-the-intelligence-of-trees-237595/

    I have posted previously about the research by Suzanne Simard, the
    main focus of the article.



    Trees do indeed communicate, but this "study" has many objections. You
    need to look at the original article.
    https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/rsos.241786

    The authors wired up trees in the Italian Dolomites and measured
    something that they attributed to older trees anticipating the coming
    eclipse by several hours(!) and warning younger trees.

    A) In any gien location, eclipses are very rare.

    IOt seems far more important to me that they can be accurately
    predicted in advance, allowing controlled studies to take place.

    We can predict eclipses, I don't believe plants have that capacity.

    B) Eclipse durations are very short, and absolutely of no import to
    plants. (Nights are generally much darker and longer than eclipses).

    Again, I don't see the significance of that. Birds and other animals
    are known to react in various ways to solar eclipses, I don't see why
    trees should be any different.


    In other words, the trees might react as they do at night. It would
    have been an obvious thing for the investigators to have checked. It
    might be harder to detect the reactions because the eclipse only lasts a
    few minutes.


    C) The authors' gratuitously say their analysis uses methods of quantum
    field theory.

    They don't just "gratuitously say " they used it, they a detailed
    explanation of why they think it is relevant and useful. Do you
    dismiss the usefulness of QFT in researching intelligence in general
    or just in relation to plants?


    QM determines chemistry, and has been used in studying light reception
    in animal eyes and chloroplasts (molecular reactions). The authors
    weren't doing that. They were sticking detectors into the trees. "Intelligence" would need a rigorous definition before QM could be used
    at all. Real living systems, even simple bacteria, are far beyond the capacity of any available computation.


    All of the above should have triggered peer reviewers and editors of the
    journal.

    I would like to think that peer reviewers and editors with the Royal
    Society know what they are doing.


    You have greater faith in the review process than I.

    Just what the authors measured is unclear. Did they perform
    similar experiments at other times or locations? How could any of this
    be repeated or tested?

    The article only reports on their work at one location but they give
    precise details of the methods they used; why do you think anyone else
    would have trouble repeating the study at another location?


    I will eat my words if anyone else follows up.
    --- Synchronet 3.21d-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From jillery@69jpil69@gmail.com to sci.bio.paleontology on Sun May 11 05:37:43 2025
    From Newsgroup: sci.bio.paleontology

    On Fri, 09 May 2025 17:47:04 +0100, Martin Harran
    <martinharran@gmail.com> wrote:
    On Fri, 9 May 2025 07:53:56 -0700, erik simpson
    <eastside.erik@gmail.com> wrote:

    On 5/9/25 4:08 AM, Martin Harran wrote:
    On Mon, 28 Apr 2025 13:04:35 -0700, erik simpson
    <eastside.erik@gmail.com> wrote:

    Just out of curiosity, has anyone here seen (if you've looked) anything >>>> on talk.origins. It seems to be dead.

    Has anyone contact DIG? He doesn't always pick up on a breakdown
    unless someone informs him.
    I just wrote DIG. The last thing is see in TO is a post by me about an >>absurd article indicating that pine trees can predict eclipses.

    Why dismiss it as absurd out of hand? It would have been more
    convincing for you to explain why you think it is absurd.

    You seem to be particularly annoyed about them bringing QFT into it
    but trees are a lifeform just as we are and I can't see why applying
    QFT to them is any more absurd that invoking it in regard to *any*
    lifeform.

    By coincidence, I was reading this article just before I saw your
    post.:

    "Never Underestimate the Intelligence of Trees" >https://nautil.us/never-underestimate-the-intelligence-of-trees-237595/

    I have posted previously about the research by Suzanne Simard, the
    main focus of the article.
    It would have been more convincing for you to explain why you think
    the article is not absurd. That trees can relate to extant conditions
    is utterly irrelevant to whether they can predict future events. Get
    real, if only for the novelty of the experience.
    --- Synchronet 3.21d-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Popping Mad@rainbow@colition.gov to sci.bio.paleontology on Mon May 12 06:02:57 2025
    From Newsgroup: sci.bio.paleontology

    On 5/10/25 5:01 AM, Martin Harran wrote:
    I would like to think that peer reviewers and editors with the Royal
    Society know what they are doing.

    hah hah hah hah
    hah hah hah hah
    hah hah hah hah
    hah hah hah hah
    hah hah hah hah
    hah hah hah hah
    hah hah hah hah
    hah hah hah hah
    hah hah hah hah
    hah hah hah hah
    hah hah hah hah
    hah hah hah hah
    --- Synchronet 3.21d-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Martin Harran@martinharran@gmail.com to sci.bio.paleontology on Mon May 12 11:57:41 2025
    From Newsgroup: sci.bio.paleontology

    On Fri, 9 May 2025 07:53:56 -0700, erik simpson
    <eastside.erik@gmail.com> wrote:

    On 5/9/25 4:08 AM, Martin Harran wrote:
    On Mon, 28 Apr 2025 13:04:35 -0700, erik simpson
    <eastside.erik@gmail.com> wrote:

    Just out of curiosity, has anyone here seen (if you've looked) anything
    on talk.origins. It seems to be dead.

    Has anyone contact DIG? He doesn't always pick up on a breakdown
    unless someone informs him.
    I just wrote DIG.

    That seems to have worked!

