Religious Ceremony Leads To Evolution of Cave Fish

An anonymous reader writes "A centuries-old religious ceremony of an indigenous people in southern Mexico has led to evolutionary changes in a local species of fish, say researchers at Texas A&M University. Apparently since before Columbus arrived, the Zoque people would venture each spring into the sulfuric cave Cueva del Azufre to beg the gods for bountiful rain. As part of the ritual, they released into the cave's waters a leaf-bound paste made of lime and the ground-up root of the barbasco plant, a natural fish toxin. The rest is worth reading, but the upshot is that the fish living in the cave waters eventually got wise, genetically speaking."

Comments

I predict

[Anonymous Coward]

that this thread will be characterized by civil discussion and insightful exchange of ideas, with little or no flamage

Tomorrow's Sarah Palin Tweet Today!

[Anonymous Coward]

OMG Todd just told me R taxes paid 4 "scientists" 2 poison/torture fishes! Y? 2 so-call "proove" evilution. G-d knoes bettr. End DOE now!

Now we know the true reason for global warming

[maxwell demon]

From the article:

"Since before the arrival of Christopher Columbus to the New World, the Zoque people of southern Mexico would venture each year during the Easter season deep into the sulfuric cave Cueva del Azufre to implore their deities for a bountiful rain season."

And later:

"Ironically, it was the last ceremony ever held, as the Zoques ended the practice that year due to political pressure from the government, which sought to preserve the cave as a hotbed for tourism and potential revenue."

So they stopped doing ceremonies for the weather gods. This is surely not the only case. So people stop worshipping weather gods, and the climate goes wild. Coincidence? Unlikely! So now we have proof: Global warming is man-made, by neglecting weather ceremonies!