This document discusses Stephen Jay Gould's views on evolution and how it has been misinterpreted. Some key points:
1) Gould argues that evolution is not inherently progressive and that complexity has not increased over time. Most of life's history has involved simple unicellular organisms and anatomical complexity arose quickly and then changed little.
2) He criticizes the view of evolution as leading toward greater complexity and the dominance of humans. In reality, many lineages have adapted by becoming simpler over time.
3) Gould advocates for the theory of punctuated equilibrium, where species change little but are punctuated by periods of rapid speciation. This better fits the fossil record than gradualism.
92 S C I E N T I F I C A M E R I C A N R e p r i n t e d f r.docxsodhi3
92 S C I E N T I F I C A M E R I C A N R e p r i n t e d f r o m t h e O c t o b e r 1 9 9 4 i s s u e
ome creators announce their inventions with grand
éclat. God proclaimed, “Fiat lux,” and then flooded
his new universe with brightness. Others bring forth
great discoveries in a modest guise, as did Charles
Darwin in defining his new mechanism of evolu-
tionary causality in 1859: “I have called this principle, by which
each slight variation, if useful, is preserved, by the term Natur-
al Selection.”
Natural selection is an immensely powerful yet beautifully
simple theory that has held up remarkably well, under intense
and unrelenting scrutiny and testing, for 135 years. In essence,
natural selection locates the mechanism of evolutionary change
in a “struggle” among organisms for reproductive success, lead-
ing to improved fit of populations to changing environments.
(Struggle is often a metaphorical description and need not be
viewed as overt combat, guns blazing. Tactics for reproductive
success include a variety of nonmartial activities such as earlier
and more frequent mating or better cooperation with partners
in raising offspring.) Natural selection is therefore a principle of
local adaptation, not of general advance or progress.
Yet powerful though the principle may be, natural selection
is not the only cause of evolutionary change (and may, in many
cases, be overshadowed by other forces). This point needs em-
phasis because the standard misapplication of evolutionary the-
ory assumes that biological explanation may be equated with
devising accounts, often speculative and conjectural in practice,
about the adaptive value of any given feature in its original en-
vironment (human aggression as good for hunting, music and
religion as good for tribal cohesion, for example). Darwin him-
self strongly emphasized the multifactorial nature of evolu-
tionary change and warned against too exclusive a reliance on
natural selection, by placing the following statement in a max-
imally conspicuous place at the very end of his introduction: “I
am convinced that Natural Selection has been the most impor-
tant, but not the exclusive, means of modification.”
Reality versus Conceit
N A T U R A L S E L E C T I O N is not fully sufficient to explain evo-
lutionary change for two major reasons. First, many other caus-
es are powerful, particularly at levels of biological organization
both above and below the traditional Darwinian focus on or-
ganisms and their struggles for reproductive success. At the low-
est level of substitution in individual base pairs of DNA, change
is often effectively neutral and therefore random. At higher lev-
els, involving entire species or faunas, punctuated equilibrium
can produce evolutionary trends by selection of species based
on their rates of origin and extirpation, whereas mass extinc-
tions wipe out substantial parts of biotas for reasons unrelat-
ed to adaptive struggles of constituent species in “normal”
t.
92 S C I E N T I F I C A M E R I C A N R e p r i n t e d f r.docxblondellchancy
92 S C I E N T I F I C A M E R I C A N R e p r i n t e d f r o m t h e O c t o b e r 1 9 9 4 i s s u e
ome creators announce their inventions with grand
éclat. God proclaimed, “Fiat lux,” and then flooded
his new universe with brightness. Others bring forth
great discoveries in a modest guise, as did Charles
Darwin in defining his new mechanism of evolu-
tionary causality in 1859: “I have called this principle, by which
each slight variation, if useful, is preserved, by the term Natur-
al Selection.”
Natural selection is an immensely powerful yet beautifully
simple theory that has held up remarkably well, under intense
and unrelenting scrutiny and testing, for 135 years. In essence,
natural selection locates the mechanism of evolutionary change
in a “struggle” among organisms for reproductive success, lead-
ing to improved fit of populations to changing environments.
(Struggle is often a metaphorical description and need not be
viewed as overt combat, guns blazing. Tactics for reproductive
success include a variety of nonmartial activities such as earlier
and more frequent mating or better cooperation with partners
in raising offspring.) Natural selection is therefore a principle of
local adaptation, not of general advance or progress.
Yet powerful though the principle may be, natural selection
is not the only cause of evolutionary change (and may, in many
cases, be overshadowed by other forces). This point needs em-
phasis because the standard misapplication of evolutionary the-
ory assumes that biological explanation may be equated with
devising accounts, often speculative and conjectural in practice,
about the adaptive value of any given feature in its original en-
vironment (human aggression as good for hunting, music and
religion as good for tribal cohesion, for example). Darwin him-
self strongly emphasized the multifactorial nature of evolu-
tionary change and warned against too exclusive a reliance on
natural selection, by placing the following statement in a max-
imally conspicuous place at the very end of his introduction: “I
am convinced that Natural Selection has been the most impor-
tant, but not the exclusive, means of modification.”
Reality versus Conceit
N A T U R A L S E L E C T I O N is not fully sufficient to explain evo-
lutionary change for two major reasons. First, many other caus-
es are powerful, particularly at levels of biological organization
both above and below the traditional Darwinian focus on or-
ganisms and their struggles for reproductive success. At the low-
est level of substitution in individual base pairs of DNA, change
is often effectively neutral and therefore random. At higher lev-
els, involving entire species or faunas, punctuated equilibrium
can produce evolutionary trends by selection of species based
on their rates of origin and extirpation, whereas mass extinc-
tions wipe out substantial parts of biotas for reasons unrelat-
ed to adaptive struggles of constituent species in “normal”
t ...
