88 | Neil Shubin on Evolution, Genes, and Dramatic Transitions

88 | Neil Shubin on Evolution, Genes, and Dramatic Transitions

"What good is half a wing?" That's the rhetorical question often asked by people who have trouble accepting Darwin's theory of evolution by natural selection. Of course it's a very answerable question, but figuring out what exactly the answer is leads us to some fascinating biology. Neil Shubin should know: he is the co-discoverer of Tiktaalik Roseae, an ancient species of fish that was in the process of learning to walk and breathe on land. We talk about how these major transitions happen — typically when evolution finds a way to re-purpose existing organs into new roles — and how we can learn about them by studying living creatures and the information contained in their genomes.

Support Mindscape on Patreon.

Neil Shubin received his Ph.D. in organismic and evolutionary biology from Harvard University. He is currently the the Robert Bensley Distinguished Service Professor and Associate Dean of Biological Sciences at the University of Chicago. He is a member of the National Academy of Sciences and the American Philosophical society. His first book, Your Inner Fish, was chosen by the National Academy of Sciences as the best science book of 2009, and was subsequently made into a TV special. His new book is Some Assembly Required: Decoding Four Billion Years of Life, from Ancient Fossils to DNA.


Jaksot(416)

260 | Ricard Solé on the Space of Cognitions

260 | Ricard Solé on the Space of Cognitions

Octopuses, artificial intelligence, and advanced alien civilizations: for many reasons, it's interesting to contemplate ways of thinking other than whatever it is we humans do. How should we think abo...

1 Tammi 20241h 10min

Holiday Message: Reflections on Immortality

Holiday Message: Reflections on Immortality

The final Mindscape podcast of each year is devoted to a short, reflective Holiday Message. This year the theme is Immortality: whether it's an attractive idea, and whether the laws of physics and cos...

18 Joulu 202355min

259 | Adam Frank on What Aliens Might Be Like

259 | Adam Frank on What Aliens Might Be Like

It wasn't that long ago that topics like the nature of consciousness, or the foundations of quantum mechanics, or prospects for extraterrestrial life were considered fringey and disreputable by much o...

11 Joulu 20231h 18min

AMA | December 2023

AMA | December 2023

Welcome to the December 2023 Ask Me Anything episode of Mindscape! These monthly excursions are funded by Patreon supporters (who are also the ones asking the questions). We take questions asked by Pa...

4 Joulu 20233h 36min

258 | Solo: AI Thinks Different

258 | Solo: AI Thinks Different

The Artificial Intelligence landscape is changing with remarkable speed these days, and the capability of Large Language Models in particular has led to speculation (and hope, and fear) that we could ...

27 Marras 20231h 20min

257 | Derek Guy on the Theory and Practice of Dressing Well

257 | Derek Guy on the Theory and Practice of Dressing Well

Putting on clothes is one of the most universal human experiences. Inevitably, this involves choices; maybe you just grab the cheapest and most convenient clothing available, or maybe you want to fit ...

20 Marras 20231h 20min

256 | Kelly and Zach Weinersmith on Building Cities on the Moon and Mars

256 | Kelly and Zach Weinersmith on Building Cities on the Moon and Mars

There is an undeniable romance in the idea of traveling to, and even living in, outer space. In recent years, a pragmatic justification has become increasingly popular: the Earth is vulnerable to thre...

13 Marras 20231h 24min

AMA | November 2023

AMA | November 2023

Welcome to the November 2023 Ask Me Anything episode of Mindscape! These monthly excursions are funded by Patreon supporters (who are also the ones asking the questions). We take questions asked by Pa...

6 Marras 20234h 20min

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