Daily Archive for July 24th, 2006

Our Evolution explained

Published on Monday, July 24, 2006 in Education, Society and Trend. 3 Comments

There is a fascinating article about human evolution at the washingtonpost.com that explains how human genome research has helped understand specific changes in the human DNA around the world :

Europeans seem to be adapting to the increased availability of dairy products, with genetic changes that allow the enzyme lactase, which breaks down lactose in milk, to be available throughout life, not just in infancy. Similarly, East Asians show genetic changes that affect the metabolism of the sugar sucrose, while the Yoruba people in sub-Saharan Africa show genetic changes that alter how they metabolize the sugar mannose.

This quote hit home with me since I sometimes feel I’m the odd one out with everybody being really intent on a ‘nice tan’. Frying under the sun is not something I really participate in that much :

Europeans, for example, show strong changes over the past 10,000 years in genes that affect skin color — as humans moved into northern Europe, where there was less ultraviolet light, there was a strong evolutionary advantage to having lighter skin to allow in more ultraviolet light, which is needed to synthesize Vitamin D.

I find it incredible to read information about myself that is so profound, you’ve really got to love Internet for that…

The impact we have on our environment is a hot debate. Scientists, like those that lead research into human evolution quoted in the article, have alerted us to the disastrous effect we have and are having on the world and environment we live in. It seems that our body is far more intelligent than we thought. It is adapting to these occasionally drastic changes. I’m not sure whether the idea of our bodies adapting to the decrease in physical exercise and the increase in food consumption is good. Turning that trend around might be a far better idea !

On a humorous note (which can be expected over at blogjam.com) there may be a solution to the English hangover issues. This is not really evolutionary since the English have been drinking for a long time and this hasn’t really changed much, LOL ;) As explained above it seems a good idea since it also takes into account the evolution of Europeans with the availability of the enzyme lactase!

Brainwaves replacing the mouse

Published on Monday, July 24, 2006 in Design, Experimental, Society, Tech and Trend. 0 Comments

In a futuristic article, Fortune discusses the way research in to reading and interpreting brainwave activity, has lead to conclusive initial experiences that allow the brain to replace the mouse for basic functions.

Science Fiction Novels have often given us images of a future with voice controlled and complex computer systems providing valuable services and functions. Fewer have portrayed humans interfaced with computers via brainwave patterns alone. It is true that the thought of having to have a chip implanted in your brain to do so is a pretty scary thought. The idea that such an interface could be accessed by computers other than the one(s) intended, chills you to the bone. The mere notion of a virus capable of creating havoc with a human brain through such an interface is a nightmare.

But the advantages that can be gained, as well as less obtrusive methods that are appearing without the need for implants is fascinating:

Last year, Sony took out a patent on a game system that beams data directly into the mind without implants. It uses a pulsed ultrasonic signal that induces sensory experiences such as smells, sounds and images.

There are also far more useful examples in the article where quadriplegic patients can communicate via such systems and a chip that could be able to “process thoughts as fast as speech - 110 to 170 words per minute - by 2012″.
“Stu Wolf, one of the top scientists at Darpa”, describes the mind enabled systems like these : “network-enabled telepathy” which is disturbingly close to the storyline of the film ‘Matrix’.
Let’s hope that the top scientists and researchers alike provide us with safe and useful devices that will make our lives easier and secure.

A related article at the washingtonpost.com explains how “scientists at Stanford University hope to allow patients one day to complete actions without even having to think about the action itself.”

This obviously all sounds beneficial on the whole and far better than the reports that have been published about how cell phones affect the brain.