A new hypothesis for how life got started has been proposed, by Helen Hansma, of UC Santa Barbara. Continue reading Origin of Life
Tag Archives: Evolutionary Biology
More”Junk”DNA is Not
Some of the base pairs in a given genome are strung together into templates that code for proteins or RNA molecules. These are the classic “genes.” Other base pairs probably have little or no function. Among the DNA that is not in classic gene-templates, however, there is a lot of important information, including “control regions.”How much of each “type” of DNA exists in a particular genome varies. A recent study suggests that the currently used methods for scanning DNA for regulatory sequences may systematically m miss more than half of that information. Continue reading More”Junk”DNA is Not
More “Junk” DNA is Not
Some of the base pairs in a given genome are strung together into templates that code for proteins or RNA molecules. These are the classic “genes.” Other base pairs probably have little or no function. Among the DNA that is not in classic gene-templates, however, there is a lot of important information, including “control regions.”
How much of each “type” of DNA exists in a particular genome varies. A recent study suggests that the currently used methods for scanning DNA for regulatory sequences may systematically m miss more than half of that information.
Fibonacci Curves = God
This could be the proof of god:The assertion made by the “Does God Exist” people is that a pattern must be designed, and that patterns don’t occur in nature. But it is possible that there is another way to look at this. Continue reading Fibonacci Curves = God
Study Suggests Increased Rate of Human Adaptive Evolution
There is a new paper, just coming out in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, that explores the idea that humans have undergone an increased rate of evolution over the last several tens of thousands of years. Continue reading Study Suggests Increased Rate of Human Adaptive Evolution
John Maynard Smith Interview
Robert Full: Secrets of movement, from geckos and roaches
UC Berkeley biologist Robert Full shares his fascination with spiny cockroach legs that allow them to scuttle at full speed across loose mesh and gecko feet that have billions of nano-bristles to run straight up walls. His talk, complete with wonderful slow-mo video of cockroach, crab and gecko gaits, explains his goal of creating the perfect robotic “distributed foot.”
Utterly Stupid Quote of the Day
The flagellum is said to possess “irreducible complexity,” meaning it could not have been produced by evolution. This argues for an outside intelligent designer operating beyond the laws of nature.
New Journal on Evolution and Outreach
An intelligent new way to support the teaching of evolutionNew journal Evolution: Education and Outreach debuts on 28 November
The world-renowned evolutionary scientist Niles Eldredge and his son Greg Eldredge, a high school science teacher, believe it’s time to help science educators fight back against the strong pressure creationists exert on public education. So they joined forces with the scientific publisher Springer and, on Darwin’s birthday in February this year, announced plans to publish a new journal, Evolution: Education and Outreach. …
Topi or not Topi …
Go to any bar and you’ll see a lot of males standing and sitting around not mating. I’ll bet you would have guessed that the reason they are not mating is that no females will mate with them for one reason or another. But there is the distinct possibility that they are very inconspicuously resisting mating opportunities. It turns out that males can do this …. avoid mating without conspicuous resistance … more easily than females. For obvious reasons.This could be why what has become (inappropriately) known as “reversed sexual aggression” often goes unnoticed, and a recent study of the African antelope Damaliscus lunatus (a.k.a. “topi”) explores this possibility. Continue reading Topi or not Topi …
Bacteria Modify DNA in a way previously unobserved
Researchers have discovered a form of DNA modification not previously known to occur in nature. Lab scientists often use the addition of sulfer to the DNA sugar-phosphate backbone to make the DNA resistant to nucleases (DNA-cutting enzymes) in order to use the DNA for other (i.e. theraputic) purposes. This was assumed to be something invented by scientists. IT turns out that bacteria do something like this in nature. Continue reading Bacteria Modify DNA in a way previously unobserved
A video…
For you. Just for the halibut… Continue reading A video…
No, cricket, don’t do it, don’t jump, it’s not worth it…
Well, not worth it to you, but possibly to the Gordian Worm growing out of your head! Continue reading No, cricket, don’t do it, don’t jump, it’s not worth it…
Utterly Stupid Quote of the Day
Although secularists maintain that the cacti have evolved over the last two million years, there is very little biological or genetic research on cacti because such research, if published, would reveal the deep irreducible complexity displayed by these plants.