River Out Of Eden

INDEX

{167}

Adenine, 144. See also DNA

African Eve, 41, 44-57. See also Ancestors and descendants

Age effects, 127-31

Amino acids, 12, 23

Analog code, 12-16, 19

Ancestors and descendants:

cousin-ships, 34-35, 36, 41-42, 52;

family trees, 48-53;

focal ancestor, 55, 56;

genetic code in, 12, 42-43, 44;

mitochondrial DNA, 47-48, 49-50;

model of, 35-36;

most recent common ancestor, 54-56;

numbers of, 33-34, 35-36;

reproductive success and, 107-8;

role of genes in, 2-4, 28, 117-18, 131;

sharing of, 35, 36-38;

single or universal ancestor theory, 12, 38-39, 44-57;

survival of, 1-2, 3, 28, 127.

See also Generations

Angler fish, 71. See also Fishes

Antelopes, 105. See also Mammals

Ants. See Insects

Apes and gorillas. See Mammals

Argument from Design, 98

Argument from Personal Incredulity, 70, 77, 91-92

Asimov, Isaac, 138

Astatine 215, 138

Atkins, Peter, 97

Atoms, 138, 141

Bach, Johann Sebastian, 159

Bacteria:

DNA and genes in, 154;

genetic code of, 12;

as mitochondria, 45-46

Baerends, Gerard, 68

Bauplans, 10, 11, 12

Bees:

dance language of, 84-92, 99-101;

drones/queens/workers, 4, 113, 114-15;

oleic acid and, 165;

sex ratios, 113-16;

swarming, 114-16.

See also Insects

Beetles, 90-91. See also Insects

Big Bang, 145

Birds:

beauty of, 119-20;

brains and eyesight, 63;

natural deception of, 63-65, 72;

singing of, 120

Blennies, sabre-toothed, 72. See also Fishes

Blind Watchmaker, The (Dawkins), 151

Bodies:

bone breaking, 123-24;

influences of genes on, 20-22, 152, 153

Bootstrapping, 23-25

Brittle devices, 70-71

Brothers. See Siblings

Butterflies, 66, 125. See also Insects

Cairns-Smith, Graham, 150

Cambrian period, 10-11

Cartland, Barbara, 115

Caterpillars, 125. See also Insects

Cells:

chemical reactions in, 21-22;

chromosomes in, 18;

differences in, 18-19, 21;

differentiation of, 24, 25;

genes in, 21, 24, 154-55, 156;

membranes of, 22; {168}

multiplication of, 155;

photocells, 79-80;

sex cells, 40-41;

as thresholds in the replication bomb, 154-57.

See also Bacteria; Eukaryotic cells; Mitochondria

Chain letters, 146-50

Cheetahs, 105. See also Mammals

Chemistry, 138

Children, 109-11

Chromosomes, 18, 41, 48

Computers:

bootstrapping, 23-24;

digital codes, 13;

models of evolution, 79-83

Conscious awareness, 157-58

Copying:

degradation with, 14-15, 16;

of DNA, 19, 20

Cousins, 34-35, 36, 41-42, 52

Crab Nebula, 135

Creationism, 59, 102

Crick, Francis, 16

Crystals, 139-41, 156

Cuckoos, 72. See also Birds

Cultural relativism, 31

Cytochrome c, 42-43, 44, 49

Cytosine, 144. See also DNA

Darwin, Charles, 34, 61, 95, 107

Darwinism, xi-xii, 2;

arguments against, 92;

creationism and, 59;

genetic system and, 19, 155;

purpose and, 98-99, 101-2, 124.

See also Natural selection

Darwin's Dangerous Idea (Dennett), 102-3

Deception. See Nature

Dennett, Daniel, 102-3

Deoxyribonucleic acid. See DNA

Descendants. See Ancestors and descendants

Digital code:

in modern genetics, 17-20;

in modern technology, 13-14

Distance, 73, 74

DNA (Deoxyribonucleic acid):

cells and, 154;

characteristics of, 7-8, 144, 150;

effects of sex on DNA history, 39-41, 46-47;

forerunner of, 151;

“junk,” 18;

mitochondrial, 46-49;

phenotypes and, 152-53;

replication of, 144, 150, 154;

as a river of information, xii, 4, 39;

as self-copying molecules, 144;

survival of, 105-6, 120, 131, 150.

