Tag: "evolution"
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
Charles in Charge! Darwin Around the Bay Area
As I mentioned in a previous post, February 12th marks the 200th birthday of Charles Darwin and the 150th anniversary of the publication of the "Origin of Species".
All across the world, scientists are leading a month long celebration of the man & his science, widely seen as the public hero of science & science education.
Post on Feb 05, 2009 by Kishore Hari
Traveling DNA
A billion years ago or so, mitochondria were free living bacteria. Then our ancestors hijacked them and now they do our bidding. And mitochondria aren't the only cells that got hijacked.
Post on Jan 08, 2009 by Dr. Barry Starr
Surviving Chromosomal Rearrangements
Last blog I talked about the Transcaucasian mole vole. This little burrowing mammal has lost its Y chromosome over time. Now both males and females have only a single X. I focused on how scientists can't yet figure out how there are any male mole voles running around. This week, I want to focus on what this means from an evolutionary perspective.
Post on Jul 21, 2008 by Dr. Barry Starr
Fish and SNPs: What fish are teaching us about human skin color
These fish can tell us a lot about ourselves. Species often end up a different color when their environment changes. And humans are no exception. When people moved out of Africa tens of thousands of years ago, they were dark-skinned. Now when we look around Northern Europe or parts of Asia, we see much lighter [...]
Post on Apr 28, 2008 by Dr. Barry Starr
Explosive hypothesis about humans' lack of genetic diversity
Genetically, we're all pretty much the same. A massive volcanic eruption 75,000 years ago may be why. Lake Toba is all that is left of the volcano that nearly wiped out mankind.Last blog I talked about how East Africans are genetically more diverse than Asians. Who are genetically more diverse than Native Americans. From all [...]
Post on Mar 17, 2008 by Dr. Barry Starr
Wired for wireless: the genetics of text messaging
I love my cell phone. We have a serious relationship. One that may be biologically predetermined. Let me explain. On New Year's Eve I brought my phone with me to San Francisco's Ocean Beach, where I traditionally go, rain or shine, to watch the year's last sunset. I was by myself, but I wasn't alone. [...]
Post on Jan 10, 2008 by Robin Marks
Science v. Pseudoscience On Trial
NOVA commemorates the historical evolution trial of 2005. Credit: NOVAIf you tune in or point your web browser to PBS this week, you'll see a whole bunch about evolution. It's not Charles Darwin's birthday, but it's a celebration that may one day carry much more significance: it's the two year anniversary of the Kitzmiller vs. [...]
Post on Nov 16, 2007 by Nick Pyenson
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