Brain freeze and biology

[Michael Weber]

Might be common knowledge but I just learned this from a website I subscribe to that emails a daily, generally very interesting short tidbit from a nonfiction book called Delancyplace.com I am continually amazed at the complexity of biology and what it has developed to help insure survival. This cut and paste contains the gist. Delancyplace.com if you want the complete story.
"The same thing happens to the capillaries in the roof of your mouth. But in this case it's not constriction that causes the pain. Instead, it's the fact that more blood heads to your brain in an effort to keep it warm. And because your brain is contained in your skull, all the extra blood causes an increase in pressure, leading to a headache. The brain is perhaps the most important organ in your body and has developed extremely fast artery dilation and constriction methods as protection. And so when faced with extreme cold* whether outside or inside the the body -- it reacts immediately.
"But once the substance has been removed or swallowed, the capillaries in your mouth rapidly dilate (expand), potentially causing even more pain. The same nerve that senses pain in the forehead has receptors on the roof of your mouth that detect the dilated capillaries, and these receptors send a pain signal to your brain. Which is why your forehead often feels the bulk of the pain."

[Yonak Hawkins]

While my mind is not settled one way or the other on the issue, this kind of complicated function of the body makes it hard to believe that it could be developed by spontaneity of evolution.

[Michael Weber]

While my mind is not settled one way or the other on the issue, this kind of complicated function of the body makes it hard to believe that it could be developed by spontaneity of evolution.. I understand Yonak. I found it interesting and wonderous. I do not want to cause an evolution/creation controversy here.

[Jim Koepke]

[edited]
spontaneity of evolution.

Spontaneity of evolution is a non sequitur. In other words evolution has nothing to do with spontaneous action. Like many things in life and reality, that which works better tends to survive over those things which do not work as well.

jtk

[Yonak Hawkins]

Spontaneity of evolution is a non sequitur. In other words evolution has nothing to do with spontaneous action. Like many things in life and reality, that which works better tends to survive over those things which do not work as well.

jtk

You're probably right, Jim. Perhaps instead of spontaneity I should have used capriciousness.

[Edwin Santos]

You're probably right, Jim. Perhaps instead of spontaneity I should have used capriciousness.

Yonak,
I'm nor sure I follow. What makes you describe evolution as either spontaneous or capricious?

Michael,
Thanks for sharing. To add to your tidbit, I am always amazed at the marvelous redundancy built into the human body i.e. our ability to survive significant damage, injury, loss of a limb, loss of senses, loss of an organ. Other organs, limbs and senses can take over tasks, the brain will reassign functions. It's amazing.

Edwin
Edwin

[Frederick Skelly]

While my mind is not settled one way or the other on the issue, this kind of complicated function of the body makes it hard to believe that it could be developed by spontaneity of evolution.

I know what you mean Yonak.

[Lee Schierer]

Folks, lets not get into the evolution/creation discussion here or this thread will disappear. The reaction of the blood vessels in the roof of the mouth is no different than the body's ability to shut down circulation to extremities to preserve the core temperature or shivering to increase body temperature.

[Yonak Hawkins]

Yonak,
I'm nor sure I follow. What makes you describe evolution as either spontaneous or capricious?

Edwin

According the Theory of Evolution, spontaneous and capricious deviations or aberrations occur normally, from parent to child, in the genome of all species. If these changes result in no advantage with regard to the adaptability of the species, the deviations fall away. If, on the other hand, they prove to be an advantage, then the individuals with this deviation will live longer, or more robustly, and crowd out the individuals who don't have it. This is the idea of "survival of the fittest" as touted by Darwin.

The problem I have is when an advantageous adaptation occurs as a result of a certain specific mix or length of or widespread occurrence of deviations by happenstance, which wouldn't happen if it was just one, single deviation to one individual. It just seems overly coincidental to me and makes me wonder if there is some sort of blueprint for change buried in our genetic codes.

[Edwin Santos]

According the Theory of Evolution, spontaneous and capricious deviations or aberrations occur normally, from parent to child, in the genome of all species. If these changes result in no advantage with regard to the adaptability of the species, the deviations fall away. If, on the other hand, they prove to be an advantage, then the individuals with this deviation will live longer, or more robustly, and crowd out the individuals who don't have it. This is the idea of "survival of the fittest" as touted by Darwin.

The problem I have is when an advantageous adaptation occurs as a result of a certain specific mix or length of or widespread occurrence of deviations by happenstance, which wouldn't happen if it was just one, single deviation to one individual. It just seems overly coincidental to me and makes me wonder if there is some sort of blueprint for change buried in our genetic codes.

Yonak,
Thanks for taking the time to reply. But I think this thread may be above my pay grade, so I'll bow out gracefully and head over to the Neanderthal forum.
Edwin

[Michael Weber]

Yonak,
Thanks for taking the time to reply. But I think this thread may be above my pay grade, so I'll bow out gracefully and head over to the Neanderthal forum.
Edwin
Edwin, in light of the topic that's hilarious. Deliberate?

[Andrew Pitonyak]

According the Theory of Evolution, spontaneous and capricious deviations or aberrations occur normally, from parent to child, in the genome of all species. If these changes result in no advantage with regard to the adaptability of the species, the deviations fall away. If, on the other hand, they prove to be an advantage, then the individuals with this deviation will live longer, or more robustly, and crowd out the individuals who don't have it. This is the idea of "survival of the fittest" as touted by Darwin.

The problem I have is when an advantageous adaptation occurs as a result of a certain specific mix or length of or widespread occurrence of deviations by happenstance, which wouldn't happen if it was just one, single deviation to one individual. It just seems overly coincidental to me and makes me wonder if there is some sort of blueprint for change buried in our genetic codes.

I had an article that claimed that the chain of birth defects (Evolution) required to produce certain traits meant that it is more probable that the Octopus came from outer space. yes, a real scientific article. Blew my mind. Sent it on to my friends in the field. Not my field, so I just smiled and nodded.

[Edwin Santos]

Edwin, in light of the topic that's hilarious. Deliberate?

Heh, wondered if anyone would get it,
Edwin

[Jim Koepke]

Heh, wondered if anyone would get it,
Edwin

It made me chuckle, especially being one who normally is reading the Neanderthal Haven posts.

jtk