My reasons for evolution being true

My reasons for evolution being true or should I say for evolution being obvious, at least in hind sight?  In particular, why human beings are just another animal species although with some remarkable abilities, in particular in brain.

1.  Chimpanzee

When we see a Chimpanzee It looks remarkably similar to us. If we are special why do these guys look very similar to us? Just to fool us in to thinking that we are their cousins? In fact, to me these guys are the 'missing' link! Only an idiot can miss the link...

2. DNA

Why do we have the same DNA made up of same 4 bases [Adenine, Thymine, Cytosin, Guanine]? Why didn't we get created through some other genetic code. This makes it look very very obvious that we evolved from same animals [more exactly from our common ancestors].

3. Germs and diseases

We get pretty much the same diseases as other animals from very similar viruses and bacteria. For example, we get swine flu - So pigs and humans have to be quite a bit similar for these viruses to survive in both the species. In fact we are very similar - we are both mammals.

4.  Breast feeding

Both woman and other female animals breast [or udder] feed their young through nipples in very similar ways. It is striking in particular for other primates.

5. Kangaroo

Why are no Kangaroos to be found in say India, United States or Germany? If every species are specially created there is no particular reason to place all species of Kangaroos in Australia or near by.  Why not place red kangaroo in Australia and Grey one in say India?

Doesn't the geographical distribution of all animals make it very clear, all closely related animals evolved from their common ancestor which happened to be in one particular geographical location. 

Before the invention of air planes, one particular species had to be in close proximity for reproduction and survival. It is another matter, now we have become planetary wide pests like cockroaches or rats.

Why plants reject green, most abundant wavelength in sun?

When we look at the solar spectrum it has its maximum around green.

 
So it is really odd, that plants reject green light  when it has the most energy. Is it simply the quirk of evolution [chlorophyll won out as the top photo synthesizer] or is there a deeper reason?

How cyanide kills?

I was wondering how cyanide kills so fast.

I did some google search and found that it kills by depriving organisms of ATP and oxygen. 

CN ions bind to cytochrome enzyme in mitochondria and turns off production of ATP. Cells die without energy [which include heart and brain cells]. It also deprives cells of oxygen by preferentially binding to Heamoglobin over oxygen, so it ends up transporting CN

It explains quite a bit of details:

http://publications.drdo.gov.in/gsdl/collect/defences/index/assoc/HASH016b/2155e82b.dir/doc.pdf

 

Why we see in visible light?

I was wondering why we see in visible light?

By that I didn't mean why we see in "visible" light instead of "invisible" light! Whatever we see is visible light, by definition.

What I mean is why we see in the range 380 to 750 nm?

for example, our eye could have been sensitive to another portion of Electro magnetic spectrum For example, infra red could have been red, red could have been orange etc. and we don't see violet at all or the other way around.

That is the spectrum could have been 450 to 820 nm.

so what is special about visible part?
it is something special for we earth dwellers.
1. Sun's temperature being close to 6000K its blackbody radiation peaks at this range.
2. Earth's atmosphere has some set of Electromagnetic radiation windows with optical window with this same range being one of them.
This link explains more:
http://www.iop.org/EJ/article/0031-9120/42/1/002/pe7_1_002.pdf?request-id=274078a3-1121-4070-893f-5aabf8d9e489

A cute little fact is rattlesnakes have "eye" to see in infrared - to catch animals like us who radiate in infrared.
So if our sun were to peak in different wavelength range and our earth were to be atmosphere-less [or of different composition] we would be seeing different visible light!
Of course we would be seeing only visible light, by definition!

Tragic Logarithmic spiral

Path of an insect flying to a candle is a logarithmic spiral.
It's defining property is angle to the line from centre [candle] and tangent of insect path [instantenous direction of velocity] is constant.
r = ae^bt
t - is an angle.
The reason is they are used to doing this from old times when only sun and moon was there, in which case it led to straight line path.
Unfortunately not anymore, after this species called homo sapiens usurped the planet.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Logarithmic_spiral

Evolution videos in Google videos

There are nice set of videos in Google videos about Evolution - MUST see:

Evolution - Episode 3 -- "Extinction"

PBS Nova Evolution Episode number three (3), maned "Extinction" Documentary. (3rd out of 7)

Berkeley webcasts

There are nice video lectures on UCB site.

For example here is the Biology one:

http://webcast.berkeley.edu/course_details.php?seriesid=1906978456

I really enjoyed lectures on Photosynthesis - I have a renewed respect for Photosynthesis now!

Videos of Professor Koch on neural science!

Informative ones. You have to pay a lot of attention though as it gets boring sometimes and you have to overcome it.
http://www.klab.caltech.edu/cns120/videos.php

Blank slate!

A very good book about biology/human nature.
It argues that root of most of our behaviours are due to our genes.
Makes you realistic [as opposed to optimist or romantic]!

Videos on consciousness!

Here is a great link of videos on consciousness and philosophy:

http://broodsphilosophy.wordpress.com/2006/06/15/online-videos-of-philosophical-lectures

Selfish gene

One of the best books I have read - [converted me into an atheist!] - This book is about evolution. This book says we [all animals] are survival machines built by our genes for their survival! Very interesting, a bit depressing for the first time readers.
I think every one should read this.