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Roheryn
Tol Eressea
Aug 22 2014, 9:45am
Post #1 of 19
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Possibly the best Biology seminar ever?
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This is a seminar being given soon at a local university. I suspect this one's worth going to! So, form good hobbits by reading Tolkien, and you just might find yourself turning into a good biologist! I like the connection. 
There and back again: Drowning, dispersal, vicariance and the shaping of the New Zealand biota
Abstract: The biogeography of New Zealand is currently the subject of much heat and light as the relative roles of vicariance and long distance dispersal are assessed in the light of new fossils and molecular data. I examine the origin of modern lineages in New Zealand. In passing, I also discuss how reading Tolkien may be excellent preparation, and form good hobbits, for budding evolutionary biologists and biogeographers.
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entmaiden
Forum Admin
/ Moderator
Aug 22 2014, 1:15pm
Post #2 of 19
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Hope you're going to attend and give us a full report!
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Ataahua
Forum Admin
/ Moderator
Aug 23 2014, 12:06am
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That sounds like a course that shouldn't be missed!
Celebrimbor: "Pretty rings..."
Dwarves: "Pretty rings..."
Men: "Pretty rings..."
Sauron: "Mine's better."
"Ah, how ironic, the addictive qualities of Sauron’s master weapon led to its own destruction. Which just goes to show, kids - if you want two small and noble souls to succeed on a mission of dire importance... send an evil-minded beggar with them too." - Gandalf's Diaries, final par, by Ufthak.
Ataahua's stories
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Roheryn
Tol Eressea
Aug 23 2014, 9:10am
Post #4 of 19
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I was planning on staying home that day but I just might have to give that up and go see this. Seems too good to miss! As a Tolkien-geeky biologist, I feel rather obligated to support kindred spirits. After all, the recent exam I gave did have a question on the phylogeny of taxa in Middle-earth.
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Brethil
Half-elven
Aug 23 2014, 11:43pm
Post #5 of 19
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Ataahua
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Aug 24 2014, 4:14am
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Would you post that question here?
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And any answers that tickled your Tolkien bone?
(It's good to see you here Ro.) :)
Celebrimbor: "Pretty rings..."
Dwarves: "Pretty rings..."
Men: "Pretty rings..."
Sauron: "Mine's better."
"Ah, how ironic, the addictive qualities of Sauron’s master weapon led to its own destruction. Which just goes to show, kids - if you want two small and noble souls to succeed on a mission of dire importance... send an evil-minded beggar with them too." - Gandalf's Diaries, final par, by Ufthak.
Ataahua's stories
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Cirashala
Valinor
Aug 24 2014, 6:16am
Post #7 of 19
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It sounds very interesting
Though I will admit that I didn't understand all of the title  My interest in biological sciences has leaned more toward human biology than animal, I'm afraid  Especially given that I was pursuing nursing/biology with pre-med option before health issues took over and made it impossible....but it does sound quite interesting.
And it would be interesting to note the differences between NZ biological ecosystems and American ones- we often tend to focus more on the biology of our own country's animals and systems and not realize how diverse across the world they can be
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Roheryn
Tol Eressea
Aug 24 2014, 11:27am
Post #8 of 19
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The table pasted below the question looks fine to me so hopefully it comes out ok for anyone else silly enough to read this post!  Yes, I realize perfectly well that a number of my character traits are debatable -- can Hobbits and Elves really do magic? Do Ents and Orcs really lack haemoglobin? But for the sake of doing the question, you just have to go with the traits as given.
**************************
Construct a phylogenetic tree of taxa living in Middle-earth using the chart below, with dragons as the outgroup.
(This post was edited by Roheryn on Aug 24 2014, 11:34am)
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Roheryn
Tol Eressea
Aug 24 2014, 11:55am
Post #9 of 19
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It's not til the end of the week. :-)
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Really not a good day for me to go, but I may just have to put on my big-girl undies and go anyways.
Biological diversity across the world really is amazing. I just learned, for instance, that there are beavers in China. Apparently. I had no idea! I may have to independently verify that, but my four Chinese students said so.
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Otaku-sempai
Immortal
Aug 24 2014, 2:52pm
Post #10 of 19
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That's racist!  Might I suggest:
Taxon - Dwarves:
Hemoglobin in blood: Yes
Immortal: No
Can do magic: Yes
Breathes fire: No
Has hair: Yes
Pointy ears: No
Oh, and while Orcs do not have hemoglobin in their blood, it does contain hemogoblin!
'There are older and fouler things than Orcs in the deep places of the world.' - Gandalf the Grey, The Fellowship of the Ring
(This post was edited by Otaku-sempai on Aug 24 2014, 2:59pm)
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Cirashala
Valinor
Aug 24 2014, 5:01pm
Post #11 of 19
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I think the dwarves can do magic, as evidenced by their hidden doors (especially the secret door into the Lonely Mountain).
Correct me if I'm wrong, but hemoglobin is the amount of iron measured in the blood and helps aid in the formation of red blood cells (I struggle with anemia from time to time) therefore you are correct in saying that Orcs wouldn't have hemoglobin specifically because their blood isn't red, and iron is what gives human and some animal blood the red color?