Natural Selection - Crash Course Biology.htmlI hope you like thi.docxvannagoforth
Natural Selection - Crash Course Biology.htmlI hope you like this video. I think it does a good job of summarizing natural selection.
The Evolution of Life on the Earth
Author(s): Stephen Jay Gould
Source: Scientific American, Vol. 271, No. 4, SPECIAL ISSUE: LIFE IN THE UNIVERSE
(OCTOBER 1994), pp. 84-91
Published by: Scientific American, a division of Nature America, Inc.
Stable URL: https://www.jstor.org/stable/24942873
Accessed: 21-08-2018 00:39 UTC
JSTOR is a not-for-profit service that helps scholars, researchers, and students discover, use, and build upon a wide
range of content in a trusted digital archive. We use information technology and tools to increase productivity and
facilitate new forms of scholarship. For more information about JSTOR, please contact [email protected]
Your use of the JSTOR archive indicates your acceptance of the Terms & Conditions of Use, available at
https://about.jstor.org/terms
Scientific American, a division of Nature America, Inc. is collaborating with JSTOR to
digitize, preserve and extend access to Scientific American
This content downloaded from 168.16.190.143 on Tue, 21 Aug 2018 00:39:21 UTC
All use subject to https://about.jstor.org/terms
Copyright 1994 Scientific American, Inc.
This content downloaded from 168.16.190.143 on Tue, 21 Aug 2018 00:39:21 UTC
All use subject to https://about.jstor.org/terms
SCIENTIFIC AMERICAN October 1994 85
S
ome creators announce their in-
ventions with grand �clat. God
proclaimed, ÒFiat lux,Ó and then
ßooded his new universe with bright-
ness. Others bring forth great discov-
eries in a modest guise, as did Charles
Darwin in deÞning his new mechanism
of evolutionary causality in 1859: ÒI have
called this principle, by which each slight
variation, if useful, is preserved, by the
term Natural Selection.Ó
Natural selection is an immensely
powerful yet beautifully simple theory
that has held up remarkably well, un-
der intense and unrelenting scrutiny
and testing, for 135 years. In essence,
natural selection locates the mechanism
of evolutionary change in a ÒstruggleÓ
among organisms for reproductive suc-
cess, leading to improved Þt of popula-
tions to changing environments. (Strug-
gle is often a metaphorical description
and need not be viewed as overt com-
bat, guns blazing. Tactics for reproduc-
tive success include a variety of non-
martial activities such as earlier and
more frequent mating or better cooper-
ation with partners in raising oÝspring.)
Natural selection is therefore a princi-
ple of local adaptation, not of general
advance or progress.
Yet powerful though the principle
may be, natural selection is not the only
cause of evolutionary change (and may,
in many cases, be overshadowed by oth-
er forces). This point needs emphasis
because the standard misapplication of
evolutionary theory assumes that bio-
logical explanation may be equated with
devising accounts, often speculative and
conjectural in practice, about the ad ...
Charles Darwin - On the origin of species. To understand Eugenics, you have to know where it all began. It all begins with Charles Darwin and this is his first book. Gloucester, Virginia Links and News website. Visit us for incredible content.
92 S C I E N T I F I C A M E R I C A N R e p r i n t e d f r.docxsodhi3
92 S C I E N T I F I C A M E R I C A N R e p r i n t e d f r o m t h e O c t o b e r 1 9 9 4 i s s u e
ome creators announce their inventions with grand
éclat. God proclaimed, “Fiat lux,” and then flooded
his new universe with brightness. Others bring forth
great discoveries in a modest guise, as did Charles
Darwin in defining his new mechanism of evolu-
tionary causality in 1859: “I have called this principle, by which
each slight variation, if useful, is preserved, by the term Natur-
al Selection.”
Natural selection is an immensely powerful yet beautifully
simple theory that has held up remarkably well, under intense
and unrelenting scrutiny and testing, for 135 years. In essence,
natural selection locates the mechanism of evolutionary change
in a “struggle” among organisms for reproductive success, lead-
ing to improved fit of populations to changing environments.
(Struggle is often a metaphorical description and need not be
viewed as overt combat, guns blazing. Tactics for reproductive
success include a variety of nonmartial activities such as earlier
and more frequent mating or better cooperation with partners
in raising offspring.) Natural selection is therefore a principle of
local adaptation, not of general advance or progress.
Yet powerful though the principle may be, natural selection
is not the only cause of evolutionary change (and may, in many
cases, be overshadowed by other forces). This point needs em-
phasis because the standard misapplication of evolutionary the-
ory assumes that biological explanation may be equated with
devising accounts, often speculative and conjectural in practice,
about the adaptive value of any given feature in its original en-
vironment (human aggression as good for hunting, music and
religion as good for tribal cohesion, for example). Darwin him-
self strongly emphasized the multifactorial nature of evolu-
tionary change and warned against too exclusive a reliance on
natural selection, by placing the following statement in a max-
imally conspicuous place at the very end of his introduction: “I
am convinced that Natural Selection has been the most impor-
tant, but not the exclusive, means of modification.”
Reality versus Conceit
N A T U R A L S E L E C T I O N is not fully sufficient to explain evo-
lutionary change for two major reasons. First, many other caus-
es are powerful, particularly at levels of biological organization
both above and below the traditional Darwinian focus on or-
ganisms and their struggles for reproductive success. At the low-
est level of substitution in individual base pairs of DNA, change
is often effectively neutral and therefore random. At higher lev-
els, involving entire species or faunas, punctuated equilibrium
can produce evolutionary trends by selection of species based
on their rates of origin and extirpation, whereas mass extinc-
tions wipe out substantial parts of biotas for reasons unrelat-
ed to adaptive struggles of constituent species in “normal”
t.
