The mutation that helped ancient humans survive frostbite probably gave us arthritis When humans began their slow migration out of Africa some 100,000 years ago, they carried with them the genetic seeds necessary to help survive the bitter chill of Europe and Asia. But, unknowingly, in the same genes lurked a painful burden that afflicts millions today – with a new study finding that a gene variant that helped our ancestors survive extreme climates and frostbite also increases the likelihood of developing arthritis. According to researchers at Stanford and Harvard universities, a variant of the GDF5 gene – which is associated with bone growth and joint formation – has two effects on those that carry mutations of the gene: it reduces bone length (and, subsequently, height), and it can almost double the chance of osteoarthritis. "It's clear that the genetic machinery around a gene can have a dramatic impact on how it works," says one of the researchers, human evolutionary biologist Terence Capellini, now at Harvard University. The findings are reported in Nature Genetics.
What You Can Learn About Learning Through Video Game Play Shakalaka boom! Yeah, well done! Way to hold your ground! Cool base design! Tricky strategy to draw them in! Thanks for the bombers! How do you hoard loot if they keep stealing if from you? Don't worry about trophies if you are trying to get loot. Sounds strange? I invited the cousins and nephews to get involved and we made our own clan. For those that are not familiar with the game, the point is to gather elixir, and gold to build your base to Level 11. Discoveries After playing this game, there's nine things that I have learned about education and learning: #1. #2. #3. #4. #5. #6. #7. #8. #9. How do I justify spending time on a simple game?
Case Study: How Did the Guppy Get His Color? This case study examines evolution in guppies as evidenced by color variation in populations. It is based on an iconic study performed by John Endler where he collected data on guppies by scoring the size, number, and brightness of spots. Students progress though the slides (lecture and discussion), and examine details of Endler’s study, such as where the pools were located and why natural barriers created different environments for the native guppies. The case also examine two predatory fish found in Trinidad, the killifish (Rivulus hartii) and the pike (Crenichichla alta). Students then examine real data gathered in the experiment that showed how the color and number of spots found on guppies was related to the types of predators in the stream. Students should be able to conclude that in streams with aggressive predators, natural selection favors guppies that do not have bright spots. Related Documents and Handouts: Guppy Case Study (word): Printable, can be downloaded and edited
Games and Learning | Through coverage of the market, research and up-to-date analysis, Games and Learning reports on the opportunities and challenges facing those seeking to unlock the educational power of games. Earth - Chicken grows face of dinosaur Sixty-five million years ago, an asteroid is believed to have crashed into Earth. The impact wiped out huge numbers of species, including almost all of the dinosaurs. One group of dinosaurs managed to survive the disaster. Today, we know them as birds. The idea that birds evolved from dinosaurs has been around since the 19th century, when scientists discovered the fossil of an early bird called Archaeopteryx. But these early birds didn't look the same as modern ones. To understand how one changed into another, a team has been tampering with the molecular processes that make up a beak in chickens. By doing so, they have managed to create a chicken embryo with a dinosaur-like snout and palate, similar to that of small feathered dinosaurs like Velociraptor. The team's aim was to understand how the bird beak evolved, because the beak is such a vital part of bird anatomy. "Whenever you examine an important evolutionary transformation, you want to learn the underlying mechanism," says Bhullar.
Lice Out!! I awakened one morning with such a feeling of my hair being on fire. The flames seemed to burn from the nape of my neck to my ears. I spent all day scratching and, that night, asked my daughter to look at my scalp for a rash. "I don't see a rash, but I think I see things moving." Why would I have something moving in my scalp? Will had a bad case of head lice 5 years ago (he caught it from a batting helmet), and was able to successfully treat it with Lice-Out! Science Notebook: Predictions: Individually, make a prediction and explain your reasoning in your science notebook. Small Group Sharing Initial Ideas Discussion: Construct a Diagram to Explain the Phenomenon 2. Create scenes that show before, during, and after sections. Keep in mind, we are only just getting started. Small Group Posting 3. Science Notebook: Individual Posting 4.
