#Theory of Evolution

[interretialia]

Valde paulatim facta mutatio quam vi evidentiae empiricae firme et identidem demonstrare possumus

Very gradual change we can reliably and repeatedly demonstrate with empirical evidence

(Fons Imaginis.)

[puffdoesstuff]

EHEHEHEHE

I HAD SOOOO MUCH FUN WITH THIS

So!!! I was getting super bored and was looking at LU aus and I found this lovely idea of @a-flux-uchiha 's, called the Theory of Evolution! So far they only have Wild and Wind, but I suggest you go check it out!!!

[ladisparition]

Le secret de l'histoire naturelle contenant les merveilles et choses mémorables du monde, XVe siècle. Bibliothèque nationale de France, Département des Manuscrits, Français 22971 (Gaignières 92).

Le manuscrit pourrait — ou pas — être post-contact. À voir ; il ne semble traiter que de l'"ancien monde". Les questions : d'où nous vient cette images d'hommes rustres, brutaux et poilus, vêtus de peaux et armés de gourdins ? Les grecs ont leurs barbaroï, les celtes en particulier, nus et hurlants... l'idée d'un avant–après simplifie à outrance, mais comment passe-t-on de "sauvages qui ne partagent pas notre sophistication" à "peuple primitif moins avancé" ? De "moins bien que nous maintenant" à "d'un autre temps que nous, d'un temps passé" ? Ou bien ces deux énoncés s'articulent simultanément l'un dans l'autre ? Bref de quel puits Darwin tire-t-il son eau ? Ce puits, il est profond comment ?

*edit* first found the image on the v cool medieval_psychedelia insta

[inkintheinternet]

The Tree of Unanswered Questions (Answered)

By Arjuwan Lakkdawala 

Ink in the Internet 

I have often been confused by the theory that we are primates, and that chimps and humans have 98% DNA similarity, and therefore it is "evidance" that we are primates. Darwin's Theory of Evolution by Natural Selection is often cited by many as the backing for this claim, or that it is at the root of it.

I decided to investigate the claims regarding human evolution to the best of my ability. I wanted to get answers that would be clear for people who have not studied human evolution. It's one of the toughest research I have done.

Evolution in itself is such a sprawling subject, one would not know from where to begin.

I decided to make it as simple as possible, I would write the subject as a tree. My own version of the evolutionary tree, not the scientific one with its many intricate details and dead ends. Because to understand that most regular readers might lose their brain cells. I say this because anyone doing research on human evolution will find quotes like "it's complex" "not enough fossil evidance" "it's a tangled web." and so on.

So here I start, let us speak about the highest branch first.

Branch 1 - Hominins (ancient human  species)

Early humans are called hominins and there are according to evolutionary biologists many extinct species of humans from the genus Homo, but we the Homo Sapiens are the only living ones on earth.

In this branch there is Homo Erectus (upright human) this species is said to be the first "most human-like ancient hominin."

It is said that ancient hominins first appeared on earth six million years ago and they walked on four.

Bipedalism - the ability to walk on two legs evolved four million years ago in humans.

So Homo Erectus are the first to walk on two, they lived two million years ago, until at least 250,000 years ago.

I have seen online artificial imagineering of their faces, and you get a human face according to the artificial intelligence software.

But according to evolutionary biology they are not modern humans.

As with the example of Homo Erectus many hominin fossils have been found, and basically each has been classified as an extinct ancient human species.

There are hominins thought to be older ancrstors to Homo Erectus and those are called "super archiac."

Then in the branch after many hominins comes two of our most famous and closest cousins the Neanderthals and Denisovans.

Again not modern humans according to scientific classification.

Neanderthals went extinct about 40,000 years ago.

Denisovans are said to have gone extinct 40,000 to 30,000 years ago.

Denisovans are closer to Neanderthals than modern humans according to the science.

It is said Neanderthals and modern humans interbreeded.

There is no explanation as to why or how Neanderthals became extinct.

How does evolution take place? Answer: By mutations.

According to the science of evolution it happens in two types of periods.

1. The Microevolution (short period) in this period minor changes get made to species according to natural selection. The difference in anatomy is considered not to be significant.

2. The Macroevolution (long period) in this period great changes get made to a species, and even evolving it into a whole new species.

