[ExI] Life began with a planetary mega-organism?

[Mike Dougherty]

2011/11/28 Dan <dan_ust at yahoo.com>:
> http://www.newscientist.com/article/mg21228404.300-life-began-with-a-planetary-megaorganism.html
>
> Someone sent this to the Lem list. Naturally, I was wondering why no one
> here picked up on it... Or did I miss the post?
>
> Anyhow, I think they're taking this too far, but it might be a useful idea
> to stimulate further thought and speculation.

"New and useful molecules would have been passed from cell to cell
without competition, and eventually gone global"

Sounds to me like the genes-memes-temes progression doesn't start far
enough back.  Maybe the point is that it's cyclical.  The Internet
today is the "Luca" of tomorrow's digital life?  Remember when a few
comments on 4chan could spark a storm of popular culture that lasted
for 3 planetary revolutions at a time?  "Good times."  :)