Sheep Defy the Forces of Natural Selection

This article can be found at http://www.nytimes.com/2010/11/02/science/02obsheep.html?ref=science

    This article covers an interesting find that seems contradictory: sheep with weak immune systems may have more reproductive success. The writer, Sindya Bhanoo, writes a good first paragraph where she conveys the important information, and at the same time draws the reader in by highlighting the absurd possibility that natural selection does not always work: “A weak immune system makes an animal vulnerable to disease and parasites, but strangely natural selection does not always weed out creatures that have what appear to be severe disadvantages.” The second paragraph gives the important specifics about “reduced reproductive success” as a result of strong immune systems, and Bhanoo follows from there with details of the study.

    One thing this brief article may have included is a scientific discussion of the connection between these sheep and humans. In other words, what can this study tell us about our immune systems? There is no mention of human immune systems in the article, and that seems like it would be an interesting/important addition. The article also ends quite abruptly, probably because Bhanoo only focuses on the details of the study itself and ignores any further implications or future prospects of the research. But overall, it is an easy read, concise, and informative.