Monday, October 8, 2012

Repost: CoE #14


Carnival of Evolution #14

2009 SEPTEMBER 2
tags: , 
by whysharksmatter
This month’s Carnival of Evolution is as diverse as the evolutionary biology itself. Submissions include everything from summaries of cutting-edge research to critiques of long-held misconceptions about human biology and even of evolution itself.
I want to thank all of the science writers who submitted blog posts to this Carnival. I know that Southern Fried Science’s readers will enjoy them as much as I have.
That’s enough from me- read on to get to Carnival of Evolution 14!

Image from KuKuChew.com
Current research in evolutionary biology
Zen from NeuroDojo describes some fascinating advances in the field of plant/pollinator co-evolution with It’s the old boy meets moth, moth meets girl story.
Zen also describes an interesting evolutionary oddity- how stickleback fish can become “giants” (actually, around 7 centimeters) because they are isolated in “islands” (actually, ponds). Learn how They might be giants!
Andrew of the Evolving Mind explains what parasites and Barry White have in common- both get organisms “in the mood”. One works best with humans, and the other works best on populations of organisms by encouraging sexual reproduction to increase diversity and therefore genetic resistance. I’ll let you read to figure out which is which.
Evolution of Man
Bjorn from Pleiotropy’s post describes, believe it or not, new research that shows that the human appendix is not vestigial and has a function! First pluto isn’t a planet anymore, now this! Well, at least this time the research that will result in all the textbooks being re-written was performed at my alma mater, Duke University. Check out Darwin was wrong about the human appendix being vestigial!
Evolution of Man’s Best Friend
Satya of the Spitoon (affiliated with 23 and me) asks Whence Rover? Read about a new study showing that humans may have first domesticated wild dogs in Africa.
Critiques
Greg Laden has liveblogged an evolutionary biology lectue. If that sentence doesn’t excite you, you are not a real scientist. Check out his Critique of Morgans Aquatic Ape TED talk (and there is a link to a video of the lecture so you can follow along).
Evolution and the “real world”
Andrew of the Evolving Mind muses about genetic modification of foods, different kinds of genetic engineering, and whethere this is a good or bad thing.
Jen of the Blag Hag tells of her visit to the Creation Museum with PZ Meyers. This is a link to the first part of her story, and you can find links to the rest at the bottom of her post.
Bjorn of Pleiotropy wonders how his favorite pastry, the tebirkes, evolved. Full of well-explained evolutionary theory, this post makes me hungry…I mean, um, makes me think.
Other evolution goodness
Greg Laden explains why saying that natural selection is “survival of the fittest” isn’t really true. It’s the latest in a series of “falsehoods”, and it’s an eye-opener.
That’s all for this month’s Carnival of Evolution! #15 will be hosted at Pleiotropy. Thanks for reading!
~WhySharksMatter
from → blogging, science
10 Responses leave one →
  1. 2009 SEPTEMBER 2
    Bjørn Østman PERMALINK
    Actually, both singular and plural are ‘tebirkes’ with an s at the end. That’s because the name really refers to the poppy seeds (“birkes,” while “te” means “tea”), and there are always more than one of those on top (even if sesame seeds are used).
    REPLY
    • 2009 SEPTEMBER 2
      whysharksmatter PERMALINK
      Changed, sorry for the trouble. Where can I try one of these tebirkes? They sound yummy.
      REPLY
  2. 2009 SEPTEMBER 2
    Bjørn Østman PERMALINK
    Solvang is the only place in the US where I’ve seen them. Do take a pastry-trip to Copenhagen when you get the chance (go in the summer).
    P.S. Isn’t this CoE #15?
    REPLY
  3. 2009 SEPTEMBER 2
    Bjørn Østman PERMALINK
    Indeed! FYI:Science! listed theirs as 14, too.
    REPLY
  4. 2009 SEPTEMBER 9
    Christie PERMALINK
    You’re alive!!! I had thought the rabid Steeler fans might have swallowed you whole upon arriving in Pittsburgh!
Posted by at

No comments:

Post a Comment

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)