Human Variation and Race Post

1. Early hominins who migrated out of Africa and into Asia and Europe were tasked with facing extremely cold temperatures, and cloudy skies.  In comparison it was a large drop in temperature in both summer and winter time.  This meant that winters offered fewer hours of sunlight, in addition to the animal skins and other thick clothing they wore.  This also decreased their exposure to sunlight which meant a severe lack of Vitamin D.  This concept is known as the Vitamin D Hypothesis. 


2. 

The short term adaption to this problem was the bodies natural response when body temperature drops, shivering.  The shivering is really the body heating up the body by using it's muscles in order to fight off the cold weather.

The facilitative adaptation to this problem was vasoconstriction.  Vasoconstriction is "the narrowing of blood vessels in the human body." When blood vessels constrict, the flow of blood is obstructed and slowed, this traps the heat inside our bodies longer than usual.  I do not believe this can be used as a long term factor to survive in the cold but it does temporarily protect humans from losing radiating their body heat too quickly.

The developmental adaptation to the extremely cold weather was to change their diet.  Typically, humans that lived in colder parts of the world were noted to consume fatter foods which resulted in a endomorphic body shape, more round and shorter. 

The cultural adaption to the dramatically cold weather was the use of thicker clothing.  In addition, creating artificial heat sources like starting a fire or using a heating device are used to fight the low temperatures.  Drinking alcohol is also a common practice to raise body heat. 

3.  The benefits of studying human variation shows us that different environmental stresses have provoked different responses from humans.  Knowing that the human body is capable of adapting in many forms is useful and helpful.  Perhaps if somebody wanted to move into a cold area they can now understand the measures the body will use to help circulate comfortably. 

4.  The word "race" is misused and misunderstood throughout the world.

  However, I would use the word strictly to acknowledge the environmental stresses that each population hails from.  This shows the scenarios and different challenges and changes the body has gone through in order to survive under such conditions. 

Communication seen through Different Lens

Like playing a game of charades, using the body to communicate to my partner was undoubtedly troubling.  Feeling foolish and useless with symbolic language, this assignment proved every difficult because any message I attempted to convey was misinterpreted.  It is astonishing noting the changes in my partner as he tried to communicate back to me.  First, trying to speak at louder volumes, as if that would somehow change my message, then speaking very slowly with the same hopes.  Soon the conversational questions were changed to simply "Yes and No" questions that I could answer easily.  Should my partner and I represent different cultures, his culture was easily holding an advantage because their ability to express themselves over a longer distance would be more effective.  If an entire culture was created based on exclusion of symbolic language, expressing and conveying messages would be no issue.  It's long distance and group communication that would be hindered and ineffective without using vocal or written means of communication.  I'd imagine that should these two groups collide, they would think poorly of each other and uphold their means of communication as the superior.  The speaking culture would most likely speak slower and louder to stress their points, to no success.  Since I travel to Mexico 3 times a year with my church, and I speak little to no Spanish, the hand gestures and slow speaking are my means of communication.  Too different languages with no connections rely heavily on using the body to express yourself.

Speaking was no problem for me, this second portion of the experiment actually favored my type of voice and tone.  Their initial reaction was simply to listen, but soon they realized I was keeping my hands still, not using my usual hand gestures and tone change to emphasize my points.  I believe that our culture, especially socially has embedded the combination of both forms of communication.  Seldom do people talk without using their hands, at this point it simply feels natural.  The ability to explain ourselves through formal language is very powerful and advantageous because if both sides understand the language,  there will be no misunderstandings.  The ability to read body language seems to be vital in understanding emotion within another being.  Claiming they are comfortable in a chair while constantly readjusting themselves in the chair is a good example of the usefulness of reading body language.  Two ways to confirm somebody's thoughts is very powerful.  The only time that inability to read body language would be helpful is if one is scared of Mimes, you would not be able to read their movements and therefore have nothing to be scared about!

