NOT A CHIMP
Click on the cover to link to OUP's e-catalogue then turn to the biology section.
Interview Podcast with George Miller
Click on the pic to link to the NOT A CHIMP podcast on Blackwell's Website
Wednesday, 23 December 2015
Thursday, 17 December 2015
Wednesday, 16 December 2015
Friday, 9 October 2015
Thursday, 8 October 2015
Monday, 7 September 2015
Friday, 21 August 2015
Why we're smarter than chickens: Team uncovers protein part the controls neuron development
http://phys.org/news/2015-08-smarter-chickens-team-uncovers-protein.html
Why does brain growth in some vertebrates (i.e. us) outstrip others? According to Ben Blencowe and his colleagues in Toronto one of the main engines for the gene evolution required is alternative splicing. It is one of the main mechanisms that amplify genetic distance between us and the rest of the higher primates, for instance, and i deal with it in the chapter ALADDIN'S CCAVE in "Not A Chimp".
Why does brain growth in some vertebrates (i.e. us) outstrip others? According to Ben Blencowe and his colleagues in Toronto one of the main engines for the gene evolution required is alternative splicing. It is one of the main mechanisms that amplify genetic distance between us and the rest of the higher primates, for instance, and i deal with it in the chapter ALADDIN'S CCAVE in "Not A Chimp".
Wednesday, 5 August 2015
Tuesday, 4 August 2015
Sunday, 12 July 2015
Evolutionary divergence of gene and protein expression in the brains of humans and chimpanzees
http://gbe.oxfordjournals.org/content/early/2015/07/10/gbe.evv132.abstract?papetoc
In not a chimp I resoundingly make the point that the differences between humans and chimps are more likely to be found in the crucial differences in gene expression between the two species rather than evolved sequence changes in genes per se. This paper, who's authors read like a who's who of human-chimp comparative biology - has just underlined this point very clearly by showing that gene expression is fairly similar over a range of metabolic processes, but in the brain, especially the caudate nucleus and the anterior cingulate cortex, they diverge dramatically, revealing "significant differences in neuronal communication, ion transport, and regulatory processes, whereas protein comparisons indicated differences in perception and cognition, metabolic processes, and organization of the cytoskeleton." The link above is to the full paper which is open access.
In not a chimp I resoundingly make the point that the differences between humans and chimps are more likely to be found in the crucial differences in gene expression between the two species rather than evolved sequence changes in genes per se. This paper, who's authors read like a who's who of human-chimp comparative biology - has just underlined this point very clearly by showing that gene expression is fairly similar over a range of metabolic processes, but in the brain, especially the caudate nucleus and the anterior cingulate cortex, they diverge dramatically, revealing "significant differences in neuronal communication, ion transport, and regulatory processes, whereas protein comparisons indicated differences in perception and cognition, metabolic processes, and organization of the cytoskeleton." The link above is to the full paper which is open access.
Sunday, 26 April 2015
animal rights battle continues with chimpanzees at Stony Brook
animal rights battle continues with chimpanzees at Stony Brook
Latest update on the status of the Stoneybrook chimps. Are they humans or not? The madness continues.
Latest update on the status of the Stoneybrook chimps. Are they humans or not? The madness continues.
Friday, 24 April 2015
Are Chimps Entitled to Human Rights? NY Court to Decide
Are Chimps Entitled to Human Rights? NY Court to Decide.
http://www.livescience.com/50595-are-chimps-entitled-to-human-rights.html
This little new England saga has been running fort a few days - a judge appearing to be extending the writ of habeas corpus to two allegedly abused chimps, only to rescind it almost immediately. The latest in the long-running farce of "human rights" for chimps
http://www.livescience.com/50595-are-chimps-entitled-to-human-rights.html
This little new England saga has been running fort a few days - a judge appearing to be extending the writ of habeas corpus to two allegedly abused chimps, only to rescind it almost immediately. The latest in the long-running farce of "human rights" for chimps
Friday, 10 April 2015
The Bonobo Way: The Evolution of Peace through Pleasure
http://www.epjournal.net/articles/dr-strangeape-or-how-to-learn-to-stop-worrying-and-love-the-bonobo-a-review-of-susan-block-the-bonobo-way-the-evolution-of-peace-through-pleasure/getpdf.php?file=EP1302440249.pdf
A hilarious put down by anthropologist Ryan Ellsworth of what appears to be the most incredibly asinine pile of junk science by writer Susan Block. Good for a giggle at the expense of this ridiculous "bonobos as an evolutionary model for humans" drivel.