    The last thing is see in TO is a post by me about an
    absurd article indicating that pine trees can predict eclipses.
    --- Synchronet 3.21d-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Martin Harran@martinharran@gmail.com to sci.bio.paleontology on Mon May 12 13:57:49 2025
    From Newsgroup: sci.bio.paleontology

    On Sat, 10 May 2025 08:08:56 -0700, erik simpson
    <eastside.erik@gmail.com> wrote:

    On 5/10/25 2:01 AM, Martin Harran wrote:
    On Fri, 9 May 2025 10:52:17 -0700, erik simpson
    <eastside.erik@gmail.com> wrote:

    On 5/9/25 9:47 AM, Martin Harran wrote:
    On Fri, 9 May 2025 07:53:56 -0700, erik simpson
    <eastside.erik@gmail.com> wrote:

    On 5/9/25 4:08 AM, Martin Harran wrote:
    On Mon, 28 Apr 2025 13:04:35 -0700, erik simpson
    <eastside.erik@gmail.com> wrote:

    Just out of curiosity, has anyone here seen (if you've looked) anything >>>>>>> on talk.origins. It seems to be dead.

    Has anyone contact DIG? He doesn't always pick up on a breakdown
    unless someone informs him.
    I just wrote DIG. The last thing is see in TO is a post by me about an >>>>> absurd article indicating that pine trees can predict eclipses.

    Why dismiss it as absurd out of hand? It would have been more
    convincing for you to explain why you think it is absurd.

    You seem to be particularly annoyed about them bringing QFT into it
    but trees are a lifeform just as we are and I can't see why applying
    QFT to them is any more absurd that invoking it in regard to *any*
    lifeform.

    By coincidence, I was reading this article just before I saw your
    post.:

    "Never Underestimate the Intelligence of Trees"
    https://nautil.us/never-underestimate-the-intelligence-of-trees-237595/ >>>>
    I have posted previously about the research by Suzanne Simard, the
    main focus of the article.



    Trees do indeed communicate, but this "study" has many objections. You
    need to look at the original article.
    https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/rsos.241786

    The authors wired up trees in the Italian Dolomites and measured
    something that they attributed to older trees anticipating the coming
    eclipse by several hours(!) and warning younger trees.

    A) In any gien location, eclipses are very rare.

    IOt seems far more important to me that they can be accurately
    predicted in advance, allowing controlled studies to take place.

    We can predict eclipses, I don't believe plants have that capacity.

    They obviously can't *predict* in the way we can but why is it beyond
    the bounds of possibility that they could be reacting to
    environmental changes in the lead-up to an eclipse?


    B) Eclipse durations are very short, and absolutely of no import to
    plants. (Nights are generally much darker and longer than eclipses).

    Again, I don't see the significance of that. Birds and other animals
    are known to react in various ways to solar eclipses, I don't see why
    trees should be any different.


    In other words, the trees might react as they do at night. It would
    have been an obvious thing for the investigators to have checked. It
    might be harder to detect the reactions because the eclipse only lasts a
    few minutes.

    I would regard their findings as a starting point rather than a final
    answer but you seem to be dismissing those findings out of hand.
    .



    C) The authors' gratuitously say their analysis uses methods of quantum
    field theory.

    They don't just "gratuitously say " they used it, they a detailed
    explanation of why they think it is relevant and useful. Do you
    dismiss the usefulness of QFT in researching intelligence in general
    or just in relation to plants?


    QM determines chemistry, and has been used in studying light reception
    in animal eyes and chloroplasts (molecular reactions). The authors
    weren't doing that. They were sticking detectors into the trees. >"Intelligence" would need a rigorous definition before QM could be used
    at all. Real living systems, even simple bacteria, are far beyond the >capacity of any available computation.

    That is something that is changing all the time. I haven't kept up to
    date with all that is going on in QM but I have seen several articles
    about research on its application to the study of consciousness e.g.

    https://alleninstitute.org/news/quantum-mechanics-and-the-puzzle-of-human-consciousness/



    All of the above should have triggered peer reviewers and editors of the >>> journal.

    I would like to think that peer reviewers and editors with the Royal
    Society know what they are doing.


    You have greater faith in the review process than I.

    I'm not na|>ve, I know that peer review can and does make mistakes but
    those mistakes are generally caught by other scientists. I would
    expect that to particularly be the case in regard to a prestigious
    journal like that published by the Royal Society. Are you aware of any scientists attacking this article?


    Just what the authors measured is unclear. Did they perform
    similar experiments at other times or locations? How could any of this
    be repeated or tested?

    The article only reports on their work at one location but they give
    precise details of the methods they used; why do you think anyone else
    would have trouble repeating the study at another location?


    I will eat my words if anyone else follows up.

    Whether or not anyone chooses to follow it up, do you withdraw your
    suggestion that it could not be repeated or tested?



    --- Synchronet 3.21d-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From erik simpson@eastside.erik@gmail.com to sci.bio.paleontology on Mon May 12 08:05:08 2025
    From Newsgroup: sci.bio.paleontology

    On 5/12/25 5:57 AM, Martin Harran wrote:
    On Sat, 10 May 2025 08:08:56 -0700, erik simpson
    <eastside.erik@gmail.com> wrote:

    On 5/10/25 2:01 AM, Martin Harran wrote:
    On Fri, 9 May 2025 10:52:17 -0700, erik simpson
    <eastside.erik@gmail.com> wrote:

    On 5/9/25 9:47 AM, Martin Harran wrote:
    On Fri, 9 May 2025 07:53:56 -0700, erik simpson
    <eastside.erik@gmail.com> wrote:

    On 5/9/25 4:08 AM, Martin Harran wrote:
    On Mon, 28 Apr 2025 13:04:35 -0700, erik simpson
    <eastside.erik@gmail.com> wrote:

    Just out of curiosity, has anyone here seen (if you've looked) anything
    on talk.origins. It seems to be dead.

    Has anyone contact DIG? He doesn't always pick up on a breakdown >>>>>>> unless someone informs him.
    I just wrote DIG. The last thing is see in TO is a post by me about an >>>>>> absurd article indicating that pine trees can predict eclipses.

