Thyroid pops up everywhere!
Was just having a quiet listen to a program on BBC Sounds.
CrowdScience
Were humans ever semi-aquatic?
What evidence is there for a semi-aquatic period in human evolutionary history? That’s the question that’s been bothering listener Dave in Thailand. He thinks our lack of hair and love of water might indicate that, at some point, we were more water-based than we are now. But what does science have to say on the matter? The theory that our ape ancestors returned to the water for a phase in our evolutionary history is a controversial idea that most scientists disagree with. Anand Jagatia chats to Dr Melissa Ilardo, assistant professor at the University of Utah, about our dive reflex - a physiological response we display when submerged underwater, which helps direct oxygen towards vital organs. But this is not a response that is unique to humans - it is found in all mammals. Experts say it developed long before all apes split off in the evolutionary tree. To find out more about the theory itself Anand hears from John Langdon, emeritus professor at the University of Indianapolis. He explains why the aquatic ape theory is not generally accepted by anthropologists, what the fossil record can tell us about our evolutionary path and why evolution is much more complex than the aquatic ape hypothesis suggests. While there may be little evidence of a semi-aquatic period in our evolutionary past, there are some communities around the world that have adapted to utilising their watery environments in more recent evolutionary history. Anand speaks to Dr Nicole Smith-Guzman at the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute who has found evidence that ancient populations in Panama were habitually diving in the sea for shells and seafood. She explains how she can piece together evidence from different sources to detect the activity of ancient populations. And Dr Melissa Ilardo explains how evolutionary pressure can cause physical changes in isolated communities, as our bodies ultimately adapt to help us thrive in more watery environments.
bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/w3ct4y58
Around about 23:00 this snippet occurs:
We were able to show that a gene called PDE10A seems to be influencing this large spleen phenotype. And what we think is happening is that the gene modulates thyroid hormone levels and then the thyroid hormones in turn increase red blood cell count (potentially) which increases spleen size.
(My transcription and surely errors are likely! Also, the context is important. Don’t just read this and take it at face value.)
Start points for looking at the gene!
Carbs and thyroid
Epstein Barr Virus at the root of hypothyroidism and much else. Any thoughts? 
