Analogy v. Homology

Homology:

Seals and humans are both mammals that have the shared homologous trait of the bone structure of the arm and hand(flipper). In humans, the skeletal structure is covered with flesh, muscle and skin, and has fine mobility and flexibility to perform different functions, including gripping and squeezing. The ability to move each digit independently is a point of differentiation, and an advantage over most other animals. In seals, the framework is covered with fat/blubber, thick skin with fur for warmth, and the area between the bones is webbed so that the seal is an efficient swimmer. The common ancestor would be an early reptile that developed a similar structure as it was pressured to be able to traverse diverse terrain in order to survive and reproduce.  

Analogy:

Seals and ducks are two different species that spend a large portion of their time in the water, though one is a mammal, and one is a bird. They have the analogous trait of webbing on their foot/flipper. The seal has large hand like appendages with furry webbing between the joints which help the seal move about in easily in the water. Ducks, on the other hand, have a thick, adapted, skin-like webbing over the skeletal structure and they move very rapidly underwater to propel the duck, which sits atop the water. We know that this trait is analogous because it is not a character that the common ancestor exhibited, but rather, this trait would have evolved in each species as a response to similar ecological pressures to adapt to a life spent largely in the water

Protein Synthesis

TGCGTACCAAGGGAACGTAACACAAGGCAAGTTGTCTATCATTG

Charles Darwin's historical influences

Charles Lyell, a British lawyer, geologist, and contemporary of Charles Darwin, established the geological theory that came to be known as uniformitarianism. Lyell's view was that the changes observed in the geological and fossil record were directly related to the gradual, yet uniform changes that the earth experiences. This view was revolutionary because, at the time, the popular theory was that the geological variance that was being observed had occurred as the result of catastrophic events that drastically shifted the earth and effected the ecology.

The work of Lyell had a lasting and profound impact on how Darwin, and subsequently, the scientific community as a whole, understand the history of the earth, and therefore, life. Acceptance of the idea of uniformitarianism is essential to understanding the environmental changes that were occurring, creating both the opportunity and the necessity for adaptation of traits for survival. This theory proved to be the groundwork and key to explaining the process of natural selection, as well as influencing the view of time as immensely more vast than previously believed. These views undoubtedly played a major part in the development of Darwin's theory of natural selection, and I do not believe his hypothesis could be supported without the acceptance of the vastness of time, or the ever-changing environment.

The scientific community in England during much of the 19th century was tied closely to the church, and therefore, any theory was scrutinized through the lens of biblical teaching. That being the case, Darwin's assertion that organisms have changed and adapted over time, spawning new species, was not widely or readily accepted. The was strong response from his family and friends that his theory was contrary to the religious belief of the day, which caused Darwin to delay publication until he was pressured by the release of a paper by his colleague, Alfred Russel Wallace. The main point of concern was that the naturalists held that the species were ordered and unchanging, as they had been originally created by God.





Source:
http://evolution.berkeley.edu/evolibrary/article/0_0_0/history_12

Desert Island Dreaming

So, I'm stranded on this desert island, and I can only bring two things with me. How could I narrow it down to two things?!

I need to be able to make fire, but people have been making fire for thousands of years, so I think I can handle it. I need a knife, but I can sharpen a piece of wood or a stone to make a knife, so I'm not wasting one of my two items on that. I need water, but on an island, I can figure out how to filter water so I can drink it. I need a steady source of protein, and I'm not the best fisherman(on top of not digging seafood), so I'll definitely need something to fulfill this need. I'm a huge music junkie, so I should bring an iPod, right? There is no way to recharge it after it's dead, so me singing The Cure will have to do (no one else is listening anyhow).

Alright, I'm bringing a pregnant pig and a cast iron skillet. The pregnant pig, because I'm going to need to eat relatively soon, and there are pretty good odds that the offspring will be able to reproduce quickly enough for me to have an abundant supply of pork. The cast iron skillet, because, well, it's the most versatile piece of cookware, and I'm going to be up to my ears in pork.