Chapter 1: Your Inner Fish

Being a book with a focus on biology, I entered this book believing it would be a bland informational book. I can now say, I was completely wrong. Neil Shubin definitely made the book feel more like an adventurous journey with a plot structure rather than an encyclopedia. Of course, he also adds in enriching information about biology, paleontology, and geology. However, Shubin even makes this information seem more like a side story that gives background information and explains and flows with the "plot" of the story keeping the interest in the book alive. His exposition on his experiences in anatomy and paleontology definitely feels like the beginning of a great adventure. As I continued reading, I reviewed things I already knew like rock layers, but also learned of new things like the time period and appearance a transition animal would assume. When Shubin clearly pointed out that paleontologist aren't always lucky and have to work with what they can, the plot became more suspenseful with Shubin's hopes for the Artic. The anxiety of what could be found made me more attracted with the discovery of a transition animal. The proof of an animal that showed a clear mix between land animals and sea animals was exciting to say the least. This could give us an amazing visual of the Earth's ancestral species gradually changing appearances little by little until they looked like what they do today. With this baffling thought and the adventurous suspense by Neil Shubin, I can say that I would like to know what happens in the next chapter.

Radhika_Aggarwal

I have heard so many things on this book from many people. Some have told me that it is one of the most interesting books they have read and have learnt so much from it, while others had scared me by their feedbacks. However, when I started reading this book i found that that it is presented in a great manner and all of what Shubin states in writen in a clear format that anyone can understand. I have truely grown a likeing for the book. I used to think evolution is a boring subject, but the way Shubin explains all the terminlogy, allows the readers to really understand what he has to say. Therefore, I am able to follow up on what his ideas are. Also there is so much to evolution that it would take a really long time to complete. However, having read the first chapter, I see that this book is written in such a friendly manner that anyone can pick this book up and start to learn more about the subject. I just came back from a Boy Scout camp out, therefore, I am writing this blog now; I read the chapter before I left and I found that having learnt this information, I often found myself, in camp, remembering the types of human and nature cycles that Shubin spoke about in the book. I have to say, I felt like a nerd remembering those concepts and also very educated. hahhahha Well I truely enjoyed reading this chapter and cannot wait to read more.

Chapter 1: Finding Your Inner Fish

From this chapter the experience that the author puts us through is very diverse. I enjoyed the beginning of the preface when he was talking about his own experience teaching a human anatomy class in college when he was a paleontologist. He takes the reader's from the perspective of an outsider looking in. In the first page Shubin talks about how ancient bones can be a path to knowledge and can somehow explain how we became the way we are as humans. He explains how the fossils are found in the soil and where paleontologists search to find fossils when they look. I found it very interesting during this part because I was unaware of the fact that fossils can not be found in volcanic areas and are more common in lakes and oceans. I was very moved when Shubin said that "every rock sitting on the ground has a story to tell" and to all areas does this result to be true. Just one ancient rock could tell scientists today climate, animal ancestry, location, etc. To have one rock that could change the world and how we know it is fascinating, that that may be a reason that people go into the paleontology field, because they discover so many new finds. Though it can be seen that the finds that are found are not very easily conceivable.

Ch 1: Finding your Inner Fish

Like many other students, i was seriously not looking forward to reading another book for summer. Especially one from a non-English or literature class. The first thing that made this book seem interesting me however, was the fact that it says that the human anatomy is related to that of a fish. When i opened the book, I was surprised that the text wasn't presented in a boring, monotone way. There was description and information, like Neil Shubin was trying to actually talk to you. I liked the way he described the relationship between planning and chance. You can plan something and go through with it, but its only by chance that you discover a fossil or something of value in the paleontology career.

Another interesting thing about him is that instead of classifying animals and fossils by their long actual names, he separates them into 2 very simple categories: A creature with a head and 2 eyes is part of the "Everythings." and then there is "everything with limbs". This makes it very easy and doesn't confuse me as much as if he used the actual scientific names given to animals.

You could feel the frustration that him and his team were having after each failed excavation of fossils on Ellesmere Island. Even after they thought they struck gold, all the fossils they found were already well known and documented fossils. His hard work paid off though, once he found the flat-headed fish and named it Tiktaalik (means Large Freshwater fish Inuktitut). This fish has bones that fins that contained bones that resembled a human.

