Dog’s Diary_Cat’s Diary
April 4, 2012 • 12:00 pm
Why Evolution is True is a blog written by Jerry Coyne, centered on evolution and biology but also dealing with diverse topics like politics, culture, and cats.
Why Evolution is True is a blog written by Jerry Coyne, centered on evolution and biology but also dealing with diverse topics like politics, culture, and cats.
Please keep up with the Biology posts. I, for one, appreciate them.
I also like the biology. Your comments on free will and evolution are of value. As for cats, I grew up with one but right now I live with a dog. Loved your dog and cat diary. As for all the wonderful food, jazz and boots- envy!! so your work is appreciated and continue.
I think you hit the nail on the head. “don’t know much biology…” I do like reading the posts though.
That’s hilarious. Cat’s are very self interested, very self conscious, very self centered in exactly that way. My dog’s are similarly self interested, but only on those “favorite things”. Thanks for the posting.
Please don’t stop the biology posts! So much to learn! So little time!
And what email address can I send you my cat pictures at? I’ve got four I want (*cough*need*cough*) to showcase.
Another, here, much appreciates your biology posts. I don’t often comment, but many of them are saved – in a WEIT folder I keep – for future reference!
Thanks!
This sounds like a cue to ask a quetion that came to me while reading Why Evolution Is True by [insert author’s name here if I remember it].
After reading about the worms that infect the brains of ants to modify their behavior to propagate the worms (page 113), I began to wonder if there were any parasites that modified the behavior of the host in a way that benefited the host which conferred a benefit to the parasite in turn.
Several years ago, I read that it was thought that placental mammals were able to evolve from marsupials because an ERV provided the ability for the blastocyst to suppress the immune response of the mother.
I speculated that an ERV that caused a creature to protect its offspring would benefit the copies of the ERV while opening avenues of evolution for the host species.
Is there any research out there that relates to this sort of thing?
Reminds me of a story that went something like this…
A dog thinks of people: They feed me. They give me a nice place to sleep. They take care of me. They love me. They must be gods!
A cat thinks of people: They feed me. They give me a nice place to sleep. They take care of me. They love me. I must be a god!
Quite right too!!!
I have in servitude and lived my life as a feline flunky for so many decades that I am no longer sure where I actually belong in any hierarchy!
That said, I wouldn’t be here unless evolutionary biology also grabbed me! Jerry must need reassurance:-)