The Inuit And The ! Kung: Summary

When divergent selection is in effect those species closely related, but unable to breed, evolve the ability to procreate within separate species; so with this in mind, Jerry Coyne gives a few examples of this in nature. First, of the million types of species, each carrying their own unique traits all evolved from one common ancestor. In brief, to similar flowers split by a geographical barrier evolves into two separate species of similar flowers with the inability to pollinate each other, is an example of divergent selection. After all, Jerry Coyne compares the Inuit and the !Kung to show the difference between two of the same species, with different traits that are able to be passed on through procreation. Very similar to the comparison of a cat and a lion, but the opposite of a dog and a cat, because the ability to procreate.

In view of, the theory of geographic speciation being evidence of evolution and closer to the proof of our origins, therefore understanding Jerry’s evidence about the geographical speculation is very important to this chapter.

Isolation is important for splitting of species, because it is very difficult if there is interbreeding. Generally, prediction are used from the geographic speciation to test this theory, however it has been proven true by using the fossil record and DNA sequencing. Next, we have sympatric speciation and it involves the change of species while maintaining the same area. Geographic speciation is more common that sympatric speciation, and can be witnessed in nature more often.

In short, I feel like Jerry Coyne gave quite a bit of evidence proving divergent speciation, or splitting of a species. This chapter goes into more of the splitting of species, into separate totally different species, controlled by things like geographical barriers. I personally learned quite a bit in this chapter about evolutions theory of speciation, and have enjoyed learning a different view about our

origins.

Chapter 8: What About Us:
Equally important in understanding evolutions theory about the origins of humans, is how humans evolved from ape-like/human-like animals; so, Jerry Coyne, gives very good examples of the physical evidence, and how it all took place, in Chapter 8: What About Us. The origins of humans and the process to current humans, as explained by Coyne, requires an understanding in our ancestral fossils, and the understanding of how we separated from chimpanzees and became intelligent creatures.
Due to, the lack of evidence for an apelike to humanlike evolutionary, many people questioned evolution, but, many scientist were finally able to prove a transitional species, with the discovery of Lucy in 1974, (Coyne, 2009, p. 200).For many years scientist have been searching for the question we all want to know. Where did we come from? Ultimately, by comparing the bones of Neanderthal with those of Lucy, and those of various apelike species, scientist can estimate around how many millions of years ago we evolve from an apelike species about, “7 million years ago,” (Coyne, 2009, p. 195). The type of traits that prove a connection between apelike and humanlike transition fossils are a bipedally walking primate with larger brain capacity, and with the discovery of Lucy it became the best transitional evidence for humans.