Quote:
Originally Posted by Tina  Racial skin colour is heritable through chromosones and maintained when same skin/race couple reproduce. But when two differant skin/race colours reproduce we do actually get what appears as a blended effect. (I am really simplyfying the cause of skin color here).
(Does get me off the hook re; acquired characteristics not heritable?) |
No ... This doesn't get you off the hook.
You only pass on what you inherit. If your mother has 'A' DNA and your father has 'B' DNA, then you inherit a mixture of 'AB' DNA. (with random spelling mistakes)
You will only pass on 'AB' DNA. Despite the fact that you may alter the DNA in your own composition by, tobacco, drugs, petrol sniffing, eating, whatever. Even if you discover some new method of living that greatly enhances your life your child will only receive a mixture of your 'AB' DNA and your partners 'CD' DNA.
However, this is not to say that you cannot damage your future childs DNA by rash acts that threaten your own life. Damage is always possible. But traits that you have 'individually' aquired and not inherited cannot be passed on. We only aquire new traits by random mutations in the 'passing on'
There is a subtly here that needs to be thought through carefully. Thats why mammals evolved to care for a single offspring rather than thousands like say a spider. Mammals can aquire new traits (not inherited) by learning from their carers. Mammals decided to 'value add' to their inherited traits. This ability itself was a random mutation, somewhere back around 310 million years ago, in the first mammal like creature called (I think) a cylodont. This is believed to be the first mammal like creature that did this. However other species also did this including some species of dinosaurs
cool bananas ... greg
Tina ... it gives me great pleasure to say TRY AGAIN ....
