A New Genus of Hominins Found in Kenya Whenever finding new fossils, most people get excited in learning more about the mysterious history of life on earth. No one fossil finding may be more important than another, but when discovering a fossil that adds a new genus name to a species, it gets exciting. This is especially true when the fossil gives more insight to the evolution of humans. In Kenya, a new genus of hominins was found. The new genus was assigned because this hominin had a combination
many ways due to the harsh and distinctive environment found on the continent. The major area of marsupial biology that distinguishes them from all other eutherian mammals is their mode of reproduction. However, it can be said that there are many other areas in which unique differences can be seen between marsupials and eutherian mammals; one such area of adaptation is in the anatomy and physiology of digestion, which distinguishes them from many other similar animals worldwide. The foregut fermenters
animal that is found only in Australia. It is in the class Mammalia and the order Monotrema. Monotremes are phylogenetically the oldest of the mammals and can only be found naturally in Australia and in nearby New Guinea. They are quite different from placentals and marsupials and are believed to be the link between the reptiles and the other mammals. This is most noticeable though their means of reproduction and waste elimination. Montremes have a cloaca, which is a single opening for passage
Cats as Carnivorous Predators Throughout the course of evolution the cat’s ability to survive in the wild has become extremely dependent upon its hunting ability. In order for feral, or undomesticated, cats to survive on their own in the wild they have developed hereditary traits and instincts from their ancestors throughout time. Though these hereditary traits that they have inherited are helpful for undomesticated cats, they can often cause problems when domesticated house cats revert back to
The Roles of NREM and REM Sleep On Memory Consolidation All mammals exhibit Rapid-Eye-Movement, or REM, sleep, and yet on certain levels this type of sleep would seem to be disadvantageous. During REM sleep, which is when most dreams occur, the brain uses much more energy than during non-REM (NREM) sleep. (1) This "waste" of energy coupled with the increased vulnerability of this state on account of the body's paralysis at this time suggests that there must be a very important reason, or reasons
Cenozoic period. Evidence has been found that the Sahara was occupied by giraffes and other land-grazing animals, during the later part of this time period. Scientists have found fossils and many other evidence that as soon as the dinosaurs disappeared, mammals like the giraffe appeared. Along with these interesting facts, scientists have discovered the giraffe’s different techniques for communication. Chemical communication is a powerful tool, particularly for ensuring reproduction, marking territory
A Comparison of Primate and Dolphin Intelligence as a Metaphor for the Validity of Comparative Studies of Intelligence Primates and cetacean have been considered by some to be extremely intelligent creatures, second only to humans. Their exalted status in the animal kingdom has lead to their involvement in many experiments which hope to gain a better understanding of the basis of human intelligence. These experiments coupled with analysis of primate and cetaceans brain structure has lead to
The atrocities of slavery know no bounds. Its devices leave lives ruined families pulled apart and countless people dead. Yet many looked away or accepted it as a necessary part of society, even claiming it was beneficial to all. The only way this logic works is if the slaves are seen as less than human, people who cannot be trusted to take care of themselves. In Toni Morrison’s Beloved the consequences of a lifetime of slavery are examined. Paul D and seethe, two former slaves have experienced
In today’s day and age, meat is one of the most common portions of a human meal. According to the Census statistics from 2009 and 2010, United States is amongst the leading meat producing as well as meat consuming countries in the world, especially in beef and chicken.1 On the contrary, there is no census on human meat because no one consumes it. Yet, human meat and horsemeat are the same because it is meat from a body that has the capability of suffering as Singer proposed. Therefore, in the story
Examining the Body and Soul by Focusing on the Eating Habits of Human Beings The Hungry Soul: Eating and the Perfecting of Human Nature, by Leon Kass takes a unique view of examining the body and soul by focusing on the eating habits of human beings. He uses this in order to distinguish humans from animals and the divine element (God). In this book, Kass touches on the point of sanctified eating. In Kass' final chapter, he looks at the "created order", the dietary laws in the chapter of
The Irrelevance of Animal Testing The practice of animal experimentation began when religious leaders condemned the dissection of human corpses. Human experimentation and dissection is not opposed anymore but animal experimentation still continues. Almost all new products, from drugs to cosmetic products go through an animal experimentation phase, but they are not required to. Though it may seem to be a good option as opposed to human experimentation, it is not. Animal experimentation uses
Laws are not strong enough against animal cruelty and people do not know about this problem because it is not as prominent as others. Some of the reasons humans kill animals is for food, clothing, and entertainment. The way we kill animals in doing these are very brutal and inhumane. The only thing they care about is to produce a mass amount of meat, in a short period of time, and with little food to feed the animals. The last thing they are worried about is the animal itself and its feelings and
The Significance of Ishmael Daniel Quinn’s novel, Ishmael, explored various lessons and stories about the origins of our society. The “teacher” was a gorilla named Ishmael who could communicate to the narrator telepathically. Ishmael not only opened the mind up of the narrator, but also made readers think in a whole different perspective. Without Ishmael, this novel would not be near as powerful and meaningful as it is now. Ishmael taught his students in a different way because of his understanding
whale is being affected by the environment around it. The whalers have actually made the whales growth smaller because the pollution constantly affecting their area and that’s why the forth coming babies are also affected by this. We do need this big mammal, some want them for their tests like the Japanese scientific labs, some want them for our diet in a better way hunting and some want to not really preserve it as if it was a close to getting extinct but try to preserve it in numbers so let the whales
ian Doyle’s message was not very clear in the beginning of the passage but became more clear at the end. The heart is a symbol that represents life, love, emotions, and many other structures that make humans and animals alike come alive. He just wrote about the life of a hummingbird and its from beginning to end with a few examples of the chambers of a whale’s heart. Also, Doyle presents a few examples of animals that have different number of chambers and how they learn to survive being different
Eating voraciously, more than they need to, shoving others out of the way, and rolling around dirty mud, pigs carry the aspects of greed and selfishness, like humans. What makes us different from humans? Imagine a cafeteria line where students are all lined up for lunch. Pushing others to get their lunch first, asking for more food than they will eat, and leaving trash around their table. These actions can all be connected to the actions of a pig. Through the pig’s actions, the true nature of human
habitat that affects the animal which includes water, land, air and other living things. Animals have developed adaptations over time. Animals’ adaptation matches with the way they are living. Different groups of animals such as fish, reptiles, birds, mammals and amphibians have their own general adaptation mechanisms. Skin covering is a good example of animal adaptation. The skin covering for various animals have evolved over time. The paper discusses the various forms of the skin and their associated
The Sloth The sloth is a tree dwelling mammal that is found in central and South America. They vary from five to ten pounds and stand from one to two feet tall.( "EDGE of Existence.") Deforestation has caused the total sloth population to decline and the sloth is now considered an endangered species. Sloths live in the trees on which they feed so deforestation destroys their home and food at the same time. Sloths take around a year and a half to have one baby become fully grown and sloths only have
Human beings are heavily reliant on nature’s biodiversity. This biodiversity, however, is threatened by accelerating extinction rates which are approaching past mass extinction levels. Human activities are largely responsible for this trend, and, while there has been some success in preserving select species, the scale of the impending extinction will necessitate the conservation of existing ecosystems if biodiversity is to be preserved. Fortunately, the relative geographical concentration of most
Human Supremacy: Nowhere Near Reality Human beings have advanced to a point where survival from the outside world is almost incredibly easy. They have created cures and inventions that could enhance their everyday lifestyles. They are also the only species to modify the planet in any way they can imagine. Does that make human beings the dominant species? Because most people presume they have the right to control other animals, they presume they’re the superior species. People’s lifestyles suggest