Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with evolution

I'm not educated but I'm not slow.

bonobothegreat — Tue, 15 Dec 2009 16:26:58 -0800

I'd like to watch a good educational film about the development of early man. I ask because I was trying to watch a documentary on PBS last night (tracing genetic markers that track human migrations over the last 50,000 years) and I had to turn it off because It spent so much time repeating the same snippet of information over and over. Like a lot of science shows, it stretched the info so thinly over it's running time, covering the same ground so many times that I ended up shouting at the set. So I'd like to avoid this kind of show and also the sort that plays the same 10 seconds of awkward 3D animation over and over.

My science education is limited (art school diploma) but since I was little, I've been fascinated by anything to do with the early evolution of mankind. Are there any entertaining video documentaries on this subject that might be on a first year college course level? Recommendations of any particularly good, comprehensive books would be welcome as well.

It's fun when they are fetching, and agree to see an etching, that you keep at your lily pad...

Jon_Evil — Fri, 11 Dec 2009 23:48:40 -0800

What happens to slimy amphibians during a drought? Do they shrivel up and die? After an extremely long drought in my aunt's area (northern CA), there was an enormous rainfall, enough to fill a few inches up of her pond that had been dried out all summer. Within three days (probably less), she could hear the calls of the Pacific Tree Frog, and found plenty of them in her pond and its surrounding environs.

Where did they come from? Where did they go? If they actually did leave for somewhere else, how did they know how to come back?

Symmetry yrtemmyS

ecorrocio — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 12:25:33 -0800

Evolutionary Biology Filter: Why are we symmetrical? IANAEB, so just wondering why seemingly almost all creatures on earth are generally symmetrical. Two sides - left / right - two arms, two feelers, 3 sets of two legs (insects), two eyes, two flippers etc. I'm sure there are exceptions (plants certainly), but what is it in our collective DNA that precludes three legged, three eyed, one-sided, 7 armed creatures?

the ---- effect

moorooka — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 01:45:30 -0800

What is the name of the effect, in evolutionary biology, whereby acquired behavioral characteristics that lead to reproductive fitness can result in the selection of predispositions toward acquiring these characteristics? I remember learning about it but I forgot the name. It sounds a bit Lamarckian but it's not.

So now I'm a hottie?

teg4rvn — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 08:51:43 -0800

Why does it seem like men are more desirable when attached (married or taken), particularly when you are with that person? (expl. inside) If there's one thing that AMF has taught/reinforced to me is how differently women and men differ in their perceptions. I've always chatted with guy friends about this phenomenon and always wondered how a large cross-section of women think, about this:

When I was single and with a girlfriend, other women seemed drawn to me. I could tell they were interested in me, and not in just a hey, he's a nice guy sort of way. (Of course, I may have been reading into this, but for arguments sake, let's say that people can sometimes accurately surmise that the opposite sex is into them). But, even when taken, when I was out alone or with other guys, girls were, well, not so smitten. Same thing as a married man. (Huge caveat, I'm not out flirting with women as a married man...heck, come to think of it, I didn't do that either when attached and unmarried)

Other men have reported the same to me, mostly recollecting from their single days, when they too had the ultimate paradox:

"Why is it that I attract more women when I have one, but when I'm completely single, it's like I'm invisible?"

Ladies (and, I guess, other men):

1) Does one exude a different vibe when attached?
2) Is it simply a case of, "Well she's with him...that's worth something"
3) Is there something of a more core evolutionary competitive drive being elicited?
4) other?

FWIW, as a man, there is nothing about seeing a woman with a man that makes her more or less attractive. Ditto, for the solo woman.

What's not working yet in the Theory of Natural Selection?

dpcoffin — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 17:13:53 -0800

When current/recent SCIENCE challenges Darwin, what does it say? I'm a layman interested to hear what not-Creationist, not-ID, not-paranormal challengers (or boundary-pushers) to natural selection might be exploring these days, explained for general readers… "13 Things that Don't Make Sense: The Darwin Version!" would be perfect. Failing that, are there any book/lecture summaries, web-sites, authors, etc. out there trying to let the person on the street know what some or any serious-science folk might feel is resisting explanation by, or still not quite fitting into, natural selection as the sole mechanism for the shaping of life forms and the building of symbiotic relationships?

