Friday, January 27, 2012

Connection and Evolution [For CCK12]

Evolutionary biologists tell us that the most important traits for survival are preserved by evolution, and the useless ones are slowly taken away. Thus, while the ability of "newer-generations" of animals to have their young grow inside the womb appears to remain intact, the mammals' webbed feet seemed to be disappearing.

But surprisingly, one of the most preserved characteristics that stretch all the way from single-celled bacteria to humans is the ability to CONNECT.

In bacterial populations, the bacteria seem to sense the optimum population density and control of multiplication through chemical signals. This is called QUORUM SENSING. Quorum sensing allows bacteria to coordinate their behavior and quite simply "talk to each other" (University of Nottingham, undated). Between members of bacterial populations, connections are achieved through chemical signals. Animals evolved a broad range of communication and connectivity tools such as colorful plumage, travelling in pods, creating social hierarchy and language.

The need to connect is a primal drive that evolution has conserved because it allows the species to survive. In any case, is it not true that a community is stronger than an individual?

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