Genetic Dark Matter, Return of the Goddess, and the Post-Science Era

16 October 2016

 - In the post-Genomic, post-Science era, a revolution is afoot, but it will be felt first before it is fully known by the intellect.

“One could not pluck a flower without troubling a star.” -  Francis Thompson  

A new study published in Medical Hypothesis suggests, among other things, the existence of a plausible molecular mechanism to account for a hitherto inexplicable aspect of the so-called Gaia hypothesis; a theory which proposes that the Earth is self-regulating and controlled by the community of living organisms.

The study identifies transcribable elements within the so-called “dark matter” of the genome (the about 98.5% of the genome that does not code for proteins) known as non-coding RNAs. One kind of non-coding RNA identified in the study known as microRNA is believed capable of acting as a master regulator of gene expression across kingdoms.

If MicroRNAs indeed function as cross-kingdom master regulators of the divers members of the biosphere, every living thing is therefore inseparably connected via interpenetrating webs of genetic and epigenetic relationships. This perspective radically diverges from classical evolutionary theory where organisms are viewed externally related to one another, with self-preservation and survival — not co-operation — as primary instinct.