92 S C I E N T I F I C A M E R I C A N R e p r i n t e d f r.docxblondellchancy
92 S C I E N T I F I C A M E R I C A N R e p r i n t e d f r o m t h e O c t o b e r 1 9 9 4 i s s u e
ome creators announce their inventions with grand
éclat. God proclaimed, “Fiat lux,” and then flooded
his new universe with brightness. Others bring forth
great discoveries in a modest guise, as did Charles
Darwin in defining his new mechanism of evolu-
tionary causality in 1859: “I have called this principle, by which
each slight variation, if useful, is preserved, by the term Natur-
al Selection.”
Natural selection is an immensely powerful yet beautifully
simple theory that has held up remarkably well, under intense
and unrelenting scrutiny and testing, for 135 years. In essence,
natural selection locates the mechanism of evolutionary change
in a “struggle” among organisms for reproductive success, lead-
ing to improved fit of populations to changing environments.
(Struggle is often a metaphorical description and need not be
viewed as overt combat, guns blazing. Tactics for reproductive
success include a variety of nonmartial activities such as earlier
and more frequent mating or better cooperation with partners
in raising offspring.) Natural selection is therefore a principle of
local adaptation, not of general advance or progress.
Yet powerful though the principle may be, natural selection
is not the only cause of evolutionary change (and may, in many
cases, be overshadowed by other forces). This point needs em-
phasis because the standard misapplication of evolutionary the-
ory assumes that biological explanation may be equated with
devising accounts, often speculative and conjectural in practice,
about the adaptive value of any given feature in its original en-
vironment (human aggression as good for hunting, music and
religion as good for tribal cohesion, for example). Darwin him-
self strongly emphasized the multifactorial nature of evolu-
tionary change and warned against too exclusive a reliance on
natural selection, by placing the following statement in a max-
imally conspicuous place at the very end of his introduction: “I
am convinced that Natural Selection has been the most impor-
tant, but not the exclusive, means of modification.”
Reality versus Conceit
N A T U R A L S E L E C T I O N is not fully sufficient to explain evo-
lutionary change for two major reasons. First, many other caus-
es are powerful, particularly at levels of biological organization
both above and below the traditional Darwinian focus on or-
ganisms and their struggles for reproductive success. At the low-
est level of substitution in individual base pairs of DNA, change
is often effectively neutral and therefore random. At higher lev-
els, involving entire species or faunas, punctuated equilibrium
can produce evolutionary trends by selection of species based
on their rates of origin and extirpation, whereas mass extinc-
tions wipe out substantial parts of biotas for reasons unrelat-
ed to adaptive struggles of constituent species in “normal”
t ...
Natural Selection - Crash Course Biology.htmlI hope you like thi.docxvannagoforth
Natural Selection - Crash Course Biology.htmlI hope you like this video. I think it does a good job of summarizing natural selection.
The Evolution of Life on the Earth
Author(s): Stephen Jay Gould
Source: Scientific American, Vol. 271, No. 4, SPECIAL ISSUE: LIFE IN THE UNIVERSE
(OCTOBER 1994), pp. 84-91
Published by: Scientific American, a division of Nature America, Inc.
Stable URL: https://www.jstor.org/stable/24942873
Accessed: 21-08-2018 00:39 UTC
JSTOR is a not-for-profit service that helps scholars, researchers, and students discover, use, and build upon a wide
range of content in a trusted digital archive. We use information technology and tools to increase productivity and
facilitate new forms of scholarship. For more information about JSTOR, please contact [email protected]
Your use of the JSTOR archive indicates your acceptance of the Terms & Conditions of Use, available at
https://about.jstor.org/terms
Scientific American, a division of Nature America, Inc. is collaborating with JSTOR to
digitize, preserve and extend access to Scientific American
This content downloaded from 168.16.190.143 on Tue, 21 Aug 2018 00:39:21 UTC
All use subject to https://about.jstor.org/terms
Copyright 1994 Scientific American, Inc.
This content downloaded from 168.16.190.143 on Tue, 21 Aug 2018 00:39:21 UTC
All use subject to https://about.jstor.org/terms
SCIENTIFIC AMERICAN October 1994 85
S
ome creators announce their in-
ventions with grand �clat. God
proclaimed, ÒFiat lux,Ó and then
ßooded his new universe with bright-
ness. Others bring forth great discov-
eries in a modest guise, as did Charles
Darwin in deÞning his new mechanism
of evolutionary causality in 1859: ÒI have
called this principle, by which each slight
variation, if useful, is preserved, by the
term Natural Selection.Ó
Natural selection is an immensely
powerful yet beautifully simple theory
that has held up remarkably well, un-
der intense and unrelenting scrutiny
and testing, for 135 years. In essence,
natural selection locates the mechanism
of evolutionary change in a ÒstruggleÓ
among organisms for reproductive suc-
cess, leading to improved Þt of popula-
tions to changing environments. (Strug-
gle is often a metaphorical description
and need not be viewed as overt com-
bat, guns blazing. Tactics for reproduc-
tive success include a variety of non-
martial activities such as earlier and
more frequent mating or better cooper-
ation with partners in raising oÝspring.)
Natural selection is therefore a princi-
ple of local adaptation, not of general
advance or progress.
Yet powerful though the principle
may be, natural selection is not the only
cause of evolutionary change (and may,
in many cases, be overshadowed by oth-
er forces). This point needs emphasis
because the standard misapplication of
evolutionary theory assumes that bio-
logical explanation may be equated with
devising accounts, often speculative and
conjectural in practice, about the ad ...
Charles Darwin - On the origin of species. To understand Eugenics, you have to know where it all began. It all begins with Charles Darwin and this is his first book. Gloucester, Virginia Links and News website. Visit us for incredible content.
The Imperfection of Evolution and the Evolution of ImperfectionDan Graur
Evolution has three major flaws that prevent it from producing good design: (1) The preponderance of Darwinian evolutionary mechanisms over Lamarckian ones, i.e., a lack of feedback from the phenotype to the genotype; (2) The finite effective size of biological populations; and (3) Historical contingency & developmental constraint.