But there has to be the existence of an intermediate species in the chain or branch of evolutionary changes.

Example: 

Charles Darwin was hoping to get palaeontological evidance of an intermediate species. Two years after the publication of his book 'On the Origin of Species' the fossil 'archaepteryx' was found. The fossil link between birds and dinasaurs.

"This extraordinary fossil—bearing feathers as well as teeth, claws, a bony tail and other reptilian traits—was just the sort of creature that Darwin’s theory of evolution by natural selection predicted should exist. The feathers left no question that the Jurassic Archaeopteryx was a bird, but the creature also had a suite of saurian traits that pointed to a reptilian ancestry." - Smithsonian Megazine

However, anthropologist Briana Pobinar, says that the term "Missing Link" is not accurate because it depicts a linear chain in evolution, which is not the pattern they see.

Pobinar says evolution “produces a tree-like branching pattern with multiple descendants of an ancestor species existing at the same time, and sometimes even alongside that ancestor species.” - Smithsonian Megazine.

The human that is supposed to connect modern humans with primative ancestors has never been found.

So much so that it appears that it's a "ghost" species. What it means is that there is no fossil or DNA evidance to make a scientific connection. 

In fact a new study published in Nature Journal challenges previous notions about hominin contribution to modern Homo Sapiens.

"New model for human evolution suggests Homo sapiens arose from multiple closely related populations.

A new study in Nature challenges prevailing theories, suggesting that Homo sapiens evolved from multiple diverse populations across Africa, with the earliest detectable split occurring 120,000-135,000 years ago, after prolonged periods of genetic intermixing." - Scitech Daily

This means that modern humans evolved from similar other modern humans. There is no genetic evolutionary notable impact from primate like hominins.

(Study is very new released in May 2023) 

So what really makes modern humans different to so called other species of humans. I would say it's the brain and cognitive ability, and this brings me to the second branch of the tree.

Branch 2. (Human Brain Development)

The fossils so far found of "extinct human species" help scientists determine bone structure and facial features of those individuals, but brain tissue is not preserved well, so scientist know little about the cognitive abilities of these species.

So archealogy is the best option for researchers to try and understand the thinking abilities of more recent species like Neanderthals and Denisovans.

As I have read in an article, this too is extremely complicated, as it raises the question are the primitive tools found in excavations and cave paintings really a sign of limited intelligence or underdeveloped environment. Can we really assume that Neanderthals and Denisovans if in a modern world would not be able to think like a modern human?

Researchers have observed differences in brain case size of extinct humans. But does this imply higher or lower cognitive abilities.

To answer to this question or shed some light on it as I was so curious, I decided to take my research from evolutionary biology, history, and archaeology to neuroscience and investigate the development of the human brain.

The confusion of brain development and cultural effect is because of neuro plasticity. In a study done chimps it appeared had rigid neuro plasticity compared to humans. So what is brain plasticity? It is the brain's ability to rewire itself structurally and functionally according to experience and injury. There are even ongoing studies about if plasticity itself can evolve. The more plasticity the stronger cognitive abilities.

Neuroscience is one of the hardest and active field of research. So I'll not get into other aspects of the brain. Here I'll examine the aspect of brain development in regard to neuro plasticity.

"The neocortex—the outermost layer of the brain characterized by the squiggly sulci, or brain folds—is the region that gives all primates their exceptional intelligence. In both chimps and humans, this brain region continues to grow and organize for years after birth, allowing us to learn and develop socially. The brain's ability to reorganize in response to environmental cues is known as plasticity, and it is this flexibility that allows us to learn things we never knew at birth." - Science.org

There lingers the question of brain size regarding the hominins or Neanderthals, Denisovans, if brain tissue of their fossils cannot be examined, we can instead try to find out if a larger brain (large brain cases of fossils) mean higher intelligence or the ability for modern human cognition.

"Having an unusually large brain doesn't necessarily make someone a genius, and large-scale research suggests only a slight and tenuous relationship between brain size and intelligence." - Psychology Today.

With this I conclude the second branch, and start the third branch which is about intelligence in apes and other animals.

Branch 3. (Intelligence in the animal kingdom)

Animals that have shown high Intelligence in comparison to most animals are apes, parrots, crows, ravens, mice, elephants, dogs, and new research suggests octopuses.