    Why dismiss it as absurd out of hand? It would have been more
    convincing for you to explain why you think it is absurd.

    You seem to be particularly annoyed about them bringing QFT into it
    but trees are a lifeform just as we are and I can't see why applying >>>>> QFT to them is any more absurd that invoking it in regard to *any*
    lifeform.

    By coincidence, I was reading this article just before I saw your
    post.:

    "Never Underestimate the Intelligence of Trees"
    https://nautil.us/never-underestimate-the-intelligence-of-trees-237595/ >>>>>
    I have posted previously about the research by Suzanne Simard, the
    main focus of the article.



    Trees do indeed communicate, but this "study" has many objections. You >>>> need to look at the original article.
    https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/rsos.241786

    The authors wired up trees in the Italian Dolomites and measured
    something that they attributed to older trees anticipating the coming
    eclipse by several hours(!) and warning younger trees.

    A) In any gien location, eclipses are very rare.

    IOt seems far more important to me that they can be accurately
    predicted in advance, allowing controlled studies to take place.

    We can predict eclipses, I don't believe plants have that capacity.

    They obviously can't *predict* in the way we can but why is it beyond
    the bounds of possibility that they could be reacting to
    environmental changes in the lead-up to an eclipse?


    B) Eclipse durations are very short, and absolutely of no import to
    plants. (Nights are generally much darker and longer than eclipses).

    Again, I don't see the significance of that. Birds and other animals
    are known to react in various ways to solar eclipses, I don't see why
    trees should be any different.


    In other words, the trees might react as they do at night. It would
    have been an obvious thing for the investigators to have checked. It
    might be harder to detect the reactions because the eclipse only lasts a
    few minutes.

    I would regard their findings as a starting point rather than a final
    answer but you seem to be dismissing those findings out of hand.
    .



    C) The authors' gratuitously say their analysis uses methods of quantum >>>> field theory.

    They don't just "gratuitously say " they used it, they a detailed
    explanation of why they think it is relevant and useful. Do you
    dismiss the usefulness of QFT in researching intelligence in general
    or just in relation to plants?


    QM determines chemistry, and has been used in studying light reception
    in animal eyes and chloroplasts (molecular reactions). The authors
    weren't doing that. They were sticking detectors into the trees.
    "Intelligence" would need a rigorous definition before QM could be used
    at all. Real living systems, even simple bacteria, are far beyond the
    capacity of any available computation.

    That is something that is changing all the time. I haven't kept up to
    date with all that is going on in QM but I have seen several articles
    about research on its application to the study of consciousness e.g.

    https://alleninstitute.org/news/quantum-mechanics-and-the-puzzle-of-human-consciousness/



    All of the above should have triggered peer reviewers and editors of the >>>> journal.

    I would like to think that peer reviewers and editors with the Royal
    Society know what they are doing.


    You have greater faith in the review process than I.

    I'm not na|>ve, I know that peer review can and does make mistakes but
    those mistakes are generally caught by other scientists. I would
    expect that to particularly be the case in regard to a prestigious
    journal like that published by the Royal Society. Are you aware of any scientists attacking this article?


    Just what the authors measured is unclear. Did they perform
    similar experiments at other times or locations? How could any of this >>>> be repeated or tested?

    The article only reports on their work at one location but they give
    precise details of the methods they used; why do you think anyone else
    would have trouble repeating the study at another location?


    I will eat my words if anyone else follows up.

    Whether or not anyone chooses to follow it up, do you withdraw your suggestion that it could not be repeated or tested?



    I don't withdraw anything. It wouldn't surprise me if the authors
    couldn't repeat their study. I don't expect that there will be any
    attacks by reputable scientists, as most would consider it a waste of
    time. Lots of stuff gets published that doesn't get thoroughly
    reviewed because there are lots of potential reviewers who are also very busyrushing to publish themselves.
    --- Synchronet 3.21d-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Martin Harran@martinharran@gmail.com to sci.bio.paleontology on Mon May 12 16:40:51 2025
    From Newsgroup: sci.bio.paleontology

    On Mon, 12 May 2025 08:05:08 -0700, erik simpson
    <eastside.erik@gmail.com> wrote:

    On 5/12/25 5:57 AM, Martin Harran wrote:
    On Sat, 10 May 2025 08:08:56 -0700, erik simpson
    <eastside.erik@gmail.com> wrote:

    On 5/10/25 2:01 AM, Martin Harran wrote:
    On Fri, 9 May 2025 10:52:17 -0700, erik simpson
    <eastside.erik@gmail.com> wrote:

    On 5/9/25 9:47 AM, Martin Harran wrote:
    On Fri, 9 May 2025 07:53:56 -0700, erik simpson
    <eastside.erik@gmail.com> wrote:

    On 5/9/25 4:08 AM, Martin Harran wrote:
    On Mon, 28 Apr 2025 13:04:35 -0700, erik simpson
    <eastside.erik@gmail.com> wrote:

    Just out of curiosity, has anyone here seen (if you've looked) anything
    on talk.origins. It seems to be dead.

    Has anyone contact DIG? He doesn't always pick up on a breakdown >>>>>>>> unless someone informs him.
    I just wrote DIG. The last thing is see in TO is a post by me about an >>>>>>> absurd article indicating that pine trees can predict eclipses.

    Why dismiss it as absurd out of hand? It would have been more
    convincing for you to explain why you think it is absurd.

    You seem to be particularly annoyed about them bringing QFT into it >>>>>> but trees are a lifeform just as we are and I can't see why applying >>>>>> QFT to them is any more absurd that invoking it in regard to *any* >>>>>> lifeform.

