40 Million Years of Dog Evolution

40 Million Years of Dog Evolution In many ways, the story of dog evolution follows the same plot line as the evolution of horses and elephants: a small, inoffensive, ancestral species gives rise, over the course of tens of millions of years, to the respectably sized descendants we know and love today. But there are two big differences in this case: first, dogs are carnivores, and the evolution of carnivores is a twisty, serpentine affair involving not only dogs, but prehistoric hyenas, bears, cats, and now-extinct mammals like creodonts and mesonychids. And second, of course, dog evolution took a sharp right turn about 15,000 years ago, when the first wolves were domesticated by early humans (see a gallery of prehistoric dog pictures). As far as paleontologists can tell, the very first carnivorous mammals evolved during the late Cretaceous period, about 75 million years ago (the half-pound Cimolestes, which lived high up in trees, being the most likely candidate). However, its more likely that every carnivorous animal alive today can trace its ancestry back to Miacis, a slightly bigger, weasel-like creature that lived about 55 million years ago, or 10 million years after the dinosaurs went extinct. Miacis was far from a fearsome killer, though: this tiny furball was also arboreal and feasted on insects and eggs as well as small animals. Before the Canids: Creodonts, Mesonychids, and Friends Modern dogs evolved from a line of carnivorous mammals called canids, after the characteristic shape of their teeth. Before (and alongside) the canids, though, there were such diverse families of predators as amphicyonids (the bear dogs, typified by Amphicyon, which seem to have been more closely related to bears than dogs), prehistoric hyenas (Ictitherium was the first of this group to live on the ground rather than in trees), and the marsupial dogs of South America and Australia. Although vaguely dog-like in appearance and behavior, these predators werent directly ancestral to modern canines. Even more fearsome than bear dogs and marsupial dogs were mesonychids and creodonts. The most famous mesonychids were the one-ton Andrewsarchus, the largest ground-dwelling carnivorous mammal that ever lived, and the smaller and more wolflike Mesonyx. Oddly enough, mesonychids were ancestral not to modern dogs or cats, but to prehistoric whales. The creodonts, on the other hand, left no living descendants; the most noteworthy members of this breed were Hyaenodon and the strikingly named Sarkastodon, the former of which looked (and behaved) like a wolf and the latter of which looked (and behaved) like a grizzly bear. The First Canids: Hesperocyon and the "Bone-Crushing Dogs" Paleontologists agree that the late Eocene (about 40 to 35 million years ago) Hesperocyon was directly ancestral to all later canids- and thus to the genus Canis, which branched off from a subfamily of canids about six million years ago. This western dog was only about the size of a small fox, but its inner-ear structure was characteristic of later dogs, and theres some evidence that it may have lived in communities, either high up in trees or in underground burrows. Hesperocyon is very well-represented in the fossil record; in fact, this was one of the most common mammals of prehistoric North America. Another group of early canids was the borophagines, or bone-crushing dogs, equipped with powerful jaws and teeth suitable for scavenging the carcasses of mammalian megafauna. The largest, most dangerous borophagines were the 100-pound Borophagus and the even bigger Epicyon; other genera included the earlier Tomarctus and Aelurodon, which were more reasonably sized. We cant say for sure, but theres some evidence that these bone-crushing dogs (which were also restricted to North America) hunted or scavenged in packs, like modern hyenas. The First True Dogs: Leptocyon, Eucyon, and the Dire Wolf Heres where things get a bit confusing. Shortly after the appearance of Hesperocyon 40 million years ago, Leptocyon arrived on the scene- not a brother, but more like a second cousin once removed. Leptocyon was the first true canine (that is, it belonged to the caninae subfamily of the canidae family), but a small and unobtrusive one, not much bigger than Hesperocyon itself. The immediate descendant of Leptocyon, Eucyon, had the good fortune to live at a time when both Eurasia and South America were accessible from North America- the first via the Bering land bridge, and the second thanks to the uncovering of central America. In North America, about six million years ago, populations of Eucyon evolved into the first members of the modern dog genus Canis, which spread to these other continents. But the tale doesnt end there. Although canines (including the first coyotes) continued to live in North America during the Pliocene epoch, the first plus-sized wolves evolved elsewhere, and re-invaded North America shortly before the ensuing Pleistocene (via that same Bering land bridge). The most famous of these canines was the Dire Wolf, Canis diris, which evolved from an old world wolf that colonized both North and South America (by the way, the Dire Wolf competed directly for prey with Smilodon, the saber-toothed tiger.) The end of the Pleistocene epoch witnessed the rise of human civilization around the world. As far as we can tell, the first domestication of the Gray Wolf occurred somewhere in Europe or Asia anywhere from 30,000 to 15,000 years ago. After 40 million years of evolution, the modern dog had finally made its debut!