"The more that researchers examine octopus genetics, brains and sensory capabilities, the more they find startling similarities to our own minds, hand in hand (or sucker-covered arm in sucker-covered arm) with bizarre differences between how our species experience the world." - Discover.

However, there is nothing close to the level of human intelligence.

Charles Darwin had based his theory on physical changes, he did not know about genetics. 

The Theory of Evolution incorporated with the study of genetics is called 'Modern Evolution Synthesis."

What I have done in this tree is summarise the theory of human evolution based on physical and biological research. 

What I have found is so far scientifically there is no fossil or genetic evidance that says Homo Sapiens evolved directly from apes.

We are in the 21st century with sophisticated technologies and molecular biology. There is nothing stopping scientists from searching for fossil or genetic evidence except that it can't be found. 

Neanderthals and Denisovans have said to have existed in the Ice Age, and there were hominins in the Stone Age.

Copyright ©️ Arjuwan Lakkdawala 2023

Arjuwan Lakkdawala is an author and independent journalist. Twitter: @Spellrainia Email: arjuwan.writer@gmail.com

Sources:

Metode Science Studies Journal, 7 (2017)

Human Brain Evolution - How increase in brain plasticity made us a cultural species - Aida Gomez Robles and Chet C. Sherwood

What Is Neural Plasticity?

Rommy von Bernhardi et al. Adv Exp Med Biol. 2017.

Smithsonian Megazine - Riley Black, Natural History Museum- Katie Pavid

Natural History Museum- Josh Davis

National Geogrphic - Tim Vernimmen

YourGenome.org - Society and Behaviour

Australian Museum - A Timeline of Gissil Discoveries - Fran Dorey

Britannica - Homo Sapiens

Smithsonian: National Museum of Natural History - Introduction to Human Evolution

Live Science: What is Darwin's Theory of Evolution - By Ker Than, Ashley P. Taylor, Tom Garner

Discover Megazine

Psychology Today

Daniel Graham, Ph.D.

A Bigger Brain is Not Necessarily Better

Science.org - David Shultz

New DNA Research Changes Origin of Human Species -

Scitech Daily - University of California - Davis

National Library of Medicine - National Center for Biotechnology Information -

Front Hum Neurosci. 2013; 7: 707. 

Published online 2013 Oct 30. doi: 10.3389/fnhum.2013.00707

PMCID: PMC3812990

PMID: 24194709

Evolution, development, and plasticity of the human brain: from molecules to bones

Branka Hrvoj-Mihic,1,2 Thibault Bienvenu,1 Lisa Stefanacci,1,2 Alysson R. Muotri,2,3 and Katerina Semendeferi1,3,*

What may have given modern humans an edge over Neanderthals, according to new research

By Katie Hunt, CNN

Study.com - People and Society in the Stone Age

Jessica Holmes, Joanna Harris

[thepastisalreadywritten]

New coral reef discovered in Ecuador's Galapagos Islands

Reuters | 18 April 2023

Fish gather at an ancient and pristine coral reef discovered by a scientific expedition in the depths of the Galapagos Islands in Ecuador, in this undated handout photo obtained by Reuters on 17 April 2023.

📷: UBristol / WHOI / UEssex / UBoise / NERC / NSF / National Park Galapagos / Handout via REUTERS

A scientific expedition has discovered a previously unknown coral reef with abundant marine life off Ecuador's Galapagos Islands, the country's environment ministry said on Monday.

"A deepwater scientific expedition has found the first totally pristine coral reef, approximately two kilometers (1.2 miles) long, at 400 meters (deep), on the summit of a submarine mountain," Environment Minister Jose Davalos said on Twitter. "Galapagos surprises us again!"

Scientists had believed that the only Galapagos reef to survive El Nino weather in 1982 and 1983 was one called the Wellington reef, along the coast of Darwin Island, but the new discovery shows other coral has persisted, the ministry said in a statement.

The reef has more than 50% living coral.

"This is very important at a global level because many deepwater systems are degraded," said Stuart Banks, senior marine researcher at the Charles Darwin Foundation, who participated in the expedition.

"The coral is several thousand years old at least," he added.

