Category Archives: Evolution by Natural Selection
Ineffective forecasting: Why we are bad at knowing how we will feel and evolution favors our ignorance
In the excellent John Huston film, The Maltese Falcon, a crew of criminals and adventurers, led by Kasper Gutman (played impeccably by Sydney Greenstreet) chase down the valuable and eponymous bird statuette with such single-mindedness that robbery, murder, and double-crossings … Continue reading
Making Sense of Biology
Nothing in Biology Makes Sense Except in the Light of Evolution, Theodosius Dobzhansky (1973). The American Biology Teacher, 35(3), 125-129. “See the lilies of the field…their genomes are 36 times larger than ours…” Those with a naïve understanding of evolution … Continue reading
Luke Skywalker, Han Solo, and the Importance of Adaptation Implementation in Evolutionary Psychology
Luke Skywalker, Han Solo, and the Importance of Adaptation Implementation in Evolutionary Psychology I’m not going to lie. If you follow my work at all, hopefully this isn’t a surprise – I try to stay honest – it’s a way … Continue reading
The Spandrels of Dunkin Donuts, or How the Munchkin Came to Be
Anyone who has been to the Northeast is likely familiar with the miniature Dunkin Donuts confection the donut hole, aka the Munchkin. After an unsuccessful online search, I called headquarters to learn more about the history of this sweet, only … Continue reading
Sometimes a Species is just a Species: Individual Selection Trumps “Benefit of the Species”
What did Genghis Khan (circa 1162-1227) have that you don’t? He had hundreds of children and the power to absorb a vast number of tribes into his Mongolian Empire. His power can be used as an example to show that … Continue reading
