Original Website Blurb from 2011
The general theme of the NABT talks was variation, particularly variation in the climate driving human brain size and cultural variability. I didn’t get to see all of the talks because of a departmental reception for Homecoming weekend. Supposedly they’ll be up on the web later, and I can do a more detailed commentary then.
For now, though, this idea of generally increasing our behavioral variability, as opposed to shifting it, narrowly tracking the environmental conditions, is intuitively appealing, but how would it work? What’s the mechanism? Or more likely, what’s the collection of mechanisms in play on any particular behavior? On this week’s podcast I play with that idea as it relates to one area of our behavior where we are quite variable—our sexuality.
This is a short one, because I feel like crap. Curse you, rhinovirus! Why is there no shaking-fist emoticon?
References
Zietsch, B.P. et. Al (2008). Genetic factors predisposing to homosexuality may increase mating success in heterosexuals. Evolution and Human Behavior29: 424-433.
http://www.matthewckeller.com/Zietsch_HomosexualityEvolution_2008.pdf
I'm bypassing Baba's homepage, which was apparently hacked recently by an undead Algerian pirate sniper (????). Look specifically for track 11.
VSI Episode 21