Is an Intelligent Designer Necessary?

Another interesting aspect of iron is that it is used within molecules for metabolism. Ferredoxin is one such protein. It seems to me that there is a population flux due to a change in nutrients. That is, some of the phytoplankton are able to reproduce faster because of extra iron in the water. I fail to see where Gaia falls into this phenomena.Also, ferredoxin can be found in bacteria as well. I just happened to study Clostridium perfringens for a bit (cause of gas gangrene) and these bacteria use ferredoxin (protein with a four iron four sulfur center) to transfer charge from fermentation reactions, much like NAD and NADP are used in human metabolism. So, what is seen with shifts in phytoplankton populations due to iron increases is probably similar to an algal bloom from an inrush of nutrients. I really can't see where metereological sorting comes into play here.[This message has been edited by Loudmouth, 12-08-2003]

You seem to be jumping to the assumption that there are enough nucleotides in the clouds to have the effect you want. How much nucleotide content do you need for your theory to work? Picomolar, nanomolar, what? As soon as you get this figured out, then you need to create a methodology to measure the nucleotides (gas chromatograph, HPLC, whatever) with the sensitivity you need. When you have this worked out, you should get a hold of these guys:---------------
Measurements of the concentration and composition of nuclei for cirrus formation.DeMott PJ, Cziczo DJ, Prenni AJ, Murphy DM, Kreidenweis SM, Thomson DS, Borys R, Rogers DC.*Department of Atmospheric Science, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523; ()Aeronomy Laboratory, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Boulder, CO 80305; ()Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO 80309; ( paragraph sign )Storm Peak Laboratory, Desert Research Institute, P.O. Box 770799, Steamboat Springs, CO 80477.This article addresses the need for new data on indirect effects of natural and anthropogenic aerosol particles on atmospheric ice clouds. Simultaneous measurements of the concentration and composition of tropospheric aerosol particles capable of initiating ice in cold (cirrus) clouds are reported. Measurements support that cirrus formation occurs both by heterogeneous nucleation by insoluble particles and homogeneous (spontaneous) freezing of particles containing solutions. Heterogeneous ice nuclei concentrations in the cirrus regime depend on temperature, relative humidity, and the concentrations and physical and chemical properties of aerosol particles. The cirrus-active concentrations of heterogeneous nuclei measured in November over the western U.S. were <0.03 cm(-3). Considering previous modeling studies, this result suggests a predominant potential impact of these nuclei on cirrus formed by slow, large-scale lifting or small cooling rates, including subvisual cirrus. The most common heterogeneous ice nuclei were identified as relatively pure mineral dusts and metallic particles, some of which may have origin through anthropogenic processes. Homogeneous freezing of large numbers of particles was detected above a critical relative humidity along with a simultaneous transition in nuclei composition toward that of the sulfate-dominated total aerosol population. The temperature and humidity conditions of the homogeneous nucleation transition were reasonably consistent with expectations based on previous theoretical and laboratory studies but were highly variable. The strong presence of certain organic pollutants was particularly noted to be associated with impedance of homogeneous freezing.PMID: 14657330 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]
----------------They might have extra samples laying around that they would give you for free. Either that, or they may set aside a few samples the next time they collect cirrus particles.My opinion: you have interesting ideas (I'm just focusing on one for the moment) but you still need to collect data before you can state anything even close to a strong hypothesis. I think the means are there for you to first prove that there are nucleotides in cirrus clouds, but everything before that is pure conjecture.

I guess I will try again. What is the nucleotide content necessary in a particle of ice to allow sorting due to differences in electrical potential? Is the nucleotide content in ice crystals high enough for sorting to occur?Two simple questions that need to be answered before your hypothesis can become theory. Talking about hurricanes does nothing to indicate nucleotide content in clouds. So, for the first question I need a range of numbers and for the second question I need an yes/no. That simple.

They form bands because there is nothing other than the elctrical forces and mass of the DNA to form these bands (DNA does not sort by charge, charge is constant but mass is variable). What I am trying to say is this, if a rock was comprised of 30% adenosine lets say, and you applied a current from the left of the rock to the right of the rock, would the rock move? No, because it has to overcome other forces that are stronger than the electrical charge. So, what does the nucleotide concentration of an ice particle have to be (mg nucleotide/mg total weight of the ice particle) in order for the ice crystals to sort in the presence of overriding mechanical convection currents?

This is exactly what I am talking about, dust has a negative charge but the overriding effect is convection currents. Why don't we sorting of dust particles? Because of the overriding and overpowering convection currents compared to a distant and weak ionosphere. I hope you aren't saying that because DNA is in the shape of a double helix that it spins like a corkscrew as it goes through the air. If you think this than I might lose all hope.Without quoting anymore material, handedness does not affect charge or mass so sorting into left and right handedness would not occur if these two criteria were being selected for. You still haven't shown me how much charge via nucleotide within an ice particle or raindrop it takes to overcome the convection. My opinion is that the electrical charge in an ice crystal or raindrop to be influenced by the ionosphere. Even if a nucleotide is present as a free molecule, mass would not sort it (same charge to mass ration no matter the length of any DNA strand, hence the ability to sort in gels by mass because of the physical resistance to large molecules in the gel). Handedness would not sort out, same charge and mass. Single nucleotides or DNA strands would move completely to one charge or another, not intermediately, without sorting according to mass, which won't occur in air. Sorry, not buying it. Simply asserting that it does happen doesn't sell me. I could say that if I rub my hair it will get an overall negative charge, rip out of my head, and leap up into the ionosphere. If I keep repeating that, it doesn't make it true. Oh, and the hair will sort out by color and curliness, just for fun.

Oh please, capacitors can be used for DC and AC. Haven't you ever taken one of the lead off of your car battery and accidently touched another part of the car? Guess what you get, a spark from a capacitor system. Your car is DC, in case you didn't know. They die because they no longer have warm, wet air. It is moisture and differences in barometric pressure that drive these storms. Sorry, still not buying electrically driven storms when rising warm wet air can easily explain it. Thunderstorms here in the western US always occur in the late evening during the summer about an hour before sundown. Why is that you ask? Because the moisture accumulated in the air during the hot day goes from vapor to water as the temperature cools down. Differences in moisture and temperature cause instability and hence strong convection currents. The only electrical currents involved are those that are created by ice crystals as they bang against each other in the already formed thunderhead.