Evolution Essay
Essay about Human Evolution and Adaptation
Essay about Evolution
Argumentative Essay On Evidence Of Evolution
Argumentative Essay On Evolution
Essay on Evolution VS. Creationism
Essay on human evolution
Evidence For Evolution Essay
Evolution And Evolution Of Evolution
Is Evolution Real?
The Theory of Evolution Essay
Essay on The History of Human Evolution
Reflective Essay On Evolution
Essay on Evolution
Essay on Evolution, Immortality, and Humanity
Argumentative Essay On Evolution
Evolution of Science Essay
The Future Of Human Evolution Essay
Persuasive Essay On Evolution
Essay about Evidence for Evolution
This is a slideshow (with notes) of the Creation-Evolution Controversy presented to Calvary Coastal Fellowship in Auckland.
DISCLAIMER: Appropriate acknowledgement of copyright material has been made. However, information to rectify any oversight is welcomed.
Delivered this as talk series on Evolution to some of my colleagues interested in systems thinking. It was a great learning for me and will incorporate it into a sequel later.
Updates:
1. Version 2013.11.23 - Reorganized some slides, added images and credits
2. Version 2013.11.25 - Reorganized presentation around three aspects. Added better intro.
3. Version 2013.11.26 - Updated implications aspect for global warming and behavioral sink.
4. Version 2013.11.27 - Updated taxonomy discussion.
5. V 2013.12.05 - Updated natural selection, convergent evolution and punctuated equilibrium. Reorg of slides.
6. V 2013.12.16 - Added chaos and self-organization slides.
7. V 2013.12.21 - Added extinctions and explosions.
8. V2013.12.23 - Added more chaos explanation and Wikipedia logo.
9. V2014.05.05 - Corrected spelling mistakes and cleaned up slides.
The Theory of Evolution Essay
Evidence Of Evolution
The Future Of Human Evolution Essay
Why Does Evolution Happen
Evolution Essay
Essay on human evolution
The Theory of Evolution Essay
Essay on Evolution
Essay about Evidence for Evolution
The Theory of Evolution Essay
Creationism vs. Evolution Essay
Why Do You Believe In The Theory Of Evolution
The Imperfection of Evolution and the Evolution of ImperfectionDan Graur
Evolution has three major flaws that prevent it from producing good design: (1) The preponderance of Darwinian evolutionary mechanisms over Lamarckian ones, i.e., a lack of feedback from the phenotype to the genotype; (2) The finite effective size of biological populations; and (3) Historical contingency & developmental constraint.
Evolution Essay
Essay about Human Evolution and Adaptation
Essay about Evolution
Argumentative Essay On Evidence Of Evolution
Argumentative Essay On Evolution
Essay on Evolution VS. Creationism
Essay on human evolution
Evidence For Evolution Essay
Evolution And Evolution Of Evolution
Is Evolution Real?
The Theory of Evolution Essay
Essay on The History of Human Evolution
Reflective Essay On Evolution
Essay on Evolution
Essay on Evolution, Immortality, and Humanity
Argumentative Essay On Evolution
Evolution of Science Essay
The Future Of Human Evolution Essay
Persuasive Essay On Evolution
Essay about Evidence for Evolution
This is a slideshow (with notes) of the Creation-Evolution Controversy presented to Calvary Coastal Fellowship in Auckland.
DISCLAIMER: Appropriate acknowledgement of copyright material has been made. However, information to rectify any oversight is welcomed.
Delivered this as talk series on Evolution to some of my colleagues interested in systems thinking. It was a great learning for me and will incorporate it into a sequel later.
Updates:
1. Version 2013.11.23 - Reorganized some slides, added images and credits
2. Version 2013.11.25 - Reorganized presentation around three aspects. Added better intro.
3. Version 2013.11.26 - Updated implications aspect for global warming and behavioral sink.
4. Version 2013.11.27 - Updated taxonomy discussion.
5. V 2013.12.05 - Updated natural selection, convergent evolution and punctuated equilibrium. Reorg of slides.
6. V 2013.12.16 - Added chaos and self-organization slides.
7. V 2013.12.21 - Added extinctions and explosions.
8. V2013.12.23 - Added more chaos explanation and Wikipedia logo.
9. V2014.05.05 - Corrected spelling mistakes and cleaned up slides.
The Theory of Evolution Essay
Evidence Of Evolution
The Future Of Human Evolution Essay
Why Does Evolution Happen
Evolution Essay
Essay on human evolution
The Theory of Evolution Essay
Essay on Evolution
Essay about Evidence for Evolution
The Theory of Evolution Essay
Creationism vs. Evolution Essay
Why Do You Believe In The Theory Of Evolution
Excerpts from the book: Heller, S., Talarico, L. (2009). Design School Confidential: Extraordinary Class Projects From the International Design Schools. United States: Rockport Publishers.
Brecht, B. (1978). Brecht on Theatre: The Development of an Aesthetic. United Kingdom: Hill and Wang.
Epic Theatre
Alienation Effect
The Instructive Theatre
Theatre and Knowledge
Experimental Theatre
Rational and Emotional
Elements of Illusion
Simulation (or Computation) and its DiscontentsR. Sosa
20+ key ideas from Sherry Turkle's 2009 book. Highly recommended.
Funny how Slideshare forces people to pick one category for a presentation. This is as much about design as it is about education, technology, etc.
Van aquí fragmentos de este libro escrito por el gran Adolfo Sánchez Vázquez y publicado en 1965 con algunas ideas que con los años se han hecho cada vez MÁS relevantes e importantes para entender el diseño. Queda mucho por hacer para conectar estas ideas y desarrollarlas, mucho ha pasado en estos 80 años.
