Evolution Books Reviews!

A couple nice reviews of new evolution science books over at Evolution Blog (a favorite source of chess news as well)!

Neanderthals ~ a life not unlike our own, explored

There has been a great deal of news about Neanderthals over the past few weeks. Firstly, I noticed a few articles on the Neanderthal diet and then it was the imagination inspiring National Geographic's special the Neanderthal Code that intrigued me. So, with interest and imagination bursting from the seams of my consciousness, I started dreaming. Dreaming of a day in which I could have said, Hi- to my fellow man... A day in which our people would not be able to boisterously exude superiority over all other life, as someone could have argued their case. I can feel the reality of a day when a fellow 'success of evolution' shared my path and was possibly so close an evolutionary cousin that we could have bred. It is so stimulating to read about Neanderthal's and their affiliation or integration with Homo sapiens. With each new discovery, more questions are raised. Thankfully, others are just as passionate and the information is beginning to flow. The Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology and 454 Life Sciences are the facilitators of the Neanderthal Gene sequencing project. ; Through the discovery of a rarely well preserved femur bone that was luckily full of wonderfully dense Neanderthal DNA, we may soon have more answers than we were looking for…

RNA ~ post grew from 'A Simpler Origin for Life' (Scientific American; Feb. 12th, 2007)

I started my exploration tonight on something I had heard a few weeks back about the origin of life and how prior to DNA / RNA world of today, that life was likely all RNA based. Additionally, there are theories into a more simplistic age in which life was based on something that was neither RNA nor DNA; but, that is for another post…

When I think about DNA (Deoxyribonucleic Acid); what comes to mind is programming. That DNA is like the playwright of life. The intricacies of ourselves that these DNA programs control, not only outline what we are, but also explain how we are. We start out in life, depending on how you look at it, as two pieces; one peace being the Ovum (ironically the largest cell in the human body)the other being the Sperm. Each providing data, pre-programming and the materials necessary to begin the production; together they complement and initiate the replicable genetic programming that is necessary to make a new human.

What makes a Human - Human? (Philosophical)

What makes a human, human?

A human is what? Well, humans are mammals, or more specifically a bipedal primate species called Homo sapiens. We have a large brain cavity and an intellectual ability that allows us to reason abstractly, communicate in complex manners and to learn and expand on knowledge progressively (primarily through the communication of learnt or discovered information.) Humans are also emotional, creative, and singularly talented. As group behavioral aspects go; we are by far the most cooperative creature in known existence, at least in regards to information. We operate in societal structures with powerful factors such as religious collective belief and instruction; government influenced behavioral guidelines and rules, learned morals and mannerisms to dictate social behavior and regulated perceptions. This combination of forces influencing humans’ communication and coexistence is a powerful contributor to our progression. If we cared little to share or corroborate; growth in collective knowledge and discovery would be far more difficult. Our mind has not changed in size since the first known modern human (est. 200,000 yrs ago.) We had the same brain mass, but much less knowledge. Hence the benefit of information sharing… Without information already discovered – to learn, we would appear to be much less intelligent. But, we aren’t (at least compared to our earthly counterparts.) Many other species on earth show signs of intelligence. Some other animals show learned behaviors, teaching and problem solving. So, if animals have a mind capable (even minimally) of the analytical capability to problem solve (as dolphins and chimpanzees have shown) they do not lack in the intellectual ability department. As my theory goes… The ingredient lacking is the sharing of information. Many animals communicate; but can any share learned information? If so, even minimally, I would argue that it is not the mind that differentiates humans from other animals.

If it is not the mind then, is it the body?

As this article about chimps barter ability.
Or this article on a court proceeding regarding classifying another primate as human for the purpose of taking caretaking custody shows, no.