Chapter 1: Finding Your Inner Fish

Just as everyone else had said, I too had the reaction of "Oh my gosh, I can't believe we are going to read a book on a fish!", but once I began reading I realized that this book wasn't as bad as I had intended it to be. Chapter one was a pleasant surprise for me because I thought it was going to be written as though we were learning from a text book of evolution, but it seemed as though it was written in a way that Shubin was trying to teach us/the reader by using pictures and diagrams. Also the way that Shubin wrote showed us not only his knowledge in what he was studying, but also his love for the artifacts that he was finding. Moving on to the actual novel, I found it interesting when Shubin kept saying how fishes and humans were so similar because when I think of the two I think of a human breathing through their lungs as for fish having to use their gills. When Shubin began talking about how every rock has its own story to tell, I though that he was treating his work as though he was obsessed, but I soon came to realize that through his way of researching it made more sense as to how different rocks and fossils belong to its own kind. I also found it so interesting on how he used the Tiktaalik to show us how similar the human body and the fish’s body evolved in build as well as anatomy. This novel also opened my eyes on how hard paleontologists have to work to find these bones of all sorts of shapes and sizes and their dedication to doing so. I am actually looking forward to reading more about all the ways that humans have evolved over the past hundred of decades.

Chapter 2 Getting a Grip

Let me just start out with the fact that this chapter's title fits this chapter perfectly. This chapter was all about one thing..... HANDS!! This chapter starts out with Owen's idea and then went on to try to prove his theory. For example, we were presented with the lungfish and how it has a humerus, just like us. Shubin manages to incorporate the Tiktaalik, which he presented in the previous chapter, to this idea. He reveals to his readers that the Tiktaalik had shoulders, elbows and wrists, just like us. This fish had a wrist!! Yes, it shocked me too...something that is millions of years old has something as evolved as we have...wrists!! The Tiktaalik, which is 375 million years old, was able to do something that we are required to do in gym class....it could do push-ups!! This absolutely baffled me...such ancient fish had such similar characteristics to us. Then Shubin goes on to reveal a 380 million-year-old fish Eusthenopteron (which was a tongue twister...took me awhile to get through that name) that revealed the first bits of our upper arm and leg, it also had elbows and knees, however, they were facing in the same direction (kinda gross), just like when we grow and develop in the womb (but we rotate to give us the state of affairs we see today). When I think that it cannot get any more surprising, he mentions the amphibian Acanthostega, which is 365 million years old, which shows the first true fingers and toes. And the full complement of wrist and ankle bones found in a human hand or foot is seen with reptiles which are more than 250 million years old. That's crazy!! I just have one question for these people naming these creatures, why pick names that we cannot pronounce? And is there like a guide that I can follow in order to see if I'm pronouncing any of these names right?? Haha, oh well X) The names don't take away from the fact that this book is hard to put down. Onto the next chapter!!

Chapter 1

I found it extremely interesting on how the first chapter focuses on showing how we can use fossils to explain our own anatomy. Shubin helped readers through his novel by portraying his thoughts through multiple diagrams to provide visuals or a timeline. For example, his visual that traced arm bones from fish to humans helped me visualize the process of evolution; and it intrigued me that the bones were so similar even though I would have never thought that there was that much in common. The anatomy of fish, and how similar it is compared to us, it's amazing! I was already aware that, as humans, we evolved from animals that started out in the water, just like fish ancestors, but i was still shocked at how similar fish are to us. I also thought the Tiktaalik was cool because we could actually see our history as fish. Shubin did a terrific job at personalizing his work, and encompassing the reader with facts without coming off as another boring, old text book that teachers love to make us read. His style of writing allowed me to read this with ease, but, more imporantly, allowed me to actually retain the information he was trying to tell me. Like, next time I go to the zoo, I am going to keep in mind all the different kinds of fossils that lie all over the world and how they are all ancestors of this diverse environment...even though, the funny thing is, we make up less than one percent of all the species the world has ever hosted. All I can say is...the zoo will never be the same!

Ch. 1 - Finding Your Inner Fish

I though it was really amazing how everything that we see everyday is only one percent of what had ever been alive. Also, all the methods that paleontologists have to find fossils were really cool. I never really knew what they did besides digging up fossils and assumed it was an easy job, but learned that it is certainly not. I liked the way that the author wrote the novel because it was casual and easy to read along. He wrote in a way that made you actually care what he was talking about, unlike other science books. It was interesting to read about what he and the other paleontologists had to endure while looking for fossils and also the transitional phases found in Tiktaalik. People always talk about evolution beginning from monkeys but i never heard of it going as far back as people transitioning from fish. I also liked reading about and seeing the similarities and differences between humans and animals, and the pictures and diagrams helped me understand some points.

Chapter 1: Finding Your Inner FIsh

Before even reading this scientific adventure story, but just by looking at the title, like many other students, I wasn't too excited to read this. As I was reading the first few pages, I was confused of Shubin's way of explaining science. For example, when Shubin said that the fossils are evidence that we use to comprehend individuality, I didn't understand what he was trying to make a declaration of. Instead, I continued on reading and observed the connection he had arranged between Tiktaalik and human beings. Shubin shows us a connection of how the Tiktaalik carries the whole history of evolution and how human characteristics connect and links with the world. I personally admire Shubin's irrpressibly exciting character who is passionate in what he does. The way he put so much time and effort to discover Tiktaalik amazes me and he makes each discovery a speculation. Shubin is not only a talented writer, but he also shows enthusiam toward his career as a paleontologist. I am definitely looking forward to the next chapter.