There appear to be plenty of "How it all works" writings; are there any "Here's what doesn't quite work yet" books, chapters, footnotes, etc., either from within the ranks, or from other mainstream scientific disciplines?

Or perhaps: What are the still-unsolved, bleeding-edge aspects of the theory?

Or even: How has the theory had to stretch lately to keep pace with new findings?

Thanks!

Why do baby teeth come in in the order they do?

Bugbread — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 15:58:05 -0800

Why do baby teeth come in in the order they do? Since babies don't start out eating carrots or other particularly hard foods, but do need to mash softer foods, it seems like it would be more advantageous for the molars to come in first. Also, it would cause less discomfort to the mother during breast feeding. So why does it start with the incisors and end with the molars?

Damn cold around these parts...

BadMiker — Mon, 31 Aug 2009 02:56:22 -0800

What was grandpa doing in the ice-age? I'm trying to understand pre-ice age archaeology; I was asked recently about the earliest people in Scotland and realised that I dont know much anything pre-neolithic.

Climate obviously plays a large part; ice-ages made much of the area uninhabitable, but I dont really have a perspective on when ice-ages happened and where mankind was at, geographically evolutionary and culturally.

Is there a nice simple timeline which brings this all together?

Tools That Make Other Tools

toomanyplugs — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 10:27:04 -0800

How did we go from basic rough hand tools to the point of having really precise tools? Specifically, how do you make a better tool from the ones you have on hand? I came across an article on Make: Magazine about casting parts and building your own machine shop that got me thinking about how we as a species have arrived at very precise tools that are capable of creating a perfect sphere. The statement that got me thinking was:

"The order is important, because each tool requires the use of the previous machines in its construction."

How did we progress from only bare hands to these very precise machines? What fundamental laws of the universe can be harnessed to build these tools? I would expect that it required the development of measuring devices that could also become more precise.

Some of the other things that got me thinking:

The "Universal Measure" (as I found out from that scene in Stephenson's Quicksilver with Hooke and the mercury on the table), or the ideas of "straight", "square", geometric construction, linkages, etc.

Are there any good resources that speak about this? How would one go about recreating the level of precision we have now if trapped on a (technologically) desert island?

Getting our rocks off for four billion years

shakespeherian — Sat, 11 Jul 2009 12:32:51 -0800

Can anyone recommend a good book about the evolution of sexual reproduction? I'm interested in the basic physiological explanation (how did single-cell organisms lead to sexually binary species, etc), big-picture explanations (why is sexual reproduction advantageous as opposed to asexual reproduction, etc), and maybe a good overview of the differing sexual characteristics of disparate species the world over (four-headed echidna penises, etc). Caveat: I have hardly any scientific background, so too-technical books aren't great, although I am a pretty fast learner if the book makes a decent effort (I made it through DFW's Everything and More despite not having done any math since high school calculus).

I've seen this question but I'm more interested in getting a whole dang book than just receiving answers to particular questions.

Did Richard Feynman have a brother?

SamuelBowman — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 03:09:42 -0800

I'd like to learn about biology. Can you recommend some books to get me started? I've only done secondary school (ie, high school) biology and my background is in history, so I'm fairly ignorant of the subject, but I've always been interested in it.

What I'm looking for are recommendations for books that will introduce me to the topic – my specific interests are in zoology and evolution, so advice there would be great, but I'd like a primer on the whole field as well.

I really enjoyed The Selfish Gene, but more because of its discussions of animal behaviour than genetics, so that might show you what I'm looking for. It would also help if the book(s) are enjoyable to read – a textbook might have some great information in it but be horrible to read. What I want is to be able to think like a biologist, understand what it is that's going on in the field today, and learn about the how (and why) living things work.

The County Formerly Known As...

Tube — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 23:06:42 -0800

Is there a word or term that expresses the following concept more accurately than "rename"? In 1987, when I moved to Seattle, King County was named after William R. King.

Then, according to Wikipedia;

On February 24, 1986, the King County Council passed Council Motion 6461, "setting forth the historical basis for the 'renaming' of King County in honor of Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.". Because only the state can charter counties, this change was not made official until April 19, 2005, when Washington Governor Christine Gregoire signed Senate Bill 5332 into law.

