Spoken language conveys meaning in two ways: the meaning of the words (semantics or lexical knowledge) and the intonation that the speaker uses. We can sense questions by the rising pitch at the end of the sentence. Likewise, we can tell if someone is upset or being sarcastic based on how they say the words. … Continue reading Human language in dog brains
Bigger brains with Frizzled HARE
We have all heard that the sequence of human DNA differs from chimpanzee DNA by only about 1%. Yet humans are capable of building complex civilizations while the chimps are still eating bugs in the forest. If you compare the human brain to the brain of any other primate, it’s easy to see where our … Continue reading Bigger brains with Frizzled HARE
Ctenophores come before
Three months ago, if I had seen this article about the ctenophore genome, I would have moved right passed it without a second look. What is a ctenophore and why would I care about the sequence of its DNA? But then I taught Bio 2 this spring and learned about animal diversity and the evolutionary … Continue reading Ctenophores come before
(Insert mildly provocative title here)
Ever seen a pair of pigeons going at it? And did you notice a penis on the male pigeon? The answer is no, because most birds do not have external genitalia large enough for penetration. And yet birds reproduce via internal fertilization. Why would evolution favor male genitalia too small to actually enter into the … Continue reading (Insert mildly provocative title here)
