Live like Kiwi! Options

[Comptine]

[Gigi]

Oh I've seen this a loooong time ago. I cried a little the first time I watched it.

<-- is a baby

[Comptine]

Oh I've seen this a loooong time ago. I cried a little the first time I watched it.

<-- is a baby

I cried a little too.

[Gigi]

My mind has been fixated on Biology all week, due to studying for it every free moment. This shows a great example of evolution, and adaptation.

I don't want to be a bitch but that's not quite right. Kiwi shows not Darwin's theory of evolution, but a previous theory brought up by Jean-Baptiste Lamarck. His theory was that all organisms strive towards perfection by "acquiring" desirable characteristics. In Kiwi's case, he's "acquiring" wings through his determined usage of it.

Lamarck used the example of giraffes. Early giraffes had short necks. So the short-necked giraffes would try to reach for the fruit on the taller branches by "stretching" their necks, which would encourage the growth of a longer neck over the lifespan. They would then pass this on to their offspring.

This is WRONG. You cannot just acquire longer limbs through repeated exercise. And even if you could, your DNA does not change throughout your lifetime for you to be able to pass this acquired characteristic onto your children.

(in a very small nutshell) Darwin's theory of evolution is different from Lamarck's theory in that Darwin says that mutations occur in the DNA of organisms which makes some of them more well-suited to survive than others. So they survive, the weak ones die and the fit ones continue their genes to the next generation.

Therefore, Kiwi =/= theory of evolution or adaptation

[Comptine]

Okay, it's good we got to you before your exam.

Use and Disuse - Described how body parts of oranisms can develp with increased usage, while unused parts weken. This idea was correct, as is commonly observed among athletes who train for compettiotions.

The strengthening does not get passed on to offspring. This happens because less energy is devoted to using the neglected areas. This is why you hear that blind people hear better or smell better. It's because the body does not have to waste resources on the eyes because they are not of use. It has nothing to do with evolution. Maybe a little to do with adaption for the particular person at the particular environment.

Inheritance of acquired characteristics - described how body feeatures acquired during the lifetime of an orgnism (such as muscle bulk) could be passed on to offspring. This, however, was incorrect. Only changes in the genetic material of cells can be passed onto offspring.

Obviously, it refutes itself by saying it's incorrect. Only genetic code can be passed onto the offspring. A new physical development would be coded by a mutation in the genes which would, again, be passed onto the offspring. IT HAS TO BE IN THE CODE.

...The fins and body shapes of sharks, penguins, and porpoises are analogous because they are adaptations to swimming.

NO. NO NO NO. Just because they jumped into the water does not mean they will adapt to swimming by SPROUTING fins out of no where.

They developed it because their ancestors set up the genetics for it. Dolphins and whales had an ancestor that moved from water to land but returned to the water. Reptiles and mammals came from one water dwelling creature that somehow in its ancestry got the mutations to grow arms and legs.

Example: Shark A and Shark B swim along but Shark B has a slightly different shaped fin that allows it to swim faster. Chances are if there's a predator Shark A will get eaten. Shark B will then go on and continue putting its genetic code into the gene pool. Subsequent offspring will have Shark B's fin and they will procreate better than the other sharks because of higher chances of survival. And then so on and so on until all you really see is Shark B's fin.

[Joanne]

omg, too much biology.


Anyway, it's a cute video. I always get a little sad after watching it.

[Comptine]

My mind has been fixated on Biology all week, due to studying for it every free moment. This shows a great example of evolution, and adaptation.

Then, why would you say that? Maybe I misinterpreted what you said but if you're going to say you're studying for Bio, don't use a wrong biological theory. It's pointless and I was frankly scared what the hell you were learning for Bio.

[Gigi]

You should have clarified that to begin with. In modern day discussion, when we talk about evolution it's almost unanimously agreed that we're talking about Darwinian evolution. But yes, I do know that you're talking about Lamarck, it's just a little strange to encounter that kind of (wrong) terminology. It's safer to be clear about what you're saying, especially for your upcoming test.