For one, the researcher discovered that there was a structure called Meckel's cartilage that was present between the incus, or anvil bone, of the middle ear and the lower jawbone of Yanoconodon. Why is this so important? Well, coincidentally, in the developing human embryo the lower mandible transforms and produces the bones of the middle ear. As the embryo further evolves, the identical Meckel's cartilage is produced as the bones migrate from the jaw to the middle ear. Afterwards the cartilage is dissolved into fibrous membranes and becomes part of the jawbone again and dissapears. This is the first time the presence of Meckel's cartilage was found in a fully developed mammal. This also adds some credence to an old saying "ontogeny capitulates phylogeny," or in English the stages in the development of the embryo mirrors the evolutionary stages in the development of the species. While intriguing and also not altogether true, it certainly becomes another one of the fascinating aspects of this find. It is also a rare and previously undocumented discovery of finding the existence of Meckel's cartilage in the fossilized remains of any prior specimens.
Their discovery that this species is also remodeling it lower back to conform to the more modern delineation between upper and lower vertebrae present in modern mammals added to the growing "missing link" reputation of this specimen. They also theorize that on a genetic level this is an important discovery as well. A cluster of genetic material called the Homeobox gene governs the creation...
Evolution "Creational critics often charge that evolution cannot be tested, and therefore cannot be viewed as properly scientific subject at all. This claim is rhetorical nonsense" (Stephen Jay Gould). Human life is both sacred and mysterious. From time before recorded history, human beings, both scientific and religious have tried to determine what it is exactly that gives life and by extension, can take life away. In ancient times, most people believed that
EVOLUTION What is evolutionary theory and what are causes of evolution and the evidence of evolution? The term 'evolution' evokes varied connotations. In simple and direct terms it is a process of change or development over a long period of time. Defined so, evolution can refer to any phenomena-- evolution of universe, evolution of human culture etc. -- that change over a period of time. However, in common parlance, evolution refers to
Evolution vs. Creationism Biological evolution or evolutionary biology is genetic change in a population occurring from generation to another (O'Neill 2002). All life forms evolve and continue evolving from earlier species, and these life forms include human beings. Most biological scientists concur that the earliest life forms on earth evolved from chance natural occurrences 3 1/5 to 4 billion years ago. They agree that evidence for evolution comes from fossil records
Countless fossils and remnants of ancient limbs (such as the legs found on a dolphin recently) continue to back up the theory of how animals evolved from other forms of life and other kinds of bodies. For instance, whales and dolphins (proven by DNA to be related) have the vestiges of legs within their sleek bodies and their front "fins" have bones that correspond to human hands, rather than
In conclusion, perhaps we should heed the words of Charles Darwin himself who before his historic voyage aboard the H.M.S. Beagle between 1831 and 1836 was a devout Christian and creationist -- "There is a grandeur in this view of life. Whilst this planet has gone cycling on according to the fixed law of gravity, from so simple a beginning endless forms most beautiful and most wonderful have been and
The genes that are responsible for giving the feelings of happiness are so designed to limit the pleasurable experience to be of a short-lived nature. Therefore, happiness derived from actions is never of a permanent nature and consequently the feelings of satisfaction are also temporary. The transient nature of the pleasure implies that man would endeavor to achieve it again and again. (as in sex). Also happiness is not
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