Chapter 2: Getting A Grp

The second chapter, "Getting a Grip," was extremely captivating because I really got to understand the close connections between animals and humans in depth. What amazed me was when Shubin mentioned the similarities of the body structures such as the limbs, arms, legs, of animals to those of humans.

Shubin provided diagrams throughout chapter 2 to provide a general idea of his studies. A diagram on page 31 displayed a picture of a variety of animals and how they were related. Just by looking at this diagram, I would have never guessed that seals, penguins, and bats use the same exact bone functions (humerus, ulna, radius, wrist bones and digits) as humans. Personally, this information was probably the most amusing and significant portion of Chapter 2. Moreover, another diagram on page 39 was quite eccentric because it was odd to witness a fish with a wrist. It was more unusual to find out that it contained a partial portion of a fin and limb which clearly illustrated an evolution of a new species. Having these diagrams as guides throughout the chapter was beneficial to my understanding of Shubin's theories.

I am definitely looking forward to reading chapter 3.
-Stacey Kim