A hilarious put down by anthropologist Ryan Ellsworth of what appears to be the most incredibly asinine pile of junk science by writer Susan Block. Good for a giggle at the expense of this ridiculous "bonobos as an evolutionary model for humans" drivel.
Tuesday, 24 March 2015
The Idiot Is Still In The Zoo
http://phys.org/news/2015-03-lawyer-chimps-people.html
Steven Wise won't go away. As this article on the back of his recent TED talk in Vancouver shows. By taking the writ of habeas corpus to chimps, orcas and whales he is determined they shall have human rights. But until he can show me that all these highly intelligent non-human species are able to appreciate the concept of rights and are mentally capable of entering into the two-way social contract being a member of society with rights requires, he ain't going to convince me.
Steven Wise won't go away. As this article on the back of his recent TED talk in Vancouver shows. By taking the writ of habeas corpus to chimps, orcas and whales he is determined they shall have human rights. But until he can show me that all these highly intelligent non-human species are able to appreciate the concept of rights and are mentally capable of entering into the two-way social contract being a member of society with rights requires, he ain't going to convince me.
Monday, 9 March 2015
Researchers map 'switches' that shaped the evolution of the human brain
http://medicalxpress.com/news/2015-03-evolution-human-brain.html
The main reason - as I pointed out in NOT A CHIMP - for the obvious differences in physiology, morphology and cognition between us and the rest of the higher primates lies not in mutations in genes, or de novo genes, per se (although these can occasionally prove vitally important) but in the differences in the activity of genes - called gene expression. This article shows just how important changes in the regulation of genes has proved in the evolution of the human cerebral cortex.
The main reason - as I pointed out in NOT A CHIMP - for the obvious differences in physiology, morphology and cognition between us and the rest of the higher primates lies not in mutations in genes, or de novo genes, per se (although these can occasionally prove vitally important) but in the differences in the activity of genes - called gene expression. This article shows just how important changes in the regulation of genes has proved in the evolution of the human cerebral cortex.
Wednesday, 4 March 2015
Small DNA changes separate chimp and human brains
http://medicalxpress.com/news/2015-02-small-dna-chimp-human-brains.html
In not a chimp I documented the work of Katherine Pollard's lab in identifying rapidly evolving regions of DNA called HARs that exist outside known genes and are thought to enhance neighbouring gene activity. Here is a report on the HAR5 region by a lab influenced by Pollard's path-breaking research.
In not a chimp I documented the work of Katherine Pollard's lab in identifying rapidly evolving regions of DNA called HARs that exist outside known genes and are thought to enhance neighbouring gene activity. Here is a report on the HAR5 region by a lab influenced by Pollard's path-breaking research.
A gene for brain size only found in humans
http://medicalxpress.com/news/2015-02-gene-brain-size-humans.html
Interesting account of the discovery of one of 58 de novo human specific genes that are involved in increase in brain size.
Interesting account of the discovery of one of 58 de novo human specific genes that are involved in increase in brain size.
Saturday, 24 January 2015
WHITEWASH FOR BLACK CROWS
Source: Alphagalileo
Bad reputation of crows demystified
23 January 2015 Plataforma SINC
In literature, crows and ravens are a bad omen and are associated with witches. Most people believe they steal, eat other birds' eggs and reduce the populations of other birds. But a new study, which has brought together over 326 interactions between corvids and their prey, demonstrates that their notoriety is not entirely merited.
Corvids - the bird group that includes crows, ravens and magpies - are the subject of several population control schemes, in both game and conservation environments. These controls are based on the belief that destroying them is good for other birds. They are also considered to be effective predators capable of reducing the populations of their prey.
However, a study published recently in the journal 'Ibis' analysed the impact of six species of corvid on a total of 67 species of bird susceptible to being their prey, among which are game birds and passerine birds.
The project, which compiled the information of 42 scientific studies and analysed a total of 326 interactions between corvids and their prey, shows that they have a much smaller effect on other bird species than was previously thought.
As Beatriz Arroyo - author of the study and a researcher at the Institute of Research in Game Resources (IREC), a joint centre of the University of Castilla-La Mancha, the Castilla-La Mancha Community Council and the CSIC (Spanish National Research Council) - tells SINC: "In 81% of cases studied, corvids did not present a discernible impact on their potential prey. Furthermore, in 6% of cases, some apparently beneficial relationships were even observed."
