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The article presents information about Cranial Arterial System of the Labyrinthodonts. The article informs that the present investigation was undertaken with the purpose of finding a more plausible interpretation on some of the cranial arteries of the labyrinthodonts, and establishing their arrangement in a number of evolutionary stages within separate taxonomic groups. The material used comprises fossil remains from the collections of the Palaeontological Institute of the Academy of Sciences of the U.S.S.R., as well as published data.

The article discusses problems related to laws of evolution. It reflects on the nature of those problems that deal laws of evolution, such as the real alteration of the structure and functions of animals, which took place in the preceding geological ages. In other words all these questions are phylagenetical problems and therefore, to solve them one must first of all know the evolution that is the phylogenetical history of animals. At first sight this statement appears to be so obvious that it seems useless to pause on it. It would appear, for instance, that the problem of single or multiple origin of large groups of plants and animals, that their polyphyletical or monophyletical evolution, must be resolved only on the ground of phylogenetical investigation.

Focuses on the presidential address on evolutionary ecology to the British Ecological Society. Relevance of evolutionary ecology with ecological adaptations and their consequences; Interpretation of adaptive features at various levels; Comparison between features of species with evolutionary adaptations and consequences of population dynamics.

Agriculture can be fruitfully conceptualized as a basic form of technology which contributes significantly to the energy level of societies and therefore affects their evolution. The basic hypothesis here is that the evolutionary level of a society will closely correspond to the efficacy of the energy source, type of tool materials, and systems of agriculture. A partial test of the theory. based on data drawn from 63 contemporary and historical societies, sought to relate the agricultural variables to three indexes: societal scale (population size, settlement pattern), economic differentiation (internal trade, markets, division of labor, system of exchange, unit of production), and mode of integration (center of power, political cohesion, type of authority). The correlations support the hypothesis. Future research should include other technologies besides agriculture and should relate technology to other aspects of society. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article describes the long-term crisis in life insurance in the U.S. The usual implication is that life insurance detractors are misinformed, mean, odd, or perhaps a bit communistic. It is thus useful to look closely at the basic impact premises of the 1920's and earlier to see how those in the life insurance industry evolved feelings of moral superiority. All insurance at that time was regarded as an individual choice situation. One either discharged his family obligations and insured, or risked putting one's widow and family in an impossible economic and social position. Saving has always been considered a virtue in the U.S., and in the 1920's insurance offered substantial savings advantages which were lacking in many other types of institutions.

The article looks into the contributions of British scientist Thomas Huxley to science education in Great Britain. The article features the circumstances that influenced Huxley's career. Huxley became known for his lecture with the working-class and his foremost defense of Charles Darwin's evolutionary theory. The author also emphasized the significant contributions of Huxley on educational methods as well as in the natural sciences. The achievements of Huxley includes: (1) changes in the scientific nomenclature with the development of the term biology; and (2) renovation of the circular offerings within the natural sciences.

The article discusses the educational perspective of man's understanding about evolution. Man's general interest and continuous effort to explore the evolutionary phenomena is part of the human curiosity to know and explain. As knowledge increases and methods of expanding it improve, man acquires material for better explanations. Considerable scientific interest has focused on the origin of life within inorganic setting. The desire to know is widespread. When curiosity attacks an object or event, cause-effect relationship becomes a part of the inquiry.

The article examines the variety of treatment as regards teleology in several textbooks in biology. No effort was made to obtain statistical sampling; nor all of the recently published textbooks. The method of selection is that use by Herrick. Also, no effort was made to read the entire volume. Certain items, such as "adaptation," "evolution," "mimicry," "tropism," "vitalism," and others. One outstanding difference among these text is that some clearly state the inadequacy of teleological explanations; others seem to omit the point altogether.

The article discusses the scientific findings of Henry Adams on evolutionary process involved in social change. In the hope of discovering such a process, Joseph Priestley's autobiographical account of his discovery of oxygen was examined. This was chosen as a subject for investigation because it dealt with a change of ideas; and presumably changing ideas represent the foundation of any cultural evolution that may occur. To test the possibility that this process has been fundamental in all scientific discovery, an analysis was also made of Antoine Laviosier's method. It was discovered that Laviosier's methods were basically the same as Priestley's. The work on Priestley and Laoisier was initiated in the hope that a cultural evolutionary process would be revealed.

The article analyzes the scientific discovery of scientist Joseph Priestley from which may obtain a better understanding of the process of mutation in cultural evolution. Priestley was interested in gases and in this instance he was interested particularly in oxygen. The differences in results that Priestley noted upon applying tests for fixed air resulted in an immediate change in his belief or hypothesis concerning the identification of the gas. He overcame his difficulty and saved his hypothesis by explaining away the apparent difference between phlogisticated nitrous air and the gas derived from mercurius calcinatus.

The article discusses the concept of cultural evolution in science education. The mechanism or process of organic evolution includes several factors, including hereditary as a stabilizing factor and sexual reproduction as a synthesizing and combining factor. Analogous factors in cultural evolution presumably are: (1) social or cultural heredity; (2) variation in the form of new facts, observations or hypotheses; (3) social hybridization or cross fertilization through the interchange of facts and ideas between individuals, and (4) selection of some facts, ideas and beliefs or hypotheses and the rejection of others. In cultural evolution there are several selective processes. One relates to the selection of goals and hypotheses. Both goals and hypotheses are forms of belief.

The article discusses the subject of race as a group that is differentiated with inherited anatomical features and focuses on the study of human fossil, comparative anatomy and the methods of classification. The author analyzes the racial problems to clarify thinking about race in general. Topics discussed include the relation of the head form to race, the use of genetics for the classification of man, meaning of the words: race and species and methods of classification and pure races. The earliest racial classifications were based on grouping those that are alike one another on the basis of shared traits like color and hair form. The second stage was under the influence of Darwinian evolution and talked about the evolutionary history of man on the basis of anatomical comparisons. According to the author, race is not related to language, religion, nationality or social habits.

