There is no scientific reason to think that we, even with space travel, are going to survive as a species for ever, certainly not by biting off the hand that feeds us, which is exactly what we are doing.
Lynn MargulisRead
I was taught over and over again that the accumulation of random mutations led to evolutionary change - led to new species. I believed it until I looked for evidence.
Interpretation
The quote reflects skepticism about widely accepted scientific theories based on personal research and evidence.
Lynn Margulis expresses a critical perspective on evolutionary theory, emphasizing that belief in the accumulation of random mutations leading to new species must be supported by evidence. Her statement highlights the importance of inquiry and evidence in understanding scientific concepts, suggesting that blind acceptance of theories without investigation can lead to misconceptions.
In practice
In a discussion about the validity of evolutionary theories at a science conference.
There is no scientific reason to think that we, even with space travel, are going to survive as a species for ever, certainly not by biting off the hand that feeds us, which is exactly what we are doing.
Despite our very recent appearance on the planet, humanity combines arrogance with increasing material demands, even as we become more numerous. Our toughness is a delusion. Have we the intelligence and discipline to vigilantly guard against our tendency to grow without limit?
NASA has spin-offs, and it's a huge and very impressive list, including accurate and affordable LASIK eye surgery.
Well, biology today as I see it has an amiable look - quite different from the 19th-century view that the whole arrangement of nature is hostile, 'red in tooth and claw.' That came about because people misread Darwin's 'survival of the fittest.'
Other intelligent life-forms will differ greatly in appearance - they may resemble the creature in E.T. or startle us with their beauty - but life itself is common, I'm certain.
It turned out that the buckyball, the soccer ball, was something of a Rosetta stone of an infinite new class of molecules.
People credit me for making the universe interesting when in fact the universe is inherently interesting, and I'm merely revealing that fact. I don't think I'm anything special for this to happen.
The real accomplishment of modern science and technology consists in taking ordinary men, informing them narrowly and deeply and then, through appropriate organization, arranging to have their knowledge combined with that of other specialized but equally ordinary men. This dispenses with the need for genius. The resulting performance, though less inspiring, is far more predictable.
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