    By coincidence, I was reading this article just before I saw your
    post.:

    "Never Underestimate the Intelligence of Trees"
    https://nautil.us/never-underestimate-the-intelligence-of-trees-237595/ >>>>>>
    I have posted previously about the research by Suzanne Simard, the >>>>>> main focus of the article.



    Trees do indeed communicate, but this "study" has many objections. You >>>>> need to look at the original article.
    https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/rsos.241786

    The authors wired up trees in the Italian Dolomites and measured
    something that they attributed to older trees anticipating the coming >>>>> eclipse by several hours(!) and warning younger trees.

    A) In any gien location, eclipses are very rare.

    IOt seems far more important to me that they can be accurately
    predicted in advance, allowing controlled studies to take place.

    We can predict eclipses, I don't believe plants have that capacity.

    They obviously can't *predict* in the way we can but why is it beyond
    the bounds of possibility that they could be reacting to
    environmental changes in the lead-up to an eclipse?


    B) Eclipse durations are very short, and absolutely of no import to
    plants. (Nights are generally much darker and longer than eclipses). >>>>
    Again, I don't see the significance of that. Birds and other animals
    are known to react in various ways to solar eclipses, I don't see why
    trees should be any different.


    In other words, the trees might react as they do at night. It would
    have been an obvious thing for the investigators to have checked. It
    might be harder to detect the reactions because the eclipse only lasts a >>> few minutes.

    I would regard their findings as a starting point rather than a final
    answer but you seem to be dismissing those findings out of hand.
    .r



    C) The authors' gratuitously say their analysis uses methods of quantum >>>>> field theory.

    They don't just "gratuitously say " they used it, they a detailed
    explanation of why they think it is relevant and useful. Do you
    dismiss the usefulness of QFT in researching intelligence in general
    or just in relation to plants?


    QM determines chemistry, and has been used in studying light reception
    in animal eyes and chloroplasts (molecular reactions). The authors
    weren't doing that. They were sticking detectors into the trees.
    "Intelligence" would need a rigorous definition before QM could be used
    at all. Real living systems, even simple bacteria, are far beyond the
    capacity of any available computation.

    That is something that is changing all the time. I haven't kept up to
    date with all that is going on in QM but I have seen several articles
    about research on its application to the study of consciousness e.g.

    https://alleninstitute.org/news/quantum-mechanics-and-the-puzzle-of-human-consciousness/



    All of the above should have triggered peer reviewers and editors of the >>>>> journal.

    I would like to think that peer reviewers and editors with the Royal
    Society know what they are doing.


    You have greater faith in the review process than I.

    I'm not na|>ve, I know that peer review can and does make mistakes but
    those mistakes are generally caught by other scientists. I would
    expect that to particularly be the case in regard to a prestigious
    journal like that published by the Royal Society. Are you aware of any
    scientists attacking this article?


    Just what the authors measured is unclear. Did they perform
    similar experiments at other times or locations? How could any of this >>>>> be repeated or tested?

    The article only reports on their work at one location but they give
    precise details of the methods they used; why do you think anyone else >>>> would have trouble repeating the study at another location?


    I will eat my words if anyone else follows up.

    Whether or not anyone chooses to follow it up, do you withdraw your
    suggestion that it could not be repeated or tested?



    I don't withdraw anything. It wouldn't surprise me if the authors
    couldn't repeat their study. I don't expect that there will be any
    attacks by reputable scientists, as most would consider it a waste of
    time. Lots of stuff gets published that doesn't get thoroughly
    reviewed because there are lots of potential reviewers who are also very >busyrushing to publish themselves.

    Sorry but that all sounds a bit wishy-washy to me. I get the distinct impression that for some reason, the very idea of plants and trees
    having even a primitive level of consciousness or intelligence is
    simply anathema to you.
    --- Synchronet 3.21d-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From erik simpson@eastside.erik@gmail.com to sci.bio.paleontology on Mon May 12 09:48:15 2025
    From Newsgroup: sci.bio.paleontology

    On 5/12/25 8:40 AM, Martin Harran wrote:
    On Mon, 12 May 2025 08:05:08 -0700, erik simpson
    <eastside.erik@gmail.com> wrote:

    On 5/12/25 5:57 AM, Martin Harran wrote:
    On Sat, 10 May 2025 08:08:56 -0700, erik simpson
    <eastside.erik@gmail.com> wrote:

    On 5/10/25 2:01 AM, Martin Harran wrote:
    On Fri, 9 May 2025 10:52:17 -0700, erik simpson
    <eastside.erik@gmail.com> wrote:

    On 5/9/25 9:47 AM, Martin Harran wrote:
    On Fri, 9 May 2025 07:53:56 -0700, erik simpson
    <eastside.erik@gmail.com> wrote:

    On 5/9/25 4:08 AM, Martin Harran wrote:
    On Mon, 28 Apr 2025 13:04:35 -0700, erik simpson
    <eastside.erik@gmail.com> wrote:

    Just out of curiosity, has anyone here seen (if you've looked) anything
    on talk.origins. It seems to be dead.

    Has anyone contact DIG? He doesn't always pick up on a breakdown >>>>>>>>> unless someone informs him.
    I just wrote DIG. The last thing is see in TO is a post by me about an
    absurd article indicating that pine trees can predict eclipses. >>>>>>>
    Why dismiss it as absurd out of hand? It would have been more
    convincing for you to explain why you think it is absurd.

    You seem to be particularly annoyed about them bringing QFT into it >>>>>>> but trees are a lifeform just as we are and I can't see why applying >>>>>>> QFT to them is any more absurd that invoking it in regard to *any* >>>>>>> lifeform.

