I'm sure there are many people out there just like me who like to look down on less evolved species like monkeys, dung beetles and politicians and quietly snigger from our high evolutionary vantage point. I mean, they are so low down the evolutionary ladder they can't even use an iPod! But it got me wondering what the definition of being the crown of evolution could be. Perhaps it is the invention of the iPod as I mentioned in a previous post where breast size was proven as one of the key drivers for evolutionary development? Perhaps. Perhaps not. Let's look at scientific and social measures for a more relevant discussion on the matter. One obvious measure would be comparing the human genome with that of a close relative such as the chimpanzee for positive selection. We want to see how many genes had developed quickly as a result of an adaptive benefit in the environment as this would make a reasonable measurement for how much we've evolved compared to our embarrassing relative. As luck would have it, someone has already made this for me. A study at the University of Michigan led by Jianzhi Zhang did exactly that a came to the surprising result that chimpanzees actually have more such genes than we do (humans 154 – chimps 233). This would indicate that chimpanzees have developed further than man since they decided to go separate ways some six-seven million years ago. Perhaps they are sniggering at us whilst listening to their newest invention- the ChimpPod? Scientific genome research didn't exactly put humankind on the centre stage. So what about social factors? Surely there are behaviours that we as humans have developed not matched by any other species? After great consideration I decided that the noble art of selling and buying sex must be solely practiced by humans. After all no other species have money – or pockets or bank accounts to have them in. After massive research nature proved me wrong. Actually all the research was done by Fiona M. Hunter of the University of Cambridge, but at least I found it on the web! Apparently the male Adelie penguin pays for sex. Here is how it all works. The Adelie penguin lives on Ross Island down in the Antarctic and one of the most important tasks is to build a nest and rocks are the preferred building materials as there is not much else around. Unfortunately even rocks are in scarce supply, so they have great value to the penguins. The female has worked out that instead of looking for stones on her own she will slip away from her mate and approach the nest of a single male, go through the standard courtship, allow him to mate and then collect a stone from his nest and head back to her unsuspecting mate. It even goes so far that some females has done away with the actual mating. Instead they just show up, go through the standard courtship and then promptly collect a stone and leave. In some cases she can even do it over and over again with the same male, proving that stupidity isn't solely claimed by the human male after all. So there you go. If you thought mankind was something to brag about, I'm afraid to say it doesn't seem to be the case.
|
