"The body's natural defenses..."

Dear Rabbitears,

I am wondering...

We may tend to think "natural defenses," full stop...and forget that all of those developed over time...long, long times.


In fact, some believe that we, ourselves, are descendants of one unusual woman, 'Lucy', born in Africa years ago.

Their theory goes that she was a 'sport', genetically different than her tribe and ancestors...able to 'defend' herself and her descendants against more difficulties than anyone who had come before.

(I believe that one difficulty was cold.)

The theory goes on to suggest that Lucy's descendants spread further North, over generations, and eventually replaced those with genes not resistant to the damages of cold.

(I am relying on my memory of the article I read many years ago.)


Another article, or film, discussed the apparent 'thousand year' cycle of elephants who rely upon the acacia tree for food.

Elephants will come into a plain where acacia trees are plentiful (not quite a 'forest' as we understand the term), and, within the elephants' usual migration patterns, will eat their fill of the trees.

Eventually the elephants will knock over the trees, to get the topmost leaves.

Meanwhile, dung beetles will roll balls of elephant dung, containing expelled, undigested, acacia seeds, into their burrows to feed their young.

Dung beetle young do not eat acacia seeds, therefore, the seeds are effectively 'planted'.

When the acacia trees are decimated on that plain, the elephants move to another area where acacia trees are full-grown...allowing the 'planted' trees to flourish once more.


Another story about elephants which have been hunted for their ivory is that the males, who don't mate until they are 40 years old, are now mating at 30...and with females beyond their usual breeding age...to preserve the species.


What other cycles and capabilities are at work in this world?

I can't help but think that even we are 'changing', adapting, to fit at least some of the 'conditions' we are encountering.

"The body's natural defenses" may be far more than we know, I think.


Fledgling Tweet