Carta - Center For Academic Research And Training In Anthropogeny (audio)

This symposium brings together scientists representing evolutionary biology, genetics, dermatology, anthropology, and physiology to share their knowledge and questions about human skin in an explicitly evolutionary framework. UC San Diego’s Rob Knight begins with a discussion about Ecology and Evolution of the Skin Microbiome, followed by Mark Stoneking on Of Lice and Men: The Molecular Evolution of Human Lice, and Chris Kuzawa on Subcutaneous Fat in Humans. Series: "CARTA - Center for Academic Research and Training in Anthropogeny" [Health and Medicine] [Science] [Show ID: 30207]

In this presentation, James Cleaver of UC San Francisco shares some surprising results from studies of mutagenesis from UV light in two hereditary syndromes -- xeroderma pigmentosum (XP) and Cockayne syndrome (CS) -- which have mutations in the nucleotide excision repair (NER) pathway. Series: "CARTA - Center for Academic Research and Training in Anthropogeny" [Science] [Show ID: 30212]

This symposium brings together scientists representing evolutionary biology, genetics, dermatology, anthropology, and physiology to share their knowledge and questions about human skin in an explicitly evolutionary framework. Mark Shriver begins with a discussion about The Genetics of Skin Pigmentation, followed by Nina Jablonski on Naked, Colorful Skin and Its Role in Human Social Interactions, and James Cleaver on The Skin and Ultraviolet Radiation: Effects on DNA and Carcinogenesis Series: "CARTA - Center for Academic Research and Training in Anthropogeny" [Science] [Show ID: 30205]

Elizabeth Hadly of Stanford University delivers a sobering accounting of evidence that forecasts a climatic tipping point and what it may mean to our future. Series: "CARTA - Center for Academic Research and Training in Anthropogeny" [Show ID: 29694]

This symposium brings together scientists representing evolutionary biology, genetics, dermatology, anthropology, and physiology to share their knowledge and questions about human skin in an explicitly evolutionary framework. UC San Diego’s Richard Gallo begins with a discussion about Skin, a Window into the Evolution of the Human Super-Organism, followed by Michael Sawka on Human Skin: Sweating, Thermoregulation, and Water Balance, and Sarah Millar on Evolution of Hair Follicles, Mammary Glands, and Sweat Glands in Humans and Other Mammals. Series: "CARTA - Center for Academic Research and Training in Anthropogeny" [Science] [Show ID: 30206]

This talk by Michael Sawka of Georgia Tech examines the role of skin in human thermoregulation as a potentially important evolutionary factor for modern man. Two strong selective factors for survival in early hominins were the ability to forage during peak daily heat when their predators were not a threat, and the capability for persistence hunting (track and pursue prey to cause hyperthermia-induced exhaustion of prey). Series: "CARTA - Center for Academic Research and Training in Anthropogeny" [Science] [Show ID: 30214]

Closing remarks to symposium on human skin in an evolutionary framework. Series: "CARTA - Center for Academic Research and Training in Anthropogeny" [Science] [Show ID: 30219]

In this talk, Chris Kuzawa (Northwestern Uni) argues that human body fat co-evolved not just with the energetically-demanding and vulnerable brain, but also with the cultural strategies that humans use to buffer offspring intake. The human infant’s need for ample baby fat traces to the fact that the main causes of nutritional stress at this age are infections, which force a reliance on onboard energy by reducing appetite and impairing digestion. However, by early childhood, we are less reliant upon this resource as a result of another uniquely human buffering system: food sharing and our cooperative strategy of caring for and feeding our young. Series: "CARTA - Center for Academic Research and Training in Anthropogeny" [Science] [Show ID: 30218]

Mark Stoneking of the Max Planck Institute explains in this talk how studying the molecular evolution of the three types of human lice (head louse, body louse, pubic louse) can reflect important developments of human evolution. Series: "CARTA - Center for Academic Research and Training in Anthropogeny" [Science] [Show ID: 30217]