    By coincidence, I was reading this article just before I saw your >>>>>>> post.:

    "Never Underestimate the Intelligence of Trees"
    https://nautil.us/never-underestimate-the-intelligence-of-trees-237595/ >>>>>>>
    I have posted previously about the research by Suzanne Simard, the >>>>>>> main focus of the article.



    Trees do indeed communicate, but this "study" has many objections. You >>>>>> need to look at the original article.
    https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/rsos.241786

    The authors wired up trees in the Italian Dolomites and measured
    something that they attributed to older trees anticipating the coming >>>>>> eclipse by several hours(!) and warning younger trees.

    A) In any gien location, eclipses are very rare.

    IOt seems far more important to me that they can be accurately
    predicted in advance, allowing controlled studies to take place.

    We can predict eclipses, I don't believe plants have that capacity.

    They obviously can't *predict* in the way we can but why is it beyond
    the bounds of possibility that they could be reacting to
    environmental changes in the lead-up to an eclipse?


    B) Eclipse durations are very short, and absolutely of no import to >>>>>> plants. (Nights are generally much darker and longer than eclipses). >>>>>
    Again, I don't see the significance of that. Birds and other animals >>>>> are known to react in various ways to solar eclipses, I don't see why >>>>> trees should be any different.


    In other words, the trees might react as they do at night. It would
    have been an obvious thing for the investigators to have checked. It
    might be harder to detect the reactions because the eclipse only lasts a >>>> few minutes.

    I would regard their findings as a starting point rather than a final
    answer but you seem to be dismissing those findings out of hand.
    .r



    C) The authors' gratuitously say their analysis uses methods of quantum >>>>>> field theory.

    They don't just "gratuitously say " they used it, they a detailed
    explanation of why they think it is relevant and useful. Do you
    dismiss the usefulness of QFT in researching intelligence in general >>>>> or just in relation to plants?


    QM determines chemistry, and has been used in studying light reception >>>> in animal eyes and chloroplasts (molecular reactions). The authors
    weren't doing that. They were sticking detectors into the trees.
    "Intelligence" would need a rigorous definition before QM could be used >>>> at all. Real living systems, even simple bacteria, are far beyond the >>>> capacity of any available computation.

    That is something that is changing all the time. I haven't kept up to
    date with all that is going on in QM but I have seen several articles
    about research on its application to the study of consciousness e.g.

    https://alleninstitute.org/news/quantum-mechanics-and-the-puzzle-of-human-consciousness/



    All of the above should have triggered peer reviewers and editors of the >>>>>> journal.

    I would like to think that peer reviewers and editors with the Royal >>>>> Society know what they are doing.


    You have greater faith in the review process than I.

    I'm not na|>ve, I know that peer review can and does make mistakes but
    those mistakes are generally caught by other scientists. I would
    expect that to particularly be the case in regard to a prestigious
    journal like that published by the Royal Society. Are you aware of any
    scientists attacking this article?


    Just what the authors measured is unclear. Did they perform
    similar experiments at other times or locations? How could any of this >>>>>> be repeated or tested?

    The article only reports on their work at one location but they give >>>>> precise details of the methods they used; why do you think anyone else >>>>> would have trouble repeating the study at another location?


    I will eat my words if anyone else follows up.

    Whether or not anyone chooses to follow it up, do you withdraw your
    suggestion that it could not be repeated or tested?



    I don't withdraw anything. It wouldn't surprise me if the authors
    couldn't repeat their study. I don't expect that there will be any
    attacks by reputable scientists, as most would consider it a waste of
    time. Lots of stuff gets published that doesn't get thoroughly
    reviewed because there are lots of potential reviewers who are also very
    busyrushing to publish themselves.

    Sorry but that all sounds a bit wishy-washy to me. I get the distinct impression that for some reason, the very idea of plants and trees
    having even a primitive level of consciousness or intelligence is
    simply anathema to you.
    Anathema is too strong. Unconvinced is more like it.
    --- Synchronet 3.21d-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From John Harshman@john.harshman@gmail.com to sci.bio.paleontology on Mon May 12 16:49:03 2025
    From Newsgroup: sci.bio.paleontology

    On 5/12/25 9:48 AM, erik simpson wrote:
    On 5/12/25 8:40 AM, Martin Harran wrote:
    On Mon, 12 May 2025 08:05:08 -0700, erik simpson
    <eastside.erik@gmail.com> wrote:

    On 5/12/25 5:57 AM, Martin Harran wrote:
    On Sat, 10 May 2025 08:08:56 -0700, erik simpson
    <eastside.erik@gmail.com> wrote:

    On 5/10/25 2:01 AM, Martin Harran wrote:
    On Fri, 9 May 2025 10:52:17 -0700, erik simpson
    <eastside.erik@gmail.com> wrote:

    On 5/9/25 9:47 AM, Martin Harran wrote:
    On Fri, 9 May 2025 07:53:56 -0700, erik simpson
    <eastside.erik@gmail.com> wrote:

    On 5/9/25 4:08 AM, Martin Harran wrote:
    On Mon, 28 Apr 2025 13:04:35 -0700, erik simpson
    <eastside.erik@gmail.com> wrote:

    Just out of curiosity, has anyone here seen (if you've
    looked) anything
    on talk.origins.-a It seems to be dead.

    Has anyone contact DIG? He doesn't always pick up on a breakdown >>>>>>>>>> unless someone informs him.
    I just wrote DIG.-a The last thing is see in TO is a post by me >>>>>>>>> about an
    absurd article indicating that pine trees can predict eclipses. >>>>>>>>
    Why dismiss it as absurd out of hand? It would have been more
    convincing for you to explain why you think it is absurd.