See also Genes; Genetic code

Earth, 136, 138. See also Replication bomb

Embryology, 153

Embryos:

development of, 24-27;

enzymes in, 25;

gastrulation, 25-26;

genes in, 24-25, 26-28, 129-30;

individual differences and, 26-28;

polarity of, 24-25

Engineering, reverse, 102-3, 104

Enzymes, 22-23, 25

Eukaryotic cells, 46, 154. See also Mitochondria

Evolution:

African Eve, 33;

Argument from Personal Incredulity, 70, 77, 91-92;

cultural myths of, 31-33;

cytochrome c and, 43-44;

evolutionary intermediates, 59-60, 61, 70-84, 87-93;

evolutionary stable sex ratio, 108-9, 110;

of eyes, 77-83;

genetic processes of, 2-3, 4-11, 83-84;

theory of, 44;

time of, 77-83.

See also Mutations

Explosions, 137

Exponential growth, 137-38, 146-47

Eyes:

evolution of, 77-83;

insect, 65-66, 67-68, 69, 90-91, 98-99;

Mattiessen's ratio, 81;

natural selection and, 76;

quality of, 75-77

Fabre, Jean-Henri, 66

Family trees. See Ancestors and descendants

Female. See Sex

Fibrinopeptides, 44

Fireflies, 71-72. See also Insects

Fisher, Ronald, 38-39, 107, 109-10, 111, 117

Fishes:

deep water, 92-93;

sexual choice of, 113;

natural deception of, 62-63, 71;

reproduction of, 125-26

Flower colors, 98-99. See also Insects

Fooling. See Nature

Ford, Henry, 122 {169}

Garden of Eden, 33

Gastrulation. See Embryos

Gazelles, 131. See also Mammals

Gender. See Sex

Generations:

ancestors of, 33-34;

DNA copying over, 19;

as a gene sieve, 3.

See also Ancestors and descendants

Genes:

in cells, 21, 24, 154-55;

changes and branches in, 2-3, 6-9;

as digital information, 12, 17-20;

in embryos, 24-25, 26-28, 129-30;

enzyme molecules and, 22-23;

heritability, 81-82;

independence of, 5;

individual differences and, 26-28;

inheritance of, 2, 3-4;

lethal and sublethal, 129;

longevity and mortality, 127-28, 130-31;

maternal and paternal, 4-5;

modifier genes, 128-29, 130;

pheno-types and, 152;

physical location or environment and, 6-7, 9, 25, 27, 28-29, 154-55;

pleiotropy in, 129-30;

reproduction and, 117-18;

river model of, 4, 5-10, 20, 28-29, 36, 39, 57, 154;

species differences, 5-11;

success and survival of, 2-3, 5, 27-29, 109, 120, 124-25;

switching on, 21, 23-25, 128, 129, 130.

See also Cytochrome c; DNA

Genesis, 53-54, 59, 161

Genetic code:

changes in, 42, 43-44;

as digital information, 17-20;

enzyme molecule assembly and, 22-23;

interpretation of, 11-12;

protein molecules and, 153;

species similarities of, 12.

See also DNA

Glucose, 139

God. See Religion; Utility function

Good and evil, 132-33

Goodenough, Oliver, 147

Gould, James L., 100-101, 102

Guanine, 144. See also DNA

Guinness Book of Records, The,55

Guthrie, Woody, 128

Hamilton, W. D., 114, 128

Happiness, 103-4

Harems, 106, 112-13, 116-17, 118

Hein, Piet, xi

Heredity/heritability, 81-82, 139, 141. See also Genes

Hofstadter, Douglas, 67

Homo sapiens,104, 157. See also Humans

Horses, 42, 43, 49. See also Mammals

Housman, A. E., 133

Humans:

death of, 126-27;

deception and, 62;

evolution of, 53;

as a manifestation of the replication bomb, 136-37;

need for purpose, xii, 96-98, 101-2, 104-5, 133;

Utopian attitudes of, 121-22.