Key excerpts from the book “Māori Philosophy, Indigenous Thinking from Aotearoa” by Georgina Tuari Stewart, 2021. Chapter 5 is succinct but highly recommended
Deep Behavioral Phenotyping in Systems Neuroscience for Functional Atlasing a...Ana Luísa Pinho
Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI) provides means to characterize brain activations in response to behavior. However, cognitive neuroscience has been limited to group-level effects referring to the performance of specific tasks. To obtain the functional profile of elementary cognitive mechanisms, the combination of brain responses to many tasks is required. Yet, to date, both structural atlases and parcellation-based activations do not fully account for cognitive function and still present several limitations. Further, they do not adapt overall to individual characteristics. In this talk, I will give an account of deep-behavioral phenotyping strategies, namely data-driven methods in large task-fMRI datasets, to optimize functional brain-data collection and improve inference of effects-of-interest related to mental processes. Key to this approach is the employment of fast multi-functional paradigms rich on features that can be well parametrized and, consequently, facilitate the creation of psycho-physiological constructs to be modelled with imaging data. Particular emphasis will be given to music stimuli when studying high-order cognitive mechanisms, due to their ecological nature and quality to enable complex behavior compounded by discrete entities. I will also discuss how deep-behavioral phenotyping and individualized models applied to neuroimaging data can better account for the subject-specific organization of domain-general cognitive systems in the human brain. Finally, the accumulation of functional brain signatures brings the possibility to clarify relationships among tasks and create a univocal link between brain systems and mental functions through: (1) the development of ontologies proposing an organization of cognitive processes; and (2) brain-network taxonomies describing functional specialization. To this end, tools to improve commensurability in cognitive science are necessary, such as public repositories, ontology-based platforms and automated meta-analysis tools. I will thus discuss some brain-atlasing resources currently under development, and their applicability in cognitive as well as clinical neuroscience.
Earliest Galaxies in the JADES Origins Field: Luminosity Function and Cosmic ...Sérgio Sacani
We characterize the earliest galaxy population in the JADES Origins Field (JOF), the deepest
imaging field observed with JWST. We make use of the ancillary Hubble optical images (5 filters
spanning 0.4−0.9µm) and novel JWST images with 14 filters spanning 0.8−5µm, including 7 mediumband filters, and reaching total exposure times of up to 46 hours per filter. We combine all our data
at > 2.3µm to construct an ultradeep image, reaching as deep as ≈ 31.4 AB mag in the stack and
30.3-31.0 AB mag (5σ, r = 0.1” circular aperture) in individual filters. We measure photometric
redshifts and use robust selection criteria to identify a sample of eight galaxy candidates at redshifts
z = 11.5 − 15. These objects show compact half-light radii of R1/2 ∼ 50 − 200pc, stellar masses of
M⋆ ∼ 107−108M⊙, and star-formation rates of SFR ∼ 0.1−1 M⊙ yr−1
. Our search finds no candidates
at 15 < z < 20, placing upper limits at these redshifts. We develop a forward modeling approach to
infer the properties of the evolving luminosity function without binning in redshift or luminosity that
marginalizes over the photometric redshift uncertainty of our candidate galaxies and incorporates the
impact of non-detections. We find a z = 12 luminosity function in good agreement with prior results,
and that the luminosity function normalization and UV luminosity density decline by a factor of ∼ 2.5
from z = 12 to z = 14. We discuss the possible implications of our results in the context of theoretical
models for evolution of the dark matter halo mass function.
Introduction:
RNA interference (RNAi) or Post-Transcriptional Gene Silencing (PTGS) is an important biological process for modulating eukaryotic gene expression.
It is highly conserved process of posttranscriptional gene silencing by which double stranded RNA (dsRNA) causes sequence-specific degradation of mRNA sequences.
dsRNA-induced gene silencing (RNAi) is reported in a wide range of eukaryotes ranging from worms, insects, mammals and plants.
This process mediates resistance to both endogenous parasitic and exogenous pathogenic nucleic acids, and regulates the expression of protein-coding genes.
What are small ncRNAs?
micro RNA (miRNA)
short interfering RNA (siRNA)
Properties of small non-coding RNA:
Involved in silencing mRNA transcripts.
Called “small” because they are usually only about 21-24 nucleotides long.
Synthesized by first cutting up longer precursor sequences (like the 61nt one that Lee discovered).
Silence an mRNA by base pairing with some sequence on the mRNA.
Discovery of siRNA?
The first small RNA:
In 1993 Rosalind Lee (Victor Ambros lab) was studying a non- coding gene in C. elegans, lin-4, that was involved in silencing of another gene, lin-14, at the appropriate time in the
development of the worm C. elegans.
Two small transcripts of lin-4 (22nt and 61nt) were found to be complementary to a sequence in the 3' UTR of lin-14.
Because lin-4 encoded no protein, she deduced that it must be these transcripts that are causing the silencing by RNA-RNA interactions.
Types of RNAi ( non coding RNA)
MiRNA
Length (23-25 nt)
Trans acting
Binds with target MRNA in mismatch
Translation inhibition
Si RNA
Length 21 nt.
Cis acting
Bind with target Mrna in perfect complementary sequence
Piwi-RNA
Length ; 25 to 36 nt.
Expressed in Germ Cells
Regulates trnasposomes activity
MECHANISM OF RNAI:
First the double-stranded RNA teams up with a protein complex named Dicer, which cuts the long RNA into short pieces.
Then another protein complex called RISC (RNA-induced silencing complex) discards one of the two RNA strands.
The RISC-docked, single-stranded RNA then pairs with the homologous mRNA and destroys it.
THE RISC COMPLEX:
RISC is large(>500kD) RNA multi- protein Binding complex which triggers MRNA degradation in response to MRNA
Unwinding of double stranded Si RNA by ATP independent Helicase
Active component of RISC is Ago proteins( ENDONUCLEASE) which cleave target MRNA.
