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Author Topic:   Human Brain Evolution Was a 'Special Event'
RAZD
Member (Idle past 1405 days)
Posts: 20714
From: the other end of the sidewalk
Joined: 03-14-2004


Message 61 of 65 (366471)
11-28-2006 9:28 AM
Reply to: Message 1 by skepticfaith
09-27-2006 4:39 PM


OOPS -- NOT so "special" after all?
News article from Seattle Times - Nation & WOrld
Tuesday, November 28, 2006 - Page updated at 12:00 AM
Humpbacks have unusual type of brain cells also found in humans
quote:
Humpback whales are unusual among cetaceans for having a type of neural cells in their brains that also are found in humans.
The structure of the neurons, researchers say, promotes the speedy transmission of information and might play a role in supporting the humpback's complex social life and sophisticated ability to communicate.
A study in the current edition of the Anatomical Record reports that the humpback brain contains "islands" of neural cells in the cerebral cortex that are generally not seen in the smaller-toothed whales and dolphins but are found in primates and other large-brained whales.
The function of these "spindle" neurons is not well understood, but they are thought to be involved in processing thoughts and information and are affected by Alzheimer's disease and other debilitating brain disorders.
The study's authors, from the department of neuroscience at Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York, say that spindle neurons probably first appeared in the common ancestor of humans about 15 million years ago and that they are found in great apes and humans but not in lesser apes and other primates.
In whales and dolphins they evolved earlier, possibly as early as 30 million years ago.
"Humpback whales exhibit complex social patterns that include intricate communication skills, coalition-formation, cooperation, cultural transmission and tool usage," the authors write. "It is thus likely that some of these abilities are related to comparable (tissue) complexity in brain organization in cetaceans and in hominids."
And evolved in other animals before humans even walked the earth?
So - at least some of - the evolution of brain can be tied to communication.
Enjoy.

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This message is a reply to:
 Message 1 by skepticfaith, posted 09-27-2006 4:39 PM skepticfaith has not replied

Replies to this message:
 Message 62 by Dr Adequate, posted 11-28-2006 10:03 AM RAZD has replied

  
Dr Adequate
Member (Idle past 285 days)
Posts: 16113
Joined: 07-20-2006


Message 62 of 65 (366478)
11-28-2006 10:03 AM
Reply to: Message 61 by RAZD
11-28-2006 9:28 AM


Re: OOPS -- NOT so "special" after all?
"Humpback whales exhibit complex social patterns that include intricate communication skills, coalition-formation, cooperation, cultural transmission and tool usage."
Humpback whales use tools?
I'm sorry, I'm not seeing any kind of picture here.
Google's been most unhelpful.
Edited by Dr Adequate, : No reason given.

This message is a reply to:
 Message 61 by RAZD, posted 11-28-2006 9:28 AM RAZD has replied

Replies to this message:
 Message 63 by Clark, posted 11-28-2006 11:54 AM Dr Adequate has not replied
 Message 64 by RAZD, posted 11-28-2006 5:00 PM Dr Adequate has not replied

  
Clark
Inactive Member


Message 63 of 65 (366497)
11-28-2006 11:54 AM
Reply to: Message 62 by Dr Adequate
11-28-2006 10:03 AM


Re: OOPS -- NOT so "special" after all?
Just speculating here, perhaps they're referring to humpbacks blowing bubble nets to corral schooling fish and similar behaviors.

This message is a reply to:
 Message 62 by Dr Adequate, posted 11-28-2006 10:03 AM Dr Adequate has not replied

Replies to this message:
 Message 65 by RAZD, posted 11-28-2006 5:29 PM Clark has not replied

  
RAZD
Member (Idle past 1405 days)
Posts: 20714
From: the other end of the sidewalk
Joined: 03-14-2004


Message 64 of 65 (366563)
11-28-2006 5:00 PM
Reply to: Message 62 by Dr Adequate
11-28-2006 10:03 AM


Re: OOPS -- NOT so "special" after all?
Humpback whales use tools?
and clams got legs.
lol. Perhaps they did the etching for the dolphins?
So "Long, and Thanks for All the Fish"