The South American country last year expanded the Galapagos marine reserve by 60,000 square km (23,166 square miles), an extension of the 138,000 square km already in place, to protect endangered migratory species between the Galapagos and the Cocos Island in Costa Rica.

The Galapagos, which inspired Charles Darwin's theory of evolution, are also home to giant tortoises, albatrosses, cormorants and other species, some of which are endangered.

The research submarine Alvin is pictured in the Galapagos Islands, Ecuador, 11 November 2021.

📷: UBristol / WHOI / UEssex / UBoise / NERC / NSF / National Park Galapagos / Handout via REUTERS

The scientific ship Atlantis is anchored in the Academia Bay in Santa Cruz, Galapagos Islands, Ecuador, 29 March 2023.

📷: Carlos Espinosa / National Park Galapagos / Handout via REUTERS

[if-you-fan-a-fire]

“He Knocks the Spots from Darwin's Plan, Says Monkeys Have Devolved from Man,” Toronto Star. May 21, 1921. Page 3. ---- Canadian Press Despatch. ---- Ottawa. May 20. - New theories of the origin of man this morning at were presented a meeting of the Royal Society of Canada, by Prof. Charles Hill-Tout. F.R.A.I., F.RS.C., of Abbotsford, B.C. Prof. Hill-Tout took the opposite view to that presented in Darwin's theory of evolution, namely that anthropoids had devolved. from the human form rather than the human being had evolved from anthropoids.

The human race at the present time was much closer in its resemblance. to original type, he thought, than were anthropoids. There was much more possibility of monkeys evolving from human beings than vice versa.

[thenotsolittlemisspeculiar]

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The Theory of Evolution Is a Satanic Lie, Part 4

(Source)

[grimm-the-tiger]

“Evolution? More like evilution!” - Creationists, probably. 

[a-flux-uchiha]

Here he is, the most off from base hylian, Wild! Given he is 10k years away from everyone at the very least, he’s very far off. A lot has happened to the hylian species over that time.

Longer ears: Wild has the longest, and some of the most mobile ears of the chain, if you see him moving them it looks more like they’re on a ball joint then any other sort of joint. Twilight also has this, although his are a leftover from being a wolf.

Color vision/eyes: He has slit pupil, which gives him better day and night vision, as well as much better color vision.

Rib plate: He doesn’t have individual ribs, instead he has a pair of rib plates that function the same way, although are much harder to break. Good luck breaking his ribs, he doens’t have any. Yes I looked this up and asked around and as far as I can tell, it should work just as well as regular ribs, except it won’t break like individual ribs are prone to.

Color changing skin: As you can see in the pictures, his skin changes color! This is primarily for camoflauge, although hylians of his era use it to communicate a lot. He’ll often use the stripes like Wind has to be able to see in bright sunlight better, along with various other tactics to stay hidden. His ‘hylian’ skintone isn’t all that great, he’s not really supposed to fully color match anyone which gives him some difficulty, so he’s settled for this terracotta color that gets the least comments about his health. In the picture with the splotches on his face and neck he’s imitating Hyrule’s scales in the same location, although isn’t fully successful as he can’t imitate the texture. The scars are the lighter areas, as the coloring there doesn’t quite work as well, leaving them paler and often a little washed out looking. It doesn’t affect him too much though.

Bioluminescence: The glowing dots across the face and ears initially evolved as more of a predator thing to mimic fireflies. Animals(especially bugs and amphibians and lizards) would come investigate these ‘fireflies’ and then promptly be caught. It also helps disguise them, drawing attention away from the rest of them. Scars aren’t usually bioluminescent, that’s just a weird shrine of ressurection thing. Now he is his own flashlight.

Other notes: Hair, as it is actually dead cells, and can’t change color, is typically light colored for his era’s hylians. Not usually so vivid yellow, but that’s just a Link Thing. Instead of evolving for it to change color as well, they use temporary dyes, similar to hair chalk, to blend it in with the area, as it’s easier then trying to use camoflagued fabrics to hide it. Keeping hair very short is a common thing though. Just for ease.

I couldn’t figure out an outfit I liked so I just drew him in nebulous pants and a t-shirt.

[religion-is-a-mental-illness]

“Those who cavalierly reject the Theory of Evolution, as not adequately supported by facts, seem quite to forget that their own theory is supported by no facts at all.

