From the 2011 Holiday Lectures — Bones, Stones, and Genes: The Origin of Modern Humans |
|
Dr. John Shea demonstrates the two main principles in the study of rock layers: superposition and association.
2 minutes 21 seconds
|
|
|
Stone tools similar to those found at prehistoric archaeological sties can be made by fracturing rocks, a technique known as flintknapping.
1 minute 23 seconds
|
|
|
Prehistoric stone tools are classified into six broad technological modes by the level of sophistication and method of fabrication.
3 minutes 4 seconds
|
|
|
Chimpanzees are capable of using rocks as tools to crack nuts for eating. But they don't appear to use sharp-edged tools.
29 seconds |
|
|
African rift valleys were formed by the separation of tectonic plates. Water flows down to the valley floors, creating rivers and lakes.
1 minute 1 second
|
|
|
The floor of a rift valley is prone to periodic floods that carry in fine silt--the sedimentary matter responsible for fossil formation.
2 minutes 42 seconds
|
|
|
Fossils are extremely fragile. Scientists remove them in a protective layer of plaster and clean sand away one grain at a time.
1 minute 27 seconds |
|
|
Fossilized dung beetle balls are part of a comprehensive fossil collection project to reconstruct the habitat of Ardipithecus ramidus.
39 seconds
|
|
|
Due to the delicate nature of fossils, a hardening chemical is dripped onto every fossil before it is removed from the soil.
19 seconds |
|
|
Dr. Shea discusses his early interest in anthropology, how field work has changed over the years, and his outside interests.
4 minutes 59 seconds
|
|
|
Dr. Tishkoff explains how studying genetic diversity can shed light on modern-day diseases, such as diabetes and obesity.
5 minutes 16 seconds |
|
|
Dr. White talks about his passion both for his fieldwork and for educating the scientists of tomorrow.
4 minutes |
|
|
Mr. Carlson outlines the path that he took to becoming a graduate student in the White lab, including his experience as a chef.
3 minutes 25 seconds
|
|
|
Ms. Everhart recounts her fieldwork experiences as a member of the Shea lab and the results of her first flintknapping attempt.
4 minutes 10 seconds |
|
|
Ms. Gomez explains her research in the Tishkoff lab and how it may help in understanding malaria resistance.
4 minutes 18 seconds |
|
|
Ms. Pepe talks about her experiences doing field work with the Shea lab as an undergraduate at Stony Brook University.
3 minutes 36 seconds |
|
From the 2005 Holiday Lectures — Evolution: Constant Change and Common Threads |
|
Stickleback Fossil Primer
A brief introduction to how stickleback fossils are collected and used to study evolution. It also shows the students who attended the 2005 Holiday Lectures taking part in a fossil-collecting activity.
9 minutes
|
|
|
Breeding Corn from Teosinte
Corn was originally bred from the teosinte plant by native Mexican farmers. The morphologies of modern-day corn and teosinte plants are compared to illustrate how artificial selection can bring about dramatic changes in plants.
52 seconds
|
|
|
Dog Breeding
The many forms of dogs that exist today were all created through selective breeding from the dog's ancestor, the wolf. In a span of less than 10,000 years, breeders have changed traits and body shapes of dogs by artificial selection-for example, emphasizing different aspects of hunting and herding behavior.
1 minute 52 seconds
|
|
|
Fruit Fly Courtship
Male courtship dances in two fruit fly species show that the wing spots play a prominent role.
55 seconds
|
|
|
Galapagos Creatures
These are some of the animal species Charles Darwin would have seen when he visited the Galapagos Islands.
24 seconds
|
|
|
Stickleback Environment
At the end of the ice age, the retreating ice sheet created many new lakes, some of which were colonized by sticklebacks. The presence of different predators in different lakes dictated the subsequent evolution of each isolated lake stickleback over the course of about 10,000 years. Some groups kept their spines to use against predatory fish, such as trout. Others lost their spines, perhaps to evade aquatic insect predators.
1 minute 26 seconds
|
|
|
Fossil Record of Stickleback Evolution
A quarry site in Nevada carries the evolutionary history of a population of stickleback fish that resided there when it was a freshwater lake. In a short time span in evolutionary terms—about 10,000 years—the fish population can be seen to dramatically reduce the size of their pelvic spines. This particular fossil record is remarkably complete with nearly year-by-year detail which includes documentation of intermediate forms.
1 minute 26 seconds
|
|
|
Stickleback Fish on Jeopardy!
The identity of the stickleback fish stumps the contestants on the game show.
2 minutes 2 seconds
|
|
|
Interview with Sean Carroll
An interview with Dr. Carroll.
4 minutes 55 seconds
|
|
|
Interview with David Kingsley
An interview with Dr. Kingsley.
4 minutes 41 seconds
|
|
|
Interview with Stephanie Nuñez
An interview with Stephanie Nuñez, a student in Dr. Kingsley's lab.
4 minutes 37 seconds
|
|
|
Interview with Chris Hittinger
An interview with Chris Hittinger, a scientist in Dr. Carroll's lab.
4 minutes 45 seconds
|