    You seem to be particularly annoyed about them bringing QFT into it >>>>>>>> but trees are a lifeform just as we are and I can't see why
    applying
    QFT to them is any more absurd that invoking it in regard to *any* >>>>>>>> lifeform.

    By coincidence, I was reading this article just before I saw your >>>>>>>> post.:

    "Never Underestimate the Intelligence of Trees"
    https://nautil.us/never-underestimate-the-intelligence-of-trees-237595/

    I have posted previously about the research by Suzanne Simard, the >>>>>>>> main focus of the article.



    Trees do indeed communicate, but this "study" has many
    objections. You
    need to look at the original article.
    https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/rsos.241786

    The authors wired up trees in the Italian Dolomites and measured >>>>>>> something that they attributed to older trees anticipating the
    coming
    eclipse by several hours(!) and warning younger trees.

    A) In any gien location, eclipses are very rare.

    IOt seems far more important to me that they can be accurately
    predicted in advance, allowing controlled studies to take place.

    We can predict eclipses, I don't believe plants have that capacity.

    They obviously can't *predict* in the way we can but-a why is it beyond >>>> the bounds of possibility-a that they could be reacting to
    environmental changes in the lead-up to an eclipse?


    B) Eclipse durations are very short, and absolutely of no import to >>>>>>> plants.-a (Nights are generally much darker and longer than
    eclipses).

    Again, I don't see the significance of that. Birds and other animals >>>>>> are known to react in various ways to solar eclipses, I don't see why >>>>>> trees should be any different.


    In other words, the trees might react as they do at night.-a It would >>>>> have been an obvious thing for the investigators to have checked.-a It >>>>> might be harder to detect the reactions because the eclipse only
    lasts a
    few minutes.

    I would regard their findings as a starting point rather than a final
    answer but you seem to be dismissing those findings out of hand.
    .r



    C) The authors' gratuitously say their analysis uses methods of >>>>>>> quantum
    field theory.

    They don't just "gratuitously say " they used it, they a detailed
    explanation of why they think it is relevant and useful. Do you
    dismiss the usefulness of QFT in researching intelligence in general >>>>>> or just in relation to plants?


    QM determines chemistry, and has been used in studying light reception >>>>> in animal eyes and chloroplasts (molecular reactions).-a The authors >>>>> weren't doing that.-a They were sticking detectors into the trees.
    "Intelligence" would need a rigorous definition before QM could be
    used
    at all.-a Real living systems, even simple bacteria, are far beyond the >>>>> capacity of any available computation.

    That is something that is changing all the time. I haven't kept up to
    date with all that is going on in QM but I have seen several articles
    about research on its application to the study of consciousness e.g.

    https://alleninstitute.org/news/quantum-mechanics-and-the-puzzle-of-human-consciousness/



    All of the above should have triggered peer reviewers and editors >>>>>>> of the
    journal.

    I would like to think that peer reviewers and editors with the Royal >>>>>> Society know what they are doing.


    You have greater faith in the review process than I.

    I'm not na|>ve, I know that peer review can and does make mistakes but >>>> those mistakes are generally caught by other scientists. I would
    expect that to particularly be the case in regard to a prestigious
    journal like that published by the Royal Society. Are you aware of any >>>> scientists attacking this article?


    Just what the authors measured is unclear.-a Did they perform
    similar experiments at other times or locations?-a How could any >>>>>>> of this
    be repeated or tested?

    The article only reports on their work at one location but they give >>>>>> precise details of the methods they used; why do you think anyone >>>>>> else
    would have trouble repeating the study at another location?


    I will eat my words if anyone else follows up.

    Whether or not anyone chooses to follow it up, do you withdraw your
    suggestion that it could not be repeated or tested?



    I don't withdraw anything.-a It wouldn't surprise me if the authors
    couldn't repeat their study.-a I don't expect that there will be any
    attacks by reputable scientists, as most would consider it a waste of
    time.-a Lots of stuff gets published that doesn't get thoroughly
    reviewed because there are lots of potential reviewers who are also very >>> busyrushing to publish themselves.

    Sorry but that all sounds a bit wishy-washy to me. I get the distinct
    impression that for some reason, the very idea of plants and trees
    having even a primitive level of-a consciousness or intelligence is
    simply anathema to you.
    Anathema is too strong.-a Unconvinced is more like it.

    I strongly recommend the book "Tree Thinking", which is relevant to paleontology but not to the topic here, even though it sounds as if it
    would be. Then again, the topic here is not relevant to this group,
    while "Tree Thinking" is.
    --- Synchronet 3.21d-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From erik simpson@eastside.erik@gmail.com to sci.bio.paleontology on Mon May 12 17:29:09 2025
    From Newsgroup: sci.bio.paleontology

    On 5/12/25 4:49 PM, John Harshman wrote:
    On 5/12/25 9:48 AM, erik simpson wrote:
    On 5/12/25 8:40 AM, Martin Harran wrote:
    On Mon, 12 May 2025 08:05:08 -0700, erik simpson
    <eastside.erik@gmail.com> wrote:

    On 5/12/25 5:57 AM, Martin Harran wrote:
    On Sat, 10 May 2025 08:08:56 -0700, erik simpson
    <eastside.erik@gmail.com> wrote:

    On 5/10/25 2:01 AM, Martin Harran wrote:
    On Fri, 9 May 2025 10:52:17 -0700, erik simpson
    <eastside.erik@gmail.com> wrote:

    On 5/9/25 9:47 AM, Martin Harran wrote:
    On Fri, 9 May 2025 07:53:56 -0700, erik simpson
    <eastside.erik@gmail.com> wrote:

    On 5/9/25 4:08 AM, Martin Harran wrote:
    On Mon, 28 Apr 2025 13:04:35 -0700, erik simpson
    <eastside.erik@gmail.com> wrote:

    Just out of curiosity, has anyone here seen (if you've >>>>>>>>>>>> looked) anything
    on talk.origins.-a It seems to be dead.

