The World's Best Book Summaries
Is there such thing as group selection? Why did the lemmings jump off the cliff in the famous documentary? The theory of “group selection” states that some members of a group may sacrifice themselves for the good of the species. This theory is greatly flawed because if there was a self-sacrificing gene, then the members of the group with that gene would die out very quickly. Continue reading about the myth of group selection.
Why is depression on the rise? What does depression have to do with evolution and social standings? According to Darwinian Medicine, depression has functions in social standing. Low serotonin levels help mediate hierarchies in a social structure and maintain peace. However, today’s society is much different than the Stone Ages and depression is on the rise. Continue reading for more information on why depression is on the rise, according to evolutionary scientists.
What causes cancer cells? Why has the rate of cancer increased in the past century? How is mensuration linked to cancer? What causes cancer cells is that with each division of a cell, mutations in genes are introduced. Cancer can be considered a noncommunicable parasite that appropriates resources for its own gain at the expense of the host. Keep reading for more information about why people get cancer.
Do animals possess self-awareness? What do we currently know about animal consciousness? Many claim that animals aren’t self-aware—they’re driven by instinct. But scientific research suggests that animals do possess some basic self-awareness, although animal consciousness isn’t as sophisticated as humans’. Keep reading to learn how self-awareness manifests in animals.
What does the phrase “survival of the fittest” actually mean? How does natural selection happen? In the phrase “survival of the fittest,” the “fittest” actually refers to reproductive capabilities. Darwinian evolution says that evolution will favor the genes that allow the individual to produce the most viable offspring. Continue reading for more information about how natural selection works.
Why do we have allergies? Why haven’t humans evolved past them? Why are allergies becoming more common than ever before? The lack of parasites, the decrease in breastfeeding, and the increase in urban pollutants are all factors that lead to allergies. Why we have allergies is unclear but scientists have developed many theories as to why allergies exist. Keep reading to learn more about why we have allergies.
Looking for Homo Deus quotes by Yuval Noah Harari? What are some of the most insightful passages that highlight the author’s key ideas about humanity? In Homo Deus, Yuval Noah Harari maps out the future of humanity, drawing from the interdisciplinary synthesis of history, psychology, economics, and biology. The following Homo Deus quotes highlight some of his ideas about the current state of humanity and what the future holds in store. Keep reading for quotes from Homo Deus by Yuval Harari.
Why hasn’t natural selection, over millions of years, prevented us from getting cancer, heart disease, and depression? Why do our bodies deteriorate with age? How can Darwinian Medicine help us understand diseases better? In the book Why We Get Sick, Randolph Nesse and George Williams explain that “natural selection” means that evolution prioritizes reproductive fitness above all else and that evolution doesn’t bother eliminating diseases that affect us later in life. They also discuss reproductive health and aging as they relate to Darwinian Medicine. Keep reading to learn more about the evolutionary science behind why we get sick.
Is language an invention or an intrinsic trait? What are the exact mechanisms that gave rise to the phenomenon of symbolic language? Language is undoubtedly one of the greatest human inventions of all time, although the question of whether symbolic language is an invention or an intrinsic feature of the human species is a matter of semantics. There’s some archaeological evidence that language arose during the Cro-Magnon period, but the exact mechanisms behind its development are unknown. Keep reading to learn about the invention of the human language.
How do parasites work? Why do they damage their hosts? Wouldn’t it benefit the parasite to keep its host nourished and healthy? The authors of Why We Get Sick explore the science behind how parasites work. They argue that parasites are competitive and that they must fight each other for resources. They also claim that parasites and hosts have reached an equilibrium. Keep reading to learn why parasites don’t help us.