Brody+D.

=__**Evolution of Horses. (Post #1)**__= = = = This photo represents the evolution of a horse starting with the Echippus from 60 million years ago to the present horse known as Equus. =Roughly 10 million years, there was around a dozen different species of horses throughout North America. Some of which would live in open grassy areas. While others preferred being in more deep woods areas. Today when we look at horses we are amazed at how big are common horses are. Millions of years ago the first horses were only the size of the common size dog today.

As the horse evolved it went from having separate toes to forming a single hoof. They also developed having mobility of the upper lip.

(This image shows the evolution of the horses leg from knee down from having separate toes to having a single hoof)

Even the draft horses today are different from 10 years ago. This is not from evolution this is from humans changing the feeding habits. They now are much bigger in size and have larger hoofs then before due to humans doing different processes to their feet. Do you think this well change evolution?

(Horses today. This is BROD)

(Horses roughly 10 years ago average size)

The horses close family relative is the rhino. Over millions of years horses have changed and developed and have become very good use in todays and earlier society. We use them as forms of working machines. We use them because horses have become smart animals for their size and can be tamed to do whatever task you need. My very own family we have 8 percheron draft horses and show them at horse shows and use them for whatever work we need them to do at home.

[]    

Sources: [] [] [] []

More Readings: [|http://www.talkorigins.org/faqs/horses/horse_evol.html#part2] Talks about the formations the horse went through. [] Finding the oldest known horse. [] Shows the images from first horse to modern. [] Shows how teeth developed and changed.

= = Post #2 Dec.1st/2013 =__**The Genetics in Autism**__= = = = =
 * Autism is a neurological disorder that effects the human brain. A person with autism is not socially comfortable and is not like typical kids who like to be cuddled and do not mind being touched. While children with autism do not enjoy it unless it is there close family. this doesn't mean they are all like this but a majority of them are. Autism is not rare to us, about 1 out of 166 are diagnosed with autism. It is a disorder that frustrates a lot of scientists because it is very complex on how it is transferred through genes because they have found that 20 out of 23 chromosomes have regions that may show concern to autism and are linked to it.



(This image is a diagram of how genes may be passed down to cause autism.)


 * In recent discoveries they have found that autism is a spontaneous mutation which is changes in the regulation of the chemical messenger dopamine. This is when there is a single amino acid change in the proteins.




 * Structural shift:** A genetic mutation that changes one amino acid on the dopamine transporter protein from threonine (green) to methionine (gray) alters its interaction with dopamine.



(This pie chart represents a the genetic sources that cause autism, and as you can see there is still a lot we cant figure out and understand about it because 77% is still unknown.)

Autism is passed down through genes but it is possible for two parents to have a child with the condition and have other children that are not affected by it. It is not a physical condition, it affect the mental part of your brain so you might not even be able to recognize some has the condition until you are told of it.



(This is an image of a family at a restaurant with a child with autism and it shows that it not recognized through physical traits but is a mental condition.)

=**Video:**= media type="custom" key="24573852" width="512" height="340" align="left"


 * Sources:

http://genetics.thetech.org/original_news/news49 http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/info/autism/ https://sfari.org/news-and-opinion/in-brief/2013/genetics-spontaneous-mutation-links-dopamine-to-autism http://corticalchauvinism.wordpress.com/2013/07/16/the-cause-of-autism-part-1-introduction/

Other links:

[] (Recognizing symptoms of autism.) [] (How autism is diagnosed.) [] ( Causes of autism.) [] (Facts on what autism is.)