Intertwined evolution of human brain and brawn
A new study has provided evidence to support that the muscles of the human body are just as unique as the brain. It has always been quite obvious that the human brain has capabilities that are more advanced than any other species on the planet. The study found that metabolite concentrations evolved rapidly over the course of human evolution in two tissues: in the brain and, more surprisingly, in muscle. Among the genetic changes that have happened over the course of human evolution, only a few might be responsible for the rise of distinct human features. A team of scientists look at metabolites in muscle and brain tissue to find more information about what gives us our human qualities.
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2014/05/140527185347.htm
Scientific Themes:
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2014/05/140527185347.htm
Scientific Themes:
- Collaborative- This study is conducted be institutes from Shanghai and Germany
- Repeatability- Anyone can look closely at human anatomy to determine the source of human traits
- Motivation- Scientists were curious about what exactly is the source of our advanced capabilities
It is amazing that scientists now see this connection. The brain is definitely what sets us apart from other animals, but I never thought that our muscles might have something to do with that too. It will be exciting to see what else they find out on this topic.
ReplyDeleteThe thing that astounds me is that humans have evolved one thing that no other species that we know of has: a precision grip. We don't see other species throwing things nearly as accurately and as far as humans can. This perfectly compliments our intelligence which allows us to create complex and nuanced machines with our more powerful fine motor skills.
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