See also Homo Sapiens; Nature

Hume, David, xii

Humphrey, Nicholas, 122

Huntington's chorea, 128-29

Information bomb. See Replication bomb

Insects:

cruelty and, 95-96;

eyes and eyesight, 65-66, 67-68, 90-91, 98-99;

genetics of, 12, 124-25;

natural deception of, 59-60, 65-70, 71-72, 74, 75;

provisioning behavior, 68-69;

sex ratios of, 113-16;

similarities with vertebrates, 12;

stages in life history of, 124-25;

sterility of, 3-4;

sun and, 90-91.

See also Flower colors; individual insects

Language, 157-58

Life, xi, 136. See also Replication bomb

Light, 74

Living creatures, 104-6

McGavin, George, 74

Male. See Sex

Mammals:

differences in cytochrome c, 42-43, 49;

division of species, 6-7, 8-11;

natural deception of, 71, 72;

purpose of, 105-6;

sex ratios of, 106-13.

See also individual mammals

Margulis, Lynn, 45 {170}

Marlowe, Christopher, 160

Marriage of cousins, 34-35

Mash, Robert, 63-64

Mattiessen's ratio, 81

Mayflies, 125. See also Insects

Maynard Smith, John, 108-9

Medawar, Peter, 128, 129

Mimicry. See Nature

Mitochondria, 45-49

Mitochondrial Eve. See African Eve

Molecular biology, 11, 16-17, 39

Molecular clock hypothesis, 42, 43-44, 52

Molecules:

changes in, 44;

competition for atoms, 141;

in crystals, 140;

mirror images of, 139-43;

mutations of, 143;

numbers of, 138;

protein, 153;

reproduction and replication of, 139-44, 146, 149-50;

structure of, 22-23;

successful, 150;

templates for, 141, 143, 144.

See also DNA

Monensin, 142

Monkeys, 8. See also Mammals

Mortality, 110-12, 114, 126-28

Motoo Kimura, 43

Moulay Ishmael the Bloodthirsty, 55-56

Music, 159

Mutations:

effects of, 130-31;

hallmarks, 149;

genetic copying and, 19;

mitochondrial DNA, 47-48, 52;

rate of, 42, 43-44, 52, 79-83;

replicator efficiency and, 147;

tissues and, 80.

See also Evolution; Natural selection

Natural selection:

age effects, 127-31;

genes and, 27-28, 122, 128-29, 155;

intensity of, 82;

molecules and, 44;

mutations and, 130-31;

quality of bodies and organs, 73-74, 98-99, 102, 122-24;

replication and, xi, 152;

reproduction and, 126;

sex ratios, 107, 109, 110-11.

See also Darwinism; Evolution; Genes; Utility function

Nature:

beauty in, 119-20;

natural balance in, 131-32;

natural continuum, 72-77, 92-93, 126;

natural deception, 59-70, 71-76;

natural indifference in, 95-96, 131-33;

purpose in, 97-102, 119-21.

See also Humans

Nature magazine, xiii, 147-48

Nerve cells. See Neurons

Nervous system, 156-57

Neurons:

analog/digital nature of, 15, 16;

development of in the replication bomb, 156-57

Nilsson, Dan, 78-83

Nucleic acids. See DNA; RNA

Orchids, 59-60, 61, 72. See also

Flower colors Organs, 21-22, 156

Origins, theory of, 45-46

Oystercatchers, 63. See also Birds

Pasteur, Louis, 139-40

Peacocks, 120, 124. See also Birds

Pelger, Susanne, 78-83

Phenotypes, 152-54, 155-56

Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, 97

Phonograph records, 12-13

Photocells. See Cells; Eyes

Pigs, 42, 43, 49. See also Mammals

Pleiotropy, 129-30

Population, 34

Proteins, 42-43, 44, 153

Pulsars, 159-60

Pulse Code Modulation, 13

Pulse Frequency Modulation, 15-16

Pulses, 16

Questions, 96-97

Radio, 144-145, 158-59

Reaction times, 156-57

Rebek, Julius, 143-44, 151

Religion, 59-61, 95, 104-5, 132-33. See also Utility function

Replication bomb:

cells in, 154-57;

data-handling units in, 157;

DNA and, 144;

information processing in, 156;

molecular heredity and, 139, 142-43, 149-50;

nervous systems in, 156-57;

radio and, 158; {171}

reverberations from, 144-45;

space travel and communications, 159-61;

technology in, 158;

templates and, 140;

thresholds of, 151-60;

time course of, 135-36, 145-46;

triggering event, 137, 138, 139, 146;

types of, 158.

