The Biological Basis of Human Uniqueness

What biological traits make humans distinct from nonhuman animals? The course will cover aspects of human biology that are different from most or all other animals, including our closest living relatives, the great apes. Discussion will focus not only traits that humans share with other animals but express differently (for instance skin and hair), but also traits that have not evolved in other species. These include some well-known traits like language and bipedal walking, but also lesser-known traits like a mutation in the 'CMAH' gene that makes us more vulnerable to heart attacks than other mammals. Our topics will include genetics, physiology, cell biology, morphology, behavior, diet, reproduction, and cognitive traits.