ESL Dialogue to Make an Appointment With the Dentist

ESL Dialogue to Make an Appointment With the Dentist In teaching English and a Second Language (ESL) or English as an Alternative Language (EAL)  students how to properly communicate in English, oftentimes specific examples will help them to understand the dynamics of English grammar and usage at play in real life circumstances, though it is important to also emphasize the technical rules associated with each grammatical situation. One such example of a situation an ESL or an EAL  student may encounter outside of school is scheduling an appointment at the dentist- or doctor, but its best to keep these types of exercises simple and one-dimensional to present the clearest message to students. In this scenario, the teacher should begin by playing the role of the dentist office assistant, mining answering a phone that the student, the patient, should voice.   ESL Dialogue for Practicing Scheduling Medical Appoints Dentist Office Assistant: Good morning, Beautiful Smile Dentistry, this is Jamie. How may I help you today? Patient: Good morning, Id like to schedule a check-up. D:  Id be happy to do that for you. Have you been to Beautiful Smile before? P: Yes, I have. My last check-up was six months ago. D: Great. Can I get your name, please? P:  Yes, of course, sorry. My name is [students name]. D: Thank you, [students name]. Which dentist did you see on your last check-up. P:  Im not sure, really. D: Thats OK. Let me check your chart... Oh, Dr. Lee. P: Yes, thats right. D: OK... Dr. Lee has time next Friday in the morning. P: Hmmm... thats not good. Ive got work. How about the week after that? D: Yes, Dr. Lee has sometimes open. Would you like to suggest a time? P: Does he have anything open in the afternoon? D: Yes, we could fit you in on Thursday, January 14th at 2.30 in the afternoon. P: Great. Thatll work. D: OK, thank you for calling Mr. Appleman, well see you next week. P:  Thank you, bye-bye. Key Phrases for Making Appointments to Emphasize The key takeaways from this exercise are the phrases that one might encounter at a doctor or dentists office that may be confusing to new English learners like which dentist did you see? or we can fit you in, which makes no sense in the literal interpretation of the phrase. The most important phrase for an ESL student to learn here, though, is Id like to schedule or make an appointment, but its also important to be able to understand the response, like if the office assistant had said I wish I could help as a rejection- an ESL student may not understand this means there is nothing that assistant can do to match that persons schedule. The phrase check-up and have you been to Dr. Xs before are both unique to ESL students because they present a colloquialism commonly used to describe situations specific to visiting a doctor or dentist.

Marriage in A Doll's House by Ibsen Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Marriage in A Doll's House by Ibsen - Essay Example Through this dilemma, and Nora’s husband’s actions, Ibsen shows a very different view about the roles of individuals in a marriage. He does this by exploring the concepts of love, trust, respect, and equal rights in Nora’s marriage. In marriages nowadays, almost all western countries accept that the husband and wife should equally respect. However, after reading A Doll’s House, I came to know that perhaps this must not have been the case in earlier times. From Act one itself, it is obvious that Nora’s husband, Torvald Helmer, does not treat his wife as an intellectual being. He speaks to her in the second-person and through name-calling, rarely referring to her directly. For instance, when Nora comes home, Helmer calls out â€Å"Is that my little lark twittering out there?† When Nora replies, Helmer once again refers to her in the same circuitous way, by asking if his â€Å"little squirrel (was) bustling about†. It is impossible not to notice this aspect in almost all of Nora’s and Helmer’s conversations. He speaks to her as if she is a pet, an animal with which one speaks one-sidedly without any expectations of intelligent conversation. According to me, this shows that Helmer does not see Nora fit enough to refer to her directly, and thus shows that he does not respect her that much. Another aspect in Helmer’s and Nora’s conversations that show his lack of respect for her is the way he treats her as a child. Although many would state that Helmer speaks to his wife kindly, I believe that he does so in a very patronizing manner. This can be seen by the way he is always lecturing her on her habit of spending too much money. Helmer even goes as far as trying to control Nora’s diet, when he asks her, â€Å"Hasn’t Miss Sweet Tooth been breaking rules in town today?†. Some might find that these two are a very sweet couple who talk so lovingly, but it is hard to ignore tr aces of contempt which appear in Helmer’s tone and actions. For instance, when Nora asks him to come and check out all the goodies she has bought, he at once calls out from his study â€Å"Don’t disturb me†. Such a change in his tone also shows the fatherly way he acts with Nora. A marriage is mainly based on love and trust, as well as respecting the other half. However, Ibsen has showed that there is no trust factor in the marriage of this play’s protagonist. This can be seen by the way Nora is so adamant is hiding the macaroons that she has bought for herself. I personally found it very strange that a wife should want her husband not to find out that she has bought a small packet of sweets (especially when he appears to be in a good mood and is insisting), even though she informs him of all her other purchases. This speaks volumes about Nora’s marriage, and it is here that Ibsen first introduces the ‘no-trust’ factor. In addition to this, Nora also hides another fact-which is far more significant than a packet of macaroons-from her husband. This fact is her borrowing of money to help her husband when he was sick, without letting him know about it. Money is another factor that plays a major role in the aspect of marriage shown in A Doll’s House. Ibsen confirms how it comes between the two individuals in a marriage by showing how it was one of the main causes behind the dissolution of Nora’