See also Earth

Replicators, xi, 146-50, 151, 152, 153-54, 157

Reproduction. See Mitochondria; Sexual reproduction

Reproductions. See Copying

Resources:

expenditure of, 109-12, 115-16, 126, 130-31;

exponential growth and, 146-47;

replication bombs and, 151-52

Reverse engineering. See Engineering, reverse

RNA (Ribonucleic acid), 144, 150-51

Royal jelly, 115

Space travel, 160-61

Speciation, 6-11, 41

Species:

differences in cytochrome c, 42-43;

diversity of, xii;

division of, 6-11, 25;

DNA and, 41-42;

extinction of, 8, 83;

family trees of, 42;

genetic differences, 5-11, 41-42;

survival of, 8.

See also Genes

Sphexish, 67

Squirrels, 6-7. See also Mammals

Stars:

burning of, 135;

pulsars, 159-60;

radio frequencies and, 145;

the sun, 135, 136.

See also Replication bomb; Supernovas

Sterility, 3-4

Sticklebacks, 62-63. See also Fishes

Sun. See Stars

Sunday Telegraph, The,132

Supernovas, 135, 137. See also Stars

Survival:

ancestors and, 1-2;

DNA and, 19.

See also Ancestors and descendants; Natural selection

Sagan, Carl, 160

Salmon, 125. See also Fishes

Science, 31-32

Sea gulls, 63-64. See also Birds

Seals, 106-7, 109-10, 116, 118. See also Mammals

Selfish Gene, The (Dawkins), 113, 158

Seven Clues to the Origin of Life (Cairns-Smith), 151

Sex:

in bees, 115;

differences in numbers of children, 56, 108-18;

effects on DNA, 4-5;

male, 118-19;

“parental” or resource expenditure and, 109-12, 115-16, 126, 130-31;

sex ratios, 106-9, 110-18;

of worker insects, 4, 115

Sex ratios. See Sex

Sexual reproduction:

genetic recombination and, 6;

historical DNA record and, 39-41, 44, 46;

propagation and, 1, 106

Siblings, 3-4

Signal boosting, 14-15, 19

Sisters. See Siblings

Slide rules, 103

Song of Solomon, 40

Tape recordings, 14-15, 16

Tartrate crystals, 139-40

Technology development, 158-59

Telephones, 12, 13-14, 15

Termites, 4. See also Insects

Thomas, Lewis, 159

Thymine, 144. See also DNA

Tigers, 71. See also Mammals

Tinbergen, Niko, 62-63, 68

Tissues, 21, 80

Trees, 121

Turkeys, 64-65. See also Birds

Utilitarians, 103-4

Utility function:

definition of, 103-4;

living bodies and, 104-5;

longevity and, 127;

quality and, 122-24;

selfish gain and, 121-22;

sex ratios and, 118;

survival of DNA as, 119-20, 131

Variation, coefficient of, 82

Vertebrates, 12. See also Mammals

Vision, 72-78. See also Eyes

von Frisch, Karl, 66, 84, 85, 88, 92, 98-101 {172}

Wasps, 4, 59-60, 66-70, 95. See also Insects

Water (H₂O), 139

Watson, James, 16

Wedgwood, Emma, 34

Wenner, Adrian, 99-100, 101-2

Williams, G. C, 128, 129

Wilson, Allan, 48, 50, 51

Wolpert, Lewis, 25-26

Wordsworth, William, 161

Wrasse, blue-headed, 113. See also Fishes

Xerox copies, 16

Yeast, 42-43, 49

Zoology, 10