Linda’sBioBlog

 Penguins, the small birds that inhabit the lower hemisphere of the
earth, do not have the ability to fly. But was this always the case?
Researchers have found that the modern penguin evolved from an
ancestor bird that could partake in flight. The fossils of penguins
dating older than 45 million years indicate the existence of this
ancestor. In addition, the bone structure of the modern penguin
contains flippers that are “paddle-like,” yet are also considered
adaptations of flying wings. This supports the idea of the modern
penguin being an evolved form of a bird of flight.
       The question remains – why did the penguin evolve the way it did?
Penguins live on oceanic islands. The large pieces of ice, snow, or
beach that constitute as the penguins’ homes are free from predators
that cause penguins a need to fly. Instead of flying from the whales,
hawks and seals that prey on them, penguins have adapted to swim and
glide to safety. In such a way, those penguins that could swim faster
and glide across ice more efficiently survived, causing the species to
adapt to its environment. The body of the modern penguin, with its
smooth, aerodynamic form and strong, paddle-like wings, therefore is
an example of an evolved being.

Chiu, Cid. “The Biogeography of King Penguin.” King Penguin
Biogeography. 1999. 10 Oct 2008
<http://bss.sfsu.edu/holzman/courses/Fall99Projects/penguin.htm>.

The trait of being albino has a genetic component. The substance melanin is a colored pigment that causes the coloring within our hair, skin and eyes. One who carries the dominant albino gene and shows this trait physically has melanin that does not work correctly, resulting in the lack of pigment or color within his or her skin, etc. The making of melanin requires several different enzymes, and genes make up these proteins. If within the genetic coding of melanin, a mutation occurs, the enzymes involved cannot work correctly. Although there is a dependency on where along the genetic code this mutation occurs, the end product (melanin) may very well be changed from the correct substance of its normal genetic sequence. If this is the case, the individual carrying the gene sequence with such a mutation will show the effects of the change. Their melanin will not color their skin or hair, and consequently they will appear without correct pigmentation. This gene sequence is passed down to the next generation, and whether or not it appears dominant or recessive within the next individual determines whether the trait will be physically shown. In such a way, albinism, like many traits, is a genetic element shown within a small percentage of the human population.

Cline, Erin. “How is it that red hair shows up in people of African descent?.” Ask A Geneticist 28 Sep 2008 <http://www.thetech.org/genetics/ask.php?id=67>.

Shown is a photograph i took of my shoulder after a Sunday spent walking about under the sun. Although I always have a fair share of freckles on my skin, after being exposed to sunlight the tiny brown dots seem to explode over my face, arms and legs. This is related to biology in that these freckles are patches of pigment made of the substance melanin. The UV rays from the sun are absorbed by this chemical and bounced off of it. Therefore after a day under the sun, the skin produces more freckles to reflect these rays and prepare for more sunlight exposure. This explains why my freckles multiplied this afternoon it is due to genetics that I have them to begin with. My grandmother, who is a full-blooded Irish, has the same freckles and I inherited the trait.

Bryner, Michelle. “Why Do We Get Freckles?”. LiveScience.com 7 Sep 2008 <http://www.livescience.com/mysteries/061001_freckles.html>

These freckles are the result of my genetic make up and their exposure to sunlight

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