This message is a reply to:
 Message 62 by Dr Adequate, posted 11-28-2006 10:03 AM Dr Adequate has not replied

  
RAZD
Member (Idle past 1405 days)
Posts: 20714
From: the other end of the sidewalk
Joined: 03-14-2004


Message 65 of 65 (366568)
11-28-2006 5:29 PM
Reply to: Message 63 by Clark
11-28-2006 11:54 AM


Re: OOPS -- NOT so "special" after all?
I think you got it:
Page not Found (404 Error)
quote:
Compared to other baleen whales, the humpback whales that inhabit the Pacific coast of North America are unique. This population is characterized by a variety of remarkable feeding behaviors that include the production of loud, trumpet-like feeding calls. which are apparently used to herd schooling fishes such as the Pacific herring. These whales also demonstrate a type of tool use by deploying large bubble nets around fish schools or krill swarms. The prey is then devoured in a spectacular communal lunge as the whales come rocketing up through the center of the bubble net. Up to two dozen whales may take part in these lunging events, which turn the surface into a boiling caldron of bubbles, baleen, and bait fishes.
Click on the image for Quicktime of a feeding episode. (600k)
They do seem to be refering to whales with a list of tool abilities
http://news.nationalgeographic.com/...607_dolphin_tools.html
quote:
When researchers first saw something strange on the snout of a dolphin in Shark Bay, Western Australia, they thought it was a massive tumor. Now they say it provides the first evidence of a tool-use culture in marine mammals.
The object turned out to be a marine sponge broken off from the seabed. Later other bottlenose dolphins in Shark Bay were observed holding sponges over their beaks, and appeared to use them as a fishing tool.
Researchers now report this odd hunting technique originated in a single female and is passed from mother to daughter.
"The sponges probably act as a protective glove so the dolphins don't get stung by stonefish," Krtzen added. (The stonefish is a bottom dweller with highly venomous spines.) The sponge also appears to disturb fish hiding on the seabed. The dolphins then snap the fish up.
Hal Whitehead, a cetacean expert at Dalhousie University in Nova Scotia, Canada, points to bottlenose dolphins in Laguna, Brazil. These marine mammals coordinate their fishing efforts with local people. The dolphins herd schools of fish toward the beach, then signal to fishers to throw their nets. Any fish that escape swim straight into the mouths of the waiting bottlenoses.
Using people to herd the remaining fish back to them?
Humpback whales have brain cells also found i | EurekAlert!
quote:
"In spite of the relative scarcity of information on many cetacean species, it is important to note in this context that sperm whales, killer whales, and certainly humpback whales, exhibit complex social patterns that included intricate communication skills, coalition-formation, cooperation, cultural transmission and tool usage," the authors state. "It is thus likely that some of these abilities are related to comparable histologic complexity in brain organization in cetaceans and in hominids."
http://whale.wheelock.edu/archives/whalenet96/0044.html
quote:
When I was working with the White Marline Porpoise Circus in Port Aransas, Texas, I watched a dolphin there, named Pete (a bottlenose from Florida) do a similar thing. There was a pelican that would steal his fish if we threw them in the wrong direction, so it seemed Pete was tired of this.
One day between shows, we noticed about 8 fish, about 2-6 inches under the surface, in a circular ring, fairly evenly spaced. As they would sink, Pete went around to each one, pushing each one in turn, to the surface. The pelican appeared interested and wary. After about 10 minutes of this, the pelican flew and dove for one of the fish -- Pete grabbed him, and took him to the bottom and drowned him.
First time I had thought of this as "tool use". This shows that the behavior occurs in tursiops as well.
Knowledge of consequences as well eh?

Join the effort to unravel {AIDS/HIV} {Protenes} and {Cancer} with Team EvC! (click)

we are limited in our ability to understand
by our ability to understand
RebelAAmericanOZen[Deist
... to learn ... to think ... to live ... to laugh ...
to share.

This message is a reply to:
 Message 63 by Clark, posted 11-28-2006 11:54 AM Clark has not replied

  
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