Palaeo After Dark

The gang discusses two papers that investigate phenotypic plasticity. The first paper reviews the pathways by which phenotype can be plastic, and the second paper looks at plasticity of breeding times in urban vs rural bird populations. Meanwhile, James manages a basement, Amanda names the papers, and Curt makes allegations.   Up-Goer Five (James Edition): Today the group look at two papers that are interested in how animals change because of the type of place they live. The first paper is looking at different ways that animals can be changed, either by being changed as they grow or by changing things so that while the animal does not change right now its babies are different. The paper talks about how important the little bits that escape the brain to tell your body how to grow and what to make are and that many of the changes are caused by the different numbers of things escaping the brain because of the different places that the animal lives. The other paper is looking at small angry animals that fly and s