Saturday, August 14, 2021
Good question.
A good question seen on Quora:
Can our immune system kill insects?
Obvious answer: No.
But when you step back and ask why not, the question gets more interesting.
Plants have an immune system that does repel and kill insects, in complex and effective ways. When an insect starts chewing on a leaf, the plant sends toxins through its circulatory system to repel the bug. And then the plant tells its neighbors to start fighting this type of insect. The signal goes through stolons or through fungal 'wires' or through the air, depending on how the plant is connected up.
Why do animals lack a similar ability?
I can only think of one reason, which is unsatisfying.
Mammals and birds can shake off an insect, or knock it off with a leg or tail or beak. But this doesn’t seem nearly as effective as the plant method.
Labels: asked and worth asking again, Grand Blueprint
¶ 10:32 PM
