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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.'"
As they evolved, mammals, reptiles, birds and most fish lost the ability. Today, only sharks and a few other marine species, such as sturgeons and lampreys, can sense electricity.
The platypus begs to differ...
You misspelled laser.
Let's see, humans have: sight, sound, smell, taste, touch, pressure, deep pain, surface pain, referred pain, hot, cold, static equilibrium, and dynamic equilibrium. Some might even throw in thirst and hunger.
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.
Yes, the single-cell southeastern australian wombat.
I don't think that's very plausible. After all, humans claim to have ESP and what's that supposed to be? Detection of electrical impulses from just into the future?
'sixth sense' and allow them to detect electrical signals could also be responsible for the development of the head and facial features in humans.
Actually, I saw Sixth Sense and what it really allows sharks to do is see the ghosts of dead sea-life which lead them to the carcasses. Shit, I thought everyone already knew that.
A feeling of having made the same mistake before: Deja Foobar
"Evolutionists" don't have an agenda, unless you count science as an "agenda." We don't consider science to be subject to public policy, and as such, laymen don't get a vote.
This has absolutely nothing to do with evolution
If you believe in the general concept of "science" it absolutely does.
My point isn't to try and start a flame war, just simply that it's poor journalism to take something completely irrelevant to origin of life
Read the damned article. They're talking about the same stem cells in the embryo developing into electrosensors in sharks and ears in humans. That absolutely has everything to do with embryonic development which is known to mirror vertebrate evolution, at least to those who follow science.
It makes for bad science.
Are you a scientist? Because among actual scientists, evolution is as much an established fact as gravity. Don't fall off the edge of the flat earth on your way out the door.