Animation Tool Research Articles

Animation Control of Surface Motion Capture

Surface motion capture (SurfCap) of actor performance from multiple view video provides reconstruction of the natural nonrigid deformation of skin and clothing. This paper introduces techniques for interactive animation control of SurfCap sequences which allow the flexibility in editing and interactive manipulation associated with existing tools for animation from skeletal motion capture (MoCap). Laplacian mesh editing is extended using a basis model learned from SurfCap sequences to constrain the surface shape to reproduce natural deformation. Three novel approaches for animation control of SurfCap sequences, which exploit the constrained Laplacian mesh editing, are introduced: 1) space–time editing for interactive sequence manipulation; 2) skeleton-driven animation to achieve natural nonrigid surface deformation; and 3) hybrid combination of skeletal MoCap driven and SurfCap sequence to extend the range of movement. These approaches are combined with high-level parametric control of SurfCap sequences in a hybrid surface and skeleton-driven animation control framework to achieve natural surface deformation with an extended range of movement by exploiting existing MoCap archives. Evaluation of each approach and the integrated animation framework are presented on real SurfCap sequences for actors performing multiple motions with a variety of clothing styles. Results demonstrate that these techniques enable flexible control for interactive animation with the natural nonrigid surface dynamics of the captured performance and provide a powerful tool to extend current SurfCap databases by incorporating new motions from MoCap sequences.

Real Examples based Natural Phenomena Synthesis

Current physics-based simulation is an important tool in the fluid animation. However some problems require a new change to current research trends which depend only on the simulation. The ultimate goal of this project is to obtain information of flow example, analyze an example through machine learning and the novel fluid animation reconfigure without physical simulation.

Disruption of paired-associate learning in rat offspring perinatally exposed to dioxins

The prevalence of cognitive abnormalities in children has partly been ascribed to environmental chemical exposure. Appropriate animal models and tools for evaluating higher brain function are required to examine this problem. A recently developed behavioral test in which rats learn six unique flavor-location pairs in a test arena was used to evaluate paired-associate learning, a hallmark of the higher cognitive function that is essential to language learning in humans. Pregnant Long-Evans rats were dosed by gavage with 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD) or 2,3,7,8-tetrabromodibenzo-p-dioxin (TBDD) at a dose of 0, 200, or 800 ng/kg (referred as Control, TCDD-200, TCDD-800, TBDD-200, or TBDD-800, hereafter) on gestational day 15, and the offspring was tested during adulthood. Paired-associate learning was found to be impaired in the TCDD-200 and TBDD-200 groups, but not in either group exposed to 800 ng/kg, the observations of which were ensured by non-cued trials. As for the emotional aspect, during habituation, the TCDD-200 and TBDD-200 groups showed significantly longer latencies to enter the test arena from a start box than the Control, TCDD-800, and TBDD-800 groups, suggesting that the TCDD-200 and TBDD-200 groups manifested anxiety-like behavior. Thus, both the chlorinated dioxin and its brominated congener affected higher brain function to a similar extent in a nearly identical manner. Use of the behavioral test that can evaluate paired-associate learning in rats demonstrated that in utero and lactational exposure to not only TCDD but also TBDD perturbed higher brain function in rat offspring in a nonmonotonic manner.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (doi:10.1007/s00204-013-1161-y) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

'Captivity bias' in animal tool use and its implications for the evolution of hominin technology.

Animals in captive or laboratory settings may outperform wild animals of the same species in both frequency and diversity of tool use, a phenomenon here termed 'captivity bias'. Although speculative at this stage, a logical conclusion from this concept is that animals whose tool-use behaviour is observed solely under natural conditions may be judged cognitively or physically inferior than if they had also been tested or observed under controlled captive conditions. In turn, this situation creates a potential problem for studies of the behaviour of extinct members of the human family tree-the hominins-as hominin cognitive abilities are often judged on material evidence of tool-use behaviour left in the archaeological record. In this review, potential factors contributing to captivity bias in primates (including increased contact between individuals engaged in tool use, guidance or shaping of tool-use behaviour by other tool-users and increased free time and energy) are identified and assessed for their possible effects on the behaviour of the Late Pleistocene hominin Homo floresiensis. The captivity bias concept provides one way to uncouple hominin tool use from cognition, by considering hominins as subject to the same adaptive influences as other tool-using animals.