    Has anyone contact DIG? He doesn't always pick up on a breakdown >>>>>>>>>>> unless someone informs him.
    I just wrote DIG.-a The last thing is see in TO is a post by me >>>>>>>>>> about an
    absurd article indicating that pine trees can predict eclipses. >>>>>>>>>
    Why dismiss it as absurd out of hand? It would have been more >>>>>>>>> convincing for you to explain why you think it is absurd.

    You seem to be particularly annoyed about them bringing QFT >>>>>>>>> into it
    but trees are a lifeform just as we are and I can't see why >>>>>>>>> applying
    QFT to them is any more absurd that invoking it in regard to *any* >>>>>>>>> lifeform.

    By coincidence, I was reading this article just before I saw your >>>>>>>>> post.:

    "Never Underestimate the Intelligence of Trees"
    https://nautil.us/never-underestimate-the-intelligence-of-trees-237595/

    I have posted previously about the research by Suzanne Simard, the >>>>>>>>> main focus of the article.



    Trees do indeed communicate, but this "study" has many
    objections. You
    need to look at the original article.
    https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/rsos.241786

    The authors wired up trees in the Italian Dolomites and measured >>>>>>>> something that they attributed to older trees anticipating the >>>>>>>> coming
    eclipse by several hours(!) and warning younger trees.

    A) In any gien location, eclipses are very rare.

    IOt seems far more important to me that they can be accurately
    predicted in advance, allowing controlled studies to take place. >>>>>>>
    We can predict eclipses, I don't believe plants have that capacity. >>>>>
    They obviously can't *predict* in the way we can but-a why is it beyond >>>>> the bounds of possibility-a that they could be reacting to
    environmental changes in the lead-up to an eclipse?


    B) Eclipse durations are very short, and absolutely of no import to >>>>>>>> plants.-a (Nights are generally much darker and longer than
    eclipses).

    Again, I don't see the significance of that. Birds and other animals >>>>>>> are known to react in various ways to solar eclipses, I don't see >>>>>>> why
    trees should be any different.


    In other words, the trees might react as they do at night.-a It would >>>>>> have been an obvious thing for the investigators to have checked.-a It >>>>>> might be harder to detect the reactions because the eclipse only
    lasts a
    few minutes.

    I would regard their findings as a starting point rather than a final >>>>> answer but you seem to be dismissing those findings out of hand.
    .r



    C) The authors' gratuitously say their analysis uses methods of >>>>>>>> quantum
    field theory.

    They don't just "gratuitously say " they used it, they a detailed >>>>>>> explanation of why they think it is relevant and useful. Do you
    dismiss the usefulness of QFT in researching intelligence in general >>>>>>> or just in relation to plants?


    QM determines chemistry, and has been used in studying light
    reception
    in animal eyes and chloroplasts (molecular reactions).-a The authors >>>>>> weren't doing that.-a They were sticking detectors into the trees. >>>>>> "Intelligence" would need a rigorous definition before QM could be >>>>>> used
    at all.-a Real living systems, even simple bacteria, are far beyond >>>>>> the
    capacity of any available computation.

    That is something that is changing all the time. I haven't kept up to >>>>> date with all that is going on in QM but I have seen several articles >>>>> about research on its application to the study of consciousness e.g. >>>>>
    https://alleninstitute.org/news/quantum-mechanics-and-the-puzzle-of-human-consciousness/



    All of the above should have triggered peer reviewers and
    editors of the
    journal.

    I would like to think that peer reviewers and editors with the Royal >>>>>>> Society know what they are doing.


    You have greater faith in the review process than I.

    I'm not na|>ve, I know that peer review can and does make mistakes but >>>>> those mistakes are generally caught by other scientists. I would
    expect that to particularly be the case in regard to a prestigious
    journal like that published by the Royal Society. Are you aware of any >>>>> scientists attacking this article?


    Just what the authors measured is unclear.-a Did they perform
    similar experiments at other times or locations?-a How could any >>>>>>>> of this
    be repeated or tested?

    The article only reports on their work at one location but they give >>>>>>> precise details of the methods they used; why do you think anyone >>>>>>> else
    would have trouble repeating the study at another location?


    I will eat my words if anyone else follows up.

    Whether or not anyone chooses to follow it up, do you withdraw your
    suggestion that it could not be repeated or tested?



    I don't withdraw anything.-a It wouldn't surprise me if the authors
    couldn't repeat their study.-a I don't expect that there will be any
    attacks by reputable scientists, as most would consider it a waste of
    time.-a Lots of stuff gets published that doesn't get thoroughly
    reviewed because there are lots of potential reviewers who are also
    very
    busyrushing to publish themselves.

    Sorry but that all sounds a bit wishy-washy to me. I get the distinct
    impression that for some reason, the very idea of plants and trees
    having even a primitive level of-a consciousness or intelligence is
    simply anathema to you.
    Anathema is too strong.-a Unconvinced is more like it.