Greater impact on reproduction
To find out what impact corvids have on their prey, the researchers - in conjunction with the University of Cape Town (South Africa) - conducted several experiments in which they isolated crows, ravens and magpies, among other predators, to observe how they affected the reproduction and abundance of other birds.
According to the works analysed, when crows were taken away from their habitat, the survival rates of chickens and the number of eggs of other species were higher in most cases. Nevertheless, with respect to abundance, without corvids an increased size of the populations of other birds was observed only in a small number of cases.
According to the study, when crows were removed from the environment, in 46% of cases their prey had greater reproductive success, while their abundance fell in less than 10% of cases.
Additionally, these experimental studies carried out in nine different countries (Canada, France, Norway, Poland, Slovakia, Spain, Sweden, the UK and the USA) revealed that, if corvids are eliminated but other predators are not, the impact on the productivity of their prey would be positive in only 16% of cases; whilst without corvids and other predators, including carnivores, the productivity of other birds improves in 60% of cases.
This suggests that crows, ravens and magpies, amongst others, have a lower impact on prey than other threats. "Compensatory predation can also occur," the researcher explains.
In the study they also compared the effects between different groups of corvids. In these results it is striking that "magpies had much less impact on prey than other species," Arroyo claims.
Comparing crows and magpies, the scientists showed that in 62% of cases crows impacted negatively on the reproduction of their prey, whilst magpies had a negative effect in 12% of cases. "But no differences related to the abundance of prey were noted," the scientist affirms.
For the authors of this piece of research, given the results it is necessary to "be cautious" when drawing conclusions on the impact of magpies or crows on the populations of their prey. "This method of managing populations is frequently ineffective and unnecessary," Arroyo finishes.
Corvids - the bird group that includes crows, ravens and magpies - are the subject of several population control schemes, in both game and conservation environments. These controls are based on the belief that destroying them is good for other birds. They are also considered to be effective predators capable of reducing the populations of their prey.
However, a study published recently in the journal 'Ibis' analysed the impact of six species of corvid on a total of 67 species of bird susceptible to being their prey, among which are game birds and passerine birds.
The project, which compiled the information of 42 scientific studies and analysed a total of 326 interactions between corvids and their prey, shows that they have a much smaller effect on other bird species than was previously thought.
As Beatriz Arroyo - author of the study and a researcher at the Institute of Research in Game Resources (IREC), a joint centre of the University of Castilla-La Mancha, the Castilla-La Mancha Community Council and the CSIC (Spanish National Research Council) - tells SINC: "In 81% of cases studied, corvids did not present a discernible impact on their potential prey. Furthermore, in 6% of cases, some apparently beneficial relationships were even observed."
Greater impact on reproduction
To find out what impact corvids have on their prey, the researchers - in conjunction with the University of Cape Town (South Africa) - conducted several experiments in which they isolated crows, ravens and magpies, among other predators, to observe how they affected the reproduction and abundance of other birds.
According to the works analysed, when crows were taken away from their habitat, the survival rates of chickens and the number of eggs of other species were higher in most cases. Nevertheless, with respect to abundance, without corvids an increased size of the populations of other birds was observed only in a small number of cases.
According to the study, when crows were removed from the environment, in 46% of cases their prey had greater reproductive success, while their abundance fell in less than 10% of cases.
Additionally, these experimental studies carried out in nine different countries (Canada, France, Norway, Poland, Slovakia, Spain, Sweden, the UK and the USA) revealed that, if corvids are eliminated but other predators are not, the impact on the productivity of their prey would be positive in only 16% of cases; whilst without corvids and other predators, including carnivores, the productivity of other birds improves in 60% of cases.
This suggests that crows, ravens and magpies, amongst others, have a lower impact on prey than other threats. "Compensatory predation can also occur," the researcher explains.
In the study they also compared the effects between different groups of corvids. In these results it is striking that "magpies had much less impact on prey than other species," Arroyo claims.
Comparing crows and magpies, the scientists showed that in 62% of cases crows impacted negatively on the reproduction of their prey, whilst magpies had a negative effect in 12% of cases. "But no differences related to the abundance of prey were noted," the scientist affirms.
For the authors of this piece of research, given the results it is necessary to "be cautious" when drawing conclusions on the impact of magpies or crows on the populations of their prey. "This method of managing populations is frequently ineffective and unnecessary," Arroyo finishes.
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