Lynn Margulis introduces Jenny Stricker as “my brilliant former student, Harvard grad, got her master's with me”. After seeing the electron micrograph below and knowing Professor Margulis’s long battle to have her ideas accepted, Ms. Stricker wrote:
From: Jenny Stricker
Date: April 5, 2009 10:40:43 AM EDT
To: Lynn Margulis
Subject: Re: and this
Oh my gosh, Lynn. Oh my gosh. I have tingles on my skin. What is this spirochete? Where did you get this? I mean, I can't even know what to say. You must be ecstatic. Oh my gosh. I can't stop smiling...
How long did you have to hang on?...And now, there they are, clear as day...What a woman you are! Oh Lynn, this is so exciting! I want to know more! Bless your heart.
I feel like the fact that can see your perseverance is almost more of a gift to me than the fact I can see those attachment sites. It's your perseverance that makes me really smile. And the sweet reward... Ok, I know I'm not being much of a scientist by jumping to such conclusions. But damn it, there are so few rewards for believing in yourself, and fighting for what you know is right and true. It's the gift of your life. So few people could possibly see what you've really given in order to hang on... Oh my gosh Lynn. This does me good :-)
Now, your advice to me was 'do it now.' Bless your heart :-) I might even have to start crying. Ok, first things first. Today, I'm going to print me out some nice big copies of these beauties and hang them on my wall. Just to remind me.
Thank you so much!
Jenny
Lynn Margulis fan mail
Dear Dr. Margulis -
Consider this a fan letter as I want to thank you for your interesting talk last evening at the Fish&Wildlife building. It was the first time I had heard of Symbiosis [I'm not a scientist - I'm an artist who is a bad speller.] The entire concept is so much more pleasing to the soul than 'Survival of the Fittest' which always grated on my nerves. And, in the scheme of things, visually and conceptually, it fits the pattern of evolving life so beautifully!
I came expecting to hear about the DNA progress on Neanderthal but instead was enlightened even more so. There are, however, two points which I may enlighten you on a bit. New England winters are indeed very beautiful and desirous. One only has to snow shoe to the deep woods and listen quietly to the wind as it blows through the tops of the trees in the forest to know that we are all part of something which is more than the sum of all it's parts. It is communication of another sort.
The second point would be the importance of language as a 'giant step forward' of the human species. Language is simply a means of communication, and, if I might add, rather an inefficient means at that. Even our beautiful Canadian Geese have been identified as having twelve distinct calls which communicate different meanings. Human babies too young to have developed language skills still have little problem communicating to their mothers. Instinct is more valuable than language as a communication tool.
Needless to say, what I am thanking you for is invigorating my mind with concepts which induce interesting and thought provoking ideas. And I apologize for using so many words to say 'thanks!' Please don't just talk to scientists...keep going out and grabbing those 'Intelligent Design' people by the ear and give them a good thrashing! Better yet, give them a good idea which they can live with comfortably, such as symbiosis.
Thank you again -
Jule Dupre
Bark of a 400 year old black gum, the oldest tree in Harvard Forest, Petersham, MA
Stand of red pine in Harvard Forest, one of the favorite sites for field trips.
Dear Lynn Margulis,
I am reading your books and it brings the open ends together. Even science makes real sense again. Your work infuses a new inspiration to the challenge of living for me!
Greetings, a great hug,
And thanks,
Best regards,
Kai Vogt Westling
Sweden
Autumn leaves in New England
Updated 11/30/2011