Ch 1: Finding Your Inner Fish

The author, Neil Shubin, has a unique way of writing. I feel like I was actually present there and feeling the same frustration he was when he didn't find the right type of fossils which showed how fish and land-animals were connected. He writes really freely and bluntly writes what he was feeling and thinking at the moment. Yes, in the beginning I was like: Not another book on evolution. But this book is very unique. I thought that discovering fossils wasn't that hard but Shubin describes it otherwise. Discovering fossils has a lot of planning and steps you have to follow. I found this chapter really interesting because it is very straightforward. In this chapter it mentions that a creature with a head and two eyes is a member of the "Everythings." Also another group is "Everything with limbs." These group names are easy to remember and very straightforward. I also found it interesting that biology, geochemistry, and geology all fit into paleontology. These subjects pay a big role in paleontology. I never knew that fossils can only be preserved in sedimentary rocks. I found it interesting to discover that you can find out how the environment was during a certain time period through the discovery of a fossil embedded in a certain type of rock (sedimentary). This chapter has proved to be very interesting and informal which makes me want to continue reading. I also found it funny that sometimes scientists choose a name because it is easier to pronounce like how Shubin chose the scientific name Tiktaalik (large freshwater fish) instead of Siksagiaq because it was easier to pronounce. Overall, this chapter has been worthwhile to read.

Chapter 1: Finding Your Inner Fish

Looking at the cover of the book Your Inner Fish, I was a bit curious of how the author, Neil Shubin, would relate the structures of human beings to those of creatures, such as fish. Not believing in evolution, paleontology never fascinated me nor captured my attention. But as I continued to read, I was enthralled by how much work must be done for paleontologists to find the right fossil. The discovery made by his team, Tiktaalik, after several failures, helped me understand how creatures evolved till this day. The diagram of the creature between fish and land-living animal showed me how animals can evolve, adapting to the environment for survival. Though I cannot connect the evolution from fish to human, this chapter amazed me by the fact that fossils can outline the entire history of origins. I really enjoyed reading chapter one and cannot wait to read more about Shubin’s discoveries!

Chapter 1: Finding Your Inner Fish

Well, in the beginning parts of the first chapter I had no idea how Shubin's lack of funds and past exploration sites related anything to finding my inner fish. I will admit that I felt like putting the book down when he started describing how they were finding nothing and he would rather be in Hawaii and all those thoughts. However, at the end it all comes together and you understand why he had to build up for a moment like that. The discovery of the intermediate land/water fish is interesting but I was surprised that Shubin gave the discovery away right off the bat and what he could possibly tell us in teh next ten chapters. But i will admit, I'm excited to continue reading! :) This book even by reading the first chapter has already got me thinking about how we (humans) actually ending up living lives like this and to think that we came from a fish. So in essence this book is extremely thought provoking and I enjoyed it even if it was only the first chapter.

Chapter 1

When I first purchased the book, I thought this is going to be a crappy summer. Here I am reading a book about your "inner fish." It sounds like a self help book for biologists. Although the subject is not stimulating, the author tries his best to make it somewhat amusing. Although I still have trouble reading this book, the author makes a few points which manage to capture my attention.

First, the author makes fossil expedition more exciting than what it appears to be. Also, I think that there is an element of luck, which Shubin slightly mentions. You can observe and make educated guesses where a fossil might be; yet there is a high chance you won't something. However, if you are really lucky, you will find something on the first excavation.

Second, rocks are the key to any expedition. I now know more about the layers of rock then I feel is necessary. I don't think I will pick up a rock anytime soon and make an in-depth examination, but Shubin does his best to make something interesting out of something boring.

So far, Chapter 1 has been slightly amusing. I cannot say that I am looking forward to reading this book the rest of the summer.

Chapter 1: Finding your Inner Fish

Though I cannot fully commit to the ideas of evolution, reading this chapter allowed myself to become more open and less dubious or skeptical. Shubin's description of his pursuit for the fossils substantiated that the discovery of an archaic preservation requires perseverance and physical endurance. Even more so, I was amazed at how "serendipity" played a part in the discovery as well. The advantageous location and the resources were often times results of this good fortune. Although, this would not have been possible without their efforts. The description and discovery of the Tiktaalik put me in awe as I began to see that the form of the creature was detectable and not nearly as dismantled as I had predicted. After having read the first chapter, I believe that the book is approachable even for the skeptics of evolution.

Chapter 1: Finding Your Inner Fish

When I read the first sentence, I was thinking, "Darn, another book about the boring life of a fossil-crazed man." To tell you the truth, I had a hard time focusing on Shubin's words that I had to reread many parts of the chapter. When Shubin questioned himself about his personal safety and comfort about why he was in the Arctic and not in Hawaii, I daydreamed about myself in Hawaii. I got to tell you, I had the longest time in reading the first few pages.