The effect of detopping corn plants on respiratory rate of their roots was tested in an isolated root environment. "Detopped roots" were compared to roots of intact plants simultaneously. Root respiratory rates of intact plants increased linearly with time. The carbon dioxide evolution increased after detopping; this increase was not statistically significant for at least two days and significant after seven days. A compartmental analysis of soil respiration is valid, therefore, if the carbon dioxide rates are determined within two days after sampling. The subsequent respiratory rise appears to be associated with senescence of the root system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hydrobia (Potamopyrgus) jenkinsi Smith must be considered as belonging to a group of organisms introduced to the Northwest-European area in modern times. The subfossil records must be much doubted. The distribution of this molluse has first taken place in brackish water localities — by degrees it appears in fresh-water habitats indigneous to Denmark too. H. jenkinsi Sm. must be considered a species in evolution being highly variable as to ecology, shell structure and reproduction. Different circumstances seem to show that the species has developed ecological races with differences in physiology connected with characteristics in their appearances having value of selection under certain extrinsic factors. The hypothesis that the species within the Danish faunistic area should be a mutant developed from Hydrobia ventrosa (MONT.) under certain exterior conditions we have been unable to find any support for. As shown partly by the occurrence of the species in Denmark and its history of records — partly in comparison with other snails of a similar biology — the species apparently has been distributed to brackish water areas and later on (1) actively has invaded with a slight distribution (2) passively has been transferred by means of seabirds with ample possibilities of distribution into fresh water. The latest conquered habitats — pure unpolluted fresh water with a low content of chlorine — must be of special interest for future investigations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The year 1909, jubilee year of the publication of Charles Darwin's "The Origin of Species," was marked by discussions and controversies about evolution and man's place in nature. Only 38 years had passed since the appearance of his "Descent of Man," a challenging and disturbing concept in that period. On almost the last page of "The Origin of Species" Darwin predicts that light will be thrown on the origin of man and his history. That sentence in the controversial context of 1909 was the source and origin of anthropology. Being involved in social affairs, especially in social changes, the author has been very interested in history. Understanding comes through history as well as through synchronic functional studies of communities and happenings. But whether serving in such honorary positions as the foregoing; or in administering the university department, advancing anthropology and research, and providing means of publication; or working for policy changes in Aboriginal Australia and Papua-New Guinea, the theme is the same, whether the call be to advance science or human welfare, the response must be in the affirmative to the best of ability.

Beginning with the present state of the Weber discussion, Max Weber's central theme, the concept of ‘rationalization’ which the author delimits from the theories of evolution and characterizes in terms of its contemporary relevance, is examined. Next follows a short account of Weber's position in the history of thought and his basic attitude towards the theory of knowledge. From this point the author tries to throw light on the systematic core of Weber's work with regard to two themes: the relationship between ideas and interests on the basis of social stratification, and the relationship between legitimacy and administrative organization in the well-known types of domination. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article reports on Knox Cube Backward (KCB) as a performance test of general intelligence. The Knox Cube test may be administered backwards as well as forwards, and this paper reports some preliminary results of its use as a performance test of general intelligence. A search of the literature did not discover any references to the Knox Cube Backward (KCB). However, there are many studies with Knox Cube Forward (KCF), originally devised by H. A. Knox in his study of suspected mental defective immigrants at Ellis Island. The Knox Cube Backward (KCB), a revision of the Knox Cube test, was administered to one hundred normal children who had a mean age of 78 months and a mean IQ of 120.4. The reliability coefficient of KCB was found to be .88.

The article discusses a bibliography for a seminar on evolution. Colleges and universities in the U.S. teach evolution as a seminar course. Since the field is broad, journals and other papers have appeared with discussions and other necessary data useful to students and instructors alike. Leading evolutionary biologists in America have been welcomed to participate with the recent papers. The contributors include Dean Amadon of he American Musesum of Natural History, George W. Beadle of the California, Alan A. Boyden of Rutgers University, Bayard H. Brattstrom of Adelphi College and others.

The article discusses the problem of defining the race. Heredity and environment are the two factors which determine the characteristics of individuals. Race should show a trend towards stability from one generation to the next, which is a feature of genetic heredity as an instrument for the study of evolution. According to the author, an attempt to classify populations according to race cannot therefore be based on a preconceived notion of its possibility . The concept of race is deprived of all significance and value to identify the words "race" and "individual."

The article discusses the intensity of feedbacks between physical and cultural evolution. The feedback mechanisms which constituted the driving force of the process of hominization have evolved. The habits and hunting of carnivorous caused changes in the pattern of social organization of the early hominid hord and psychological adaptations to killing. According to the author, it is difficult to speculate on the changes of intensity of the interdependence between culture and the phenomenon of developmental retardation. The evolution of culture and evolution of brain is interdependent.

The article discusses the process of raciation which is brought about by the operation of the same genetic mechanism which is responsible for organic evolution in general. The emergence of reproductive isolation between two or more segments of a breeding population is important for the process of raciation to set in. The selective value of a particular character in a given environment, the amount of genetic variability available for selection, breeding size of the population, patterns of mating are the determining factors of the degree of racial divergence.

The article examines the book of author Lecomte du Noɒy's on evolution and thermodynamics. A statement made in this book is already an example of the classic effect, the perpetuation of error. Many scientific reviewers have failed to point out this rather significant error. In the book, du Noɒy states that biological evolution violates the second law of thermodynamics. Although du Noɒy's states in at least six places that evolution violates the second law, he adduces only one computation as quantitative evidence.

Presents the poem "Pibroch," by Ted Hughes.