DICER: endonuclease (RNase Family III)
Argonaute: Central Component of the RNA-Induced Silencing Complex (RISC)
One strand of the dsRNA produced by Dicer is retained in the RISC complex in association with Argonaute
ARGONAUTE PROTEIN :
1.PAZ(PIWI/Argonaute/ Zwille)- Recognition of target MRNA
2.PIWI (p-element induced wimpy Testis)- breaks Phosphodiester bond of mRNA.)RNAse H activity.
MiRNA:
The Double-stranded RNAs are naturally produced in eukaryotic cells during development, and they have a key role in regulating gene expression .
Observation of Io’s Resurfacing via Plume Deposition Using Ground-based Adapt...Sérgio Sacani
Since volcanic activity was first discovered on Io from Voyager images in 1979, changes
on Io’s surface have been monitored from both spacecraft and ground-based telescopes.
Here, we present the highest spatial resolution images of Io ever obtained from a groundbased telescope. These images, acquired by the SHARK-VIS instrument on the Large
Binocular Telescope, show evidence of a major resurfacing event on Io’s trailing hemisphere. When compared to the most recent spacecraft images, the SHARK-VIS images
show that a plume deposit from a powerful eruption at Pillan Patera has covered part
of the long-lived Pele plume deposit. Although this type of resurfacing event may be common on Io, few have been detected due to the rarity of spacecraft visits and the previously low spatial resolution available from Earth-based telescopes. The SHARK-VIS instrument ushers in a new era of high resolution imaging of Io’s surface using adaptive
optics at visible wavelengths.
Professional air quality monitoring systems provide immediate, on-site data for analysis, compliance, and decision-making.
Monitor common gases, weather parameters, particulates.
Slide 1: Title Slide
Extrachromosomal Inheritance
Slide 2: Introduction to Extrachromosomal Inheritance
Definition: Extrachromosomal inheritance refers to the transmission of genetic material that is not found within the nucleus.
Key Components: Involves genes located in mitochondria, chloroplasts, and plasmids.
Slide 3: Mitochondrial Inheritance
Mitochondria: Organelles responsible for energy production.
Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA): Circular DNA molecule found in mitochondria.
Inheritance Pattern: Maternally inherited, meaning it is passed from mothers to all their offspring.
Diseases: Examples include Leber’s hereditary optic neuropathy (LHON) and mitochondrial myopathy.
Slide 4: Chloroplast Inheritance
Chloroplasts: Organelles responsible for photosynthesis in plants.
Chloroplast DNA (cpDNA): Circular DNA molecule found in chloroplasts.
Inheritance Pattern: Often maternally inherited in most plants, but can vary in some species.
Examples: Variegation in plants, where leaf color patterns are determined by chloroplast DNA.
Slide 5: Plasmid Inheritance
Plasmids: Small, circular DNA molecules found in bacteria and some eukaryotes.
Features: Can carry antibiotic resistance genes and can be transferred between cells through processes like conjugation.
Significance: Important in biotechnology for gene cloning and genetic engineering.
Slide 6: Mechanisms of Extrachromosomal Inheritance
Non-Mendelian Patterns: Do not follow Mendel’s laws of inheritance.
Cytoplasmic Segregation: During cell division, organelles like mitochondria and chloroplasts are randomly distributed to daughter cells.
Heteroplasmy: Presence of more than one type of organellar genome within a cell, leading to variation in expression.
Slide 7: Examples of Extrachromosomal Inheritance
Four O’clock Plant (Mirabilis jalapa): Shows variegated leaves due to different cpDNA in leaf cells.
Petite Mutants in Yeast: Result from mutations in mitochondrial DNA affecting respiration.
Slide 8: Importance of Extrachromosomal Inheritance
Evolution: Provides insight into the evolution of eukaryotic cells.
Medicine: Understanding mitochondrial inheritance helps in diagnosing and treating mitochondrial diseases.
Agriculture: Chloroplast inheritance can be used in plant breeding and genetic modification.
Slide 9: Recent Research and Advances
Gene Editing: Techniques like CRISPR-Cas9 are being used to edit mitochondrial and chloroplast DNA.
Therapies: Development of mitochondrial replacement therapy (MRT) for preventing mitochondrial diseases.
Slide 10: Conclusion
Summary: Extrachromosomal inheritance involves the transmission of genetic material outside the nucleus and plays a crucial role in genetics, medicine, and biotechnology.
Future Directions: Continued research and technological advancements hold promise for new treatments and applications.
Slide 11: Questions and Discussion
Invite Audience: Open the floor for any questions or further discussion on the topic.
Seminar of U.V. Spectroscopy by SAMIR PANDASAMIR PANDA
Spectroscopy is a branch of science dealing the study of interaction of electromagnetic radiation with matter.
Ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy refers to absorption spectroscopy or reflect spectroscopy in the UV-VIS spectral region.
Ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy is an analytical method that can measure the amount of light received by the analyte.
Richard's entangled aventures in wonderlandRichard Gill
Since the loophole-free Bell experiments of 2020 and the Nobel prizes in physics of 2022, critics of Bell's work have retreated to the fortress of super-determinism. Now, super-determinism is a derogatory word - it just means "determinism". Palmer, Hance and Hossenfelder argue that quantum mechanics and determinism are not incompatible, using a sophisticated mathematical construction based on a subtle thinning of allowed states and measurements in quantum mechanics, such that what is left appears to make Bell's argument fail, without altering the empirical predictions of quantum mechanics. I think however that it is a smoke screen, and the slogan "lost in math" comes to my mind. I will discuss some other recent disproofs of Bell's theorem using the language of causality based on causal graphs. Causal thinking is also central to law and justice. I will mention surprising connections to my work on serial killer nurse cases, in particular the Dutch case of Lucia de Berk and the current UK case of Lucy Letby.