I never really thought in-depth about evolution, thinking scientists and researchers like Shubin was frantic to find any reason, true or false, for everything, including our own existence, just for fame or money. My thoughts started to change when I read Shubin's explanation on how fossils are laid out on the rocks of the world and Shubin's explanation on his adventures in the Arctic. Through his words, I felt the honest excitement of a true paleontologist. I found Shubin as someone who enjoys what he does unlike other scientists or researchers. Additionally, the description of how Jason Downs entered the main tent with all pockets stuffed with fossils made me realize that this book isn’t dealing with money or fame-crazed men, but people who have a definite passion for finding fossils and updating history.

When he stated the importance of this one, small characteristic: the flat head, Shubin finally caught my attention. From then, I started to wonder if we really do have fish as our ancestors. Furthermore, I found it a bit amusing about how Shubin repeats “serendipity,” or good fortune, because I mainly thought of scientists needing tons of skills and long hours in classes or laboratories. I liked how he was honest to credit serendipity on finding the trail to “our inner fish.” It showed that even major discoveries such as the Tiktaalik were found by chance and it gives me hope on other discoveries Shubin or other paleontologists may find.

Shubin seems like he has a true passion and devotion for what he does, which makes me wonder what else he has in store for readers, like myself, in the coming chapters.

Chapter 1: Finding Your Inner Fish

Like most other students, I wasn't too thrilled about being assigned this book. I thought it would be written like a textbook; straightforward, hard facts. However, I found that I was dead wrong in judging this book by its cover. I enjoyed it from the start; his colloquial tone as well as his stories and descriptions kept me hooked.
The first thing that caught my attention was the way he described his passion for finding fossils. I found it very admirable how he glorified the rare findings of the past. His dedication to and love for paleontology was evident through the story of finding Tiktaalik, for he was patient and took the time to go through the long, tedious process to find the fossil of this creature. I also considered the first chapter as a wake up call to how I viewed paleontologists. I never really thought about how much trouble it was to find the fossils that I always found intriguing to look at, and the way that Shubin described his journey to achieve his goal was definitely an eye opener.
The discovery of Tiktaalik was the most fascinating for me. Whenever I think of where humans evolved from, I think of chimpanzees and gorillas. However, I found the beauty in the description of this creature because of its connection between land and sea.
I can't wait to read more!

Ch 1: Finding Your Inner Fish

Like what everyone else said, Shubin described his experience looking for the fossils in an easy way to understand. I liked how he wrote it as if the events were happening at that moment, like when he talked about the steps of finding a good site to dig for fossils. I didn't know there were so many things to consider before choosing a site, like the age of the rocks and the age of the things being searched for.
Still, I wasn't too interested in reading about his discovery of Tiktaalik because discovering the connection between land and water animals isn't of great interest to me. I don't really understand why it is so important to find our origins, because I don't think it would make a difference in my life personally. I don't really agree with him on the whole matter, which is kind of why I thought it was unusual for him to search for 6 years in the Arctic. But this allowed me to understand how passionate and interested Shubin is in his work.
But still, the fossils he found are credible evidence for the idea that the anatomy of humans relate to fish. So overall, this chapter was interesting because it explored ideas and possibilities that I never really cared to think about. (:
-Sarah You

Chapter 1 your inner fish

When we had the Biology meeting for the summer assignment I was kind of afraid to read this book because I thought that it would be just facts about the fish that is on the cover of the book (Probably the Tiktaalik) and that it would be boring to read. My second thought of the book would be that will I ever survive reading through the first chapter of this book? Well I did and I really enjoyed it, I was amazed by reading chapter one. It seemed as if I was invading his privacy by reading through his personal diary.
I was really amazed on how he kept on searching and looking for fossils. He never gave up until he found what he was looking for. I was surprised at the part where he said that when earth quakes came rock layers were sometimes moved up or down. What I thought before reading this book was that the rock layers stay the same because they are firmly pressed in the ground. A question had came up in my mind when I saw part of the front cover “A Journey into the 3.5-Billion-Year History of the human Body.” I thought how humans became the way they are right now? Well when I read the first chapter I found the answer they had formed from ape like creatures who have most of the same characteristics as a human. Another thing that I was greatly fond was the discovery of an fish/crocodile creature called the Tiktaalik. It looked like a fish with a neck and legs.
I enjoyed reading the first chapter and I cant wait to find out what the next chapter upholds.

Chapter One: Finding Your Inner Fish

Before I started reading this book, I was a bit curious about the title our Inner Fish. I read many other's posts about how they thought of this book as a boring text at first but for me, I was quite interested.

