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POPSWhy do humans kiss? "...They formally study the anatomy and evolutionary history of kissing and call themselves philematologists."
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POPS25 Greatest Science Books of All Time The Origin of Species (1859) Darwin's masterwork is, undeniably, The Origin of Species , in which he introduced his theory of evolution by natural selection. Prior to its publication, the prevailing view was that each species had existed in its current form since the moment of divine creation and that humans were a privileged form of life, above and apart from nature. Darwin's theory knocked us from that pedestal. Wary of a religious backlash, he kept his ideas secret for almost two decades while bolstering them with additional observations and experiments. The result is an avalanche of detail—there seems to be no species he did not contemplate—thankfully delivered in accessible, conversational prose. A century and a half later, Darwin's paean to evolution still begs to be heard: "There is grandeur in this view of life," he wrote, that "from so simple a beginning endless forms most beautiful and most wonderful have been, and are being, evolved."
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POPSSchizophrenia: The Curse That's Almost a Blessing
A recent study may have found what kind of process goes awry in schizophrenic brains. Researchers found that DISC1 regulates the migration of new neurons in the adult brain. When the levels of DISC1 were reduced in mice during adult neurogenesis, the newborn neurons sped up and overshot their intended targets within the hippocampus, When the neurons finally reached their destinations, they forged an unusual number of connections with neighboring cells, a series of events that might give rise to the abnormal—and quite crippling—brain functions associated with schizophrenia, according to Hongjun Song, a Johns Hopkins neurologist who also worked on the study. It is possible, Song says, that further research will lead to a drug that treats schizophrenia by restoring normal neurogenesis. So what evolutionary advantage could schizophrenia-related genes bring to people who have some of the genes but not the disease? For now, this remains one of the many open questions.
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POPSWhy Aren't Humans Furry? ALL my babies are very furry and I think they are the most beautiful kids in the whole wide world! (Should I mention, they are all cats?) ;)
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POPSDoomsday - The Mayan Prophesy December 21st, 2012. I probably won't be home that day, but I'll catch it later on youtube, I reckon. Jokes aside, they say the Mayan (or Atzec) calender is the most accurate ever made. Their doomsday is not so much about the end of time, but of the beginning or dawn of a new age of enlightenment. I think it's worth a gander. ;) This video explains the Mayan calender pretty well. Part one of three; The Mayan Calender Unveiled
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POPSDress-Like-a-Whore Day? I remember egoldstein saying something about this before. I still wouldn't trade a great Wonder Woman costume for anything. I like men who know their comic books. :)
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POPSThe Story Of Ohh! "How can our world be functional and Darwinian if the site of our orgasm is divorced from the place of intercourse? Why do females orgasm?? Three theories have been put forth. The whole article is quite an interesting read and well worth a gander! *whispering* For some reason, I think we should hide this clip from {{debbyski}}. The topic might just send her into overdrive. Shhh. :lol: