Chapters 8-11

Ch. 8: Making Scents
The first thing that I found quite amusing was how Shubin mentioned that there are specific receptors attached to different odor molecules. Even more surprising is the fact that we as humans basically traded our keen eyesight for have many odor genes that don't serve any functions within our bodies in the present. After reading about how scents are composed of atoms, I realized that the process of humans' and other living organsisms' ability to distinguish scents is actually quite complex.

Ch. 9: Vision
It was very interesting learning about the differences between the eyes of certain organisms; invertebrate animals have photo receptor organs, many insects have compound eyes, and humans have camera-type eyes. The way in which we humans perceive our surroundings is somewhat like recording a movie, taking reasonable breaks only during our sleep. Also, our eyes are adept to change in lighting, which helps us to better perceive the objects that are within our sights. In conclusion, I feel as if the human history of eyesight evidently proves the adaptation that we have made in terms of visualizing the world in which we live in.

Ch. 10: Ears
While learning about the structure and functions of the human ear was interesting, it was even more amazing to learn that fish use their inner ears to sense the water, just as humans use fluids in our ears to maintain steady balance. I was fascinated by how Shubin stated that the three-boned middle ear that is present in the ears of humans but not in all other animals allows us to hear higher frequency sounds. Does this mean that bats have four or five-bones middle ears? I learned that ears in general play vital roles in the survival and well-being of all living organisms.

Ch. 11: The Meaning of it All
First and foremost, I do admit that I have inherited much knowledge from Shubins book. I enjoyed reading about how many bodily functions of humans tend to share similarities with those of other animals. Furthermore, it caught my attention about how Shubin always related the information to the similar origin of the human species and the other species. Shubin's main point was summed up when he mentioned the biological "law of everything."