Chapter 2: Getting A Grip

Shubin's passionate description of a hand, making it seem like so much more, was a fascinating way to start his scientific journey from the bones of a fish to the bones of a human. His absolute faith in his theory really showed how enthusiastic he could be on the idea of evolution, just like the scientists he cited, such as, Owen. It really amazed me how stuck to his one bone- two bones- lotsa blobs- digits pattern even though it seemed unlikely at first. My favorite part of this chapter is when him and his crew are unwrapping their finds after his 2004 expedition, it really shows his love for his field. Their discovery of the Tiktaalik and his insightful questions, such as, why the fish needed to evolve a "wrist" were helpful in understanding the theory of evolution. I really liked his explanation on how the fish's evolution was a result of what it needed to survive in its environment was very. As well as addressing the similarities, Shubin also mentioned the major difference between Tiktaalik bones and human bones was the positioning of the fish's hips.