Sarah Millar of the University of Pennsylvania summarizes our current state of knowledge of the molecular events that control hair follicle, mammary gland and sweat gland development. She also highlights major questions still remaining. Using the mammary gland as an example, she discusses how evolutionary pressures may have driven specific changes in molecular pathways to permit organ diversification, and further refinements in glandular number and location that permitted efficient feeding of newborn mammals including humans. Series: "CARTA - Center for Academic Research and Training in Anthropogeny" [Science] [Show ID: 30215]

This presentation by UC San Diego’s Richard Gallo provides an overview of the multiple cell types, both human and microbial, that comprise the human skin super-organism. Understanding their relationship changes how we think about evolution, gene transfer, and the impact of current hygiene and antibiotic therapies. Series: "CARTA - Center for Academic Research and Training in Anthropogeny" [Science] [Show ID: 30213]

Mark Shriver of Pennsylvania State University explains in this talk how evolutionary approaches to understanding which genes affect pigmentation can provide important insights into both normal development and pathophysiology. Likewise, genetic and genomic investigations can help illuminate where and when the genes that affect contemporary skin color levels changed and, ultimately, which evolutionary forces shaped the wide range of skin colors we see today. Series: "CARTA - Center for Academic Research and Training in Anthropogeny" [Science] [Show ID: 30210]

Opening remarks to symposium on human skin in an evolutionary framework. Series: "CARTA - Center for Academic Research and Training in Anthropogeny" [Science] [Show ID: 30209]

Welcome remarks to symposium on human skin in an evolutionary framework. Series: "CARTA - Center for Academic Research and Training in Anthropogeny" [Science] [Show ID: 30208]

All humans have the capacity for aggression and reconciliation. However, it is cultural institutions that harness aggression by shaping cognition, corresponding emotions and defining appropriate responses. In this talk, Polly Wiessner (Univ of Utah) compares the cultural institutions related to aggression and violence and their outcomes in two different societies: Ju/’hoan hunter-gatherers of the Kalahari and Enga horticulturists of Papua New Guinea. She tries to show “what culture has to do with it” and demonstrate real consequences. Series: "CARTA - Center for Academic Research and Training in Anthropogeny" [Humanities] [Science] [Show ID: 28353]

In this talk, Carol Ember (Yale Univ) describes the results from decades-long research that tested a variety of theories about warfare and other forms of violence in a sample of 186 societies. Many of the theories of warfare assumed to be plausible fell short, such as the idea that war becomes more likely with agriculture and political complexity. On the other hand, resource scarcity, particularly unpredictable scarcity such as drought, is a particularly strong predictor of more warfare. Warfare is, however, not an isolated form of violence; indeed warfare is correlated with many other types of violence. Ember concludes with a discussion about the relevance of these research findings to the world today. Series: "CARTA - Center for Academic Research and Training in Anthropogeny" [Humanities] [Science] [Show ID: 28352]

Jean-Jacques Hublin of the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology on the climatic framework of Neandertal evolution. Series: "CARTA - Center for Academic Research and Training in Anthropogeny" [Show ID: 29689]

Renowned historian of science Naomi Oreskes of Harvard University addresses the question of human impacts on climate and whether we will survive the future, and posits that humanity will need to make substantial change in what we do and how we think. Series: "CARTA - Center for Academic Research and Training in Anthropogeny" [Show ID: 29695]

Why does humor exist at all? It consumes a lot of time and energy, and some humans are arguably addicted to humor. Daniel Dennett (Tufts Univ) explores what, in biological terms, sustains this costly habit. Series: "CARTA - Center for Academic Research and Training in Anthropogeny" [Humanities] [Science] [Show ID: 24981]

This symposium presents varied perspectives from earth scientists, ecologists, and paleoanthropologists on how climate may have shaped human evolution, as well as the prospects for the future of world climate, ecosystems, and our species. Elizabeth Hadly begins with a discussion about A Tipping Point: Using the Past to Forecast Our Future, followed by Naomi Oreskes on Human Impacts: Will We Survive the Future?, and Veerabhadran Ramanathan on Climate Change Mitigation: In Pursuit of the Common Good. Series: "CARTA - Center for Academic Research and Training in Anthropogeny" [Science] [Show ID: 29685]