Validity and applicability of a video-based animated tool to assess mobility in elderly Latin American populations

To assess the reliability and the validity of Portuguese- and Spanish-translated versions of the video-based short-form Mobility Assessment Tool in assessing self-reported mobility, and to provide evidence for the applicability of these videos in elderly Latin American populations as a complement to physical performance measures. The sample consisted of 300 elderly participants (150 from Brazil, 150 from Colombia) recruited at neighborhood social centers. Mobility was assessed with the Mobility Assessment Tool, and compared with the Short Physical Performance Battery score and self-reported functional limitations. Reliability was calculated using intraclass correlation coefficients. Multiple linear regression analyses were used to assess associations among mobility assessment tools and health, and sociodemographic variables. A significant gradient of increasing Mobility Assessment Tool score with better physical function was observed for both self-reported and objective measures, and in each city. Associations between self-reported mobility and health were strong, and significant. Mobility Assessment Tool scores were lower in women at both sites. Intraclass correlation coefficients of the Mobility Assessment Tool were 0.94 (95% confidence interval 0.90-0.97) in Brazil and 0.81 (95% confidence interval 0.66-0.91) in Colombia. Mobility Assessment Tool scores were lower in Manizales than in Natal after adjustment by Short Physical Performance Battery, self-rated health and sex. These results provide evidence for high reliability and good validity of the Mobility Assessment Tool in its Spanish and Portuguese versions used in Latin American populations. In addition, the Mobility Assessment Tool can detect mobility differences related to environmental features that cannot be captured by objective performance measures.

Abstract CN05-03: Targeting oncogene-induced DNA damage for cancer therapy.

Abstract Our laboratory has focused much of its research in trying to understand how cells respond to "replicative stress" (RS), a type of DNA damage which arises unavoidably every time that a cell replicates its DNA, and which is mainly prevented by a RS-Response (RSR) coordinated by ATR and Chk1 kinases. Given that certain oncogenes can generate substantial amounts of RS, we hypothesized that cells carrying these oncogenes might be “addicted” to a proficient RSR. To explore these ideas, we have generated several cellular, animal and chemical tools for the study of ATR function in mammals. These include (1) a cell system in which ATR can be selectively activated at will; (2) mice with a reduced or increased RSR, and (3) chemical inhibitors of ATR. Our early works suggested that ATR inhibitors would indeed be particularly deleterious for tumors with high levels of RS, such as those induced by the Myc oncogene. Our ideas and new results in this area will be presented. Citation Information: Mol Cancer Ther 2013;12(11 Suppl):CN05-03. Citation Format: Oscar Fernandez-Capetillo. Targeting oncogene-induced DNA damage for cancer therapy. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR-NCI-EORTC International Conference: Molecular Targets and Cancer Therapeutics; 2013 Oct 19-23; Boston, MA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Mol Cancer Ther 2013;12(11 Suppl):Abstract nr CN05-03.

A Cross-Sectional Study of Helicobacter Infection Among Laboratory Animals and Animal Research Workers

A Cross-Sectional Study of Helicobacter Infection Among Laboratory Animals and Animal Research Workers

Dual Quaternion Blending Algorithm and Its Application in Character Animation

In this paper we generalize established techniques and blending algorithm for quaternions to dual quaternions to include all rigid transformations, and implement real-time character animation with dual quaternions under the platform of OpenGL. Classical quaternions are restricted to the representation of rotations although combination of matrix calculation and quaternions operator has been a popular tool in character animation since 1990s. In character animation and some other applications of 3D computer graphics, we are actually faced with rigid transformation which just includes translation and rotation. Similar to the way quaternions represent rotations, dual quaternions represent rigid transformations. Algorithms based on dual quaternions own better properties than those based on quaternions in practical applications, which include reduced overhead, increased computational efficiency and coordinate invariance.. Finally we demonstrate the effectiveness and superiority of dual quaternions blending algorithm by cartoon male and female mesh models with the animation of walking and waving. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.11591/telkomnika.v11i10.3339

