MANATEE BONES LEAD STANFORD SCIENTIST TO NEW INSIGHT ON EVOLUTION

Stanford University Medical Center ^ | 28 August 2006 | Staff (press release)

[PatrickHenry]

Everyone be nice.

[PatrickHenry]

Evolution Ping The List-O-Links

A conservative, pro-evolution science list, now with over 390 names. See the list's explanation, then FReepmail to be added or dropped. To assist beginners: But it's "just a theory", Evo-Troll's Toolkit, and How to argue against a scientific theory.

[skinkinthegrass]

THANKS, PH :D

[HarleyLady27]

Did they find that libs were apes?????

[RightWhale]

Symmetry in animals is a funny thing. We are supposedly bilaterally symmetric, yet we aren't. Starfish with five legs are bilaterally symmetric. Not only that, but the proteins in the cells are left ot right, not both. No symmetry at all when you look close enough.

[MineralMan]

Pretty interesting. It should lead to some additional research by others.

[MineralMan]

"Did they find that libs were apes?????"

Huh? What does that have to do with this story? Did you read the story? Do you have any comment on its contents?

[Always Right]

Let me be the first....oh the hugh manatee

[Mark was here]

Everyone be nice.

Sounds like a plan! :)

[The Sons of Liberty]

Did they find that libs were apes?????

were ???

[TitansAFC]

"---The asymmetry observed in manatee pelvic bones suggests that PitX1 may have been used repeatedly as animals evolved from their four-legged ancestors. However, as Kingsley noted, further studies are now needed to pinpoint the DNA changes in Pitx1 or other genes that are associated with pelvic reduction in manatees and other organisms. Although he has no genetic evidence of a PitX1 mutation in manatees, he’s trying to strengthen his case by extending his asymmetry observations to other animals. Unfortunately, he has yet to find a cache of snake or whale pelvises."---

A little bit annoying to me (mostly this author's writing):

---No evidence of PitX1 mutation in subject animal (Manatee)
---Unable to find supporting observations in other animals.
---Still looking for other subjects to corroborate pelvis reduction theory - article says unable to find them.

Yet the author says, "The asymmetry observed in manatee pelvic bones suggests that PitX1 may have been used repeatedly as animals evolved from their four-legged ancestors."

Okay, with respect to my points stated from the article itself, how does the author come to this conclusion? ...Suggests it may have been used REPEATEDLY? Don't put the cart before the horse, buddy.

[meowmeow]

Most women have a one hooter that's bigger than the other hooter. Evenutally we will evolve one giant udder.

(Runs out the door...)

[martin_fierro]

MANATEE BONES LEAD STANFORD SCIENTIST TO NEW INSIGHT ON EVOLUTION

Hugh Manatee ----> Humanity

[muawiyah]

“It’s striking that evolution might use the same mechanism over and over,” said Kingsley

Or, maybe not ~ unless "evolution" is simply a demigod or other supernatural being without much creative talent.

What we have here is a finding that a single gene with a specific result (reduced pelvic size and/or leglessness) may be found in numerous species who are not closely related ~ and whose common ancestor undoubtedly existed at a time before the gene in question.

Could be there are mechanisms other than sex that pass along genes like this, and that it's the same gene.

Or, that the gene in question can be modified only a certain way, and always with the same result.

Or, alternatively, that the operators of the intergalactic cruisers who left these critters behind designed them that way.

Or, .......

[HarleyLady27]

YES I read the WHOLE article, and if I feel like making a joke, then I'll make it....to bad you have no humor in your day....it shows....

[Froufrou]

Ah, the uniboob, as seen in "Kung Pow: Enter The Fist."

[Waverunner]

Maybe this explains why manatees taste like beef, yet are healthy like fish.
(oh and the gravy goes great over red potatoes).

[js1138]

Don't put the cart before the horse, buddy.

It's called a prediction or hypothesis (or perhaps a conjecture). At any rate, it's a suggestion for a line of research, something that never seems to happen in pseudosciences like ID.

[RippyO]

IDers make us snippy. I got your joke.

[Rippin]

Maybe a scientist can help me. In some instances it is thought that limbs evolved and marine animals became land animals. In other instances the land animals went to sea and became marine animals. Presumably it started in the sea. So does this mean that the genetic mutation pathway that developed the legs in the firstplace is different from the pathway evolution took (under this theory) to take them away? Or did the initial evolution of legs just happen to have a short cut for future reversals?