Like the majority of men who are born to a given belief, they demand the most rigorous proof of any adverse belief, but assume that their own needs none.”

-- Herbert Spencer

[theficpusher]

Delicate by FallingLikeThis | T | 1492 They say opposites attract. Maybe that’s why nerdy, shy Harry Styles has such a huge crush on rough, brash Louis Tomlinson. And now, he's stuck in a lift with him.

an honest mistake by disgruntledkittenface | nr | 2048 “You look different when you’re not covered in come,” he blurts out, immediately regretting each and every life choice that has led to this exact moment. Elevator Guy is going to hate him. Louis has ridden the elevator with his neighbor all week. The first time they speak, there’s a misunderstanding.

No Matter What by fallenflowercrowns | T | 2416 Two Englishmen (and two Germans) in New York. Or, a chance meeting.

Lift by threeturn | E | 3940 Liam and Louis try to get to the fifth floor.

Theory of Evolution by YesIsAWorld | G | 4652 Louis has never backed down from a dare and isn’t about to start now.

Lovin' It Up by letsjustsee | nr | 6986 What did Niall know? This had nothing to do with the few times (okay, countless times) Louis had pined over the idea of Hot Neighbor while drinking. Nothing at all. So what if he had perfect lips and long legs and the cutest little curls around his ears? Certainly not Louis. He continued to scribble away, most of his words indiscernible except for one written in large letters at the very top of the napkin: REVENGE Or, a neighbors AU in which Louis vows to get revenge on the guy who didn't hold the elevator for him - no matter how ridiculously attractive he may be.

I Can Feel Your Heart Inside of Mine by flyinghome21 | E | 8336 When you're within one mile/kilometer of your soulmate, your soulmate's first name will beat out in Morse code by your heartbeat and pulse in your wrist. It poses a problem because it's just the first name, and if you mess up translating the Morse code, you can go about thinking or looking for the wrong soulmate. Harry Styles heard the name of his soulmate when he was fifteen. The only problem? He missed most of it. Nearly ten years later, he's all but given up hope in finding his soulmate when he gets stuck in an elevator with a beautiful man....

Wearing Nothing But Your Kiss by dinosaursmate | E | 10017 The lift stopped and Harry sighed, picking up the shopping bag and looking up. They weren’t at his floor; in fact, they were at no floor. The lift seemed to have lost power, the lights flickering off and he was plunged into the relative darkness of a dim emergency light. “Great.” The man in the lift with Harry sighed, then quickly crossed the small space and pressed the alarm button to no response. Harry watched him with dull curiosity before… shit. It was that guy! Something Tomlinson, and if Harry wasn’t mistaken, he’d just been nominated for an Oscar. He dropped the shopping bag to the floor, his palms sweating. --- Harry gets stuck in a lift with that actor with the incredible arse and tries to remember how to function as a human being.

to lure a hummingbird (you had me moonstruck) by brokenbeaks | E | 81439 Before the dawn of their first proper interaction, Louis William Tomlinson doesn't know the impact of the starlit atmosphere. He doesn't know that snails can sleep for three entire years, nor that an octopus' heart rate is tripled due to its inheritance of three cardiac organs. He doesn't know, because he's yet to dive into the enigmatic, limitless mind of Harry Edward Styles. And when he finally knows, he doesn't ever want to go back. Or: An enemies-to-lovers fic where Harry and Louis are neighbours who are forced to get along due to the inconvenience (or convenience) of a broken lift.

[er-cryptid]

Savannah Theory

[midnightfunk]

#IToldYouSo

[scrabbleknight]

Which came first — the chicken or the egg?

Boring answer: Evolution is not sudden. It's a slow and gradual process, spanning millions of years to transform what was essentially not a chicken into the modern farm hen. However, the question that's up to debate is of what period of time during that process does it count as a "chicken"? Where do we draw the line in this evolutionary change that determines whether one is or is not chicken? Can the line even be drawn? How do we truly tell?

Simple answer: The egg because what came before wasn't a chicken.

[atheostic]

[mspwrit3r]

Me: How can a character be aware of multiple dimensions and impact across them without consequences when they’re trapped in a time paradox?? 💅

Also Me: Mpreg stories make me weak 🤤