Phylogenetic Predictions | Tree of Life : Exhibits : Yale Peabody Museum of Natural History Phylogenetic trees predict the characteristics of species that have not yet been carefully studied. This can guide the search for useful natural products, including “bioprospecting” for new drugs. For example, the drug “taxol,” which is used to treat breast cancer, was first isolated from the Pacific yew plant. A focus on related plants turned up a similar chemical in a more widespread species, which greatly enabled the production of the drug. Treating Snake Bites In Australia, which has more poisonous snakes than any other continent, phylogenetic analysis is used to help identify antivenins. The “Poison” in Poison Ivy Some people who are sensitive to poison ivy discover that they have a similar reaction to the skin of mango fruits. They both belong to the Cashew family, the Anacardiaceae. And what about the cashew itself? Another plant that belongs to the Anacardiaceae is the Japanese lacquer tree, which is used to make exquisite traditional lacquerware.
England | Devon | Pink grasshopper found in marshes An "unusual" pink grasshopper has been discovered during a wildlife event at a Devon nature reserve. The insect was found by 11-year-old Daniel Tate at Seaton Marshes near Sidmouth. He said he thought it was a flower until he saw it jump and then he realised it was a grasshopper. The insect was later identified by wildlife officers as a young adult meadow grasshopper, which has been born pink through genetic mutation. Daniel, who attended the "mini-beasts" event with his great grandfather, said: "I was looking for grasshoppers when I saw something pink. "I thought it was a flower but I saw it moving, so I tried to catch it. James Chubb, education ranger for East Devon District Council, said: "There are billions of meadow grasshoppers across England but this is the first pink one I have ever seen. "It is caused by a genetic mutation in its reproductive cycle. He said grasshoppers of different colours were "unusual" but not unheard of.
Why do leaves have such different shapes? | MNN - Mother Nature Network There’s one thing about leaves that science has long agreed upon: They only grow so big as available water allows — but not so big that the whole plant overheats. The water part makes sense. We all need water to grow. Too much direct sunlight and that photosynthetic engine spins hot and risks burning out. A plant's leaves are perfectly designed to capture sunlight and carbon dioxide — and thanks to the marvel that is photosynthesis — turning them into food. So, when it comes to the size of leaves, plants sing a simple refrain: Water grows. But recently, after studying some 7,000 plants from around the world, Australian scientists found a new variable in nature’s math. It’s not just the risk of overheating that keeps leaves in check, but also the cold that comes creeping at night. In fact, plants may be much more wary of catching a chill than too many rays. And just as the conditions where plants grow vary wildly, so do the size of leaves. But don't all leaves do the same thing?
Lesson: evolution mini-lesson: A Step in Speciation Time: Two 50-minute periods Preparation: 1. Make color copies of the salamander sheets (one per team of 2-4); place these in non-glare transparent plastic notebook sleeves to protect from wear and tear as they are re-used every period and year. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. COMMENT: This lesson demonstrates how speciation occurs and should emphasize for students that a scientist's real work begins when she/he starts to organize and analyze data. PRESENTATION: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. RECENT DEVLOPMENTS AND CURRENT STUDIES OF ENSATINA at ENSATINA UPDATE: Confirmation of hypothesized relationship from DNA analyses and other studies (added February, 2010).
All 2.3 Million Species Are Mapped into a Single Circle of Life Since Charles Darwin's day, biologists have depicted how new organisms evolve from old ones by adding branches to numerous trees that represent portions of the animal, plant and microbial kingdoms. Researchers from a dozen institutions recently completed a three-year effort to combine tens of thousands of trees into one diagram, most readable as a circle (below). The lines inside the circle represent all 2.3 million species that have been named. Biologists have genetic sequences for only about 5 percent of them, however; as more are finished, the relationships within and across groups of species may change. Anyone can propose updates to the database (OpenTreeOfLife.org). Click or tap to enlarge