Tag: "evolution"
The Animal Kingdom's Otherworldly Ancestors
At one time, squishy invertebrates constituted most of the animal life on Earth, but about half a billion years ago, something remarkable happened: an evolutionary explosion known as the Cambrian Period.
Post on Feb 21, 2013 by Sean Greene from KQED Science
Book Review: Animal Wise – The Thoughts and Emotions of Our Fellow Creatures
An appreciation of the rich inner lives of nonhuman animals dates back at least to Aristotle and gained support from Charles Darwin, who saw any differences between humans and other animals as a matter of degree, not kind. Still, the notion that humans stand above and apart from our fellow creatures dies hard. In her new book, "Animal Wise," science journalist Virginia Morell takes us on a tour of labs and field sites around the world to show us that many of the traits once thought uniquely human appear in even our most distant evolutionary relatives.
Post on Feb 20, 2013 by Liza Gross from QUEST Northern California
In Defense of Science: An Interview with NCSE’s Eugenie Scott
Eugenie Scott, longtime director of Oakland's National Center for Science Education, has won numerous awards for helping the public understand science and defending evolution, especially against threats to replace it with “creation science” in public schools. She shares her thoughts on the challenges of communicating science in a climate of denial.
Post on Aug 22, 2012 by Liza Gross from QUEST Northern California
Seeding Life Through the Universe
Watching Prometheus the other day with my son got me to thinking about panspermia. This is the idea that life sometimes spreads through the universe by riding on interstellar flotsam and jetsam like meteors or asteroids.
Post on Jul 09, 2012 by Dr. Barry Starr from QUEST Northern California
The Circus of Evolution
I was super-excited to see Totem because A) a friend who saw it in San Francisco raved about it, and B) it's about evolution! How cool is that? Cirque du Soleil says of their latest touring show, "TOTEM traces the fascinating journey of the human species from its original amphibian state to its ultimate desire to fly."
Post on Mar 27, 2012 by Danna Staaf from QUEST Northern California
The Fact and Fiction of Fantastic Hybrids
Have you heard of the Poisonous Fiddlerfrog, whose tadpoles grow up into crabs? Or the Hummingshrew, who eats flies as well as nectar? These animals aren't real, so you'd only know about them if you've seen Voyage Through a Hidden World.
Post on Mar 07, 2012 by Danna Staaf from QUEST Northern California
Evolution, Easy as Can Be
Evolving from something simple like a single celled beast into a slug, mushroom, cactus or a human seems impossibly hard. The series of precise DNA changes you need is mind-boggling to think about. Unless, of course, the changes are easier than we imagine.
Post on Feb 20, 2012 by Dr. Barry Starr from QUEST Northern California
Gaming to Understand Disease
By playing Phylo, you help scientists better understand human disease and you get to have fun. Doing good by having fun is a win-win for scientists and the public.
Post on Dec 12, 2011 by Dr. Barry Starr from QUEST Northern California
‘Superfast’ Muscles Help Bats Find Their Dinner
As a hunting bat closes in on a flying insect, its echolocation calls get closer and closer together, and shorter and shorter in duration. Scientists recently discovered how their muscles can produce more than 160 calls every second.
Post on Nov 09, 2011 by Carolyn Beeler from QUEST Philadelphia
Turning Chickens into Dinosaurs
If we are ever going to resurrect dinosaurs, it probably won't be like in the movie Jurassic Park. Instead, we'll have to throw evolution into reverse and turn a bird back into a dinosaur.
Post on Sep 12, 2011 by Dr. Barry Starr from QUEST Northern California
Redesigning Life
All living things pretty much use the same language to read their genes. That is about to change.
Post on Aug 15, 2011 by Dr. Barry Starr from QUEST Northern California
The High Cost of Sex
Biologically speaking, sex is ungodly expensive. One reason it may have evolved in to keep our genomes stable and intact.
Post on Aug 01, 2011 by Dr. Barry Starr from QUEST Northern California
Color Evolution in Nudibranchs
Dr. Rebecca Johnson, postdoctoral researcher from the California Academy of Sciences, tells why nudibranchs evolved to have such beautiful and brilliant color patterns to aid in their defense.
Post on Jun 22, 2011 by Kim Vincent
Should Animals Adapt, or Should We Change Our Behavior?
The Monterey Bay Aquarium has a fun new video about climate change, called Change for the Ocean, to go with their exhibit Hot Pink Flamingos. Narrated by John Cleese and produced by Free Range Studios, the animated video is cute, funny, and pretty effective at conveying the fact that people can change their ways much faster than sea life can adapt to climate change.
Post on Oct 04, 2010 by Jennifer Skene
Sin and Biology
What do scientists think about sin? I’ve recently read a book that provided an interesting connection between the biological idea of evolution and sin.
Post on Apr 16, 2010 by Jim Gunshinan
Science Event Pick: Are We Scientifically Illiterate?
See author Chris Mooney discuss his new book "Unscientific America" Monday evening, August 3rd in Santa Clara.
Post on Jul 30, 2009 by Kishore Hari
Predicting Fossil Finds
Scientists used evolutionary theory to figure out where to find the bones of this fishibian. Lately I have been reading Jerry Coyne's Why Evolution is True. And so far it is a fascinating read. What is so great about this book for a scientist is that it gives the big picture on evolution. This sort [...]
Post on Mar 02, 2009 by Dr. Barry Starr
Happy Birthday Charlie!
This month marks the 200th birthday of Charles Darwin and the 150th anniversary of "On the Origin of Species". If Darwin were alive today, I think he would be very pleased.
Post on Feb 17, 2009 by Dr. Barry Starr
Producer's Notes: Chasing Beetles, Finding Darwin
Today QUEST TV broadcasts its half-hour documentary "Chasing Beetles, Finding Darwin," which tells the story of California Academy of Sciences beetle expert David Kavanaugh's unusual prediction that a new species of beetle would be found in Northern California's Trinity Alps.
Post on Feb 10, 2009 by Gabriela Quirós
Reporter's Notes: Investigating Darwin's Legacy
This year marks the 200th birthday of Charles Darwin – and the 150th anniversary of his landmark work, "On the Origin of Species". One of the iconic fossils that supports Darwin's theory of evolution is called the Archaeopteryx.
Post on Feb 06, 2009 by David Gorn
