What makes us different from all the other animals?

[rong]

Humans can stop thinking

[Q. G. Pennyworth]

Genetically, the prize for greatest variance goes to the octopus, I think.

Which species of octopus and why?

I think it was the whole genus, extending maybe even to the family, and it was because of their DNA, maybe all the different proteins they can encode being greater by something like an order of magnitude w.r.t. all other "terrestrial" families; with the implication of their being practically alien.

Here's the actual study all those bullshit headlines are based on
http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/v524/n7564/full/nature14668.html

Coleoid cephalopods (octopus, squid and cuttlefish) are active, resourceful predators with a rich behavioural repertoire1. They have the largest nervous systems among the invertebrates2 and present other striking morphological innovations including camera-like eyes, prehensile arms, a highly derived early embryogenesis and a remarkably sophisticated adaptive colouration system1, 3. To investigate the molecular bases of cephalopod brain and body innovations, we sequenced the genome and multiple transcriptomes of the California two-spot octopus, Octopus bimaculoides. We found no evidence for hypothesized whole-genome duplications in the octopus lineage4, 5, 6. The core developmental and neuronal gene repertoire of the octopus is broadly similar to that found across invertebrate bilaterians, except for massive expansions in two gene families previously thought to be uniquely enlarged in vertebrates: the protocadherins, which regulate neuronal development, and the C2H2 superfamily of zinc-finger transcription factors. Extensive messenger RNA editing generates transcript and protein diversity in genes involved in neural excitability, as previously described7, as well as in genes participating in a broad range of other cellular functions. We identified hundreds of cephalopod-specific genes, many of which showed elevated expression levels in such specialized structures as the skin, the suckers and the nervous system. Finally, we found evidence for large-scale genomic rearrangements that are closely associated with transposable element expansions. Our analysis suggests that substantial expansion of a handful of gene families, along with extensive remodelling of genome linkage and repetitive content, played a critical role in the evolution of cephalopod morphological innovations, including their large and complex nervous systems.

[axod]

That being said, the following has a more centrally enduring quality.

What makes us different from all the other animals is the fact that we ask shit like "What makes us different from all the other animals?"

Can't help thinking we're ahead of the game in that respect.

Giraffes still have the longest necks, tho. Maybe long term that'll turn out to be the more important thing.

[Cain]

Genetically, the prize for greatest variance goes to the octopus, I think.

Which species of octopus and why?

I think it was the whole genus, extending maybe even to the family, and it was because of their DNA, maybe all the different proteins they can encode being greater by something like an order of magnitude w.r.t. all other "terrestrial" families; with the implication of their being practically alien.

Here's the actual study all those bullshit headlines are based on
http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/v524/n7564/full/nature14668.html

Coleoid cephalopods (octopus, squid and cuttlefish) are active, resourceful predators with a rich behavioural repertoire1. They have the largest nervous systems among the invertebrates2 and present other striking morphological innovations including camera-like eyes, prehensile arms, a highly derived early embryogenesis and a remarkably sophisticated adaptive colouration system1, 3. To investigate the molecular bases of cephalopod brain and body innovations, we sequenced the genome and multiple transcriptomes of the California two-spot octopus, Octopus bimaculoides. We found no evidence for hypothesized whole-genome duplications in the octopus lineage4, 5, 6. The core developmental and neuronal gene repertoire of the octopus is broadly similar to that found across invertebrate bilaterians, except for massive expansions in two gene families previously thought to be uniquely enlarged in vertebrates: the protocadherins, which regulate neuronal development, and the C2H2 superfamily of zinc-finger transcription factors. Extensive messenger RNA editing generates transcript and protein diversity in genes involved in neural excitability, as previously described7, as well as in genes participating in a broad range of other cellular functions. We identified hundreds of cephalopod-specific genes, many of which showed elevated expression levels in such specialized structures as the skin, the suckers and the nervous system. Finally, we found evidence for large-scale genomic rearrangements that are closely associated with transposable element expansions. Our analysis suggests that substantial expansion of a handful of gene families, along with extensive remodelling of genome linkage and repetitive content, played a critical role in the evolution of cephalopod morphological innovations, including their large and complex nervous systems.

Scientist: "Science has proven the way tabloid journalist headline writers think is practically alien to the normal human."

Tabloid journalist: "SCIENCE SAYS PAPER WRITERS ARE ALIENS.  HAVE MORE DNA IN COMMON WITH A CRAB THAN A HUMAN BEING.  READ ALL ABOUT IT"/

[Cainad (dec.)]

