Nonhuman culture was first considered in nonhuman primates because they are genetically similar to humans. How- ever, evolution is not progressive and therefore many species may occupy niches that favor socially trans...Nonhuman culture was first considered in nonhuman primates because they are genetically similar to humans. How- ever, evolution is not progressive and therefore many species may occupy niches that favor socially transmitted, group specific behavior. Not surprisingly, evidence for culture has accrued in several taxonomic groups, including cetaceans. If culture is an ada- ptation, it is imperative we understand the factors that favor its formation. Understanding the evolutionary origin of culture will allow for a wider range of species to be studied, including those that are difficult to test in the laboratory. I propose a broad-based functional paradigm for evaluating nonhuman culture; based on the idea that while not all cultural behaviors may garner fitness benefits to the individual, the ecological and social environments in which cultural behaviors evolved must have favored the physical attributes and social learning capabilities that allow for cultural formation. Specifically this framework emphasizes the relationships between social learning, ecology, social systems, and biology in relation to culture. I illustrate the utility of the func- tional paradigm with evidence from the ceteacean group, while setting the stage for a stringent species by species analysis. By means of contextualizing culture, the Functional Paradigm can evaluate a species＇ potential to exhibit culture and can investigate potentially cultural behaviors展开更多
Stimuli responsive materials have recently been the subject of tremendous research efforts owing to their numerous potential applications. Although there currently exist many different types of ＂smart＂ materials, th...Stimuli responsive materials have recently been the subject of tremendous research efforts owing to their numerous potential applications. Although there currently exist many different types of ＂smart＂ materials, those based on photoresponsive transformations are especially attractive. In this review, we focus on a relatively new class of photochromic molecules based on the photochemistry of chelate organoborates, which form intensely colored, base-stabilized boriranes.Recent efforts to exploit the reactivity of these systems are summarized, and future prospects in materials science discussed.展开更多
文摘Nonhuman culture was first considered in nonhuman primates because they are genetically similar to humans. How- ever, evolution is not progressive and therefore many species may occupy niches that favor socially transmitted, group specific behavior. Not surprisingly, evidence for culture has accrued in several taxonomic groups, including cetaceans. If culture is an ada- ptation, it is imperative we understand the factors that favor its formation. Understanding the evolutionary origin of culture will allow for a wider range of species to be studied, including those that are difficult to test in the laboratory. I propose a broad-based functional paradigm for evaluating nonhuman culture; based on the idea that while not all cultural behaviors may garner fitness benefits to the individual, the ecological and social environments in which cultural behaviors evolved must have favored the physical attributes and social learning capabilities that allow for cultural formation. Specifically this framework emphasizes the relationships between social learning, ecology, social systems, and biology in relation to culture. I illustrate the utility of the func- tional paradigm with evidence from the ceteacean group, while setting the stage for a stringent species by species analysis. By means of contextualizing culture, the Functional Paradigm can evaluate a species＇ potential to exhibit culture and can investigate potentially cultural behaviors
基金financially supported by the Natural Science and Engineering Research Council of Canada (RGPIN:1193993-2013)the National Natural Science Foundation of China (21501017)
文摘Stimuli responsive materials have recently been the subject of tremendous research efforts owing to their numerous potential applications. Although there currently exist many different types of ＂smart＂ materials, those based on photoresponsive transformations are especially attractive. In this review, we focus on a relatively new class of photochromic molecules based on the photochemistry of chelate organoborates, which form intensely colored, base-stabilized boriranes.Recent efforts to exploit the reactivity of these systems are summarized, and future prospects in materials science discussed.