Note that Wikipedia uses the term "renaming" to refer to this process. As you see it's in quotation marks, which leads me to believe that the author of the entry was unsure of what to call this transformation.

Looking to the OED entry for "rename" we find;

trans. To name again; esp. to give another or new name to.

But what's going on with King County is that the name is the same, but that to which it refers is changed.

So my question is this: Is there a word or term for this unique linguistic "meaning reassignment"?

I recognize that specificity of definition, especially in the sciences, evolves over time, but the case of King County seems more uniquely clear-cut.

Where are the ear-shaped microphones?

devnull — Fri, 05 Jun 2009 02:19:43 -0800

Ears have evolved over many many years to be perfect for us to hear with. Why have I never seen an ear shaped microphone?

Time Cleanses Everything?

AzraelBrown — Thu, 28 May 2009 19:47:37 -0800

Let's say, 15 million years ago, some creature on Earth got a boost and started a civilization in the span of around 100,000 years, getting to a renaissance-level society - architecture, art, philosophy, basic science, but no titanium, steel girders, nuclear waste, etc. Would they have left any evidence that we could find, or would time destroy the proof before we got here?

If the caveman diet is sound, should, er, people from the savanna eat differently?

Busoni — Tue, 28 Apr 2009 00:22:31 -0800

I'm interested in knowing more about the caveman diet, and the logic behind it. Does the reasoning behind this diet dictate that the modern Korean should eat differently from the modern Englishman? But maybe more importantly, is the reasoning indeed sound? Or is it pseudo-science? Is this really what evolutionary biology would suggest? If so, how much of it should really dictate what a modern human, Korean or English or otherwise, should or shouldn't eat?

Breathe your oxygen Junior - it'll make you grown up big and strong...

twine42 — Fri, 27 Mar 2009 20:27:33 -0800

All the big organisms on the planet need a healthy supply or oxygen, yet there are a myriad organisms at the other end of the scale that either ignore oxygen or are actively averse to it. How come none of our large scale creatures have come from this anaerobic stock? [ Obviously, the ones that find oxygen poisonous would find life in the open ocean or on dry land rather tricky. But why did the oxygen suckers manage to make it to a larger scale when those that didn't give a damn about oxygen stayed on the microscopic scales? ]

Advantages of vision defects?

paradoxflow — Mon, 09 Feb 2009 17:34:56 -0800

Evolutionary advantages of far-sightedness and partial color blindness? I've read that partial color blindness can improve night vision and the ability to spot certain forms of camouflage, however I haven't been able to find much about the mechanism behind this. I'm looking for anecdotes or articles about this, or about any other advantages that color blindness or far-sightedness might confer (if any), either from an evolutionary standpoint, or in modern life.

Islam and Evolution?

scrute — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 05:23:10 -0800

I've recently started learning more about Islam, and it intrigues me. But I had a conversation today with my muslim boyfriend in which he was adamant that he can't be muslim and believe in evolution. I'm okay with agreeing to disagree, but it's got me thinking. I've known many muslims who are scientists, and who would take no issue with evolutionary biology - how do they reconcile the two? For the record, my feeling is that the two aren't mutually exclusive, but I don't yet know enough about Islam to explain how it's possible to believe both.

I'm a bit worried that this might become a bigger issue. I don't expect to change his mind, but I need to show him that just because I believe in evolution doesn't mean I'm an atheist - probably the worst thing I could be in his eyes and something I am definitely not.

Help me understand how to explain this!

descent of gould

nihlton — Tue, 30 Dec 2008 01:40:47 -0800

Science reading for the informed layperson. Ive been reading a bit of Gould and have really enjoyed how he dealt with complex discoveries at the cusp of scientific research - making it accessible without watering it down while also leaving in the minute details that make it fascinating. The fact that it was written in the 80's however means that its a bit out of date. I actually enjoyed finishing his essays, then spending an hour or so catching up on the latest - so I'll continue to read his stuff, but i was wondering if there was something on par that is being written currently -

something with his wit and charm would be lovely, but more importantly, up to date.

