Human Variation & Race Blog: High Levels of Solar Radiation

1. High levels of solar radiation negatively impacts the survival of humans through ultra violet radiation. Too much exposure to UV rays can cause cancer which, if untreated, can spread through out the body and become fatal. Also, UV radiation depletes folate - a B vitamin - which can disturb developmental processes in pregnant women. For example, a defect caused by a lack of folate is spina bifida.

2. Humans have adapted to this stress in four different ways:

1. Unlike other environmental stresses high levels of UV radiation do not have a short-term adaptation. For example, if one became hot he would sweat to provide relief, but if one received high levels of UV radiation without the proper protection, he would get a sunburn. The sun burn is an indication to stay out of the sun more, but is not an adaptation. 
2. A facultative adaptation humans have adapted to combat excessive solar radiation by temporarily producing more melanin, otherwise known as tanning. 
3. A developmental adaptation that protects humans from UV radiation is skin color, which is determined by the level of pigment. Some one born with dark, deeply pigmented skin would not change skin color from environmental stresses.
4. A cultural adaptation to high levels of UV radiation is the use of sun screen. Sun screen is a modern tool used to provide supplementary protection from the sun. 

3. This information is useful for preserving health. Not only can it be used to preemptively avoid harm - such as sunburns, cancer, or folate deficiency - but it also can be used after damage is done. For example, if a fair skinned northerner moved closer to the equator, he would know to stay covered and pack lots of sunscreen. By studying the affects of UV radiation on varying populations we understand how much radiation is necessary and how much is harmful for differently pigmented skins.

4. Race, in terms of solar radiation, is only the measurement of pigment in an individual's skin. Therefore, a race can be classified as a population with similar adapted traits. In general, we know that populations evolved near the equator have more pigment than those farther north and south.

Thinking in terms of race has been an exaggerated, misleading distinction in the past. It is beneficial to think in terms of adaptation, because it eliminates any myths based on skin color; while others may think one is lesser than the other, we know it's just levels of pigment.

Body Language vs Symbolic Language

Very interesting experiment - I really enjoyed it! 

Part 1 - Body Language

This experiment was difficult and at times frustrating. I've played charades  before for fun, trying to communicate a single phrase, idea, or object, but never by means of conversation for 15 minutes. One of the factors making it difficult to communicate with out symbolic language was my grown reliance on it. When I had a question to ask, my thoughts were of what words I would use to phrase the question, not of what body motions I would use. I had to redirect my methods of communication, therefore slowing down the process. I imagine it would have been easier, and less frustrating, if I had never used symbolic language and relied solely on body language.

My partner in this project did not understand what I was trying to say for the majority of the 15 minutes. My partner was equally frustrated as I was - though much more amused. He asked a lot of questions to guess what I was trying to say, but I think that he would not have tried so hard if he had not previously agreed to spend 15 minutes watching me flail my arms and emit grunts.

My partner would have definitely had the upper hand in communicating advanced ideas; even simple thoughts were painstaking to communicate without symbolic language. Without knowing better, the other party would most likely view me as less intelligent and inferior. I imagine there would be little or no interest in reaching out to me. In our culture, those who are deaf experience difficulty communicating with spoken language. Though they have various forms of sign language, the symbolic language is far less common than verbal languages. This must make them feel isolated from the large population who take no interest in attempting communication. 

Part 2 - Symbolic Language

Though the attempt was sincere, it was not without the occasional break of composure. This was difficult because of how impersonal and inhuman it felt. While I was trying to share thoughts that were mine, the method of communication felt alien. Also, it felt hard to be accurate with only symbolic language since its meaning can change by the way its said.

This second part greatly affected my partner. Not only did he spend the 15 minutes speaking in a reflected monotone, but his entire countenance lost embellishment. In addition, his desire to continue the conversation was almost nonexistent; I remember near the 7 minute mark my partner expressed how little fun this experiment was. 

