tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6329595.post912374580941708744..comments2024-03-29T08:17:48.807-05:00Comments on Althouse: Mothers pick up a chemical signal from their best offspring and give them more, at the expense of hungrier siblings.Ann Althousehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01630636239933008807noreply@blogger.comBlogger9125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6329595.post-24195571347862882012009-05-13T20:01:00.000-05:002009-05-13T20:01:00.000-05:00"He's such a cute little guy!"
Yes, and now with ..."He's such a cute little guy!"<br /><br />Yes, and now with 50% less odour than the favoured brother! <br /><br />(The big earwig.) <br /><br />(The one with the odd behaviour.)Meadehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00117933390338651739noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6329595.post-48602772090227922782009-05-13T19:35:00.000-05:002009-05-13T19:35:00.000-05:00"I love you, Elder, but I love your brother more."..."I love you, Elder, but I love your brother more."<br /><br />Well, I have to admit that the adorableness gene was recessive in my case.<br /><br />He's such a cute little guy!The Elderhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05219581046007688751noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6329595.post-58017351760737520672009-05-13T19:32:00.000-05:002009-05-13T19:32:00.000-05:00This comment has been removed by the author.The Elderhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05219581046007688751noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6329595.post-61115621847401836362009-05-13T17:16:00.000-05:002009-05-13T17:16:00.000-05:00The news is the chemical mechanism.
Anybody who ...The news is the chemical mechanism. <br /><br />Anybody who has ever bred dogs or cats or fostered a litter has seen this. It takes intervention to save the runt. I think farm people know this intuitively.chickelithttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10773887469972534979noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6329595.post-82734030222760209652009-05-13T15:44:00.000-05:002009-05-13T15:44:00.000-05:00Dick Smothers was right all along.Dick Smothers was right all along.traditionalguyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05706120413005530014noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6329595.post-17204226966395637072009-05-13T14:45:00.000-05:002009-05-13T14:45:00.000-05:00As noted, this isn't that different from the avian...As noted, this isn't that different from the avian world, and, indeed, arguably, the mammalian world. In short, survival of the fittest. Yes, there is wastage, but that just ups the odds that the best genes win. And, in times of plenty, those spares can help build the species, but are sacrificed for the good of the genetic line in times of want. <br /><br />The big question is whether humans do this too, at some level. I would argue yes, that mothers do discriminate between/among their young, esp. if they have a number of them. Much less so, of course, when there are only a couple over two or three decades.Bruce Haydenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10815293023158025662noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6329595.post-37877299588315991752009-05-13T14:38:00.000-05:002009-05-13T14:38:00.000-05:00I love you, Elder, but I love your brother more.I love you, Elder, but I love your brother more.Ann Althousehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01630636239933008807noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6329595.post-74618492337242213352009-05-13T13:58:00.000-05:002009-05-13T13:58:00.000-05:00No wonder I'm taller than my brother! I was better...No wonder I'm taller than my brother! I was better fed. Mom clearly loved me more!<br /><br />Next, we need to explain why I'm also better looking than he is. <br /><br />This science stuff is great!The Elderhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05219581046007688751noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6329595.post-92050613578258037122009-05-13T13:48:00.000-05:002009-05-13T13:48:00.000-05:00Evolution at work.
Let's not antropomorphize ever...Evolution at work.<br /><br />Let's not antropomorphize everything.<br /><br />Nature works as nature does.<br /><br />We believe in evolution. Right, Jen?Ernesto Ariel Suárezhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01958402720156270521noreply@blogger.com