Therefore, whatever element aids in orc blood cell creation has to result in the orc's blood being black in color, which precludes iron as a possibility, therefore eliminating the presence of hemoglobin As to what that element is, however, I have no idea
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Ataahua
Forum Admin
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Aug 24 2014, 7:28pm
Post #12 of 19
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I wouldn't know where to even start with that.
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I hope your students appreciated a moment of quirk within the exam. :)
Celebrimbor: "Pretty rings..."
Dwarves: "Pretty rings..."
Men: "Pretty rings..."
Sauron: "Mine's better."
"Ah, how ironic, the addictive qualities of Sauron’s master weapon led to its own destruction. Which just goes to show, kids - if you want two small and noble souls to succeed on a mission of dire importance... send an evil-minded beggar with them too." - Gandalf's Diaries, final par, by Ufthak.
Ataahua's stories
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Roheryn
Tol Eressea
Aug 24 2014, 8:47pm
Post #13 of 19
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Dragons. It all starts with dragons.
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Dragons as an outgroup suggests that everything else evolved from an ancestor of dragons. Yeah, I know, bit of a stretch, but maybe in an alternate Middle-earth universe, primordial dragon-fire breathed life into new species. Maybe?
Moments of quirk typically go straight over my students' heads. I've got international, non-native-English-speakers right now, and most jokes and quirks are hopeless (which is not to suggest my jokes would have hope with native English speakers). Last semester (with a large class of mainstream university students) I worked Sherlock into a number of lectures -- my favourite was when I was explaining paedomorphosis (sexually mature but retaining juvenile characteristics) and I put up the picture below. And NO ONE laughed. I, on the other hand, thought it was a hilarious way to explain the concept!
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Roheryn
Tol Eressea
Aug 24 2014, 9:00pm
Post #14 of 19
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I'll have to remember that one.
Unfortunately your list of Dwarvish traits leaves them phylogenetically indistinguishable from Wizards, creating a polytomy. To resolve the polytomy, we'd need to add another trait that distinguishes Dwarves. Hmmmm. Hairy braided moustaches, perhaps? Only then they'd be the most highly evolved taxon, and I expect a few people would argue with that.
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Otaku-sempai
Immortal
Aug 24 2014, 9:12pm
Post #15 of 19
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Unfortunately your list of Dwarvish traits leaves them phylogenetically indistinguishable from Wizards, creating a polytomy. To resolve the polytomy, we'd need to add another trait that distinguishes Dwarves. Hmmmm. Hairy braided moustaches, perhaps? Only then they'd be the most highly evolved taxon, and I expect a few people would argue with that.
...both genders sport facial hair?
'There are older and fouler things than Orcs in the deep places of the world.' - Gandalf the Grey, The Fellowship of the Ring
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Ataahua
Forum Admin
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Aug 24 2014, 10:29pm
Post #16 of 19
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I thought university enhanced mad humour,
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not excised it. How could anyone *not* snicker at that image?
I worry for the younger generation, truly.
Celebrimbor: "Pretty rings..."
Dwarves: "Pretty rings..."
Men: "Pretty rings..."
Sauron: "Mine's better."
"Ah, how ironic, the addictive qualities of Sauron’s master weapon led to its own destruction. Which just goes to show, kids - if you want two small and noble souls to succeed on a mission of dire importance... send an evil-minded beggar with them too." - Gandalf's Diaries, final par, by Ufthak.
Ataahua's stories
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Bombadil
Half-elven
Aug 26 2014, 3:00am
Post #18 of 19
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Maybe think about this aspect of Dwarves?
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Through Macrobiotics, Bomby learned
many things about Diet & physical characteristics
As mankind evolved from Apes & maybe some
Neanderthal Blood mixed in?
"Less Hair".
Also, women Humans are more
complex & More evolved than men. Therefore
no beards
Diet of much Red Meat like the Dwarves crave
MORE hair? (including their women.)
Hair is excess protein
"Mostly Vegetarian" (with Fish included)
like Elrond's & Thanduiel's Elves, No beards?
You may want to google "macrobiotics"
Bomby studied Macrobiotic Cooking after school in College,
& at 64 is pretty hairless & thin...
No health issues, No prescription Drugs
No hard liquor, Only 3.2 beer, mixed
w/ Spicy V8 juice...about 50/50?
The last time Bomby took even an aspirin?...about 3 years ago.
RED Salmon, Yellow Tuna steaks, a few eggs... during any week
Can't remember the last time ...when I ate a Hamburger.
(Couldn't finish it?)
Lao Tsu said thousands of years ago
"Great Men, Eat simple..."
Bomby intends to match his Mom & Dad
Dad passed @ 91 & Mom will be 95
right after Christmas
this year?
Macrobiotics understands...
" The Order of the Universe"
After studying Macrobiotics
ALL of the food guidelines from
Health Research Institutions?
is fully in line with "macrobiotic thinking"
...that Bomby has noticed over 42 years of reading about...
Healthy Eating Habits...
get "The Kitchen Table Book" from FC&A Medical Publishing?
for about $6 from Amazon...
(Which is about the Price of a "Happy Meal")
Keep it your Kitchen,
your Family will get healthier each & day?
www.charlie-art.biz
"What Your Mind can conceive... charlie can achieve"
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Awesome. //
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