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2002 : WHAT IS YOUR QUESTION? ... WHY? [1]

In the News [ 1 ] [2]
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Contributors [ 99 ] [3]   |   View All Responses [ 99 ] [4]
[5]
John Mccarthy [5]
Professor of Computer Science at Stanford University
Paul Davies Responds

 

John McCarthy asks how animal behavior is encoded in DNA. May I sharpen the question? One of the most remarkable manifestations of inherited behavior is the way birds navigate accurately whilst migrating over vast distances. I understand that part of this skill lies with the bird's ability to use the positions of stars as beacons. Does this imply that some avian DNA contains a map of the sky? Could a scientist in principle sequence the DNA and reconstruct the constellations?

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Links:
[1] https://www.edge.org/annual-question/what-is-your-question-why
[2] https://www.edge.org/inthenews/what-is-your-question-why
[3] https://www.edge.org/contributors/what-is-your-question-why
[4] https://www.edge.org/responses/what-is-your-question-why
[5] https://www.edge.org/memberbio/john_mccarthy