Shark 6th Sense Related to Human Evolution?

An anonymous reader writes "Scientists at the University of Florida are claiming that certain genes found in sharks that give them their 'sixth sense' and allow them to detect electrical signals could also be responsible for the development of the head and facial features in humans. From the article: 'The researchers examined embryos of the lesser spotted catshark. Using molecular tests, they found two independent genetic markers of neural crest cells in the sharks' electroreceptors. Neural crest cells are embryonic cells that pinch off early in development to form a variety of structures. In humans, these cells contribute to the formation of facial bones and teeth, among other things.'"

Comments

News flash: orthologous structures...

[Anonymous Coward]

...do different things in different organisms. This is not news. It is a study of cellular fate in two different biological contexts of distantly related organisms.

Re:Definition of Science

[49152]

The scientific method is pretty much the definition of how you aquire science (systematic knowledge). To agree or disagree with a definition does not make much sense.

However even if a model or theory cannot be scientificly proven or disproven it might be of use anyway, for example: mathematics is in fact not a science since it is derived from axioms (fundamental concepts *belived* to be true). Even so, no scientist would deny the usefulness of mathematics ;-)

Re:How many senses do we have?

[pomakis]

It seems we get a new "sixth sense" every few months. Perhaps it's time to review the whole "five senses" thing so that people stop using "sixth sense" as if it's something special or supernatural?

The five senses that humans have are classified as such because they are five distinct ways that we can sense our environment and surroundings. (Some even argue that smell and taste are the same sense because they're both a chemical composition sense.) The ability to sense electrical signals is in every way, shape and form a distinct sense from the five that humans have.

The universe allows only so many senses, because there are only so many ways that one object can make itself "known" to another object (which is exactly what senses are about). Think about it... there's radiation in the electromagnetic spectrum (sight), compression waves (sound), chemical traces (smell and taste), and actual contact (touch). But nature has a few other communication tricks up its sleeve, and electical signals is one of them. The fact that humans can't sense them doesn't mean that it's supernatural.

Re:People have 6th sense, too

[patniemeyer]

Remember that you (as a mammal) are covered in tiny hairs. I think you "feel" electrostatic charges because these hairs stand on end.

Re:6th sense

[meringuoid]

Look, this whole 5 senses thing goes back to Aristotle. He was just trying to find some order in a chaotic world. So the dude was wrong. Give him a break, he's dead, ok?

Yeah. He was wrong. That's OK. Trouble is, he was wrong about just about every single thing he tried, and then got cited as an unassailable authority by just about everyone in Europe for over a thousand years.

Re:I don't get it.

[smithwis]

Let us just say that the preponderance of evidence supports the theorey of evolution. Something that can not be said for creationism as explianed in the bible.

You are right, of course, bad science is everywhere you look. There will be scientists who believe in creationism, even blindly so. Afterall, we are all inherently irrational creatures and scientists are no exception.

Science, on the other hand, strives for the most rational explanations. And when the Grandparent said: We don't consider science to be subject to public policy, and as such, laymen don't get a vote. I think I can safely translate him to mean: Science cares not for an individual's desires, only for the truth