This question will assess your understanding of popular thinking about Evolution by Natural Selection. The following interview appeared in the NY Times about the evolution of human skin. Your task is to read the interview an answer the question below: Claudia Dreifus. 2007. A Conversation with Dr NG Jablonski: Always Revealing, Human Skin Is an Anthropologist's Map. NYT 9 Jan 07. Interviewer: And what have you found? Scientist: .There was a tremendous takeoff in human evolution about two million years ago when primates who could no longer be called apes appeared in the savannahs of East Africa. These early humans ran long distances in open areas. In order to survive in the equatorial sun, they needed to cool their brains. Early humans evolved an increased number of sweat glands for that purpose, which in turn permitted their brain size to expand. As soon as we developed larger brains, our planning capacity increased, and this allowed people to disperse out of Africa. There's fossil evidence of humans appearing in Central Asia around this time. Interviewer: In a nutshell, what has your research shown about why humans have varying skin colors? Scientist: That it's not about race - it's about sun and about how close our ancestors lived to the Equator. Skin color is what regulates our body's reaction to the sun and its rays. Dark skin evolved to protect the body from excessive sun rays. Light skin evolved when people migrated away from the Equator and needed to make vitamin D in their skin. To do that, they had to lose pigment. Repeatedly over history, many people moved dark to light and light to dark showing that color is not a permanent trait.
This question will assess your understanding of popular thinking about Evolution by Natural Selection. The following interview appeared in the NY Times about the evolution of human skin. Your task is to read the interview an answer the question below: Claudia Dreifus. 2007. A Conversation with Dr NG Jablonski: Always Revealing, Human Skin Is an Anthropologist's Map. NYT 9 Jan 07. Interviewer: And what have you found? Scientist: .There was a tremendous takeoff in human evolution about two million years ago when primates who could no longer be called apes appeared in the savannahs of East Africa. These early humans ran long distances in open areas. In order to survive in the equatorial sun, they needed to cool their brains. Early humans evolved an increased number of sweat glands for that purpose, which in turn permitted their brain size to expand. As soon as we developed larger brains, our planning capacity increased, and this allowed people to disperse out of Africa. There's fossil evidence of humans appearing in Central Asia around this time. Interviewer: In a nutshell, what has your research shown about why humans have varying skin colors? Scientist: That it's not about race - it's about sun and about how close our ancestors lived to the Equator. Skin color is what regulates our body's reaction to the sun and its rays. Dark skin evolved to protect the body from excessive sun rays. Light skin evolved when people migrated away from the Equator and needed to make vitamin D in their skin. To do that, they had to lose pigment. Repeatedly over history, many people moved dark to light and light to dark showing that color is not a permanent trait.
Human Anatomy & Physiology (11th Edition)
11th Edition
ISBN:9780134580999
Author:Elaine N. Marieb, Katja N. Hoehn
Publisher:Elaine N. Marieb, Katja N. Hoehn
Chapter1: The Human Body: An Orientation
Section: Chapter Questions
Problem 1RQ: The correct sequence of levels forming the structural hierarchy is A. (a) organ, organ system,...
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Transcribed Image Text:This question will assess your understanding of popular thinking about
Evolution by Natural Selection. The following interview appeared in the NY
Times about the evolution of human skin. Your task is to read the interview and
answer the question below:
Claudia Dreifus. 2007. A Conversation with Dr NG Jablonski: Always Revealing, Human Skin Is an
Anthropologist's Map. NYT 9 Jan 07.
Interviewer: And what have you found?
Scientist: .There was a tremendous takeoff in human evolution about two million years ago when
primates who could no longer be called apes appeared in the savannahs of East Africa. These early
humans ran long distances in open areas. In order to survive in the equatorial sun, they needed to cool
their brains. Early humans evolved an increased number of sweat glands for that purpose, which in turn
permitted their brain size to expand. As soon as we developed larger brains, our planning capacity
increased, and this allowed people to disperse out of Africa. There's fossil evidence of humans
appearing in Central Asia around this time.
Interviewer: In a nutshell, what has your research shown about why humans have varying skin colors?
Scientist: That it's not about race – it's about sun and about how close our ancestors lived to the
Equator. Skin color is what regulates our body's reaction to the sun and its rays. Dark skin evolved to
protect the body from excessive sun rays. Light skin evolved when people migrated away from the
Equator and needed to make vitamin D in their skin. To do that, they had to lose pigment. Repeatedly
over history, many people moved dark to light and light to dark showing that color is not a permanent
trait.
Q6. Critique the Scientist's understanding of Evolution by Natural Selection
expressed in this interview. Cite specific evidence from the interview to warrant
any conclusions you make.
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