Death trap

[Tim Vaughan]

This plant is Nepenthes albomarginata



The trap is a modified leaf, bigger view of a related plant is here

http://www.pbase.com/beekeeper/image/22104228

where you can see the trap is at the end of the leaf.

In the first species, the white substance at the top of the trap is very tasty to termites. The termites eat this hair, which grows back, and a certain percentage of termites fall inside, and are overcome with a viscous fluid which contains chemicals to stupify the termites, and other cells which digest them. This plant specifically lures, traps and eats certain species of termites.

Now explain that in terms of evolution.

[Evangelist]

Now explain that in terms of evolution.

Well, it's really very simple. You see, at some point in time (several billion years ago) a termite was eating a tree branch that just happened to be located directly over this plants leaf (it didn't have a trap at that time), and the termite ate too much and fell off into the leaf. The plant decided it liked the taste of the termite, and genetically modified itself (information assimilation) to make a more potent viscous liquid for faster stupefication. A little later (a couple million years, give or take), it figured out that some of the termites were getting out, so it again made full use of the information assimilation/gain factor and developed a hinged trap for itself.  After going hungry a few times because it mistakenly planted itself where there were no trees for termites to fall out of, it determined that the best way to forego any form of deprivation was to emulate a substance that was tasty to the termites (the plant was also alliterative), thus the formation of the hairy white rim.

I would guess that the next step in the process will be for the finger looking doobies just below the hairy white tasty substance to become longer and prehensile, allowing the plant to catch all termites instead of relying upon the clumsiness of the intended victim.

Whadaya think?

[Tim Vaughan]

I think your explaination makes more sense than the drivil I heard in high school biology.

[Evangelist]

And has just about the same degree of probability!

[Symphony]

Niiiiiiice work.

But an evolutionist would still see no problem; evolution is all statistical estimation.  They would see no problem, given enough time, on the probability of anything happening, including evolving of a natural predator, for the termite, like yours there in the picture.

It's wholesale cynicism, is all it is.

Like Satan coming before God with the Sons of God, there
in the first chpt of Job, 'skin for skin', declares Satan, the wholesale cynic that he is.

It's just belief, the bottom line, regardless of what evidence is being shown, including yours above.

A recent donation of $100,000 to the Salvation Army was refused b/c it was lottery winnings.  So see, you KNOW the S.A. could use the money; but they refused it.  So see, it wasn't about the money, in the first place; it's what you believe about the money.

So one farmer would look at his crops, and say, 'thank you' Jesus for an abundant harvest; the cynic will look at his same abundant harvest and say, 'gee, I hope this happens again next year.'  

[Kalthzar]

Problem one in this case

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i think