Sunday, December 07, 2008

An organic internet

On the Earth, evolution by natural selection has only evolved animals which communicate over distance by sound waves, and by light in-between the infrared and ultraviolet parts of the electromagnetic spectrum.

Is it possible, however, for a species to evolve organic radio/microwave-length transmitters and receivers, with which they can mutually communicate? In other words, is it possible for biological organisms to evolve transmitters and receivers as organs, or parts of organs? In effect, could a species evolve the organic equivalent of bluetooth connectivity between each other?

The energy requirements for such a communication system would be biologically onerous, but could a species not evolve its own rechargeable biochemical batteries, to supply the necessary energy?

Furthermore, if such a communication system could evolve by natural selection, and if an intelligent species on some planet were to evolve such a communication system, could an organic internet, a type of collective intelligence, not evolve on some planet?

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Guess one, I think the universe is teaming with life (relatively speaking)

Guess two, I don't think we will ever come across any.

Thus, we will never know and wifi is better than Bluetooth anyway.

Gordon McCabe said...

Is wifi capable of being peer-to-peer?

Anonymous said...

seems so, but it looks a bit messy.

http://forums.wi-fiplanet.com/showthread.php?t=6242

but then again, I a man have nipples, so mother nature is messy too :0)