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On Sat, 5/10/14, Knapp <xxxxxx@gmail.com> wrote:

 Subject: Re: [TML]ChemistryQuestion
 To: xxxxxx@simplelists.com
 Date: Saturday, May 10, 2014, 2:13 PM

 On Sat, May 10, 2014 at
 10:45 AM, Rob O'Connor <xxxxxx@ozemail.com.au>
 wrote:

 Tim
 Little wrote:

 Knapp wrote:

 > I always wonder just how diverse humans would be after
 a dark night of say 1000 years.

 I agree with Bruce Johnson - without intervention 1000 years
 isn't long enough. 50-60 human generations with
 pessimistic mutation rates far in excess of the ~70 per
 generation average[1] won't cut it.

 With regard to the beginning of this thread - the only way I
 can reconcile the concept of a carbon-silicone biochemical
 transition is something like this:

 Some rare worlds have two biochemistries develop in
 parallel, rather than one type filling all available niches
 early in a world's history.

 So the silicone-based life interacts sporadically with the
 carbon-based stuff e.g. silicone stuff is based underground,
 and quakes or volcanism allow contact with surface or ocean
 dwelling carbon-based life.

 The real evolutionary action is evident at the level of
 micro-organisms - both in diversity and speed.

 Multicellular life forms either develop symbiotic
 relationships, or die off from crippling autoimmune
 complications as a host tries to eject an intruder...

 Rob O'Connor

 [1]http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22345605
 Not to sure if Rob or Tim wrote
 this.
 How many generations did it take to turn a wolf into a
 chiwawa? 
 --
 Douglas E Knapp

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Or into a Vargr?  ;-)