gforcepdx

I am beginning my undergraduate studies for a Masters in Social Work and am taking psychology 201. This has us studying the basic structures of the mind and my reading is leading me to questions not addressed yet within our course work. Has anyone established an evolutionary benefit of the brain's neural crossover effect? Everything provides a benefit it would seem, so what theory's have been put forward for the left brain controlling the right hand and so on? Also, how far down the evolutionary track does this trait go ? I know that they have discovered many animals literally sleep with one eye open (dolphins, ducks) and that this has to do with hemispheric isolation. That by having both sides of the brain operate independently, one side can rest while the other side remains aware of predators. This separation provides a powerful benefit. But why the cross over?

your right about that... great first post:doh: I was pretty tired I guess

Hello to all, this is my first post Yesterday (3/20/10) was the solstice, which gives us equal parts light and dark, thus marking the beginning of spring in the northern hemisphere. When however I went to view an annual chart for my location (Portland, Oregon), the sunrise was listed at 7:14AM and sunset at 7:23PM. This chart lists march 17th as having a sunrise and sunset at 7:19 AM and PM... So why the discrepancy? Also, While looking for an answer to the question above, I found many references to the earth having a tilted axis. And while there is an abundance of information about the effects of this tilt on our environment, there is no information about its causation. Our planet spins because of the forces exerted upon it as as we travel around the sun, but why is our axis not at a right angle to this plane of this rotation ?