French Fries and Evolution?
Offline In a new blog post, PZ Myers has explained an interesting hypothesis about the earliest evolutionary separation between chimps and humans -- starch digestion!
It appears that unlike chimps, humans have a propensity for carrying multiple copies of the amylase gene. Amylase is an enzyme found in saliva that begins breaking down complex sugars (like starches) into simpler sugars before they reach the stomach or intestines. The implication is quite interesting. Perhaps early hominids weren't being selected for slightly bigger brains. Perhaps slightly bigger brains were partly the result of being selected for more efficient digestion of sugars within a more diverse diet!
Atheism isn't a lot like religion at all. Unless by "religion" you mean "not religion". --Ciarin
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I hate being pulled into threads by appealing words... -_- i see no french fries!
(interesting points none the less )
What Would Kharn Do?
Biology is not my forte. How does selecting for the ability to digest complex sugars/a more diverse diet contribute to a bigger brain?
A place common to all will be maintained by none. A religion common to all is perhaps not much different.
There's a reason we crave sweet and starchy foods, and similarly there's a reason cats can get away with not having the ability to taste sweets and eat primarily meat.
"Anyone can repress a woman, but you need 'dictated' scriptures to feel you're really right in repressing her. In the same way, homophobes thrive everywhere. But you must feel you've got scripture on your side to come up with the tedious 'Adam and Eve not Adam and Steve' style arguments instead of just recognising that some people are different." - Douglas Murray
Curiously, as I read this, my cat is about five feet away eating his own vomit. Enough said.
Atheism isn't a lot like religion at all. Unless by "religion" you mean "not religion". --Ciarin
http://hambydammit.wordpress.com/
Books about atheism
"Anyone can repress a woman, but you need 'dictated' scriptures to feel you're really right in repressing her. In the same way, homophobes thrive everywhere. But you must feel you've got scripture on your side to come up with the tedious 'Adam and Eve not Adam and Steve' style arguments instead of just recognising that some people are different." - Douglas Murray
/facepalm
inb4lolcats