by Anura Guruge

You probably remember from somewhere hearing/learning about the rods and cones in our eye (the retina to be precise) and how they are responsible for us seeing the color spectrum we do. But, have you ever thought as to how they worked out how these cones and rods reacted to the various colors? They are beyond microscopically small. Think about it. I did.

Think first, then research, then THINK again. Think for the pleasure of thinking.

Yesterday’s ‘Think’: “Facial hair in men” — Yes, that it is testosterone, a hormone associated with aggression, that triggers facial hair is well known. But, what we still don’t fully understand is why there is a link between testosterone and facial hair growth — particularly in terms of evolutionary adaption. That beards helped keep our way distant ancestors warm and camouflaged when they went hunting is semi-plausible but the females, of the time, also went out to collect fruit etc. So didn’t they need beards to keep their faces warm. The camouflage theory also has its snag — mainly in that beards could get caught in undergrowth etc. whereas some ash rubbed onto the face would have been much handier. What is also known is that other mammalian males, lions in particular (with their mane), have more facial hair than the females. So, maybe it was to make males look fierce and aggressive. But, the real answer is that we do not know — why. That is OK. It is something to think about.

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by Anura Guruge