Yes, as seen in the case of Cavendish bananas, diversification is important for a species to survive. A narrow gene pool makes the species vulnerable to mass extinction by pests and diseasess.
It would be a lot easier--and cost less--to preserve the diversity in the first place rather than trying to gain diversity back after valuable gene sources are lost.
Sunday, February 18, 2007
Do you vote for the chicken or the egg?
THE EGG! Because genetic material does not change during an animal's life. The first chicken would have existed as an embryo inside an egg. the embryo would have been of a different species from the birds that lay the egg because genetic mutation.
“I always eat my broccoli!”--Not!
Okay, I had broccoli for dinner last night.
Can't say it's one of my favorite foods. I don't hate it though.
I guess a more interesting question for me is:
If a kind of food that I don't like is essential to my well-being, should I eat it anyway?
On one hand I believe that if you are in tuned with your body, it will tell you what you need to eat.
However, most of us are too over-worked, over-studying to listen to what our bodies really need. I don't understand why when I feel stressed or over-worked, I would have cravings for junk foods. The other day, in our OM theory class, we learned that having too much damp food is bad for the spleen, and ice-cream is probably one of the most damp foods (sweet, creamy, cold). Immediately after the discussion, I had cravings for Ben&Jerry's Chocolate Fudge Brownie Ice Cream!
Now, shouldn't I be repulsed by overly-damped foods upon learning how bad they are for me?
Can't say it's one of my favorite foods. I don't hate it though.
I guess a more interesting question for me is:
If a kind of food that I don't like is essential to my well-being, should I eat it anyway?
On one hand I believe that if you are in tuned with your body, it will tell you what you need to eat.
However, most of us are too over-worked, over-studying to listen to what our bodies really need. I don't understand why when I feel stressed or over-worked, I would have cravings for junk foods. The other day, in our OM theory class, we learned that having too much damp food is bad for the spleen, and ice-cream is probably one of the most damp foods (sweet, creamy, cold). Immediately after the discussion, I had cravings for Ben&Jerry's Chocolate Fudge Brownie Ice Cream!
Now, shouldn't I be repulsed by overly-damped foods upon learning how bad they are for me?
“I always eat my broccoli!”--Not!
Okay, I had broccoli for dinner last night.
Can't say it's one of my favorite foods. I don't hate it though.
I guess a more interesting question for me is:
If a kind of food that I don't like is essential to my well-being, should I eat it anyway?
On one hand I believe that if you are in tuned with your body, it will tell you what you need to eat.
However, most of us are too over-worked, over-studying to listen to what our bodies really need. I don't understand why when I feel stressed or over-worked, I would have cravings for junk foods. The other day, in our OM theory class, we learned that having too much damp food is bad for the spleen, and ice-cream is probably one of the most damp foods (sweet, creamy, cold). Immediately after the discussion, I had cravings for Ben&Jerry's Chocolate Fudge Brownie Ice Cream!
Now, shouldn't I be repulsed by overly-damped foods upon learning how bad they are for me?
Can't say it's one of my favorite foods. I don't hate it though.
I guess a more interesting question for me is:
If a kind of food that I don't like is essential to my well-being, should I eat it anyway?
On one hand I believe that if you are in tuned with your body, it will tell you what you need to eat.
However, most of us are too over-worked, over-studying to listen to what our bodies really need. I don't understand why when I feel stressed or over-worked, I would have cravings for junk foods. The other day, in our OM theory class, we learned that having too much damp food is bad for the spleen, and ice-cream is probably one of the most damp foods (sweet, creamy, cold). Immediately after the discussion, I had cravings for Ben&Jerry's Chocolate Fudge Brownie Ice Cream!
Now, shouldn't I be repulsed by overly-damped foods upon learning how bad they are for me?
Monday, February 12, 2007
How do I think chimps and humans diverged as species?
What we discussed in class--that pre-humans and pre-chimps interbred off and on until we couldn't interbred anymore--was quite shocking to me but definitely seems plausible.
But even if our difference in DNA is only 0.06%, this seemingly small amount of difference made the whole world of difference. It's not the numbers that matter, and things like this can't be measured in quantity.
But even if our difference in DNA is only 0.06%, this seemingly small amount of difference made the whole world of difference. It's not the numbers that matter, and things like this can't be measured in quantity.
Can we raise our levels of dopamine ourselves?
Sure we can. I don't even want any scientific studies to tell me if that's possible or not. One day they will say yes, then 6 months another study will say no. Should that make any difference in my life? I think not. It is something that I just have to believe in.
I believe I can get natural high by dancing, doing backbends, stand on my head, feeling the wind on my bicycle--though maybe not all at the same time. I believe I can shape my future by creative visualization. I believe I can change the biochemical constitution of my brain myself--but ONLY if I believe in that possibility.
I am a believer.
I believe I can get natural high by dancing, doing backbends, stand on my head, feeling the wind on my bicycle--though maybe not all at the same time. I believe I can shape my future by creative visualization. I believe I can change the biochemical constitution of my brain myself--but ONLY if I believe in that possibility.
I am a believer.
Is there a drug around for just about everything?
It saddens me to see that these days people think that they can just take a pill and the problem will go away.
I am also aware that there are a lot of people coming to acupuncture treatment with this kind of attitude, especially with more and more clinical studies showing the effectiveness of acupuncture in treating addiction and psychological issues.
I like the suggestion at the end of this article:
http://www.cdha.nshealth.ca/programsandservices/addictionprevention/acupuncture.html
"Acupuncture is not a quick fix, but it will relieve a lot of the discomfort of "kicking the habit" while it restores the body's energy and internal functions to normal. Used along with other treatments, such as counselling, it is a strong aid to recovery. Acupuncture is most effective with a series of treatments over a period of time."
I am also aware that there are a lot of people coming to acupuncture treatment with this kind of attitude, especially with more and more clinical studies showing the effectiveness of acupuncture in treating addiction and psychological issues.
I like the suggestion at the end of this article:
http://www.cdha.nshealth.ca/programsandservices/addictionprevention/acupuncture.html
"Acupuncture is not a quick fix, but it will relieve a lot of the discomfort of "kicking the habit" while it restores the body's energy and internal functions to normal. Used along with other treatments, such as counselling, it is a strong aid to recovery. Acupuncture is most effective with a series of treatments over a period of time."
Monday, February 5, 2007
Human Genetic Evolution
This site is easy to follow and very clear. The part that interests me most is how humans evolved from archaic homo sapiens to Homo sapiens sapiens. It seems possible that the replacement model and the regional continuity model are both valid.
I wonder about how we homo sapiens sapiens will continue to evolve. For some reason, I keep thinking about the Eloi (future humans) in The Time Machine by H.G. Wells
I wonder about how we homo sapiens sapiens will continue to evolve. For some reason, I keep thinking about the Eloi (future humans) in The Time Machine by H.G. Wells
Chimps are our cousins
I don't know if having higher percentage of identical critical DNA sites with humans made me more sympathetic to chimps. If some reports come out tomorrow and say "no, actually humans and chimps are only 88% identical in our DNAs," it wouldn't made me LESS sympathetic. Should we treat beings that are more like us better than the ones less like us? Think about racism.
Prokaryotes, Eukaryotes, & Viruses Tutorial
I like the "If you were bacteria" section most. It is informative in a way that the information actually sticks in my mind.
The Quiz:
Surprise, surprise! I got all but one wrong.
I think it would take me more than just one reading to absorb all this information about cells.
The Quiz:
Surprise, surprise! I got all but one wrong.
I think it would take me more than just one reading to absorb all this information about cells.
Sunday, February 4, 2007
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