crown@dukempd.UUCP (Rick Crownover) (05/24/88)
Is there any reason (I might suggest genetic diversity) why higher organisms could not reproduce by fission? In a novel by Heinlein, "Double Star," he depicts martians as a plant like race (but sentient) which reproduce this way. My question is: could it work? Aloha, Rick -- Rick Crownover 1-919-684-8279 Duke University Dept. of Physics crown@dukempd.uucp Durham, N.C. 27706 mcnc!duke!dukempd!crown
ayermish@athena.mit.edu (Aimee Yermish) (05/25/88)
Probably, the reason higher organisms don't reproduce by fission is because they need to do a lot of growth and differentiation, mainly the latter, I'd guess. Some multicellular animals do reproduce by budding (things like hydras and such), but they aren't as complex as what you are terming "higher animals." Once you get to things like earthworms, they are capable of regenerating lost bits (which can sometimes result in two worms when you cut one in half carefully), but that's not a mechanism of reproduction from the worm's "point of view." Anything much higher than that, there's just too much that has to be done to make a whole new creature, and the early stages are probably very vulnerable. --Aimee (opinions are mine alone)
roy@phri.UUCP (Roy Smith) (05/25/88)
ayermish@athena.mit.edu (Aimee Yermish) writes: > Anything much higher than that, there's just too much that has to be > done to make a whole new creature I believe it is possible to reproduce an entire human being given only his nose to start from. Reference: %A Woody Allen %T Sleeper %D Early 1970's ? -- Roy Smith, System Administrator Public Health Research Institute 455 First Avenue, New York, NY 10016 {allegra,philabs,cmcl2,rutgers}!phri!roy -or- phri!roy@uunet.uu.net
ayermish@athena.mit.edu (Aimee Yermish) (05/27/88)
(chuckle) My point was that cloning is not a means the organism will choose for reproduction (yes, I know you were being silly). --Aimee