The Debate Rages On

The idea of evolution, that people developed overtime from apes or monkeys into the human beings we are today, has long been debated by scientists and theologists alike and now we have more evidence to support the scientist side or the argument.  While studying the shoulders of a 3.3 million year old fossilized hominin known as Australopithecus afarensis, scientists found evidence that suggests that it climbed a lot of trees, supporting the evolution theory.  Australopithecus afrarensis is a species that is between an ape and and a human.  The shoulder blade that was studied suggests this species spent more time climbing around trees than it did on the ground, although it could walk upright on two legs.

The scientists studying the shoulder found that the shape and joint angles matched up closer to those of an ape instead of those of a human being.  Bones grow in different ways based on what you are continually doing with them so it is obvious that this A. afarensis was doing a lot of tree climbing.  Still there remain doubters with some people saying that they believe this shoulder is just a product of natural genetics, that is that since this species is in between apes and humans that they just have that particular shoulder shape naturally.  It is truly a never ending debate.

http://www.the-scientist.com/?articles.view/articleNo/33017/title/Acrobatic-Ancestors-/

More Approvals are Good

Recently the US Food and Drug Administration heard a proposal from The President's science advisors who hope to double the amount of prescription drugs for some specific diseases such as obesity.  Many of the drugs that get tested and have some poor side effects get turned down by the FDA and they wish that these drugs will instead get approved despite the negative side effects.  The President's science advisors only want people who have no other option to be able to get the drug and not have it available for the entire population.

Many people see this as a negative because of the negative side effects that the people who take the drug might obtain.  These drugs are not completely tested and have not worked out all the kinks in order to be given out to a mass number of people.  I disagree and believe this is a good thing because if people with obesity have tried other drugs that have not helped then maybe it is time to move on and try something new.  They know there will be side effects but it is their life.  If they are going to die anyway then why not give them something that could help save them.  It won't hurt anything. 
Another problem people saw was how to control the drug and make sure it is only given to the people who really need it and not those with only mild obesity.  I do not think this is a big deal either because how is this problem different from that of every other drug that people try to obtain due to addiction or recreational purposes when they don't really need it.



http://the-scientist.com/2012/10/01/government-urges-fda-to-speed-drug-approvals/