Biochemical evidence, Science

Assignment Help:

Biochemical Evidence:

As we had said earlier in section 13.2, Darwin had  recognized  that humans and the great apes shared many physical characteristics. This led him  to conclude, that humans and apes descended from a common stock. Darwin's conclusions were based on the study of fossils and the physical similarities  that he had observed. Now, a century later biochemical studies of  proteins and the genetic material-DNA  show how good his guess  was, Biochemical studies show us that, as evolution proceeds and the species get differentiated,  they accumulate changes in the structure of  their proteins and DNA. Longer the separation time, greater the changes. These changes are expressed in terms of  percent genetic distance which indicates  the proportional difference between the DNA of  the two species. Comparative studies of the proteins of  the African apes and humans showed that chimpanzees, gorillas and humans are closely related  to one another, while the Asian apes, i.e. the gibbon and orangutan were the more distant cousins of  this trio  .

 

1779_Biochemical Evidence.png

Once the Asian and African apes were considered to be closely related and it was thought that  the hominids developed from apes prior  to 15 million years ago. Biochemical evidence, however, indicates that the ape-human divergence may have been much closer to five million years and that  thc gorilla split off  first, leaving the chimpanzees and the human-like creatures to share a common ancestor briefly before separating. Ramapithecus fossil specimen found in Asia, Europe and Africa was at one time thought to be closely related  to the species of modem man. However, on the basis of biochemical evidence, it has now been  shown that  it cannot be considered a homonid, because it  lived before  the Asian apes diverged from hominids. Same is true for Sivapithecus indicus, a fine fossil specimen of which was discovered in  1980 from the foothills of  the western Himalayas in  Pakistan. 


Related Discussions:- Biochemical evidence

Blood - abnormal constituent of urine, Blood - Abnormal Constituent of Urin...

Blood - Abnormal Constituent of Urine In acute inflammation and trauma, blood may be present in the urine. This condition is known as haematuria. Blood may be present in cancer

Objectives basic aspects of electrical maintenance, Objectives After pe...

Objectives After performing the activities under this exercise you should be able to: 1. Calculate the current drawn by a given instrument/equipment /appliance and suggest a

Fish, Are there any interesting fish

Are there any interesting fish

Dietary requirement during fever and infection, Dietary Requirement during ...

Dietary Requirement during Fever and Infection: During fever, there is a break down of tissue proteins, and water and salts are  lost. The BMR increases with the rise of ever

Mention the different methods of wheat milling, Q. Mention the different me...

Q. Mention the different methods of wheat milling? Three methods of wheat milling are stone milling, roller milling and fragmentation milling.

Radioactive Decay, Can a radioactive element completely decay so that it is...

Can a radioactive element completely decay so that it is all stable matter?

Explain tidal volume and inspiratory reserve volume, Explain Tidal Volume a...

Explain Tidal Volume and Inspiratory Reserve Volume Tidal Volume (TV):   It is the volume of air that is taken in or given out during quiet breathing. The volume 1s about 500

Drinking straw hydrometer, Drinking straw hydrometer Procure a drinking...

Drinking straw hydrometer Procure a drinking straw or a stout natural straw about 20 cm long. If it is not 'water-proof' dip it in melted candle wax and permit it to dry. Seal

Procedure electricity and water in a laboratory, PROCEDURE A. For Gas ...

PROCEDURE A. For Gas Supply Visit the LPG gas store room 1 cracking plant along with your counsellor or the lab in charge' and note the way supply of gas is regulated. It

Surgery in iron age, Surgery: Susruta-Samhita,  a.major  treatise on su...

Surgery: Susruta-Samhita,  a.major  treatise on surgery, was derived not only from exhaustive observation of symptoms of diseases  and their possible treatments but also a fair

Write Your Message!

Captcha
Free Assignment Quote

Assured A++ Grade

Get guaranteed satisfaction & time on delivery in every assignment order you paid with us! We ensure premium quality solution document along with free turntin report!

All rights reserved! Copyrights ©2019-2020 ExpertsMind IT Educational Pvt Ltd