Gender, Folklore, Inequality Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Gender, Folklore, Inequality - Essay Example As stated earlier modern society has diversified in the categorization of human sexual orientations. The matter has affected gravely the state of law, politics and even religion. Initially, the only recognized group to emerge was homosexuals. These are the gay and the lesbians. However, some groups chose to sort of break away from the mainstream stereotype by including a more inclusive abbreviation like L.G.B.T.Q.I.A. this category includes the homosexuals for lesbian and gay, the bisexual, the transgender, the queer, the intersex and the asexual. The term transgender in definition means a person who does not identify with the normal sexual orientations of male or female. In the USA, many cases exist of people who were born male identifying themselves as females and the same applies to females. The matter has bred such controversy and discussions to the extent of affecting the law. One such example was in a case in Colorado. The child Coy Mathis was born a boy but wore pink dresses and wished people to refer to her as a girl. While in kindergarten the school’s administration prohibited her from using the girl’s bathroom and instead to use a gender-neutral bathroom. The parents pulled her out of the school soon after. This case has been at the heart of a legal issue. Colorado’s anti-discrimination laws protect transgender people and this is why this case received much public attention. Southern Comfort was a compelling story that focused on the discrimination people of different sexual orientations from the norm suffer.

Wuthering heights Essay Example for Free

Wuthering heights Essay Should Wuthering Heights be considered relevant in todays society? I say, yes. Although I must admit, I was very close to hating this book, not only because of the confusing situations which occurs and my dislike towards all characters, but also for much more reasons that I dont wish to point out at this moment for that we shall be here for a terribly long time if I did. However, I must also admit, the context of this book, Wuthering Heights, have portrayed many relevant themes that are still existing today, even as I speak. Catherines decision of marriage is one example. My love for Heathcliff resembles the eternal rocks beneath: a source of little visible delight, but necessary Nelly, I am Heathcliff. In this quote, Catherine was well aware of her love for Heathcliff claiming that they both have the same souls. She had no income or property of her own. Her physical comfort depends on the will of her father and brother and the most crucial decision of her life, to marry Edgar Linton, is determined by the fact that if she were to marry Heathcliff, they would become beggars. In my opinion, this is a case of forbidden love. Catherine and Heathcliff cannot be together as their statuses are simply too far apart. Many has pointed out that this is irrelevant today as currently, we have the freedom to marry whoever we like. Statuses and class arent considered as important anymore. But is this so? That nowadays we could say I do to whoever we desire? In the book Forbidden Love, by Norma Khouri, told on the accounts of a true story in the small town of Jordan, there is a much similar situation. Dalia, a Muslim, was in love with a Catholic man called Michael. In Jordan, it is considered extremely immoral for two people with such different beliefs to be together. As a result, Dalia was honorably killed when her secret relationship was discovered. Here, this is much like the account of Wuthering Heights. Although it is fair to argue that both stories are different; one deals with religion and honor killings when the other with statuses. However the concepts of the two are very much alike as both revolve around the idea of forbidden love. Love that can never be equated. Perhaps the procedure of murder or revenge would not appear in every situation such as this, but most definitely it will end painfully tragic. The heartbreaking story of Dalia  and Michael was real. It only happened several years ago. As I have heard in your speeches, many have pointed out that the scene of Catherines ghost was much irrelevant as opposed to todays society for that we now do not believe in the supernatural. I find this argument rather hypocritical. If I remember correctly, only a few years back, was there not a reality TV show starring John Edwards which was such a big hit, it attracted millions of viewers around the whole globe? Mr. Edwards claimed, through his television show, that he could communicate with the souls of the dead. This not only brought the attention of numerous but also their belief in him. Many say that his so-called communications is probably just a sham and arent genuine. Whether he really beholds such powers or he was simply making up his sixth sense, I do not care for that he is a person that I neither like nor like to know more of. I am merely mentioning this troublesome man to prove my