Science has always been like an instruction manual for reality to me. As long as I am able to deal with the facts, I am able to understand a problem better or see a situation more thoroughly. I understand what is before why. But as the article so simply put it; Evolution is the “thread that ties all facts together.” Without this thread the facts are arranged in the same way a small child would dump a 1000 piece puzzle on the floor and wait for it to complete itself. The blueprints to the nature of all beings lie in between the facts. The fact that I have brown hair doesn’t have anything to do with the fact that I am human, so what does it matter unless you know the why that links these two facts together. The linkages between ancestors and across species hold answers to the why questions of biology.
My interest in genetics first peaked in high school physiology class while learning how to do punnett squares. I am biracial, but only knew half of my family; so it was really interesting for me to understand that I didn’t have to know the rest of my family to know why I am me, because I possessed them all along. Obviously I wasn’t going to be able to figure anything out drawing tic tac toe squares on notebook paper, but it made me realize that there’s a vast world to explore when it comes to the relatedness of species… or the reason half of my entire family has blue or green eyes, but mine are brown.
I have always been very drawn to animals, with mammals being key, but specifically mammals- that in my opinion defy limitations- and just how genetic differences allowed that, or better yet ensured that outcome. For instance, bats; a mammal who flies, or whales and dolphins, very intelligent creatures who live under water and still breathe oxygen. The study of evolution offers a “lens for interpretation” in defining the reasons why organisms develop the way they do and important predictors as to when in history such evolution occurred.
Because of my high school interest in animals and genetics I believed I would become a Vet, or something with a fancy medical title.. But my interests have matured in a way that wasn’t expected. I am a junior here at State going for a bachelors in Psychology, with a minor in Global Studies in Social Science. Just like any applied science, understanding how continuity and change can effect global systems and influence global relations has a lot to do with the evolutionary and cultural history of humans, both biological and environmental. Understanding how different regions with unique cultural backgrounds play a role in development of person and policy is imperative in this discipline of science. So it is important to pay respect to evolution as a framework.
hi, I think this is one of the most interesting blogs i’ve read so far! I loved your first paragraph and the connection between answering the questions “what is” vs “why”. When i came into college i also thought i wanted to pursue a career with animals. I was animal science pre vet for two years and a lot of those classes do talk a lot about the evolution of mammals. For example, a sugar glider is most closely related to a kangaroo rather than a rodent even though it is much more similar in size, appearance, and diet to a squirrel. Similar to how an elephant is closely related to a manatee although they live very different lives. I find this incredibly interesting and so important to understand moving forwards with our contributions to evolution.
Personally, the analogy of a small child dumping 1000 puzzle pieces on the ground without a blue print is one of the best ways to explain evolution and biological context together. It makes it almost seem so simple to as they go hand in hand to understand the full knowledge of the human body and biology. I also have stated before how evolution truly does provide the understanding to explain the why which is what we need to advance. I. W.a.s first introduced to the pungent squares also in highschool and was fascinated by really the simplicity of being able to understand the relatedness of species also. It’s really cool how this intrest of yours came from a personal meaning and are using it to make a path for your future into something you’re passionate and curious about. I read another post by someone who was also a psychology major and really do believe now that studying evolution is really crucial in that aspect of understanding mental health also. It really is important for people to learn and understand evolution and boil logical context as the pdf by Alters and Alters stated.
This is a great post! First, I would like to thank you for being so open minded when it comes to sharing in this course. I really enjoyed the personal touches you placed throughout the blog post. I share your introduction to genetics being the Punnett squares in high school. It is also great that your heritage and connection to your family is a source of curiosity. I agree that the study of evolution offers a “lens of interpretation” when it comes to the origins of certain species and I share your love of mammals as well. My favorite part of your blog, however, was the reveal of your major and how your interests have changed throughout the years. I wish you the bets of luck going forward.
Hi! I really enjoyed reading your blog post. I liked how you brought in your family background, your major at Michigan State University and your passion for animals. This really helped me understand your background from a personalized perspective. One key takeaway from your post was “Without this thread the facts are arranged in the same way a small child would dump a 1000 piece puzzle on the floor and wait for it to complete itself. The blueprints to the nature of all beings lie in between the facts.”
This was an interesting point. Using this analogy helped to bridge together the importance of genetics and human variability. My favorite part about the section and blog post is getting to learn about the different backgrounds and majors that we all have in this class. It’s unique to see what your perception of evolution is because of your field of study and family experiences. Thanks!