Wisdom Builder
Wisdom Mix
Topic:
Fungi
Timeless ideas at the intersections of science, philosophy, critical thinking, and history.
~
7 minutes
MODE:
Fungi: Timeless ideas at the intersections of science, philosophy, critical thinking, and history.
Between ancient wisdom and tomorrow’s light, we walk the path of truth, testing our ideas against reality.
Wisdom Mix.
Here are 5 random key ideas and takeaways.
Idea 1.
From History: ~600 Million years ago (+/- 20 million).
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About 600 million years ago, chytrids live in moist and watery environments. They are living fossils in the sense they reproduce with sperm-like cells that can swim to a new area.
Subject: Fungi Evolution.
By 600 million years ago, chytrids live in moist and watery environments. They are living fossils in the sense they reproduce with sperm-like cells that can swim to a new area. This lineage is the only fungi survivor of the original true posterior flagellum fungi-animal ancestors.
Idea 2.
From History: ~1.3 Billion Years Ago (+/- 100 million).
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About 1.3 billion years ago, our animal-fungi ancestor stopped using two pulling flagella and narrowed it down to a single motor.
Subject: Animal-Fungi Evolution.
By 1.3 billion years ago, our animal-fungi ancestor, the Unikonts, stopped using two pulling flagella and narrowed it down to one. This single motor will evolve over the next 100 million years or so into a true Posterior Flagellum. The distinquishing cell trait that some mushrooms and humans share today.
Idea 3.
From History: ~425 Million years ago (+/- 25 million).
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About 425 million years ago, modern fungi morphology emerges. Modern fungi are built on one ancient division.
Subject: Fungal Evolution.
By 425 million years ago, fungi split into ascomycota and basidiomycota. Ascomycota gave rise to yeasts, truffles, and many molds. Basidiomycota gave rise mushrooms, puffballs, and bracket fungi.
Idea 4.
From History: 3.73 Billion Years Ago (after LUCA).
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Prokaryotes are nucleus-free cells that include both bacteria and archaea — the two lineages that split shortly after LUCA.
Subject: Evolution.
“Prokaryote” is a structural description, not a single evolutionary branch. After LUCA, life divided into bacteria and archaea, and these prokaryotic lineages dominated Earth for billions of years before complex eukaryotic life emerged.
Idea 5.
From History: ~1.9 Billion years ago (+/- 100 million).
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About 2 billion years ago, bacteria are added to cells and that group leads to eukaryotes. You are a walking chimera ecosystem made of an Archaea host and trillions of Bacterial power-plants.
Subject: Evolution.
By 2.4 billion years ago, bacteria are added to cells and within the archaea group and eukaryotes emerge. You are a walking ecosystem. A Chimera, a hybrid creature made of an Archaea host and trillions of Bacterial power-plants. Without that theft 2 billion years ago for the massive energy boost needed for muscle and brains, life would likely still be just a thin layer of slime on the ocean floor.