As I read through chapter 1, I realized how paleontologists have difficult time excavating the 99% extinct fossils. Neil Shubin even states throughout the chapter that he had many failures because of the vast range of areas where fossils are located at. After Shubin stated all those things, I wondered if paleontologists find anything. They need to find the right location, right age of rocks, and so many more qualifications just to find a single piece of fossil. Surprisingly, Shubin explains the key to finding the fossils later on: serendipity.

What?? So good fortune is the only requirement in becoming a successful paleontologist? Well, as I read further on, this wasn't true. Serendipity was a part of it and there were many other factors like being patient in excavating. Moreover, I loved how Shubin broke down all the steps in discovering Tiktaalik. Locating where the 375 million year old rocks are and after many failures, he finally gathered all the bits of the water/land creature. By the end, he explained a scanty bit about how these creatures relate to humans: the fin somehow transforming into the human hand. I just can't wait to find out Shubin's discoveries on this intricate topic!

Chapter 1: Finding Your Inner Fish

Before even opening the book, I was already judging it by its cover. Just like the previous blog-posters, I had the feeling that the novel would be one of those scientific non-fiction novels that drive you literally insane, but thankfully, it did not turn out to be as expected.

First of all, I was taken by surprise at the connections between the anatomy of humans and those of fish and other creatures, especially the comparisons between the features of Tiktaalik and humans, amphibians, reptiles, and birds. It is interesting how fossil discoveries are able to lead us to such conclusions. Although such findings do not affect my belief in Creationism, they seem to be somewhat credible with the evidence found.

Before reading chapter 1, I also didn't think hunting for fossils would require as much time and effort, but I realized afterwards how success was possible after several failures. For the paleontologists to endure harsh conditions for a fossil was simply foolish, but now, I find it worthwhile because every finding can help us to uncover the secret of the origins of human life. Therefore, I was glad they were able to discover Tiktaalik eventually.

Looking at the chapter overall, it helped me to question Shubin's findings. Although they seem to have validity, no one knows for sure the record of our past, and it helped me to reflect on the reading and to understand what it means to be human. I am definitely looking forward to reading the next chapter :)

Chapter 1: Finding Your Inner Fish

When I found out we had to read this novel on top of the thick textbook, I thought that it would be another book filled with boring and useless information that teachers wanted to assign in hopes of interrupting our relaxing summer. But, as I began to read the newly ordered novel from Amazon, I realized this book was rather interesting and enthralling. 

As many others have said, Neil Shubin does a great job at allowing his readers to visualize his findings through diction that is easy for people to grasp and comprehend. His use of several pictures also allows people to easily visualize the places they go to and things Shubin and his crew discover. For example, the map portraying North America allows me to keep track of where he is working (16). The pictures also allow readers to feel like they are also on this journey with him, facing the same obstacles he experiences. The diagrams of "Tikaalik" depict how it looks like and what Shubin means by a creature between fish and a primitive land-living animal. 

The most interesting aspect of chapter 1 was definitely the discovery of Tikaalik. It is simply amazing how an old, extinct creature could be found hundreds of years later. Shubin's description of this newly found fish represents the evolution of fish to amphibian. Although I do have many doubts in the idea of evolution, the finding of Tikaalik is extremely fascinating. 

So far, this book has been impressive and I look forward to reading chapter 2; Getting a Grip.

Chapter One: Finding Your Inner FIsh

When I first looked at our book for the summer assignment, I was honestly intrigued at the idea of there being a connection between fish and land living animals, but was also a little bit concerned that it would just be another boring novel . But as I continued to read, I was soon captivated by the thought that our whole history could be mapped out through fossils and that we as humans evolved from different types of animals. It was also interesting to learn the process of how paleontologists choose a site to look for their fossils and how it's not an act of randomness. There is so much effort and behind the scenes work in forming an expedition that i really didn't value paleontologists.

It was also very exciting to have read how the author and his team were able to discover a fish that had features resembling those of land living animals, and to see how he was able to take another step closer to learn how humans evolved from fish. I hope that the rest of the novel proves to be just as interesting as the first chapter, and I'm excited to continue reading.

Chapter One: Finding Your Inner Fish

My expectations for this book was that it was going to be just a list of connections, linking past species to present ones, and data collected from different discoveries he has made. But while I was reading I began to realize this wasn’t the case. I admire that this book is about his experiences as a paleontologist and his contributions to the science field. In the beginning of the first chapter it was basic knowledge of how fossil finding works. I believe this was a perfect way to start the book. He explains the difficult process of fossil finding to have us realize why his discovery is so significant and why there are so little discoveries like this. While he is explaining the process, which can be a little heavily detailed and confusing, he uses similes of everyday objects so that the readers truly know what he is talking about. He stresses the scarcity of fossils being preserved and found. His own experiences in the Artic and his past failures give even more stress on that finding fossils is a tough and demanding job that isn’t always successful. But I’m glad he had his success with Tiktaalik and drew even closer to his discovery of the origin of land-living animals. I’m excited to see what other connections and discoveries he makes to connecting Tiktaalik to the origin of land-living animals and see how far he goes into that past.

