HOX genes

Alright so on the post describing that stem cell research is an application of genetic research someone outside of the class commented. Now what stirred my mind was not the contents of the post, but the name they used 'Apoptosis Detection.'

Apoptosis is controlled cell death seen in old aging cells and in embryonic development(specifically the separation of the fingers). When I remembered that I realized that I know enough about the HOX genes that I could give a small description of embryonic development.

The HOX genes control what grows where in a developing embryo. Basically that means that they chose what cells become the head, the arms, the legs, the digestive tract, etc.

These genes have been looked at in fruit flies. Wherein if the HOX genes are manipulated correctly then the resulting fly can have instead of two antennae it will have two more legs where the antennae should be.

With the knowledge of how complex the HOX are it seems improbable that if someone falls into a vat of radioactive material that they'll come out with extra limbs.

Now something that genetic research has provided to advance our knowledge in science. In 1996, researchers sequenced the genome of the microorganism Methanococcus jannaschii. This sequence confirmed the existence of a third main branch of life on earth, Archea, and when we made this realization the species classification changed from the five kingdom system to the three domain system.

Space travel creatures

 Alright here's a post about an awesome little series from discovery channel. The series follows a proposed scientific venture to Darwin IV and focuses on the robots that conduct the researching of this far away planet.

the theorized creatures are all amazing in how they interact
first there are the tree predators that look interesting and glide like a flying squirrel

second there are the water walkers that walk across the thick liquid of the planet eating parts of the liquid with the mouths on their feet

next we have the huge behemoths that absorb their nutrients through their contact with the ground and release any extra nutrients to the plants growing off their backs

and next we have the floating beings that can recognize patterns but destroy the probes because they feel threatened by the video recorders that the probes release

and lastly we have what I feel to be the most awesome of the creatures the flying predator that has an interesting feeding strategy that requires impaling it's prey and lifting it high into the air and dropping it down for it's partner to catch the meal and repeating the process until the two are full

there are others in the videos but they are not as notable

it is amazing that the same molecules that make up our DNA could also have created these creatures

I recommend that you take some time and watch some of the series for yourself.

these videos are just small clips from the series
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7KXfBMOdP-w&feature=related
this video shows the concept art of the creatures

the next three were all created by one user but they each show different pieces of the show.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ZeYYyotOTk&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ZeYYyotOTk&feature=related
at 2:10 watch the feeding strategy of the flying creatures

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cjqmxTlhzTE&feature=related

Please discuss your views of these creatures and how you would feel if some of these were actual animals here on earth.

and as a last piece of info is it possible to go faster than the speed of light
http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/09/22/us-science-light-idUSTRE78L4FH20110922