Chapter 5: Getting Ahead

Shubin opens the chapter by discussing anatomy. He notes that the human head is actually very simple, rather than full of complexities. Shubin's analogy to the cables helped me visualize how a human head might look. It's fascinating to think that no matter how diverse we are, we all originated from a simple archetype, used to develop an embryo. He notes that arches form before birth and eventually evolve into the cranial nerves, which provide the head with crucial functions such as hearing and sight. I like how he made the connection between "every skull on Earth," further emphasizing the prevailing idea that our structures all follow a humble blueprint. It was interesting to see the connection Shubin made from our "headed ancestors" to "headless worms." It's shocking to think that we could have anything in common with the most simplest of creatures, and it's simply fascinating to realize that all the complexities of our head point back to this ancient worm.