Scientists: Ocean sponge bests man-made fiber optics

CNN ^ | Sunday, August 24, 2003 Posted: 8:50 PM EDT (0050 GMT) | (AP)

[frithguild]

AP) -- Scientists say they have identified an ocean sponge living in the darkness of the deep sea that grows thin glass fibers capable of transmitting light better than industrial fiber optic cables used for telecommunication.

The natural glass fibers also are much more flexible than manufactured fiber optic cable that can crack if bent too far.

[frithguild]

Maybe I should short fiberoptical suppliers

[TexasRepublic]

And I suppose this marvel of nature is an accident of evolution. </sarcasm>

[RightWhale]

The glass fibers form a crown at its base

The crown is usually found at the top not the base. This would be a pedestal.

[BubbaBasher]

[Centurion2000]

bump .... who'd have thought. Animals capable of spinning glass :)

[Junior]

Ping.

[LiteKeeper]

SPOTREP

[AdamSelene235]

Maybe I should short fiberoptical suppliers

Somehow I doubt its absorbtion is as low as optical fiber, good fiber is much clearer than air.

[Bear_in_RoseBear]

strange science ping.

[JudgemAll]

If life's such a lottery ... who sets the rules ... who doubles when a loss occurs despite a good wager? Where does the insistance, endurence, resilience and belief like asphalt cracking tenacity of plants come from?

I am sorry to say that many nice things so called evolution gets rid of to its own detriment. It is not merely a question of probability of hit, but also a probability of making any substantial return on the hit compared to energy spent. Many "facts" of "evolution" are simply thermodynamicaly impossible.

Millions in advertisements will be poured to make this superior product endure over common fiber optics..... hardly a win for "natural" "evolution".

[kidd]

Advanced telecommunications capabilities and superior absorbancy all in one.

[lelio]

does a bird violate the laws of gravity

Last I checked pengiuns don't fly and they are birds. Answer that one Mr Smarty Pants! / sarcasm

[PatrickHenry]

PING. [This ping list is for the evolution side of evolution threads, and sometimes for other science topics. FReepmail me to be added or dropped.]

[RightWhale]

Evolution no more violates any laws of thermodynamics

The equations balance, but evolution does indeed contravene the spirit of the second law of thermo. Entropy is reduced. There aren't many things in nature that do that.

[Dimensio]

The equations balance, but evolution does indeed contravene the spirit of the second law of thermo.

I would think that the "spirit", if any, of the Second Law of Thermodynamics is that entropy always increases in a completely closed system. Evolution wouldn't seem to contravene that any more than an ice maker.

[Right Wing Professor]

Entropy is reduced. There aren't many things in nature that do that.

You mean, like rain condensing from water vapor, salt crystallizing from solution, a lake freezing in the winter...? :-)

[Junior]

Advanced telecommunications capabilities and superior absorbancy all in one.

Or maybe diapers that flash when they need changing ...

[RightWhale]

like rain condensing from water vapor, salt crystallizing from solution, a lake freezing in the winter

Then water evaporates again, salt dissolves again, lakes thaw again, all temporary, reversible states resulting from conditions. Evolution seems to stay evolved, and continues to evolve further. Devolution is not common, although there are examples of partial [and probably temporary] devolution: NASA, Hillary, France.