2. The evolution of life
“Science can, and does, strive to grasp
nature’s factuality, but all science is socially
embedded, and all scientists record prevailing
“certainties”, however hard they may be
aiming for pure objectivity. Darwin himself, in
the closing lines of The Origin of Species,
expressed Victorian social preference more
than nature’s record in writing “All corporeal
and mental endowments will tend to
progress towards perfection”
2
3. “Our conventional [sic] desire to view history as
progressive, and to see humans as predictably
dominant, has grossly distorted our interpretation of
life’s pathway by falsely placing in the center of things
a relatively minor phenomenon that arises only as a
side consequence of a physically constrained starting
point. The most salient feature of life has been the
stability of its bacterial mode from the beginning of
the fossil record until today”
3
4. “Our impression that life evolves toward
greater complexity is probably only a bias
inspired by parochial focus on ourselves,
and consequent overattention to
complexifying creatures, while we ignore
just as many lineages adapting equally well
by becoming simpler in form”
4
5. The evolution of life
“Three billion years of unicellularity, followed by five million
years of intense creativity and then capped by more than 500
million years of variation on set anatomical themes can scarcely
be read as a predictable, inexorable or continuous trend toward
progress or increasing complexity.
We do not know why the Cambrian explosion could establish all
major anatomical designs so quickly”
5
6. “An external explanation based on ecology seems attractive:
the Cambrian explosion represents an initial filling of the
“ecological barrel” of niches for multicellular organisms, and any
experiment found a space. The barrel has never emptied since.
But an internal explanation based on genetics also seems
necessary as a complement: the earliest multicellular animals
may have maintained a flexibility for genetic change and
embryological transformation that became greatly reduced as
organisms “locked in” to a set of stable and successful designs”
6
7. Exaptation
“Strict adaptation entails a paradox for
students of evolutionary change. If all
structures are well designed for immediate
use, where is the flexibility for substantial
change in response to severely altered
environments?”
Preadaptation does not cover the large class
of structures that never were adaptations for
anything, but arose as the numerous
nonadaptive sequelae of primary adaptations”
7
8. “The major basis of flexibility must lie in
nonadaptation.
Increased complexity implies a vastly
greater range of nonadaptive sequelae for
any change, and hence a greatly enlarged
exaptive pool”
8
9. “The scheme of punctuated equilibrium: lineages
change little during most of their history, but events
of rapid speciation occasionally punctuate this
tranquility. Evolution is the differential survival and
deployment of these punctuations.
If gradualism is more a product of Western thought
than a fact of nature, then we should consider
alternate philosophies of change to enlarge our realm
of constraining prejudices”
9
10. “I make a simple plea for pluralism in
guiding philosophies, and for the
recognition that such philosophies,
however hidden and unarticulated,
constrain all our thought”
10
11.
12. Punctuated equilibrium
“[In punctuated equilibrium], punctuation must be scaled
relative to the later duration of species in stasis, and we suggest
1 to 2 percent (analogous to human gestation vs. the length of
human life) as an upper bound. Punctuated equilibrium can be
distinguished by the criterion of ancestral survival following the
branching of a descendant”
12
13. Punctuated equilibrium
“Stasis is not defined as absolute phenotypic immobility, but as
fluctuation of means through time at a magnitude not statistically
broader than the range of geographic variation among modern
populations of similar species, and not directional in any preferred
way, especially not towards the phenotype of descendants.
Gradualism certainly can and does occur, but at very low relative
frequencies when all species of a fauna are tabulated, and when we
overcome our bias for studying only the small percentage of species
qualitatively recognized beforehand as having changed through
time”
13
14. The episodic nature of
evolutionary change
“Natura non facit saltum: Nature does not
make leaps. Darwin portrayed evolution as
a stately and orderly process, working at a
speed so slow that no person could hope
to observe it in a lifetime”. Huxley felt that
Darwin was digging a ditch for his own
theory. Natural selection required no
postulate about rates”
14
15. “On issues so fundamental as a general
philosophy of change, science and society
usually work hand in hand. The static
systems of European monarchies won
support from legions of scholars as the
embodiment of natural law”
15
16. “The history of most fossil species includes two features
particularly inconsistent with gradualism:
Stasis: Most species exhibit no directional change during their
tenure on earth. Morphological change is usually limited and
directionless.
Sudden appearance: In any local area, a species does not arise
gradually by the steady transformation of its ancestors, it
appears all at once and ‘fully formed’”
16
17. “Evolution proceeds in two major modes. In the first, phyletic
transformation, an entire population changes from one state to
another. [It] yields no increase in diversity. Since extinction is so
common, a biota with no mechanism for increasing diversity
would soon be wiped out. The second mode, speciation,
replenishes the earth. New species branch off from a persisting
parental stock.
Eldredge and I believe that speciation is responsible for almost
all evolutionary change. The way in occurs virtually guarantees
that sudden appearance and stasis shall dominate the fossil
record”
17
18. “All major theories of speciation maintain that
splitting takes place rapidly in very small populations.
The theory of geographic, or allopatric, speciation is
preferred by most evolutionists for most situations. A
new species can arise when a small segment of the
ancestral population is isolated at the periphery of the
ancestral range.
Large, stable central populations exert a strong
homogenizing influence. New and favorable
mutations are diluted by the sheer bulk of the
population through which they must spread”
18
19. “But small, peripherally isolated groups are cut off
from their parental stock. They live as tiny
populations in geographic corners of the ancestral
range. Selective pressures are usually intense
because peripheries mark the edge of ecological
tolerance for ancestral forms. Favorable variations
spread quickly. Small, peripheral isolates are a
laboratory of evolutionary change”
19
20. Betting on chance
“The most serious of all
misunderstandings between technical and
vernacular haunts the concepts of
probability and particularly the words
random and chance.
Ironically, the scientific sense of random
conveys… maximal simplicity, order, and
predictability –at least in the long run.”
20
21. “Stability is far more common than change at any
moment in the history of life. In its ordinary everyday
mode, natural selection must struggle to preserve
working combinations against a constant input of
deleterious mutations. Natural selection must usually
be “purifying” or “stabilizing”. Positive selection for
change must be a much rarer event than watchdog
selection for tossing out harmful variants and
preserving what works”
21
22. 22
“I do not challenge the statement that the most
complex creature has tended to increase in
elaboration through time, but I fervently deny that
this limited little fact can provide an argument for
general progress as a defining thrust of life’s history.
