Where Are All The Panins? Over the past few decades palaeoanthropologists have uncovered hundreds of fossil fragments that belong to our hominin ancestors. These fossils have allowed scientists to piece together our evolutionary history and better understand the pressures that led to our species unique characteristics. However, there has been only two fossils of panins … Continue reading Where Are All The Panins?
Tag: evolution
A Good or Bad Exchange?
A Good or Bad Exchange? The world changed in profound ways after 1492. The Columbian Exchange resulted in the transfer of divergent and previously isolated flora and fauna becoming transported to new landscapes. This forever changed natural history and human history. However, did the Columbian exchange reap irreparable damage on the biosphere as a whole? … Continue reading A Good or Bad Exchange?
The Decline of Violence
The Decline of Violence Steven Pinker is a world-renowned psychologist and cognitive scientist. In The Better Angels of Our Nature Pinker explores the history of human violence to attempt to understand if we have become more or less violent. He approaches this topic from a multi-disciplinary perspective incorporating data from history, anthropology, biology, psychology, and … Continue reading The Decline of Violence
Disrespecting Social Theory
Disrespecting Social Theory A recent Gallup poll revealed that belief in creationism has not declined over the past few decades. The majority of scientists have responded to this as a disturbing trend. However, a few social scientists have pointed out that this trend may have more to do with cultural identity than it does with … Continue reading Disrespecting Social Theory
How Do Chimpanzees Mourn Their Dead?
How Do Chimpanzees Mourn Their Dead? Humans have complex rituals associated with the death another human being. These rituals may be culturally dependent but it is also a characteristic trait for our entire species. Do our closest relatives have rituals related to the death of another chimpanzee? Do they understand what death is? Do they … Continue reading How Do Chimpanzees Mourn Their Dead?
Prometheus Fails
Prometheus Fails Science fiction in the media is often judged based on how scientifically accurate or plausible the story is. Prometheus tells the story of humanity visiting another habitable planet for the first time. During this trip they encounter another intelligent civilization. How realistic was this story? Did it depict a plausible scenario? Full Article: … Continue reading Prometheus Fails
Uncomfortable Relationship Between Factual Knowledge and the Human Population
Uncomfortable Relationship Between Factual Knowledge and the Human Population A recent National Science Foundation poll was conducted globally to better understand how factual knowledge is understood around the world. The poll revealed that some basic facts about our world and the universe are simply rejected, or not known by a large percentage of the population. … Continue reading Uncomfortable Relationship Between Factual Knowledge and the Human Population
Evolution and the Public
Evolution and the Public Evolution is frequently discussed in major media outlets like TV, newspaper and online. However, the people who write about evolutionary news and research are frequently unqualified to do so. This leads to the public becoming more and more misinformed about what evolution is and what is factual. In the future, major … Continue reading Evolution and the Public
The Discontinuous Mind
The Discontinuous Mind Humans are programmed to think discontinuously. As a result we have trouble conceptualizing anything that does not have a clear and easily defined start and end. Evolutionary educators must understand that this is a fundamental reason why evolutionary thought and the theory for evolution in general meet so much skepticism and incredulity. … Continue reading The Discontinuous Mind
A Plea For Our Sister Species
A Plea For Our Sister Species Why is the human species seven billion strong while our closest relatives are on the brink of extinction? In order to understand this survival discrepancy, we must first understand our shared evolutionary history. Full Article: A Plea For Our Sister Species on The Advanced Apes