A Frog’s Evolutionary Tale

Geologists are able to tell the timeline and sequence of tectonic plate movement by studying the genetics of a variety of 24 species of the Paini frog in Asia. Genetic analyses of the frogs allow scientists to determine their evolutionary trail along the Himalayas and Tibetan Plateau.

Formation of mountain ranges caused by movement of the Indian tectonic plate and climate change isolated populations of frogs. The different environments caused by geological changes led to different evolutionary changes in the frogs. From the genetic studies of the different frogs, it appears that the beginning of the mountain ranges of the Himalayas started in the Oligocene period some 34-23m years ago. Species divergences occurred in the Miocene period 5-23m years ago.

Scientists at University California Berkeley and Kunming in China analyzed the species of spiny frog that evolved muscular limbs to hold on tight to their mates in an amphibian grip known as the “Amplexus” (Latin for embrace) and rocks in the fast flowing rivers of their high altitude environment.

A Lousy Sense of Smell

Scientists have mapped the genome of the body louse (Pediculus humanus humanus) and found that it has a lousy sense of smell.

The louse contains 108 million DNA base pairs (bp) whereas their human host genome has three billion bp.The blood of their human host is the exclusive diet of the louse so they did not evolve to have a sense of smell. The louse is responsible for the spread of diseases like typhus and trench fever.

Scientists are itching to learn more about the genome of the louse as it may help to prevent epidemic outbreaks of these diseases among people who live in insanitary conditions.Analysis of DNA reveals that the body louse evolved from head lice when humans started wearing clothes some 190.000 years ago.The evolutionary process of louse will undoubtedly have entomologists scratching their heads for quite some time.

Source: Scientific American: Full genome sequence shows body lice have lousy sense of smell

Singing for Sex

Gentlemen, if you sing a song, you may get some depending on whether or not she likes your voice. However, be prepared to sing for at least fifteen minutes because this is how long it takes her to decide on whether or not you are the one for her. If she really likes your voice, she will expose her genitals and allow you to have your wicked way. A little tap dancing goes a long way too and she definitely likes it from behind. This lady will finally allow you to have your way when you tap out a “mounting” song that she approves of. Even after you have had your way, she can still reject or accept your sperm…

According to a report in New Scientist, this only applies if you are a pond skater belonging to the species, Gerris gracilicornis. The females have apparently evolved a protective shield that covers their genitalia. When the males are able to woo and sing a happy enough tune for her, she will lift the shield and allow mating to occur.

Since you are not a red-backed water strider in a stationary pool in a mountain stream in Japan or Korea, then your potential female mate will respond very well to fine wine and dinning which is probably the Gerris gracilicornis equivalent of a song and tap dance.

“Ida” Hype

It is unfortunate to have such a magnificent discovery like the 47 million year old fossil “Ida” or Darwinius masillae marred by the mass media that interject misleading statements such as the “missing link” and “how it will change everything” in regard to human evolution.

New Scientist explains that the discussion is on where Ida split off in the evolutionary tree and not whether she is the “missing link”.

New Scientist interviews the palaeontologist, Jørn Hurum at the University of Oslo in Norway who sets the fossil record straight in regard to recent hype.

On the one hand he applauds that the media coverage encourages public discussion on primate evolution, but on the other hand negates this progress because creationists use the misinformation by the media against evolutionary biologists.

Inaccurate and hasty reporting inadvertently discredits science. Creationists like Creation Ministries International hijack the hype of Ida and use it to further discredit science in the eyes of the public.

A Most Bizarre Sex Act

Spiders weave a tangled sexual web that leads to stiffer competition for passing on their genes. Scientific American reports on a recent study published in the May 2009 issue Evolution that shows how the genitalia of Nephilid and Golden Orb Weaver spiders evolved from simpler to more complex structures.

Male spiders that had more hooks, ridges and twists on their palps stood a greater chance of passing on their genes then their less complex competitors. When the male copulates with the female, the palp breaks off inside the female so there is a greater chance of his sperm fertilizing the female’s eggs. He is not only content from giving her his all, but will stick around her web and chase off any competitors. Female ducts evolved from those that gave straight easy access to more convoluted ducts with twists and turns making it harder for penetration by males lacking the right equipment.

The Longest Penis in the Animal Kingdom!

According to a report in New Scientist, hermaphroditic filter-feeders have the longest penises in proportion to their body size in the animal kingdom. Their penis can reach up to eight times their body length. And what’s more length isn’t everything. It appears that stoutness is more beneficial for mating. A stouter more muscular penis is better than a long flexible one…

Dinosaurs, Camels and Bears, Oh My!

The animals went in two by two… A model of Noah’s Ark on display at a UK zoo has dinosaurs happily boarding the ark between the polar bears and camels. Noah dolls and other biblical tat are for sale in its gift shop. Sounds like something out of a Monty Python sketch, doesn’t it? Alas, it is not.

Noah’s Ark Zoo Farm near Bristol in the UK, has a distinctly Christian theme and openly discredits science in favor of creationism on its page, Evolution: A Theory Under Pressure.

The Facebook group Sink the Ark protests the zoo on the grounds that it markets religion to children and schools. The group page includes a collection of photographs. Among the pictures is a photo of a happy looking Noah for sale in the gift shop. Unfortunately, some of the pictures (including the one of the Noah’s Ark model) are no longer available due to a Facebook account closure. This blog will post a link to them when they reappear which they undoubtedly will at some point..

