[seqfan] Re: Chemistry sequence

[Jonathan Post]

Dark Bands in the Human Spectrum
by
Jonathan Vos Post
Computer Futures, Inc.
jvospost2 at yahoo.com
draft 4.0 of 19 Feb 2007, 47 pp.,
expands 1.0 of 1 Feb, 2.0 of 2 Feb 2007, 3.0 of 18 Feb 2007, 35 pp.,

ABSTRACT:

As a demonstration of the limits of Reductionism in attempting to
understand a system of particular Complexity, a new kind of mass
spectrum of the human body is exhibited. The numerical data answers
the question: for what natural numbers (i.e. positive integers) is
there no ion or molecule found in significant quantities in a human
being, which has that number as the average atomic or molecular
weight, rounded down?

In summary, the integers representing mass gaps(<500) in the human
spectrum include:
2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 12, 13, 14, 15, 19, 20, 21, 24, 25, 36,
37, 40, 41, 42, 49, 52, 53, 56, 64, 66, 69, 70, 82, 91, 95, 98, 99,
107, 199, 225, 233, 235, 269, 271, 279, 319, 327, 333, 341, 349, 355,
361, 365, 367, 371, 373, 375, 377, 391, 393, 394, 397, 401, 407, 409,
415, 417, 418, 421, 423, 431, 435, 437, 444, 448, 451, 453, 455, 460,
468, 469, 471, 475, 477, 480, 484, 485, 487, 492, 493, 495, 497, 498.

The source of the data is identified, an Open Source known as the
Human Metabolome Data Base. The methodology of data extraction,
preparation, and presentation is described.  Apparent patterns are
noted, and hypotheses put forward. Informal comments of a critical
nature, by colleagues, are presented....

What is the human body made of? An odd way to answer this is with the
inverse question: What is the human body NOT made of? I can give an
answer in the following sense: for what natural numbers (i.e. positive
integers) is there no ion or molecule found in significant quantities
in a human being, which has that number as the average atomic or
molecular weight, rounded down?

Humans have lots of water, and thus lots of hydrogen atoms and
hydrogen ions, both of whose molecular weights (1.00783) round down to
the integer 1.  Heavy water (deuterium oxide) has already been figured
in by our using an average molecular weight, which this considers both
protium (hydrogen with no neutron) and deuterium (hydrogen with a
neutron, molecular weight averaged down to 2). There is not going to
be a measurable amount of radioactive tritium (hydrogen with two
neutrons) whose atomic weight rounds down to 3.

The human body has essentially no helium (atomic weight rounded down
to 3 for the rare light isotope, rounded down to 4 for the common
isotope). The human body, assuming this is not a person taking lithium
as treatment for depression, has nothing of molecular weight 5, 6, or
7.  Beryllium is rare, and a poison. So there is a gap in the average
molecular weight mass spectrum of a human which is covered by the
integers 2 through 10. There should be no atomic carbon in a human
body, not counting gunshot residue or charcoal from grilling or
sketching, hence no 12 or 13. Carbon is in humans, but bound up in
organic molecules.

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