Chapter One: FInding Your Inner Fish

Excluding the few paragraphs in the beginning, chapter one seemed very redundant like "Ideal to preserve fossils are sedimentary rocks:limestones, sandstone, siltstones, and shales"(10). It just seemed to be saying everything i already knew. However, as the chapter progressed, it became more interesting, I had always seen fossils in museums but learning the process behind finding a fossil was a new experience for me. I had no idea that i took a lot of time and effort to find one fossil that might uncover the secrets of the past. Also, the conditions their team had to persevere through like "[...] risked being eaten by polar bears, running out of food, or being marooned by bad weather"(16) baffled me. Was finding a fossil worth freezing to death in the Arctic, running out of food, and etc? It was gratifying to see that their hard work had paid off when they found Tiktaalik or "large freshwater fish." It was also intriguing to see that this fossil helped to show that arm bones of humans can be traced back into something like a fish.

Chapter One: Finding Your Inner Fish

I really enjoyed Chapter 1. I thought that this book would be a book about facts of - this is HOW you got here, based on what was found by others. I was really surprised at the effort put into looking for fossils to determine the growth of species (i.e. humans). Reading about his fossil finding adventure was exciting, clearly not what I expected in a science novel.

Reading about Shubin's experiences on fossil trip made me understand why the author wanted to know more about himself: why we look this and why we work this way. Shubin does not write all facts down, he incorporates them into his personal work and experiences, unlike a textbook which just give you facts and pictures. I was really glad this book did not turn out that way. I loved learning about the fossils and how they were found. Knowing you have to go in looking for specific years for them.

I can't wait to read Chapter 2 and learn more about my inner fish.

-Chioma Friday

Chapter One: Finding Your Inner Fish

The first chapter of "Your Inner Fish" was a very insightful chapter. I was instantly surprised at the amount of effort that went into discovering a fossil. The fact that before a dig they have to plan so meticulously, and in the end during the dig the plan may go up in flames, immediately piqued my interest.
When I read about Hynerpeton, I wished that they found out more about that fossil and it's species by finding the rest of the skeleton. It felt like they were leaving a mystery unsolved.
When he said his team had reached a breakthrough in 2000, i was expecting something out of this world! It was very disappointing reading the words, "Failure again."
At least in 2004, they found Tiktaalik! That "fish" sounds incredible. Having fins, with wrists and joints...such human-like qualities...in a fish! In the beginning, I questioned Shubin. What could he find that could be so amazing? What could be worth all the trouble and effort that he described?
Now I know.

The start of week 1... Lets not procrastinate!

Some of you have already posted for chapter 1... good job! All of you have until midnight on the 2nd of July to post for week 1... I hope that they trickle in a little day by day and that most of you do not wait until the last minute to post... keep in mind with technology there is always a chance something will not be working (your computer of the Internet) so I would not wait until the last minute to post. Posts that are late will not receive credit.
Do not feel that you need to write a book... one interesting thought on the chapter will suffice... I also like it when you read what others have to say an comment on their post.

I am also entertaining the idea of giving you an open note open book test on the contents of the book on the first few days of school... this would be new and I have not done this in the past... I will keep you posted on this.

chapter one: finding your inner fish

Starting the book Your Inner Fish, by Neil Shubin, with no expectations, I was amazed to learn all the time and effort field paleontologists must put in to find the evidence and information that they obtain. I never really put much thought into how fossils are found and always thought it was kind of a test of luck; a random event that happened as a coincidence. However, Shubin states that to find the fossil of an animal that would complete his theory, his team used a process of elimination and after they decided on their location, it took them many years before their actual discovery. This chapter made me realize how passionate some people can be and how hard they work to pursue it. It makes me look forward to the many discoveries Shubin will make throughout this book.

--Joyce Kim

Chapter 1: Finding Your Inner Fish

Well, to begin, I heard many stories about this book until it was put in my hand today. I had heard that it would probably be the 2nd most boring book I would ever read (1st being The Gatekeepers) and I also heard that it was quite a good book to fall asleep to. When I finally got a hold of the book I looked at the fish/crocodile-like animal on the cover and prayed that this book would not be boring... and I think my praying payed off.

As I skimmed the cover pages in the beginning of the book, I took a quick look at the Preface and noticed how humble Mr. Shubin was in stating that this book was merely an effect to a circumstance that occurred in his life. He gave a brief description of the main topic in the book as well as told the audience what he did for a career. As a person who enjoys science and the subject of biology, I was surprised to find that the book had not bored me yet in the slightest bit, and I was only on the Preface.