point. Not of the existence of the supernatural or that ghosts do really appear through your window, but of our beliefs in it even today. As modern day citizens, our acceptance of the paranormal is still very strong. If it wasnt so, then wouldnt the ratings for a reality show of communications with dead spirits be extremely low and unpopular much like the opposite of the results of Mr. Edwards multi-million making one? Here, in the story of Wuthering Heights, the use of a ghostly scene was to attract the readers attention making the book sound interesting and engaging. Bronte addresses the bond between Catherine and Heathcliff in a spiritual way. Thus, making their love towards each other almost inseparable. As children, they had a bond that grew out of similar needs. They grew up protecting and trying to shelter each other from the abuse of Hindley and Joseph. Consequently, they developed an eternal friendship, love and affinity. One could say that they were soul mates even children. Bronte expands the notion of eternal love by creating the supernatural aspect in the story. This is illustrated when Heathcliff contacts Catherines spirit after she dies. Their souls are eternally joined so as a result, Heathcliff cannot live in this realm without her. Only their souls joined together make one. Heathcliff eventually dies to reunite his soul with Catherine. Another aspect which is relevant today and forever it shall remain relevant  is selfishness. Catherines selfish character was depicted when she wanted both Edgar and Heathcliff at the same time. In the beginning, she was introduced as a high spirited character who was wild. However, she drastically changes throughout the book. When she hurts her leg and is forced to stay at Thrushcross Grange, she returns to Wuthering Heights as a well dressed and dignified lady. She was easily swayed to the superior lifestyle of the Lintons and began to look down upon Heathcliff. She even laughs at his rough and dirty appearance and says I didnt mean to laugh at you. I could not hinder myself Heathcliff. Shake hands at least! What are you sulky for? It was only that you looked odd. If you wash you face and brush your hair, it would be alright. But you are so dirty! I as a reader was left surprised and cheated with this reversal. However, she becomes more and more selfish by the minute and even tries to change Heathcliff and begins to feel that he is in fact, beneath her. This is one of the reasons why she starts to look at Edgar in a new light. He, unlike her family, was refined, gentle, rich and handsome. When he asked her to marry him, she accepted, knowing very well that she loved Heathcliff. Ive no more business to marry Edgar than I have to be in heaven. If the wicked man in there had not brought Heathcliff so low, I shouldnt have thought of it. It would degrade me to marry Heathcliff now, so he shall never know how I love him; and that not only because he is handsome, Nelly, but because he is more myself than I am. Whatever our souls are made of, his and mine are the same, and Lintons is as different as a moonbeam from lightening or frost from fire. We could her marriage to Edgar was for all the wrong reasons. Catherine even confides to Nelly, he shall be rich and I shall be the greatest woman of the neighborhood and I shall be proud of having such a husband. It is evident that Catherine throws away love for her own selfish wants and materialistic motives. She wanted Edgar for his life and riches and Heathcliff for his soul. She didnt want to choose between the two and she never really did. She toyed with both of them by marring Edgar while still loving Heathcliff. Thus, she caused pain for the two men, by causing Edgar to be jealous and Heathcliff desiring revenge. Catherines passion towards Heathcliff ruined many lives. Later in the story, she suffers from the results of the selfish and naive decisions she makes. I wasnt sorry for her not only because I find her very much annoying, but because I felt that  she deserved it they were the bad choices that she must live with. Her character was childish and spoilt who loved to be in the centre of attention. It is not surprising why she wanted to be the most powerful woman in the neighborhood. The character Catherine, not only gives us something to hate and despise, but to also learn from. Throughout the whole story she was indeed very selfish and very rarely has she ever used her head to decide. Thus, this lead to the suffering of not only her, but many additional innocent lives in both Wuthering Heights and Thrushcross Grange. My point here is selfishness is something that only destroys happiness of not simply you, but others as well. This theme is not only relevant, but should be considered everyday. In conclusion, I still think that Wuthering Heights is a relevant text and should be studied by teenagers through high school. Even though I shall be feeling somewhat sorry for them, the book portrays the some of the most significant qualities of mankind. That is something that I cannot argue against.

