From: Peter de Blanc (peter.deblanc@verizon.net)
Date: Thu Aug 25 2005 - 11:28:13 MDT
On Thu, 2005-08-25 at 08:57 -0700, Phil Goetz wrote:
> Evolution doesn't construct machines that operate at < 1% of the
> efficiency possible with the given materials. Photosynthesis is
That depends on what level of organization you're looking at. If
photosynthesis is 12% efficient, and herbivores are 10% efficient at
converting this energy into fat (after deducting energy spent foraging),
and carnivores are also 10% efficient, then the product is only 0.12%
efficient (sorry, I made these numbers up).
The human brain has many levels of organization, and efficiencies
multiply, so I find it very unlikely that the efficiency of the entire
system is anywhere close to 1%. Unfortunately I can't be much more
specific than that, but maybe somebody else can.
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