mardi 16 janvier 2007

I mean, I'm really hoping that I heard wrong because I'm half-deaf sometimes, but I'm afraid that wasn't the case in this instance.



I'm in this class where two people a week need to come up with questions post-lecture to lead discussion. The topic of the day today was focused on DRD4, a gene which codes for a dopamine-receptor associated with ADHD and "novelty-seeking behavior", and is sometimes colloquially called the "migratory gene" because longer alleles are found in populations that have, historically, migrated further distances. (These longer alleles are also what is associated with ADHD, novelty-seeking behavior, and a whole host of other characteristics.) I don't explain it very well, but if you're interested, go here (scroll down a bit), here, and here, for starters.

Anyways, this is the dialogue that happened between me and the girl who sat next to me in class today:
Other girl: "I'm supposed to ask a question in class today, but I just don't know what to ask."
Me: "Yes, it's a difficult subject."
OG: "Well, I just don't believe in evolution."
Me: "..."
Now, I'm all for different opinions and viewpoints and stuff like that, but Toto, we're not in Kansas anymore.

(That's why there's a picture of the ocean at the top of this post. Because it is calming.)