KAS

Macaque Monkey, killed for suburban convenience??

in this article about killing Macaque monkeys for infringing upon our domestic comforts, I saw another unfortunate example of the restriction of another life forms, for our self centered gain. (And the monkey was or is...) As a distant cousin (approximated at branching 25 million years ago - what was Lucy... 2.5 million and the Taung child around 7 million?) far closer in genetic relation, then the feline I coddle on a daily basis. The Macaque Monkey is noted as the most widespread strain of primate (other than ourselves, of course,) am I really reading of extermination or 'culling' for the purpose of such convenience. Ughh… Then of course, testing comes into mind; a subject I attempt to regularly exercise ignorance about – as it obviously infuriates my sensitivities (as a life form and all.) So, I read and read... and find this article about a famous infantile Macaque Monkey saved from testing named Britches. Something along the lines of testing for the progression of the lives of blind humans. Oh dear...

Photon Transfer by Cells used to exchange information?

While perusing what new listings have come out in PLoS ONE, I came across a few understandable gems. The most intriguing being "Cellular Communication through Light" that is, Photon transfer by cells which contain information for communication. What form is the information in, how does it get in transport and how it it received (physically and interpretively) I wonder?

Another article of interest is "A Novel Method for Detection of Phosphorylation in Single Cells by Surface Enhanced Raman Scattering (SERS) using Composite Organic-Inorganic Nanoparticles (COINs)" A newly progressed technology allowing for more precise detection of a cell's components with the use of (my favorite) nano technology.

They say "it's all in the blood"... in this article on The European Dynastys' blood line and the proposed results of a such an exclusive blood line having vastly consisted of inter-breeding is discussed in "The Role of Inbreeding in the Extinction of a European Royal Dynasty"

KAS

Deep-Sea Fish Seeing Red – And Other Colors Too

In a fascinating discovery made by a multi-national research team, it seems that elephent Sharks are able to see in color. That's right. Elephant sharks can see color in the deep sea the way we see it at sea level. It is one of the most broad color vision spectra ever discovered. This discovery could have some very interesting implications as research continues as well.

According to an article in Science Daily, the elephant shark, an ancient deep-sea fish, can see color in much the same way as a human being can. The discovery was published in the March 2009 issue of Genome Research and could be used to better understand the idea of color vision evolution in ancient vertebrates over the last half millennium. These “ancient vertebrates” include human beings and their early ancestors.

Genetic map of human migration

In this Scientific American article, the wonderful expansion of genetic utility comes into play, by mapping the progression of human migration. This is fascinating, take the following expert;

“Then, in 1987, Rebecca L. Cann and Allan C. Wilson of the University of California, Berkeley, published a groundbreaking paper based on analyzing the DNA of mitochondria, the cell’s energy-producing organelles, which are passed down through the maternal line. They reported that humans from different populations all descended from a single female in Africa who lived about 200,000 years ago—a finding that immediately made headlines trumpeting the discovery of the “Mitochondrial Eve.” (Despite the Biblical allusion, this Eve was not the first woman: her lineage, though, is all that has survived.)” ~Scientific American, July 08 issue, pg 58

This only begins the material discussed. The article includes both the analytical study of mitochondrial DNA (maternal decent) as well as the less familiar traceability of the Y chromosome, which is passed on paternally to only male children. It also discusses some amazing information about different theory’s including one of Neandertal (or, Neanderthal) and Homo sapiens partaking in inter species breeding.

KAS

Extinction, Madagascar and the intriguing Fossa

The Fossa, a unique type of species, is one of a number of subspecies that only exist in Madagascar.

G. sphaerica ~ A single celled, mobile, blast from the precambrian past

G. sphaerica

Single celled organism discovered as not only a rare specimen at 1.2 inches; but, also a cause of a particular trail fossil type from the Precambrian period that was thought to have been caused by multi-celled organisms.

This exciting discovery opens a door into the past that questions our understanding of these types of fossils (trails, movement fossils) and also brings to light the fact that the G. sphaerica could be the eldest single-celled organism, which is still prospering and alive today, to ever be discovered.

The issue lies in the misinterpretation that the 'trace fossils' dating to around 580 million years ago were presumed to have been left by multi-cellular organisms. This discovery proves that single celled organisms can also leave trails; leaving many a fossil open for reanalyzing.

KAS