达尔文把人类回归到自然界（2）——纪念达尔文《物种起源》出版150周年

1927年时任北京协和医学院教授的加拿大解剖学家步达生（D．Black）研究了一颗来自北京周口店的下磨牙化石,定名为Sinanthropus Pekinesis即中国人北京种,简称北京人（Peking Man）。从1927年起,在周口店开始了系统的考古发掘,1929年裴文中发现第1块完整的头盖骨化石。北京人和爪哇人很相似,脑量比现代人要小（平均1088mL）：头盖骨有似猿的性状：额骨后倾,有浓重的眉嵴：但有完全现代化的下肢。能直立行走并在草原上奔走。重要的还在于,在周口店遗址,不仅出土了北京人化石,而且出土了大量的文化遗存：各种各样的石器。包括制作精良的尖状器以及用火的遗迹。     

进化论之父——达尔文（一）——纪念达尔文诞辰200周年暨《物种起源》出版150周年

从童年到贝格尔号 大不列颠岛上的塞温河依然悠远而宁静,它悄无声息地记录着过去200年来的变迁。与塞温河一样迷人的施鲁斯伯里依旧古朴、安详。城中散布着一些中世纪的教堂,还有十六至十八纪纪的建筑。在城北蒙特街的尽头．同样是一座十八世纪的建筑,却有着不一样的传奇故事。     

进化论之父——达尔文（二）——纪念达尔文诞辰200周年暨《物种起源》出版150周年

回到伦敦后的达尔文并没有沉浸在凯旋的喜悦当中;很快,他将这次环球航行的标本整理出来,并赠送给其他学者研究、一时间,对达尔文航行采集的标本的论述从没停止过。从1836年12月以后的几个年头里,当时欧洲几份重要的出版物《伦敦地质学会会报》、《动物学会会报》等几乎利用所有版面报道达尔文采集的材料。这期间,达尔文对环球航行中观察到的关于自然界中物种变化的事实进行了广泛的思考,     

达尔文《物种起源》一书的形成和出版——纪念《物种起源》出版130周年

130年前生物学发生了一次空前的革命,那就是达尔文(Charles Robert Darwin,1809—1882)《物种起源》一书的出版和自然选择学说的问世。它推翻了那种长期以来把各种动植物看做彼此毫无联系的、偶然的、神造的和不变的观点,第一次把生物学放在完全科学的基础之上,使进化论成为生物学各门学科的统     

达尔文和我国生物科学——为纪念他诞生150周年及其《物种起源》发表100周年而作

“达尔文《物种由来》成,举世震动,盖生物学界之光阴,扫群疑于一说之下者也”。——鲁迅《人之历史》(1907年) 一、卓越的英国生物学家查理斯·达尔文(Charles Darwin,1809—1882)是我国生物科学的真正友人。他在其一生中始终对我国生物科学怀着深厚的敬意。在近代欧洲,尤其英国生物科学界中,他是唯一能深刻理解我国人民过去在生物学方面取得的成就并对此给以公正评价的先进学者。敬仰我国生物科学的达尔文曾屡次在其著作中把我国称作“文化悠久的国家”,把我国人称作“优秀民族”。同时,在他看来,我国还是个生物学获得长期发展并且具有许多成熟的先进经验的国家。在谈到我国人民、我国学者和我国著作时,达尔文经常使用“卓越的”、“权威的”、“细心的”、“古老的”、“有价值的”和“明确的”等等优美的字眼儿。我国的一草一木、一禽一兽、一事一物都使他产生良好印象。     

Boas, Darwin, science, and anthropology

This paper presents a new reading of Franz Boas's philosophy of science and his approach to the understanding of culture and behavior. It points out that his approach had important parallels with the worldview of the major figures associated with pragmatism and suggests that a similar perspective can be useful today.     

Larval development of the chthamaloid barnacles Catomerus polymerus Darwin, Chamaesipho tasmanica Foster & Anderson and Chthamulus antennatus Darwin (Crustacea: Girripedia)

The presence of embryos in the mantle cavity of Catomerus polymerus, Chamaesipho tasmanica and Chthamalus antennatus was monitored over a two year period. C. polymerus and C. tasmanica show a clearly defined breeding season spanning late autumn, winter and early spring. C. antennatus breeds more continuously throughout the year, with a decline in breeding during the winter. The larval stages of C. polymerus, C. tasmanica and C. antennatus are described from larvae reared in the laboratory. Morphological differences allow each larval stage of the three species to be distinguished without difficulty. Unique larval features permit identification to superfamily, family and genus. The similarities of chthamaloid nauplii to those of lepadomorphs and verrucomorphs and their differences from the nauplii of other balanomorphs are discussed. Larval evidence supports the view that the chthamaloids are related more closely than other balanomorphs to the lepadomorphs, and that the coronuloids and balanoids share a comon derivation from the chthamaloids.     

Some effects of early starvation on the survival and development of barnacle nauplii,Balanus improvisus (Darwin)

Newly hatched stage I–II nauplii of Balanus improvisus (Darwin) were “totally starved” (until death) or “partially starved” for the first 48 h and 96 h of their development. Daily mortality and molting were monitored throughout larval development in both starved and fed control groups. Fed control animals exhibited a largely synchronous molting pattern with instars of equal duration. Total starvation suppressed molting beyond stage II; 50% mortality occurred in ≈4 days at both 15 and 21 °C, while longest survival time was 7 days at 15 °C and 6 days at 21 °C. At 15 °C, partially starved nauplii retained the ability to complete naupliar development but at a slower overall rate and with increased mortality relative to controls. These effects were more pronounced in the 96-h group. Increased mortality of stage VI nauplii was evident in both partially starved groups (7.1% for 48 h, 18.8% for 96 h) relative to unstarved controls (3.1%). Stage II nauplii exhibited little resistance to starvation and survival potential may have decreased as soon as 24 h.     

Historical development of anthropology in Basel

The author reports on the history of physical anthropology in Basel (Switzerland). The anthropological research activities of Carl Gustav Jung (1794-1864), Wilhelm His-Vischer (1831-1904), Ludwig Rütimeyer (1825-1895), Julius Kollmann (1834-1918), Paul and Fritz Sarasin (P.: 1856-1924; F.: 1859-1942), Felix Speiser (1880-1949) and the author himself (b. 1909) are described in detail.     

Understanding racism in physical (biological) anthropology

The mainstream of American physical anthropology began as racist and eugenical science that defended slavery, restricted “non-Nordic” immigration, and justified Jim Crow segregation. After World War II, the field became more anti-racial than anti-racist. It has continued as a study of natural influences on human variation and thus continues to evade the social histories of inequitable biological variation. Also reflecting its occupancy of white space, biological anthropology continues to deny its own racist history and marginalizes the contributions of Blacks. Critical disciplinary history and a shift toward biocultural studies might begin an anti-racist human biology.