I was kind of, albeit apparently futilely, hoping that people here would get the point and not run off with "things that make humans super special".

Cainad got it, at least. Cainad, let's you and me go start our own species.






Oh, shit. I'm sterile. Never mind. We're all going to die.

Well, I'm sure if I try REALLY hard...

[Mesozoic Mister Nigel]

I was kind of, albeit apparently futilely, hoping that people here would get the point and not run off with "things that make humans super special".

Cainad got it, at least. Cainad, let's you and me go start our own species.






Oh, shit. I'm sterile. Never mind. We're all going to die.

Well, I'm sure if I try REALLY hard...

[Pæs]

This thread caused me to return to the arguments against human uniqueness outlined by the illustrious Professor Trol Bearington.

http://www.principiadiscordia.com/forum/index.php?topic=32883.msg1192322#msg1192322

[P3nT4gR4m]

So nothing scientific makes us different, that's fair enough. Something I can get behind. But there's an implication in there that we're not different which is patently not the case.

The properties that emerged from the tiny tweak our particular strand of ribonucleic ticker tape received made us very different. According to biology we are 97(ish) percent identical to mice. So why didn't mice develop the atom bomb?

You're a snowflake. Get over it 

[Mesozoic Mister Nigel]

So nothing scientific makes us different, that's fair enough. Something I can get behind. But there's an implication in there that we're not different which is patently not the case.

The properties that emerged from the tiny tweak our particular strand of ribonucleic ticker tape received made us very different. According to biology we are 97(ish) percent identical to mice. So why didn't mice develop the atom bomb?

You're a snowflake. Get over it 

Actually, the implication is that we're no more different from all the other animals than any given species is different from all the other animals.

There is no big defining difference that sets us apart and makes us special. Our difference is the sum total of many traits that, in combination, characterize our species. The fact that we are the only highly technological species at this time sets us apart from the animals as much as the bat being the only flying mammal at this time sets bats apart from the animals. My point is that the man/animal dichotomy is false, and it's an unproductive way of thinking about our species and its relationship with all the other animals, and our shared environment.

[Mesozoic Mister Nigel]

This thread caused me to return to the arguments against human uniqueness outlined by the illustrious Professor Trol Bearington.

http://www.principiadiscordia.com/forum/index.php?topic=32883.msg1192322#msg1192322

I forgot all about that thread.  It was hilarious.

[P3nT4gR4m]

So nothing scientific makes us different, that's fair enough. Something I can get behind. But there's an implication in there that we're not different which is patently not the case.

The properties that emerged from the tiny tweak our particular strand of ribonucleic ticker tape received made us very different. According to biology we are 97(ish) percent identical to mice. So why didn't mice develop the atom bomb?

You're a snowflake. Get over it 

Actually, the implication is that we're no more different from all the other animals than any given species is different from all the other animals.

There is no big defining difference that sets us apart and makes us special. Our difference is the sum total of many traits that, in combination, characterize our species. The fact that we are the only highly technological species at this time sets us apart from the animals as much as the bat being the only flying mammal at this time sets bats apart from the animals. My point is that the man/animal dichotomy is false, and it's an unproductive way of thinking about our species and its relationship with all the other animals, and our shared environment.

Couldn't agree more. The pathological denial thing is a particular lulzfest where all sorts of convoluted bullshit gets trotted out to excuse the fact that most of the time we're a bunch of apes behaving exactly like any other species of primate.

At other times I defend the fact that our intellectual capacity (untapped tho it usually remains) separates us from the rest of our biologically mutated brethren. There is great potential there. Unfortunately we're still animals, for the most part quite content to obey the law of the jungle, blissfully unaware that that's exactly the kind of thing a jellyfish would do.

[LMNO]

This thread caused me to return to the arguments against human uniqueness outlined by the illustrious Professor Trol Bearington.

http://www.principiadiscordia.com/forum/index.php?topic=32883.msg1192322#msg1192322

I forgot all about that thread.  It was hilarious.

How do you remember all these dumbass threads?

[Mesozoic Mister Nigel]

This thread caused me to return to the arguments against human uniqueness outlined by the illustrious Professor Trol Bearington.

http://www.principiadiscordia.com/forum/index.php?topic=32883.msg1192322#msg1192322

I forgot all about that thread.  It was hilarious.

How do you remember all these dumbass threads?

It's impossible.