This made me aware of how much is communicated through nonverbal language. Spoken language truly is brought to life by its accompanying gestures and tones. With only body language I felt like I was communicating inefficiently, but with only symbolic language I felt that I was communicating inaccurately. For example, when my partner said a joke I could not smile or laugh to communicate that I thought it was humorous. With only symbolic language, I was limited to saying "I think that's funny" in a contradicting tone. Though the words were correct, the bland body language spoke more powerfully than my words.

I have known individuals who have difficulty reading body language. Understanding what certain gestures mean offers more knowledge on an individual and is therefore beneficial. These subtle movements can convey unspoken information; i.e. motives, feelings. Since I cannot think of a situation where less information and knowledge is in the long run a negative, I would argue that there is no environmental condition where this ability is not a benefit.

Piltdown Hoax

The Piltdown hoax is a reference to a broken ape jaw and a piece of human skull both altered to appear as parts to the same skull. This created a falsely perceived link between human and ape ancestors. Charles Dawson first discovered the piece of skull in Piltdown, a village in Southern England, in 1912. The evidence was supported by many prestigious scientists to the time including Arthur Keith, Arthur Smith Woodland, and Teilhard de Chardin. Martin Hinton, however, a volunteer under Woodward at the Natural history museum, was skeptical of the discovery, but kept quiet against the hoax's wide acceptance.
A fault in human nature is displayed by Martin Hinton's neglect to act on his own beliefs; cowardice. Martin Hinton and the assumed others who held their tongue before the discoveries of Charles Dawson, Arthur Smith Woodward, and Teilhard de Chardin. Another fault revealed by the situation is the inclination to accept evidence that is wanted. Britain was hoping to have its own neanderthalic discovery to match its competitors. For instance, many discoveries telling of ancient humanoids had been found in Germany and France. When the desired evidence appeared, it was exclusively locked up it in the Natural History Museum for few to examine and therefore question. Arthur Keith individually displays a conclusion affected by personal interests through his quick acceptance of the Piltdown man which supported his own theories of human evolution. This hurt the science field by distracting efforts that could have been focused elsewhere. In addition, it hampered many peoples' trust in the discoveries of scientists, causing illogical skepticism of actual, valid evidence.
A positive aspect of the scientific process is that it invites and allows continual questioning. For example, Kennith Oakley put the skull to a chemical test to predict its nitrogen content and thereby determine its approximate age even after the evidence had been accepted as valid for 40 years. Rather than denying the evidence or making up an illogical justification for fact, scientists accepted they had been wrong and revised their theories. The basic structure of scientific process offers constant revision and progression with theories and hypothesis.
It is impossible to remove the human factor from science when it is analyzed by humans. It is possible, however, for each individual to avoid decisions reflecting faults in human nature. This is supported by  Kennith's decision to reconsider the validity of the Piltdown man's skull. As a part of the Natural History Museum himself, he denied pride and conformity to uncover truth. More over, I would argue that removing the human factor from science would make it useless. Humans are not changing science itself, but discovering it; the only thing changing directly are humans themselves. For example, the existence of Gigantopithecus did not begin in the 1900's when its bones were discovered by mankind. The significances of science is to add to our ever-growing pool of knowledge, that we may know how to improve our situation. Science's purpose requires that we are human.
Like using solely Wikipedia as the source for an essay, it is unwise to accept proposed truths as fact until knowing with individual certainty that they are valid. Individually understanding the claim offered is vital to avoiding such corruption of knowledge as the Piltdown man.

Locomotive Traits in Primates PHOTOS

I understand that their were complications with the photos in my post for week 3. Either way, the photos show when I view the page, but I thought I'd post them again just to be sure. Thank you and enjoy!

1. Ring-tailed lemur

2. Black-handed spider monkey

3. Western hoolock gibbon

4. Yellow baboon

5. Central Chimpanzee

Locomotive Traits in Primates

1. Ring-tailed lemur

1. Lemurs live exclusively in Madagascar and the Comoros Islands. Though its the wild habitation is limited to these islands, the Ring-Tailed lemur inhabits a variety of environments, such as rainforest, subalpine, deciduous forest (a forest made of trees that shed leaves habitually), gallery forest (or a forest by a stream or river) and spiny bush forests. This ranges in anywhere from dense, lush forest to savanna landscapes.
2. The ring tailed lemurs' locomotion includes walking on all four limbs as a quadrupedal and the ability to navigate through trees.
3. These Strepsirhini do not usually brachiate to move or hang from tree branches; their bodies allow them safer travel on the forest floor.
4. 