Mechanical Energy :: essays research papers fc

Have you ever wondered how a jet aircraft lifts its tremendous weight off the ground, or what gives a runner the stamina to reach the finish line in a race? In order to answer all these questions we must talk about the transformation of one sort of energy into another. The jet aircraft gets its power from jet turbines. These powerful jet engines create a high-pressure stream of very hot gases that push the aircraft forward as they leave the engine. This is an example of heat being transformed into movement. This is sometimes described as Mechanical Energy. However, this transformation could not take place without the fuel that the aircraft gets within its wings or fuselage. Fuel is considered a chemical energy. This diagram shows how the jet engine acts as energy to lift the aircraft off the surface of earth. Fuel can take the form of gases, solids or liquids. When fuels combine with oxygen from the air, they release their stored energy as heat. We recognize this process as burning. The individual relies on food for fuel which contains energy-giving substances that our bodies can store until we need this energy to use our muscles. When we do use our muscles within us, we may not always be sure that heat is given off. Our bodies do not burst into flames but the perspiration on our skin is a clue to what is happening. The movement of the windsurfer has a different explanation. The windsurfer is propelled along by a sail which collects mechanical energy from the winds that sweep along the water. This energy has been produced by the sun which warms the earth's surface and sets the air above in motion. The sun's heat comes to the earth as a form of radiant energy. When the heat reaches the surface of the earth, it causes the land or seas to rise in temperature. The sun is very hot. Infact, the center of the sun can reach temperatures of up to 27 million degrees Fahrenheit. This is because of another kind of energy reaction where new substances are continually being created as others are being destroyed. This reaction is known to us as the Nuclear Reaction. Today we are trying to imitate this reaction in improving our energy supply. Scientists have calculated that the sun has enough fuel to go on producing energy at its present rate for about five billion years. On earth

Why Use a Smart Phone

Why use a smart phone? Why use a smart phone ? Everybody has a cell phone and the majority of us have a smart phone. Smart phone plays an important role in our daily life. You can see whenever in the street or metro, millions of people use smart phone. Why smart phones so popular around the world? I will start my topic now, why use a smart phone? It is universally acknowledged that we can use a smart phone not only chat or text with others but also play games, read books, listen to the music, surf on the internet. Sometimes we can even say that smart phone is a small computer.Obviously, we use smart phone as an entertainment tool. Firstly, smart phone can be used as an audio player. It can provide you the music whenever you want , like everyday in the metro, music is necessary for me. Secondly, a smart phone sometimes can be instead of e-book. Although I think that E-book is popular nowadays, you don’t need to buy it if you have a smart phone. In addition, downloading books in phones instead of buying books in stores also means that you are an environmentally friendly person. Simultaneously, many games are free to access if you are tired from work or study.Finally, smart phones can be used in different ways so in my opinion, using a smart phone as an entertainment tool can make our life becomes simple and colorful. Do smart phones have bad effects on our study? No way! I know that many people have an IPHONE as someone asked last week. For me as an example, I use IPHONE, I have many free apps which is benefit to my study. Cause English is my second language, I have Word a day this app to help me master more English vocabularies and SAT flashcards. I also have Google translate dictionary .Sometimes if you feel it is too complicated to look up the dictionary when you want to understand the word just check on your phone dictionary. In conclusion, smart phone to me is a good study tool. Overall, smart phone is a really great invention right? Sometimes even me think that using phones to surf the internet is incredible. Because I am not major in electronic stuffs and I am not interested in it. I don’t want to do some deeply research about it, but we all know that smart phone is useful and nowadays it becomes really easy to use. We must choose it for no hesitate.