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I’ve been making it a point to read a bit of The Body Electric by Robert O. Becker every night. I'll try to share bits every night that I find interesting...
I just finished a section on Lazzaro Spallanzani and his discovery of the salamander’s ability to regenerate. It completely shook modern biology at the time - what was once “common sense” in science was ripped apart and replaced with a more deliberate, structured way of understanding life. Kind of like what #bitcoin is doing to how we think about value, time, and energy.
One question he posed still resonates today:
“Is it to be hoped that {higher animals} may acquire {the same power} by some useful dispositions? And should the flattering expectation of obtaining this advantage for ourselves be considered entirely as chimerical?”
It makes me respect the salamander more than ever. This strange, brilliant creature was the spark that forced science to rethink what was possible.
In honor of the salamander.