Showing posts with label Lighthearted Science SUNDAY SCRIBBLINGS.. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Lighthearted Science SUNDAY SCRIBBLINGS.. Show all posts

Saturday, March 21, 2009

All About Eve


SUNDAY SCRIBBLINGS asks us to complete the phrase 'I Come From.....'.

My contribution goes back rather far and is very sexist. But who cares? 

Warning: not to be used for serious study!!!!!!

ALL ABOUT EVE!


I'm proud of my mitochondria! It's my most important feature!
You pronounce it MY-TOE-CON-DREA! (I used to be a teacher!)
They are cells inside each nucleus, with a very special history,
And, until only recently, their function was a mystery.
Males have mitochondria, but for the shortest term;
In fact they only have them to energise the sperm.
They're not part of the embryo; they simply fade away;
There's simply nothing left at all to fight another day!
Whereas their female counterpart, in the egg that 'we' supply,
Lives on and on and on and on! In fact it will never die!
Our female mitochondria (so scientists believe)
Has remained unchanged in humanity since the time of the first Eve!
Yes, girls, inside our bodies lie 'fossils', living still,
Something quite intriguing, not in Jack, but just in Jill!
One hundred and forty thousand years ago the first 'Eve' showed her face;
Her remains were found in Africa, in a wild deserted place.
And scientists discovered, (and didn't they exclaim!),
That her mitrochondria and ours were practically the same!
I come from a line of women! Like all my sister-kind!
Though I must admit that with male-type genes we've always been combined!
How do I complete 'I come from……'? Well, I seriously believe

That I come from a certain lady
Known as the African Eve!