2. Black-handed spider monkey

1. This species tends to live in the upper level canopies of rainforest, specifically semi-deciduous, cloud, and mangrove swamp forests. They can be found in Mexico, Belize, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, and Panama.
2. The black-handed spider monkey is a quadrupedal. Their movement through trees include using their tails for balance and suspension, walking bipedally along tree branches and leaping between trees and branches.
3. Black-handed spider monkeys have developed a shrunken thumb, because of their methods of travel trough the tree-tops in their environment.
4. 

3. Yellow Baboon

1. Yellow baboons live in savannas, open woodlands, and gallery forests through out Angola, Zambia, Malawi, Mozambique, Tanzania, Kenya, and Somalia. Often, their accustomed to small amounts of rainfall and live nearby a water source. 
2. Yellow baboons are quadrupeds with a running style similar to a horse's gallop. 
3. These primates are able to run quickly on the ground in a gallop-like style because of their adaptations.
4. 

4. Western hoolock gibbon

1. This classification of gibbon inhabits dense evergreen forests, semi-evergreen forests, bamboo forests, and plantations in Bangladesh, north-eastern India and north-western Myanmar, and occasionally Tibet. These locations offer the wet and lush, contiguous canopy that western hoolocks inhabit.
2. Gibbons typically travel by brachiation, which is movement by swinging from branch to branch
3. The primates' locomotion has caused it to adapt long arms and hook-shaped hands.
4. 

5. Central Chimpanzee

1. Central chimpanzees are most commonly found in gallery forests, moist forests and dry forests, which extend into savanna woodlands. They can be found in Angola, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Congo, The Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, and Gabon.
2. These anthropoids are knuckle-walking quadrupeds who will occasionally uses bipedalism when holding an object or has hands occupied.
3. Chimpanzees's arms are longer than their legs to allow knuckle-walking.
4. 

Summary: Environment affects not only physical characteristic, but behavioral characteristics as well. For example, the yellow baboons of the savannah develop social groups to protect themselves in the open area. This offers a better alarm system while allowing more time to eat and drink. 

As for physical traits, primarily arboreal primates tend to have short thumbs, hooked shaped hands, and long arms for brachiating. Primarily quadruped primates, tend to have arms longer than their legs, but are still able to manage in trees. 

Sources: http://pin.primate.wisc.edu/factsheets/entry/ring-tailed_lemur

http://www.macalester.edu/~montgomery/spidermonkey.html

Analogy and Homology

1. Homologous Trait: Blow holes

1. Bottle nosed dolphins and blue whales are both water-dwelling mammals. Dolphins generally weigh 440 to 600 pounds while blue whales can be up to 150 tons. Dolphins eat fish, squid, and crustaceans such as shrimp. Blue whales eat mostly krill.
2. These two species of Cetacea possess blowholes
3. The homologous traits were inherited from a common archaeocete ancestor, which is referred to a, put simply is a primitive toothed whale.
4. 

2. Analogous Trait: Fins

1. Dolphins are slick skinned mammals who possess blow holes, like whales. Fish are a scaled, gilled, vertebrates.
2. The common trait between these particular water-dwelling vertebrates and mammals is that they both have fins and therefore are hydrodynamic. Both propel themselves through the water with their back tail and use their front and dorsal fins to maneuver. 
3. The common ancestor for fish and dolphins - and for all Cetacea for that matter - is though to actually be a terrestrial animal related to even toed ungulates. Their common ancestor did not share the trait because they were land dwelling animals.
4. 

Protein Sythesis

DNA: TAC ACA CAC GGC CAA GGG AAC GTC TGA CCG ATT TTA ATC


Good luck!