As I moved into Chapter one, I became instantly hooked. As Mr. Shubin moved from his love for his career to descriptions and methods in finding fossils to his adventures in the Canadian-Arctic lands, I found myself not even bothering to skip to the end of the chapter to see how many pages I had left until I was done (which is what I usually find myself doing). Instead, I thoroughly read through his numerous descriptions and facts on how fossils are the foundation for virtually any select species. I also thought it was quite funny how he and his crew had basically lost their perspective in icy territory, thinking that anything that moved was a polar bear (although I'm sure it wasn't really funny then). Furthermore, I found his diagrams quite useful and it helped me to understand an accurate idea of the relativity between bone structure in different species.

Overall, I very much enjoyed the way Mr. Shubin had begun his story on how fossils can mean so much in "finding your inner fish" and I actually look forward to more.

-Devin Larscheid

Chapter 1: Your Inner Fish

Chapter 1: Your Inner Fish

When I first discovered that I had to read this book for our summer reading assignment, I was not excited at all. I definitely underestimated this book because it was school-related. However, the more I began to read, the more it became harder for me to put this book down. It actually began to appeal to me in many different ways. I can now fathom why this book is our summer reading project.

I was very intrigued when Neil Shubin discovered the new-found fish named "Tiktaalik". I was fascinated by the detailed description of the newly discovered specimen; especially how this wonderful creature conveyed how fish were gradually evolving to amphibians. The discovery of the "Tiktaalik" was the most interesting part in my opinion because I find the evolving process to be beautiful.

Throughout the book, I was aware that Neil Shubin was a very dedicated and diligent paleontologist. As I was reading, I kept thinking to myself, "Wow, this guy loves his job a lot!" His passion for his career is evident throughout chapter 1.
The most time-consuming process of Shubin's profession is that of finding a location to dig for fossils. This is a tedious and difficult process because the desired fossil may not be lying in that exact location. However, Shubin taught his readers that this was actually possible, and it can be done if one is willing to make the effort. I absolutely enjoyed the part where Shubin traveled to the Arctic to find evidence of how the fish species became land animals. However, I felt nervous and scared for Neil just thinking about him going to the Artic! This required a lot of patience and dedication because traveling over the world to discover something about approximately four feet long is not something anyone can do. Even through the hardest situations and times, Neil did not give up and continued to pursue his dream. This was a big eye-opener for me.

I am definitely looking forward to reading more!

-Stacey Kim

Ch.1 Finding OUR Inner Fish

This first chapter's introduction to the book was enchanting. When Shubin first described that we and the animals around us are from the same kind of ancestors and that paleontologists connect puzzle pieces together to get to know that part of history where there was no people around to record it, I was inspired to not only know that part of history but also find that kind of initiative to know our past. To find the transition from fish to small land mammals is evolutionary and this is what starts the journey of continuous separation from land and water.
When I was reading the chapter, what caught my attention was the meaning of origin. Did it mean: Where the species were from? What they are? or What they were? As I read on, being a paleontologist means to find out every possible detail about these past creatures and to connect them to the species today and the ones that may have evolutionized after that. they find where, when, what, and how creatures arrive into this intricate world today.
When Shubin described how he and two others led the expedition to the unexplored Arctic and the many tries to get the information and specimen they wanted, I could clearly see his desire and need to know this kind of information and to have this evidence to prove his theories as well as clear any question marks during this time period. The rigorous climate and setting of this workspace was unbelievable and unimaginable to me, but the true blissfulness of his discovery was evident and visual to all the readers.
His ordeals he endured and the history that he and his team discovered was revolutionary. Now that the first chapter or my first impression of the book is good, I expect the book til the end to be great as well. The reflection of this chapter was that living things today all came from one ancestor which soon evolved into another and another making branches and leaves wherever needed improvement just like in Darwin's natural selection. in this book, I will learn about myself and about all of our histories and our origin through the great work of the paleontologists.

The way the author brings this book together is marvelous. Neil Shubin starts of by saying in the preface that he is a paleontologist by profession but had to teach a class in anatomy. This start shows that he is attempting to try to explain the evolutionary process via a unorthodox way, not through chimps and apes but through fishes.

Within the first chapter, the most interesting aspect to me was the way Shubin and his friend/colleague take advantage of the scaled rock walls that were created by PennDOT. I think the government should do a joint funding of such research. Have half the money go to create public transportation, but in the process of exposing sheer cliffs of correct aged rocks, allow some money to go to the paleontologist to create and explore for fossils that might help piece together the evolutionary cycle, whether for chimps and apes to fishes.

The moment I first scanned through Your Inner Fish to acquire a sense of what the book has to offer, I thought to myself, "Can't I ever be assigned to read a book that's at least half-interesting?" I then realized that I had mistaken myself as I gradually flipped through the pages of chapter one. I guess it's true, one should never judge a book by its cover.

