Swatting Darwins insects.

A common argument among atheists is why did God create insects. Now we know why.

A new study published in the journal Nature Ecology and Evolution has found that bacteria are vital for the diversity and survival of insects. The study, which was conducted by researchers at Lund University in Sweden, found that bacteria provide insects with essential nutrients that they cannot get from their diet alone. This has allowed insects to access a wide variety of food sources and has led to the diversification of insect species.

The study's lead author, Charlie Cornwallis, said that the findings "completely change our understanding of the role of bacteria in insect {Lamarckian} evolution." He added that "bacteria are not just passengers along for the ride, they are essential partners that have enabled insects to thrive."

The study's findings have important implications for the conservation of insects. As Cornwallis noted, "if we want to protect insects, we need to protect their bacterial partners." This means taking steps to reduce pollution and habitat destruction, which can harm both insects and their bacterial symbionts.

The study also has implications for human health. As Cornwallis pointed out, "many insects are important pollinators and pest controllers, so their decline could have a serious impact on our food supply." He added that "by understanding the role of bacteria in insect health, we may be able to develop new ways to protect insects and boost their populations."

The study's findings are a reminder of the importance of {Gods} bacteria in the natural world. Bacteria are not just tiny, invisible creatures that cause disease. They are also essential partners for many other organisms, including insects. By understanding the role of bacteria in insect diversity and survival, we can better protect these important creatures and the ecosystems they support.

Insects share our microbiome via non-Darwinian horizontal gene transfer (hgt) and transposable elements (TEs).

  • Horizontal gene transfer is the transfer of genetic material from one organism to another, not through traditional reproduction. This can happen through a variety of mechanisms, such as the transfer of plasmids, viruses, or even whole chromosomes.

  • Transposable elements are pieces of DNA that can move around within a genome. They can be inserted into genes, causing mutations, or they can move between genomes, transferring genes from one organism to another.

Both hgt and TEs can play a role in the spread of microbes between insects and humans. For example, a study published in 2018 found that the gut microbiota of the American cockroach (Periplaneta americana) was closely related to the gut microbiota of humans. The researchers found that the cockroaches had acquired many of the same microbes as humans through hgt and TEs.

The transfer of microbes between insects and humans can have a number of implications for both health and evolution. For example, it has been suggested that the spread of antibiotic-resistant bacteria from insects to humans may be a factor in the growing problem of antibiotic resistance. Additionally, the transfer of beneficial microbes from insects to humans could potentially be used to improve human health.

Insect microbiome along with hgt and TEs can give the signatures of common ancestry where it's not. This is because these mechanisms can transfer genetic material between organisms that are not closely related. As a result, the microbiome of an insect may contain microbes that are also found in humans, even if the insect and human lineages have not shared a common ancestor for millions of years.

Life is best represented by a "Bush of Life" due to HGT

This can be a problem for scientists who are trying to use the microbiome to infer Darwinian evolutionary relationships. 

For example, a study published in 2016 found that the microbiome of the fruit fly (Drosophila melanogaster) was more similar to the microbiome of the human gut than it was to the microbiome of other insects. This suggests that the fruit fly may have acquired some of its gut microbes from humans, rather than from its insect ancestors.

The problem of false positives of common ancestry is one of the challenges that scientists face when using the microbiome to infer evolutionary relationships.

As scientists develop new methods to analyze the microbiome, they will be able to use this data to better understand the Lamarckian evolution of life on Earth. The microbiome is a vast and complex system, and it is only beginning to be explored. However, the data that is being generated is already providing scientists with new insights into the evolution of life.



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