Such a grandiose claim represents a ludicrous case of
the tail wagging the dog, or the invalid elevation of a
small and epiphenomenal consequence into a major
and controlling cause”
23. The ladder and the cone
“Scientists view our pictures only as ancillary
illustrations of what we defend by words. Few
scientists would view an image itself as
intrinsically ideological in content. Pictures, as
accurate mirrors of nature, just are.
Many of our pictures are incarnations of
concepts masquerading as neutral
descriptions of nature. These are the most
potent sources of conformity, since ideas
passing as descriptions lead us to equate the
tentative with the unambiguously factual.
Guesses and hunches become things”
23
24.
25. The ladder and the cone
“The fatuous idea of a single order amidst the
multifarious diversity of modern life flows from
our conventional iconographies and the
prejudices that nurture them –the ladder of life
and the cone of increasing diversity. By the
ladder, horseshoe crabs are judged as simple; by
the cone, they are deemed old. And one implies
the other under the grand conflation discussed
above –down on the ladder also means old,
while low on the cone denotes simple”
25
26. “The familiar iconographies of evolution
are all directed –sometimes crudely,
sometimes subtly- toward reinforcing a
comfortable view of human inevitability
and superiority.
We now know that the vast majority of
“simpler” creatures are not human
ancestors or even prototypes, but only
collateral branches on life’s tree.”
26
28. Up against a wall
“It just feels ‘right’ to us that the very earliest art should be primitive.
Older in time should mean more and more rudimentary in mental
accomplishment. [But] most individual species don’t alter much during
their geological lifetimes. Large, widespread, and successful species tend
to be specially stable. Humans fall into this category, and the historical
record supports such a prediction. Human bodily form has not altered
appreciably in 100,000 years. Cro-Magnon cave painters are us –so
why should their mental capacity differ from ours? We don’t regard
Plato or King Tut as dumb, even though they lived a long time ago.”
28
29. Pervasive influence: Racism
“The primitive-as-child argument stood second to none in the
arsenal of racist arguments supplied by science to justify slavery
and imperialism. I do not think that most scientists who upheld
this argument intended to promote racism. They merely
expressed their allegiance to the prevailing views of white
intellectuals and leaders of European society.
Biological arguments based on innate inferiority spread rapidly
after evolutionary theory permitted a literal equation of modern
“lower” races with ancestral stages of higher forms”
29
30. 30
“Biological arguments for racism may have
been common before 1859, but they increased
by orders of magnitude following the
acceptance of evolutionary theory. The litany is
familiar: cold, dispassionate, objective, modern
science shows us that races can be ranked on a
scale of superiority”
31. “Ultra-Darwinism… a conviction that natural
selection regulates everything of any importance in
evolution, and that adaptation emerges as a universal
result and ultimate test of selection’s ubiquity.
The irony is twofold. First, Darwin himself opposed
the ultras of his own day. Second, the invigoration of
modern evolutionary biology with exciting non-
selectionist and non-adaptationist data makes our
pre-millennial decade an especially unpropitious time
for Darwinian fundamentalism”
31
32. “But selection cannot suffice as a full explanation for
many aspects of evolution: for other types and styles
of causes become relevant, or even prevalent, in
domains both far above and far below the traditional
Darwinian locus of the organism. These additional
principles are as directionless, non-teleological and
materialistic as natural selection itself –but they
operate differently”
32
33. “How can we possibly know in detail what
small bands on hunter-gatherers did in
Africa two million years ago? These
ancestors left some tools and bones. But
how can we possibly obtain the key
information that would be required to
show the validity of adaptive tales: relations
of kinship, social structures and sizes of
groups, activities of males and females…
and a hundred other central aspects of
human life that cannot be traced in fossils?”
33
More things in heaven & earth
34. Spandrels
“Spandrels are the tapering triangular spaces formed by
the intersection of two rounded arches at right angles.
They are necessary architectural by-products of mounting
a dome on rounded arches. Such architectural constraints
abound and we find them easy to understand because
we do not impose our biological biases upon them…
Since the spaces must exist, they are often used for
ingenious ornamental effect.
The internal error of adaptationism arises from a failure to
recognize that even the strictest operation of pure
natural selection builds organisms full of nonadaptive
parts and behaviors. Non-adaptations arise for many
reasons in Darwinian systems, but consider only my
favorite principle of ‘spandrels’”
34
35. 35
“Many, if not most, universal behaviors are probably spandrels,
often co-opted later in human history for important secondary
functions. The human brain is the most complicated device for
reasoning and calculating, and for expressing emotion, ever
evolved on earth. Natural selection made the human brain big,
but most of our mental properties and potentials may be
spandrels –that is, non-adaptive side consequences of building
a device with such structural complexity”
36. “We live in a world of enormous complexity in organic
design and diversity –a world where some features of
organisms evolved by an algorithmic form of natural
selection, some by an equally algorithmic theory of
unselected neutrality, some by the vagaries of history’s
contingency, and some as by-products of other processes.
Why should such a complex and various world yield to one
narrowly construed cause?
36
37. Posture maketh the man
“Upright posture frees the hands
from locomotion and for
manipulation. For the first time, tools
and weapons can be fashioned and
used with ease. Increased intelligence
is largely a response to the enormous
potential inherent in free hands for
manufacture”
37
38. The most unkindest cut of all
“Claptrap and bogus Darwinian formulations have
been used to justify every form of social exploitation
–rich over poor, technologically complex over
traditional, imperialist over aborigine, conqueror over
defeated in war. Every evolutionist knows this history
only too well, and we bear some measure of
collective responsibility for the uncritical fascination
that many of us have shown for such unjustified
extensions”
38