I was shocked and amazed when I first read, "...99 percent of all species that ever lived are now extinct... an even smaller fraction are preserved as fossils,"(pg. 3). This helped me truly realize how mysterious the world in which we live in really is. It makes me question and imagine what the world will be like thousands of years from now. Not only did Your Inner Fish keep me interested and wanting to continue to read on, but the way in which Neil Shubin's search to find the fossil that is intermediate between fish and land-living paid off after years of feeling hopeless left with a sense of respect toward Neil Shubin. How passionate must one be to risk their life and sacrifice years and years of their time to dig for only a possible successful outcome?

Not only does this book have me wanting to dig further and learn more, but it also almost has me hoping for Neil Shubin to reveal many more interesting discoveries.

-Chang Yeul (Charley) Baik

Chapter 1: Finding Your Inner Fish

When I first saw that we had to read this book as a summer assignment, I thought that it would just be another monotonous read. But, as I started to read the book, I realized that it was actually interesting.

What I like most so far is Shubin's writing style. He is able to explain everything clearly, so people who have no idea about paleontology will have a clear understanding about what he is talking about. It is unlike many non-fiction books because it doesn't give scientific facts that only professionals will understand. Shubin's conversational and casual tones make the book more captivating; it seems as if he is talking to the readers and telling them a story, rather than just documenting his actions. Additionally, Shubin's use of images and comparisons helped me understand what he was addressing. For instance, he compares planning an expedition to planning for war; even though planning is essential for bot, it is ultimately useless.

After completing this chapter, I admire Shubin's dedication and perseverance. Even under terrible conditions, he doesn't give up his search for the "needle in the haystack." I know that if I were in his place, I would be extremely frustrated.

I also found it interesting when Shubin explained how the geography of the world has changed so much. One example he gives is the Arctic, where remains of an environment much like the Amazon are found. I never knew that such drastic changes could have occurred.

So far, this book has managed to keep my interest. I am looking forward to finding out more about Shubin's discoveries.

-Aarti Kumar

1) Finding Your Inner Fish

When I read a book, the first thing I do is analyze how bored I would be and how fast I would fall asleep (that's just me). But with this book, however, it kept me fully interested. His language seems like he's casually talking to his audience which opens the environment for his audience to be relaxed, rather than some formal book with thousands of facts thrown at you. I also like his once-in-a-while humorous statements that keeps me reading. I also enjoyed his pictures as well, which helps me visualize the descriptions and experiences.

I also liked how he shared his experience digging up fossils, rather just explaining to us how fossils work... I was able to see how difficult and expensive it was do perform those expeditions, like "finding the proverbial needle in the haystack" and the rocks he needs to put on his tent to survive the winds, instead of learning that the older rock is on the bottom layers while the younger rock is on the upper ones... that's fun too.

As I've mentioned before, his style helps me become engaged into his story, so it was pretty suspenseful when one of his members was gone for awhile and they were about to hold a search party and exciting when they discovered Tiktaalik before they were about to call it quits. Serendipity? I think not.

And... I thought it was pretty cool to read about a fossil, whether or not it would be a "fish" or an "alligator" and which organism should it be... since I've only knew what "Lucy" was and not this beast from the marine to land transition, with that chart that showed it's similarities to dogs to us.

So my first impressions of this book? It's neat, in that I'm already enjoying this book and looking forward to what else it has to offer.

- Keith Choison

Ch 1 Finding Your Inner Fish

Honestly when I saw this book I thought it'd be another bore. Another useless book with boring facts and useless information. Learning about how how our ancestors were fishes and the "transitional species" from water to land didn't sound all that fun. Even the author of this book had a weird name, Neil Shubin. Then...I completed Chapter 1.

So I learned the author is really into his work. He isn't the typical 9-5 job guy. He lives and breathes his job. I really like his insight about his work. He explains it...in a fascinating way. I always thought of history as different, distinct time period that had nothing to do with each other. With different species and geological conditions that had nothing to do with each other. By reading, I learned everything is connected. We can find similar characteristics with species that are totally opposite of one another!

Another cool thing I really thought Chapter 1 presented was how to find fossils. I always thought that they just picked a random spot, prayed to God something was there, and bam; there's your fossil. But to my surprise, there's a whole process to finding a fossil. There's geological conditions of the rocks, a certain age of the rocks, and rocks' exposure to the surface.

This chapter has corrected some of my misinformed views and I hope it continues to do so with more intriguing ideas.

-Matthew Xa

Welcom to my Fish Blog!

Glad you made it! I will be looking forward to reading about your thoughts on the book. Post by Saturday night at midnight to get credit. The first post on chapter 1 is due by midnight on July 2nd (This is a few days later than the summer assignment guide stated). I would not procrastinate on this assignment and I recommend posting leisurely sometime midweek.

Please do not write a summary of the chapter... instead write something interesting that came to mind as you were reading the weekly chapter... also, read other posts and comment on what others post as well.

Enjoy and I am looking forward to getting to know everybody through their posts over the summer.