I have a couple science blogs book marked, but they are unfortunately largely devoted to hating fundementalist christians and their efforts. I am a member of that choir - don't get me wrong - but id like a little more meat you know?

can you recommend some blogs, or books/authors which would fit my needs?

Who said "every fossil is a transitional fossil?"

Maastrictian — Wed, 24 Dec 2008 10:23:59 -0800

I'm looking for the origins and exact phrasing of the quote "every fossil is a transitional fossil." This is a very common quote used in discussions of evolutionary biology and creationism, but I have no idea who first said it, or even if I've got it right.

The Evolution of Religion

coffeefilter — Sat, 06 Dec 2008 15:26:14 -0800

Is there an evolutionary family tree for religions? (Posted conveniently on the internet, of course!)

Like linguistic family trees, or evolutionary charts for animals.

A chart showing how each religion and denomination is related to all the other ones, historically. When did each one branch off from the others. A cladogram of religions, so to speak. Example here, slides 16 and 17. Something like that, but with more breadth and depth.

Just curious. (No doubt the construction of one would entail various issues, but hey, just asking.)

The evolution man

procrastinator — Fri, 05 Dec 2008 16:43:35 -0800

Help me remember the illustrator's name who drew that original cartoon about evolution, which depicted the gradual transformation of a man starting as a monkey. I remember reading somewhere that the (Italian?) illustrator was in fact against the idea of evolution and drew that cartoon to mock the theory (just like how Schrödinger devised his famous thought experiment to mock the Copenhagen interpretation of quantum mechanics -- or just like how Fred Hoyle coined the term "big bang" to mock that theory which he didn't believe to be true), but i cannot remember his name or the place i read about it. It's driving me crazy, please help.

Why isn't the process of waking from sleep pleasant for most?

wackybrit — Mon, 24 Nov 2008 17:14:26 -0800

Why isn't the process of waking up quick and pleasant for most? In asking for anecdotal evidence about waking up, most people I know say it's not a particularly pleasant experience. They just "have" to do it - this is even if they get the right amount of sleep. Only a few say they find it "easy" to get up consistently.

But why is waking an unpleasant experience? Shouldn't it be good, from an evolutionary point of view, for all humans to wake up briskly, full of beans, and ready to go? (Historically to have gone hunting, to escape predators, etc - nowadays, simply to go to work and earn money for survival).

Essential things like reproduction, urination, defecation, and even going to sleep have a real sense of urgency or pleasure about them - why not the process of waking up? Is there anthropological evidence for certain populaces to find it easier to get up than others, etc? Is it just modern Western culture that makes it hard for us to get up? Any insights welcomed.

Evolution, Thai style?

chez shoes — Mon, 24 Nov 2008 11:11:22 -0800

Tell me about the Thai image that shows an evolutionary progression from a rabbit to a general. I was in my favorite Thai restaurant last night and noticed a new image on the wall, which can be seen here.

It appears to be some sort of evolutionary tale.

Can anybody tell me more?

(Apologies for the craptastic cell phone photo, it was the best I could do!)

The Missing Planimal

DU — Thu, 02 Oct 2008 06:45:18 -0800

Why are there no species that implement both halves of the photosynthesis/respiration cycle? It seems like it would be handy for an animal to have a photosynthetic capability, either naturally or as a symbiont. You wouldn't have to find food or stop to eliminate waste (as often), improving workplace productivity. Your exhalations, if you still had any, would be closer to the ambient air mixture, making detection harder for those species that do that (I'm looking at you, mosquitoes).

You could also imagine it evolving from the plant end of the spectrum. In fact, it would be easier, since plants already do both halves of the cycle but the respiration half is muted and part time. Why don't they go whole hog and get double the advantage? (One could argue that plants don't use a lot of energy, so why do it, but that seems backwards to me. If they have the energy available, wouldn't a species that DID do something with it prosper?)

It seems like there are so many advantages and yet it hasn't evolved even a single time higher than lichen. Why not? The only thing I can think of is that having the advantages of both means having the disadvantages of both. But there's no disadvantage to being able, but not required, to photosynthesize. You don't have to stand still or have leaves. Just have some chloroplasts in your skin (also protects you from UV!) and if you happen to be standing in the sun, use them.