Chapter 4- Teeth Everywhere

Throughout chapter four, Shubin did another great job in taking a subject that students may not understand the importance of and teaching and sharing the values of the topic. In this chapter, I was able to learn the value of our teeth. Once again, I would have never thought that they were such crucial parts of our bodies, but Shubin has yet again proved me wrong. He explains how teeth can explain so much to paleontologists and just the fossils of the teeth can share different stories. I thought that it was interesting that Shubin states that the similar process of the tooth development create a way of development for other structures that develop within the skin. Shubin shared that our teeth are made in such a way that would make it convenient for humans to eat animals and plants. Our incisors and molars make it possible for us to chew on the everyday foods that we know and love. It's crazy to think that just by looking at the structure of an animal's teeth, we can assume their eating habits and diets and perhaps predict the structure of the rest of its body.

Shubin also includes pictures and diagrams as part of his explanation of the formation of the body. On page 79, Shubin's image of the layers of skin that are all connected to form different body parts is a simple way to understand what structure of the body as a whole. The most interesting section of the chapter was in the beginning when Shubin began to explain his first expeditions as an archaeologist. As he began to explain the journey that he endured, I found myself attracted to what the job entailed for his team to do. They work on the adrenaline in hopes of finding any small trace, detail, or hint on bones or fossils. Every little detail is so crucial to the job. It got me excited and interested in learning more about what was the come next and what keeps the archaeologists motivated to keep moving forward. I also enjoyed Shubin's excitement in his way that he told his story of being so lucky to have a qualified team to share his journey with. His passion for what he does really shines through his writing and it is clear that he loves what he is doing, making the writing easier to follow through. Chapter four brought me more connected to the author with a better understanding for what it is he does and his journey that brought him to the passion for his job.