Finding Your Inner Fish: Discussion Questions
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
Chapter 1 - Finding Your Inner Fish
1. Explain why the author and his colleagues chose to focus on 375 million year old rocks in their search for fossils. Be sure to include the types of rocks and their location during their paleontology work in 2004.
They chose to focus on 375 million year old rock because fish and amphibians found a few million years earlier, fish withou2t amphibian characteristics were found and a few million years later creatures with amphibian characteristics were found. The type of rocks they searched through were sedimentary because they did not go through extreme heat or pressure, such as metamorphic and igneous, to destroy the fossils. 2.What major paleontological prediction does the Tiktaalik …show more content…
Explain why Neil Shubin thinks Tiktaalik says something about our own bodies? (in other words – why the Inner Fish title for the book?)
Neil Shubin thinks Titaalik says something about our own bodies because he believes that humans evolved from Tiktaalik, hence why they have similar features.
Chapter 2 - Getting a Grip
1. Describe the “pattern” to the skeleton of the human arm that was discovered by Sir Richard Owen in the mid-1800s. Relate this pattern to his idea of exceptional similarities.
The “pattern” to the skeleton of the human arm that was discovered by Sir Richard Owen was: one bone, two bones, lotsa blobs, and digit pattern. This pattern relates to his idea of exceptional similarities because it shows the basic structure of arms or legs of mammals.
2. How did Charles Darwin’s theory explain these similarities that were observed by Owen?
Charles Darwin’s theory explained these similarities that were observed by Owen by explaining that they shared a common ancestor.
3. What did further examination of Tiktaalik’s fins reveal about the creature and its’ lifestyle?
Further examination of Tiktaalik’s fin revealed the creature had wrists and elbow, similar to humans. This showed that Tiktaalik was able to swim the bottom of streams and …show more content…
The best way to describe collagen, according to Shubin, is like a rope. When it is pulled it is strong, an when it is relaxed is weak.
3. How do cells (generally) communicate with one another?
To communicate with one another, cells send molecules to one another. One cell releases a molecule and the other receives if from a receptor on their plasma membrane.
4. What are choanoflagellates and why have they been studied by biologists?
Choanoflagellates are unicellular, eukaryotic microbes that are the closest microbes related to bodied animals. Biologists study them because it shows a relation from unicellular microbes and multicellular animals, showing similar genetic traits. Hence, showing a similarity of complex organisms with single celled, simple organisms.
5. What are some of the reasons that “bodies” might have developed in the first place? Include any environmental conditions that might have favored their evolution.
One main reason on why bodies were created was so small microbes would not be eaten. If they are larger, it is harder for other organisms to engulf them. Also, when oxygen became more available so the larger bodies could be made
Chapter 1 - Finding Your Inner Fish
1. Explain why the author and his colleagues chose to focus on 375 million year old rocks in their search for fossils. Be sure to include the types of rocks and their location during their paleontology work in 2004.
They chose to focus on 375 million year old rock because fish and amphibians found a few million years earlier, fish withou2t amphibian characteristics were found and a few million years later creatures with amphibian characteristics were found. The type of rocks they searched through were sedimentary because they did not go through extreme heat or pressure, such as metamorphic and igneous, to destroy the fossils. 2.What major paleontological prediction does the Tiktaalik …show more content…
Explain why Neil Shubin thinks Tiktaalik says something about our own bodies? (in other words – why the Inner Fish title for the book?)
Neil Shubin thinks Titaalik says something about our own bodies because he believes that humans evolved from Tiktaalik, hence why they have similar features.
Chapter 2 - Getting a Grip
1. Describe the “pattern” to the skeleton of the human arm that was discovered by Sir Richard Owen in the mid-1800s. Relate this pattern to his idea of exceptional similarities.
The “pattern” to the skeleton of the human arm that was discovered by Sir Richard Owen was: one bone, two bones, lotsa blobs, and digit pattern. This pattern relates to his idea of exceptional similarities because it shows the basic structure of arms or legs of mammals.
2. How did Charles Darwin’s theory explain these similarities that were observed by Owen?
Charles Darwin’s theory explained these similarities that were observed by Owen by explaining that they shared a common ancestor.
3. What did further examination of Tiktaalik’s fins reveal about the creature and its’ lifestyle?
Further examination of Tiktaalik’s fin revealed the creature had wrists and elbow, similar to humans. This showed that Tiktaalik was able to swim the bottom of streams and …show more content…
The best way to describe collagen, according to Shubin, is like a rope. When it is pulled it is strong, an when it is relaxed is weak.
3. How do cells (generally) communicate with one another?
To communicate with one another, cells send molecules to one another. One cell releases a molecule and the other receives if from a receptor on their plasma membrane.
4. What are choanoflagellates and why have they been studied by biologists?
Choanoflagellates are unicellular, eukaryotic microbes that are the closest microbes related to bodied animals. Biologists study them because it shows a relation from unicellular microbes and multicellular animals, showing similar genetic traits. Hence, showing a similarity of complex organisms with single celled, simple organisms.
5. What are some of the reasons that “bodies” might have developed in the first place? Include any environmental conditions that might have favored their evolution.
One main reason on why bodies were created was so small microbes would not be eaten. If they are larger, it is harder for other organisms to engulf them. Also, when oxygen became more available so the larger bodies could be made