This article employs a combined approach of biology and economics to reveal that biological evolution has an economic nature, evolving towards improved energy efficiency. The orthodox Darwinian theory of evolution des...This article employs a combined approach of biology and economics to reveal that biological evolution has an economic nature, evolving towards improved energy efficiency. The orthodox Darwinian theory of evolution describes evolution as the random variation of organisms and their survival through natural selection. In fact, the natural environment itself is a constantly changing context, and the strategy to adapt to this change is to enhance behavioral capabilities, thereby expanding the range and dimensions of behavior. Therefore, the improvement of behavioral capabilities is an important aspect of evolution. The enhancement of behavioral capabilities expands the range of adaptation to the natural environment and increases the space for behavioral choices. Within this space of behavioral choices, some options are more effective and superior to others;thus, the ability to select is necessary to make the improved behavioral capabilities more beneficial to the organism itself. The birth and development of the brain serve the purpose of selection. By using the brain to make selections, at least the “better” behavior will be chosen between two alternatives. Once the better behavior yields better results, and the organism can associate these results with the corresponding behavior, it will persist in this behavior. The persistent repetition of a behavior over generations will form a habit. Habits passed down through generations constitute a new environment, causing the organism’s genes to activate or deactivate certain functions, ultimately leading to genetic changes that are beneficial to that habit. Since the brain’s selection represents the organism’s self-selection, it differs from random variation;it is also a rational selection, choosing behaviors that either obtain more energy or reduce energy consumption. Thus, this evolution possesses an economic nature.展开更多
Cirque glaciers found on the Colorado Front Range, USA are sensitive to climate change and are important for water supply and the delivery of water downstream. These glaciers are shrinking at a rapid rate in response ...Cirque glaciers found on the Colorado Front Range, USA are sensitive to climate change and are important for water supply and the delivery of water downstream. These glaciers are shrinking at a rapid rate in response to the global climate change, and thus it is important to track and analyze them. One of the ways to monitor these glaciers is by using multispectral satellite imagery (Landsat imagery). In this article, the feasibility of tracking glacial area via Landsat satellites has been discussed and the trend of 13 glaciers in the Colorado Front Range Region has been analyzed from 1993 to 2021. In this period, the total glacial area across 13 glaciers in the Colorado Front Range Region has decreased by 63.6%, and a significant correlation (p-value p < 0.05) found with the annual global average temperature indicates that the retraction of glaciers is likely a response to the global warming.展开更多
文摘This article employs a combined approach of biology and economics to reveal that biological evolution has an economic nature, evolving towards improved energy efficiency. The orthodox Darwinian theory of evolution describes evolution as the random variation of organisms and their survival through natural selection. In fact, the natural environment itself is a constantly changing context, and the strategy to adapt to this change is to enhance behavioral capabilities, thereby expanding the range and dimensions of behavior. Therefore, the improvement of behavioral capabilities is an important aspect of evolution. The enhancement of behavioral capabilities expands the range of adaptation to the natural environment and increases the space for behavioral choices. Within this space of behavioral choices, some options are more effective and superior to others;thus, the ability to select is necessary to make the improved behavioral capabilities more beneficial to the organism itself. The birth and development of the brain serve the purpose of selection. By using the brain to make selections, at least the “better” behavior will be chosen between two alternatives. Once the better behavior yields better results, and the organism can associate these results with the corresponding behavior, it will persist in this behavior. The persistent repetition of a behavior over generations will form a habit. Habits passed down through generations constitute a new environment, causing the organism’s genes to activate or deactivate certain functions, ultimately leading to genetic changes that are beneficial to that habit. Since the brain’s selection represents the organism’s self-selection, it differs from random variation;it is also a rational selection, choosing behaviors that either obtain more energy or reduce energy consumption. Thus, this evolution possesses an economic nature.
文摘Cirque glaciers found on the Colorado Front Range, USA are sensitive to climate change and are important for water supply and the delivery of water downstream. These glaciers are shrinking at a rapid rate in response to the global climate change, and thus it is important to track and analyze them. One of the ways to monitor these glaciers is by using multispectral satellite imagery (Landsat imagery). In this article, the feasibility of tracking glacial area via Landsat satellites has been discussed and the trend of 13 glaciers in the Colorado Front Range Region has been analyzed from 1993 to 2021. In this period, the total glacial area across 13 glaciers in the Colorado Front Range Region has decreased by 63.6%, and a significant correlation (p-value p < 0.05) found with the annual global average temperature indicates that the retraction of glaciers is likely a response to the global warming.
