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@tomic
Administrator
USA
4607 Posts |
 Posted - 11/06/2009 : 15:55:05
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I need to write a paper on a topic in Biology that is controversial among biologists. So nothing like "Evolution vs Creation Science". Something more along the lines of "Is a virus alive?" is what I'm looking for.
Does any have some good ones for me?
Thanks
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Gravity, not just a good idea...it's the law!
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Hawks
SFN Regular
Canada
1383 Posts |
Posted - 11/06/2009 : 17:03:25 [Permalink]
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| How about "what is a gene?"? I suspect that lots of biologists still see a gene as simply a piece of protein-coding DNA, whereas others might include stuff like methylation patterns. |
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Dave W.
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USA
26022 Posts |
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HalfMooner
Dingaling
Philippines
15831 Posts |
Posted - 11/06/2009 : 20:47:57 [Permalink]
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I would put the "is a virus alive?" dispute aside in favor of one of those other suggestions. The question of whether viruses are live seems to me to be more a matter of settling definitions than a real biological issue. The others are inherently more interesting questions.
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Dude
SFN Die Hard
USA
6891 Posts |
 Posted - 11/06/2009 : 21:21:35 [Permalink]
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How about epigenetic influence on inheritance?
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Ignorance is preferable to error; and he is less remote from the truth who believes nothing, than he who believes what is wrong.
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"god :: the last refuge of a man with no answers and no argument." - G. Carlin
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H. Humbert
SFN Die Hard
USA
4574 Posts |
Posted - 11/06/2009 : 21:56:22 [Permalink]
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How about how if humans are still evolving? We are, of course, but with natural selection largely rendered inconsequential, in what ways? Could make an interesting paper. But really, any topic can be fascinating if you find the right angle.
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"A man is his own easiest dupe, for what he wishes to be true he generally believes to be true." --Demosthenes
"The first principle is that you must not fool yourself - and you are the easiest person to fool." --Richard P. Feynman
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Dr. Mabuse
Septic Fiend
Sweden
9688 Posts |
Posted - 11/07/2009 : 06:01:16 [Permalink]
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Originally posted by H. Humbert
How about how if humans are still evolving? |
As a species, humans must have one of the largest gene-pools among mammals, and thus an enourmous amount of mutations per base-pair (think parallel-processing) comparatively speaking. And I disagree with natural selection rendered inconsequential: Only a fraction of the human population have access what we consider "proper" medical care. The rest is more or less subject to natural selection.
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Dude
SFN Die Hard
USA
6891 Posts |
Posted - 11/07/2009 : 07:09:35 [Permalink]
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He's looking for a topic that is controversial among biologists. Ongoing human evolution is not, to my knowledge, disputed by any credible scientist.
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Ignorance is preferable to error; and he is less remote from the truth who believes nothing, than he who believes what is wrong.
-- Thomas Jefferson
"god :: the last refuge of a man with no answers and no argument." - G. Carlin
Hope, n.
The handmaiden of desperation; the opiate of despair; the illegible signpost on the road to perdition. ~~ da filth |
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H. Humbert
SFN Die Hard
USA
4574 Posts |
Posted - 11/07/2009 : 10:53:25 [Permalink]
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Originally posted by Dude
He's looking for a topic that is controversial among biologists. Ongoing human evolution is not, to my knowledge, disputed by any credible scientist. |
An article in the Times last year quoted geneticist Steve Jones as saying that human evolution is over. I'm not saying it's a popular position, but I think the rate of human evolution is debated enough among experts to make a good paper.
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"A man is his own easiest dupe, for what he wishes to be true he generally believes to be true." --Demosthenes
"The first principle is that you must not fool yourself - and you are the easiest person to fool." --Richard P. Feynman
"Face facts with dignity." --found inside a fortune cookie |
| Edited by - H. Humbert on 11/07/2009 10:54:51 |
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@tomic
Administrator
USA
4607 Posts |
Posted - 11/07/2009 : 12:22:06 [Permalink]
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Thanks everyone.
I'm going to see what I can dig up on Group Selection. The subject seems particularly interesting and is related to a discussion my wife and I were having about Native American warfare and how the kidnapping of members of the losing side for procreation might be an evolutionary imperative.
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Gravity, not just a good idea...it's the law!
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@tomic
Administrator
USA
4607 Posts |
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Ricky
SFN Die Hard
USA
4907 Posts |
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Hawks
SFN Regular
Canada
1383 Posts |
Posted - 11/07/2009 : 17:54:48 [Permalink]
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Originally posted by @tomic
Thanks everyone.
I'm going to see what I can dig up on Group Selection. The subject seems particularly interesting and is related to a discussion my wife and I were having about Native American warfare and how the kidnapping of members of the losing side for procreation might be an evolutionary imperative.
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You might want to check David Sloan Wilson's blog out. Looks like it might be right up your alley. |
METHINKS IT IS LIKE A WEASEL
It's a small, off-duty czechoslovakian traffic warden! |
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Dude
SFN Die Hard
USA
6891 Posts |
Posted - 11/07/2009 : 18:22:07 [Permalink]
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Originally posted by H. Humbert
Originally posted by Dude
He's looking for a topic that is controversial among biologists. Ongoing human evolution is not, to my knowledge, disputed by any credible scientist. |
An article in the Times last year quoted geneticist Steve Jones as saying that human evolution is over. I'm not saying it's a popular position, but I think the rate of human evolution is debated enough among experts to make a good paper.
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Looks like he needed/wanted a title for his talk that would draw attention. I agree its an interesting topic, but I don't think it is controversial. From the Times article it seems Prof Jones is just saying that some of the things impacting human evolution in the past aren't doing it now.
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Ignorance is preferable to error; and he is less remote from the truth who believes nothing, than he who believes what is wrong.
-- Thomas Jefferson
"god :: the last refuge of a man with no answers and no argument." - G. Carlin
Hope, n.
The handmaiden of desperation; the opiate of despair; the illegible signpost on the road to perdition. ~~ da filth |
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@tomic
Administrator
USA
4607 Posts |
Posted - 11/07/2009 : 19:48:14 [Permalink]
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Originally posted by Hawks
Originally posted by @tomic
Thanks everyone.
I'm going to see what I can dig up on Group Selection. The subject seems particularly interesting and is related to a discussion my wife and I were having about Native American warfare and how the kidnapping of members of the losing side for procreation might be an evolutionary imperative.
@
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You might want to check David Sloan Wilson's blog out. Looks like it might be right up your alley.
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Thank you. I'd already seen it, though. Almost everything I found on this subject had a Wilson's name on it.
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Gravity, not just a good idea...it's the law!
Sportsbettingacumen.com: The science of sports betting |
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Joshua
New Member
USA
3 Posts |
Posted - 11/07/2009 : 22:11:20 [Permalink]
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A virus is alive, it is a living organism that feeds of the cells in your body. We are sort of like a virus in that we have invaded the earth and have began to live un-symbiotically with in nature so we have become a viral out break to the earth just on a macro level.
THis sounds like a great paper to write about I am in the middle to of a course on Psychology of Religion and are covering the boilogical aspects of religion and how there are some religions that are more suceptable to disease based on there breading practices or shall we say imbreading practices and the genetic consequences of such actions. Good luck on you paper.
Joshua |
Joshua Baxter |
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Controversial Topics in Biology