    I strongly recommend the book "Tree Thinking", which is relevant to paleontology but not to the topic here, even though it sounds as if it
    would be. Then again, the topic here is not relevant to this group,
    while "Tree Thinking" is.
    Amen. "Tree Thinking" clarified my own understanding of phylogenetic
    trees and the vocabulary that goes with them.
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  • From jillery@69jpil69@gmail.com to sci.bio.paleontology on Tue May 13 05:38:57 2025
    From Newsgroup: sci.bio.paleontology

    On Mon, 12 May 2025 16:40:51 +0100, Martin Harran
    <martinharran@gmail.com> wrote:
    On Mon, 12 May 2025 08:05:08 -0700, erik simpson
    <eastside.erik@gmail.com> wrote:

    On 5/12/25 5:57 AM, Martin Harran wrote:
    On Sat, 10 May 2025 08:08:56 -0700, erik simpson
    <eastside.erik@gmail.com> wrote:

    On 5/10/25 2:01 AM, Martin Harran wrote:
    On Fri, 9 May 2025 10:52:17 -0700, erik simpson
    <eastside.erik@gmail.com> wrote:

    On 5/9/25 9:47 AM, Martin Harran wrote:
    On Fri, 9 May 2025 07:53:56 -0700, erik simpson
    <eastside.erik@gmail.com> wrote:

    On 5/9/25 4:08 AM, Martin Harran wrote:
    On Mon, 28 Apr 2025 13:04:35 -0700, erik simpson
    <eastside.erik@gmail.com> wrote:

    Just out of curiosity, has anyone here seen (if you've looked) anything
    on talk.origins. It seems to be dead.

    Has anyone contact DIG? He doesn't always pick up on a breakdown >>>>>>>>> unless someone informs him.
    I just wrote DIG. The last thing is see in TO is a post by me about an
    absurd article indicating that pine trees can predict eclipses. >>>>>>>
    Why dismiss it as absurd out of hand? It would have been more
    convincing for you to explain why you think it is absurd.

    You seem to be particularly annoyed about them bringing QFT into it >>>>>>> but trees are a lifeform just as we are and I can't see why applying >>>>>>> QFT to them is any more absurd that invoking it in regard to *any* >>>>>>> lifeform.

    By coincidence, I was reading this article just before I saw your >>>>>>> post.:

    "Never Underestimate the Intelligence of Trees"
    https://nautil.us/never-underestimate-the-intelligence-of-trees-237595/ >>>>>>>
    I have posted previously about the research by Suzanne Simard, the >>>>>>> main focus of the article.



    Trees do indeed communicate, but this "study" has many objections. You >>>>>> need to look at the original article.
    https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/rsos.241786

    The authors wired up trees in the Italian Dolomites and measured
    something that they attributed to older trees anticipating the coming >>>>>> eclipse by several hours(!) and warning younger trees.

    A) In any gien location, eclipses are very rare.

    IOt seems far more important to me that they can be accurately
    predicted in advance, allowing controlled studies to take place.

    We can predict eclipses, I don't believe plants have that capacity.

    They obviously can't *predict* in the way we can but why is it beyond
    the bounds of possibility that they could be reacting to
    environmental changes in the lead-up to an eclipse?
    Consider the *likelihood* that the experiment itself is reacting to environmental changes in the lead-up to an eclipse.
    B) Eclipse durations are very short, and absolutely of no import to >>>>>> plants. (Nights are generally much darker and longer than eclipses). >>>>>
    Again, I don't see the significance of that. Birds and other animals >>>>> are known to react in various ways to solar eclipses, I don't see why >>>>> trees should be any different.


    In other words, the trees might react as they do at night. It would
    have been an obvious thing for the investigators to have checked. It
    might be harder to detect the reactions because the eclipse only lasts a >>>> few minutes.

    I would regard their findings as a starting point rather than a final
    answer but you seem to be dismissing those findings out of hand.
    .r



    C) The authors' gratuitously say their analysis uses methods of quantum >>>>>> field theory.

    They don't just "gratuitously say " they used it, they a detailed
    explanation of why they think it is relevant and useful. Do you
    dismiss the usefulness of QFT in researching intelligence in general >>>>> or just in relation to plants?


    QM determines chemistry, and has been used in studying light reception >>>> in animal eyes and chloroplasts (molecular reactions). The authors
    weren't doing that. They were sticking detectors into the trees.
    "Intelligence" would need a rigorous definition before QM could be used >>>> at all. Real living systems, even simple bacteria, are far beyond the >>>> capacity of any available computation.

    That is something that is changing all the time. I haven't kept up to
    date with all that is going on in QM but I have seen several articles
    about research on its application to the study of consciousness e.g.

    https://alleninstitute.org/news/quantum-mechanics-and-the-puzzle-of-human-consciousness/



    All of the above should have triggered peer reviewers and editors of the >>>>>> journal.

    I would like to think that peer reviewers and editors with the Royal >>>>> Society know what they are doing.


    You have greater faith in the review process than I.

    I'm not na|>ve, I know that peer review can and does make mistakes but
    those mistakes are generally caught by other scientists. I would
    expect that to particularly be the case in regard to a prestigious
    journal like that published by the Royal Society. Are you aware of any
    scientists attacking this article?


    Just what the authors measured is unclear. Did they perform
    similar experiments at other times or locations? How could any of this >>>>>> be repeated or tested?

    The article only reports on their work at one location but they give >>>>> precise details of the methods they used; why do you think anyone else >>>>> would have trouble repeating the study at another location?


    I will eat my words if anyone else follows up.

    Whether or not anyone chooses to follow it up, do you withdraw your
    suggestion that it could not be repeated or tested?



    I don't withdraw anything. It wouldn't surprise me if the authors >>couldn't repeat their study. I don't expect that there will be any >>attacks by reputable scientists, as most would consider it a waste of >>time. Lots of stuff gets published that doesn't get thoroughly
    reviewed because there are lots of potential reviewers who are also very >>busyrushing to publish themselves.

    Sorry but that all sounds a bit wishy-washy to me. I get the distinct >impression that for some reason, the very idea of plants and trees
    having even a primitive level of consciousness or intelligence is
    simply anathema to you.
    IOW when Eric recognizes that the data don't support the authors'
    conclusions, it must be because he rejects your presumptions. No
    surprise there.
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