The Piltdown Hoax

During the year 1912, in England, a  man named Charles Dawson claimed to have found a fragment of an ancient human skull and jawbone.  Supposed found when digging through a gravel pit, Dawson called fellow researchers Arthur Smith Woodward and Pierre Teilhard de Chardin up to Piltdown.  They were geologists and a French paleontologists respectively, the supposed discovery drew major attention because it marked the first ancient human remains found in England.  For many decades, this had fooled the scientific community into believing that this was indeed the remains of human ancestors.  However, extensive studying and chemical testing would prove that these were illegitimate and were merely presented to appear millions of years old.  By submerging the bones with certain chemical compounds, they were given the appearance to be ancient fossil remains.  The skull was tested to be the skull of a human from around the medieval period.  The jawbone were from an orangutan around 500 years old.  It unraveled quickly and the world realized it was a hoax.
Quite simply, nobody would step out and admit to the fault.  Despite being completely exposed, the three scientists remained quiet about the hoax.

The idea of prestige and pride clearly blinded Dawson, assuming Dawson is indeed the culprit.  Scientists want to make important discoveries, and more importantly, they want the credit and a place in history.  Humans are naturally greedy, because being greedy means surviving and therefore reproducing.  It is easy to see why somebody would try to make a illegitimate claim to a discovery assuming it was not exposed.

The modernization of technology and sciences helped expose this.  The advance of microscopes and their magnification strength as well as chemical testing helped reveal the true identity of the fragments.

In order to remove the "human" factor in science, you would have to essentially remove the human.  It is natural for humans to want attention, recognition, and to be greedy.  Also, the human factor drives the competitiveness of science and the will to discover more and learn more about life and the universe.  I would not want to remove the human factor because although it might create scandals and hoaxes, the same human factor drives others to test, examine, and even reexamine each claim and case.

People should not always believe what they see, or what they hear.  Unless supported by a credible source, tested, and confirmed to be true, anything can be proven otherwise.  There is a reason the scientific method was adopted.  You must take caution on what to believe because it can very easily be proven misinformation, as was the Piltdown Hoax.

The Piltdown Hoax

During 1912, an Englishman named Charles Dawson claimed to have uncovered ancient human remains in Piltdown.  Immediately, he called fellow scientists, Arthur Smith Woodward and  Pierre Teilhard de Chardin.  Woodward as a geologist, while Chardin was a French paleontologist.  They together said to have found more remains, they consisted of a ancient skull fragment, jawbone, and teeth.  After receiving credit for the discovery of human ancestors for over 40 years, they were finally exposed via chemical testing and microscopic testing. 

The entire world was shocked to hear, while some scientists were ashamed.  The three scientists however, remained quiet in the midst of the exposure.  The skull was chemically tested to be a mere few hundred years old and to be carved by knife to capture a human-like shape.  The jawbone was found to be the jawbone not of an ancient human, but of an orangutan.  The teeth were tested as well and belonged to a chimpanzee.  All three of the supposed ancient fossils were chemically rendered to appear millions of years old. 

Greed is a natural part of humans, because greed often leads to survival.  Assuming Dawson was responsible for the hoax, it was because he sought credit and recognition for an important discovery.  Credit and attention are two things many scientists seek in order to feel empowered.  Clearly, bias and selfishness can obstruct any form of craft because it ignores the evidence.

The modernization of technology is responsible for exposing the hoax.  Stronger microscopes were used to identify the carve marks on the bones to show that they were artificially presented to appear human.   Additionally, chemical testing was used to show that all the bones were not nearly as old as Dawson had claimed. 

The Human Factor is not always negative when it comes to science.  Although it is true that the Human Factor can encourage more hoaxes like this, it also drives the competitive nature in the craft.  Wanting more credit, trying to make the important discovery, and wanting to feel empowered all drive the sciences.  Also, this will drive people to test and reexamine discoveries more fully.  I would not take away the Human Factor because the drive the be the best is part of what makes humans so unique. 

A lesson to take away from this example is the be cautious in what you believe.  We may not be able to test some theories and claims first hand, but finding trusted sources and their support can lead to safer decisions.  Seeing how the world was fooled by the Piltdown Hoax for over 40 years shows how easily people can be fooled.