One can only imagine the look on Noah’s face if he saw two Stegosauruses walking up the plank especially alongside the camels and polar bears.

Religion Defeated?

One would think that scientific discoveries supporting evolutionary theory would have put to rest the question of whether science has defeated religion. Yet, a question mark remains over what answers the “how” versus “why” questions of life. Science asks “how” and religion asks “why.”

Colin Blakemore discusses this issue in an article published in the UK Guardian-Observer, Science is just one gene away from defeating religion. Blakemore describes how “Crick and Watson’s discovery transformed our view of life itself – from a manifestation of spiritual magic to a chemical process.” This is surely a “checkmate” in the “metaphysical chess match between science and religion.”

Religion continues to go unchallenged because of the notion that there are two questions, “how” and “why.” The answer to the “why” questions might be as simple as Blakemore points out: “Either they make no sense or they can be recast as the kind of “how” questions that science answers so well.”

The appeal of religion is that it gives definitive answers whereas science cannot do that. Definitive answers provide a source of comfort because no more questions need answering. Science answers questions with more questions and requires us to think. Freedom of thought is a burden. Religion alleviates that burden.

Colin Blakemore presents the UK Channel 4 television series God and the Scientists.

150 Years On: Widespread Creationism in Britain

On Thursday February 12, the enlightened will celebrate Darwin’s 200th Birthday and 150 years since the publication of On the Origin of the Species by Means of Natural Selection. Yet ignorance still persists in Darwin’s country on the other side of the Atlantic regarding acceptance of the theory of evolution.

An article in the UK Daily Telegraph reveals that a recent survey showed that 32% agreed that the world was only 10,000 years old, 8% did not know and an enlightened 60% disagreed. In the article, Richard Dawkins said that the findings confirmed that much of the population was “pig-ignorant” about science. Some may snort at that kind of retort, but another report by the UK Guardian vindicates Dawkins’ harsh remark.

Widespread creationism indicates a lack of scientific knowledge and is a failure of the educational system to teach the sciences and how to teach people to think scientifically. In December, an article in the UK Guardian, Darwin and creationism do not belong in the same classroom, reported that 29% of British primary and secondary school science teachers agree that it is valid to teach creationism alongside evolutionary science and the big bang.

By placing equal credence to faith versus scientific “theories” we deny children an education. Established religion and politically correct agendas have no place in science education. Teach children how to think rather than what to think.

Creative Creationists Promoting that Ol’ Time Genesis

It is almost 85 years ago since H. L. Mencken wrote Homo Neanderthalensis. Mencken wrote, “They know little if anything that is worth knowing, and there is not the slightest sign of a natural desire among them to increase their knowledge.” It is sad that this amusing essay is as relevant today as it was back in 1925 during the Scopes Trial. Charles Darwin’s On the Origin of Species by Means of Natural Selection was almost 70 years old at the time of the Scopes Monkey trial. Scientific progress faces the same level of ignorance and opposition as it did back in the days of the 1925 Scopes Monkey trial in Dayton, Tennessee. It is now 150 years ago since the publication of On the Origin of Species yet we still face the same drivel today as back then. This is clearly evident in the article, “Where Evolution Has Gaps, Creation Might Offer Answers—If We Will Listen” published in the opinion section of US News and World Report.

The author of the article, Henry Morris III, CEO of the Institute for Creation Research in Dallas explains that, “Embarrassingly, this “theory” cannot be scientifically observed in action today, nor can it be forensically observed in nature’s record of the past.” It is very clear that Henry Morris III does not understand the theory of evolution. He is obviously ignorant of the very “theory” that he opposes when he describes evolution as “Everything happened quite by accident.” Any evolutionary biologist, physical anthropologist, microbiologist, geneticists or paleontologist will explain that evolution is not random. It is genetic mutation that is random. Genetic mutations lead to variation. Organisms inheriting variations best suited to an environment have a higher probability of surviving long enough to reproduce and pass their genes on to the next generation. The fossil record is evidence of the fact that organisms take a great deal longer than 10,000 years to evolve and confirms common ancestry among different species.

Evolution is a continuing process. Microbiologists see this all the time with new strains of bacteria and viruses. MRSA is a perfect example of evolution at work. We can go on and on with examples, but there is no point in trying to reason with the unreasonable. As H.L Mencken said, “The inferior man’s reasons for hating knowledge are not hard to discern. He hates it because it is complex-because it puts an unbearable burden upon his meager capacity for taking in ideas.” Evolution is not an opinion or belief. Evolution is a fact supported by evidence and continues to be supported with new scientific discoveries. We have relatively new sciences like the discovery of DNA and Microbiology that continually supply evidence that support the evolutionary process.

Despite scientific progress and more sophisticated technology, a study by the Pew Research Institute shows that almost 50% of Americans believe in the literal interpretation of the Bible. To this day, court rooms across the country still witness battles between school boards and science advocates about whether or not creationism has a place alongside evolution in a science classroom. H.L. Mencken wrote in Homo Neanderthalensis, “The hypothesis of evolution” is credited by all men of education; they themselves can’t understand it. Ergo, its teaching must be put down.” Thankfully, reason does have its day and rulings tend to be in favor of science advocates. That is good news. However, the power base is still very much with religion.