Adaptation

1. Select only ONE of the following environmental stresses: (a) heat, (b) high levels of solar
radiation, (c) cold, or (d) high altitude. Discuss specifically how this environmental stress
negatively impacts the survival of humans by disturbing homeostasis.

Cold is an environmental stress that impacts the survival of humans by disturbing homeostasis. It does this by dropping core body temperature, reducing blood flow in appendages, diminishing motor skills, slowing reaction time, and lowering the immune system. As a result, one might suffer from shivering, teeth chattering, hypothermia, frost nip, frost bite, diminished cognitive ability, and given enough exposure, death.


2. Identify 4 ways in which humans have adapted to this stress, choosing one specific adaptation
from each of the different types of adaptations listed above (short term, facultative,
developmental and cultural). Include images of the adaptations.

Short term adaptations include the raising of hairs on the skin in an attempt to trap air and shivering in order to maintain warmth.

Inuit tribes have the remarkable adaptation of switching between vasoconstriction and vasodilation rapidly according to their environmental stress. Vasoconstriction is the constriction of the blood vessels while vasodilation is just the opposite .This is an example of a facultative adaptation.

Natural, gradual slanting of the eyes in Inuits are an example of developmental adaptation. This is most likely a response to the sun reflecting off the snow causing snowblindness.

Inuits utilizing seal blubber and animal hides to regulate body temperature is an example of cultural adaptation. Also, Inuit's diet consists of food high in fats and carbohydrates. This helps to maintain energy as they burn calories at a high rate.

3. What are the benefits of studying human variation from this perspective across environmental
clines? Can information from explorations like this be useful to help us in any way? Offer one
example of how this information can be used in a productive way.

Studying human variations in this way is beneficial because we can trace the different environments our ancestors faced while evolving into who we are today. It also serves to help us understand what changes we should expect to make when entering a certain environment. For instance, the snow goggles I mentioned previously is an important tool to preserving ones eyes whilst in a very cold climate that experiences light reflection off the ground. We see that Inuit eyes have a natural slant to them, creating snow goggles was a logical step to prevent damage to the eyes.


4. How would you use race to understand the variation of the adaptations you listed in #2? Explain why the study of environmental influences on adaptations is a better way to understand human variation than by the use of race.


The study of environmental influences on adaptations is a great way to understand where we can from and where we are going in the future. We can see Africans with their melanin-rich skin and understand that humans in Africa were/are exposed to a lot of sun, we see Inuits with slanted eyes and understand they need to block out snowblindness. Japanese people share the slanted eyes but have adapted them under very different circumstances. It's fun to think that these variations happened due to humans being located on different parts of the Earth. Now, imagine what human evolution will be like in the age of space colonization! Our evolution will be so dynamic it's unfathomable. It's all very exciting to think of. Studying adaptations on Earth allow for us to understand our origins and to stretch our imaginations.

30 minutes of different communication styles

First, let me say I had a lot of fun with this. I thought it would be hard to find someone that would be willing to try this experiment out with. It definitely becomes weird. The first 15 minutes of communication, or lack thereof, wasn't too bad. Almost immediately my cousin (who participated in these antics with me) converted to the way I was non-speaking. I had a hard time communicating to him that he was free to speak but I was not. He ended up trapping himself in this game of broken communication. It felt like a very difficult game of Charades.

When thinking about two cultures meeting for the first time it's easy to see that whoever has a more effective way of communicating is dominant. Asking for a glass of water without any language takes an unnecessary amount of time when I can simply vocalize my desire for that glass of water and have it quicker. The attitude toward non-symbolic speakers would be hard to gauge. I try to think of someone who is deaf or mute and have to use ASL to communicate. My attitude toward them isn't different I simply realize I can't communcate with them yet.

So the second 15 minutes were ridiculous. I pretty much sat there staring into space limiting my communication completely. My cousin could only laugh at me then ignore me because communication was completely cut off.  There is a lot to be said for body language and very simple gestures we take for granted like pointing at something.

Are there people who have difficulty reading body language? Definitely! And you'll find that these people aren't the most effective communicators because body language accounts for a tremendous part of communication. People who can read body language fluently can see deeper into every social interaction they have. When men and women court each other, there are very clear indications that are not only communicated through tonality and words. There are smiles, fleeting glances, hair fiddles, ancy movements, and other subtleties to account for. We communicate on many levels and that's exciting to learn.