Homoogy and Analogy Post

Examples of Homologous and Analogous Traits

1.  A. Starting with a leg of a dog and pectoral fins of a dolphin, both are used very similarly.  They both propel the animals forward, and are both constructed of bones.  A dog’s leg provides it the ability to both jump and move them forward.  Much like the human skeletal structure, dogs also have the large thigh bone femur which links to the fibula and tibia.  A dolphin on the other hand uses it’s tail and fin to swim while providing directional control.  The dolphins pectoral fins, like a dog’s leg are connected by a series of bones.

B.   However, the traits both animals possess are distinctly different.  The dog can use this limb to jump, leap, run, and walk while the dolphin is limited to using the fin to guide itself and swim by pushing water back.  Clearly, the traits must be different due to their environments.  The swimming back and forth motion a dolphin is limited to would be nearly useless for the dog, who lives on land.  Meanwhile, the ability to push off the ground with little surface area would prove meaningless for a dolphin, which requires fins, that can push back large portions of water which pushes them forward.

C.  Possible ancestors to both the dolphin and a dog may have been mammals that lived on land with a branch of the species hunting for food in water while another needed faster legs with jumping capability.  The need to move quickly in order to feed is a clear similarity the ancestor, dog, and dolphin all share.

Aren't I Cute?

Hello, I am the Evil Dolphin

2. A + B. Dragonflies and vultures both have sets of wings.  However, dragonflies and vultures have wing structures completely independent from each other and operate differently.  The dragonfly have incredibly powerful wings allowing them to reach speeds up to a record 60 miles per hour.  Meanwhile, the vulture has large boned wings which are used to help control it’s altitude.  Dragonfly use their wings are their only means of transportation because despite having 6 legs, they can only use their legs to land and crawl at very slow speed.  The vulture uses it’s wings to fly high and scavenge for food, fly in circles around a potential meal, and stabilize itself when landing.  The wings of both the dragonfly and vulture are both used to fly, showing that the general purpose of the trait was similar.  The two sets of wings were developed over long periods of time to help fulfill their needs.  

C.  Although all life share 1 common ancestor, the trait seems to have been adapted due to environmental stress.  The dragonfly for example, does have 6 legs, it is likely the dragonfly used the legs as primary means of travel before it had wings.  

Protein Synthesis

                                


                            CTGATACTATAAGCATAACGGCCCAACCTGCATCGTCC

• Thomas Malthus was a great positive influence to Charles Darwin, who read the works of Malthus.  Malthus argued that people had to control the amount of children they had in order to prevent starvation from devastating the human race.  In other words, should the human species continue the trend of bearing multiple children, the Earth will eventually and inevitably be depleted of resources.  Malthus believed that availability of resources determined the population in a given area. 

• Thomas Malthus understood that reproduction was natural.  However, Malthus influenced Darwin by explaining that because the Earth has limited resources.  Ultimately, the harsh environment due to lack of resource would limit the population.  People who had better access to natural resources were more likely to reproduce, and succeed  Malthus warned the people that overpopulation would result in famine, outbreak of disease, and even war.  

•  Charles Darwin's were heavily altered because he read and accepted Malthus' works. At first, Darwin believed that species naturally reproduced until the population was steady.  Malthus explained that species simply keep reproducing, with many dying in the process.  In addition, should a species overpopulate, it could jeopardize the entire population due to lack of resources.  In conclusion, Darwin could not have published his works with the level of accuracy science demands without Malthus.

•  Charles Darwin was fiercely opposed to the existence of God and the concept of the Earth as God's creation.  Due to the clergy attacking Darwin and his ideas during his early life, Darwin rejected the idea of a higher entity and incorporates his personal bias when publishing his work.  The churches across the entire world opposed Darwin's famous book On the Origins of Species. During the time it was seen as blasphemous and a direct attack at the church. 

 http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/evolution/library/02/5/l_025_01.html