SPECIAL TOPICS — Mitigation of methane and nitrous oxide emissions from animal operations: III. A review of animal management mitigation options1

The goal of this review was to analyze published data on animal management practices that mitigate enteric methane (CH4) and nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions from animal operations. Increasing animal productivity can be a very effective strategy for reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions per unit of livestock product. Improving the genetic potential of animals through planned cross-breeding or selection within breeds and achieving this genetic potential through proper nutrition and improvements in reproductive efficiency, animal health, and reproductive lifespan are effective approaches for improving animal productivity and reducing GHG emission intensity. In subsistence production systems, reduction of herd size would increase feed availability and productivity of individual animals and the total herd, thus lowering CH4 emission intensity. In these systems, improving the nutritive value of low-quality feeds for ruminant diets can have a considerable benefit on herd productivity while keeping the herd CH4 output constant or even decreasing it. Residual feed intake may be a tool for screening animals that are low CH4 emitters, but there is currently insufficient evidence that low residual feed intake animals have a lower CH4 yield per unit of feed intake or animal product. Reducing age at slaughter of finished cattle and the number of days that animals are on feed in the feedlot can significantly reduce GHG emissions in beef and other meat animal production systems. Improved animal health and reduced mortality and morbidity are expected to increase herd productivity and reduce GHG emission intensity in all livestock production systems. Pursuing a suite of intensive and extensive reproductive management technologies provides a significant opportunity to reduce GHG emissions. Recommended approaches will differ by region and species but should target increasing conception rates in dairy, beef, and buffalo, increasing fecundity in swine and small ruminants, and reducing embryo wastage in all species. Interactions among individual components of livestock production systems are complex but must be considered when recommending GHG mitigation practices.

Authoring and animating painterly characters

Artists explore the visual style of animated characters through 2D concept art, since it affords them a nearly unlimited degree of creative freedom. Realizing the desired visual style, however, within the 3D character animation pipeline is often impossible, since artists must work within the technical limitations of the pipeline toolset. In order to expand the range of possible visual styles for digital characters, our research aims to incorporate the expressiveness afforded by 2D concept painting into the computer animation pipeline as a core component of character authoring and animation. While prior 3D painting methods focus on static geometry or simple animations, we develop tools for the more difficult task of character animation. Our system shows how 3D stroke-based paintings can be deformed using standard rigging tools. We also propose a configuration-space keyframing algorithm for authoring stroke effects that depend on scene variables such as character pose or light position. During animation, our system supports stroke-based temporal keyframing for one-off effects. Our primary technical contribution is a novel interpolation scheme for configuration-space keyframing that ensures smooth, controllable results. We demonstrate several characters authored with our system that exhibit painted effects difficult to achieve with traditional animation tools.

디지털저작도구의 창의적 특성과 교육에 관한 연구: 3D 애니메이션 저작도구(3DStudioMax)를 중심으로

애니메이션 도구가 아날로그 도구에서 디지털 저작도구로 바뀌면서 애니메이션의 비약적인 발전이 이루어졌다. 디지털 저작도구의 위상변화에 따라, 대학과 학원 등에서 디지털 저작도구의 교육에도 많은 변화가 생기게 되었다. 디지털 저작도구가 단순한 도구(tool)이라는 인식으로 인해 저작도구에 대한 연구가 부족하였으므로, 대학교육 현장에서 학생들의 디지털 저작도구에 대한 적응의 어려움과 체감난이도를 줄여보고자 이것에 대한 분석적 접근을 해보고자 한다. 아울러 애니메이션 종사자들의 사회적 문화적 변화와 초급자와 실무자의 재교육에 있어 디지털 저작도구의 효과적인 교육방안을 제안 한다. 이 도구는 지각적 지식과 서술적 지식을 동시에 가지고 있고 언어적 특징과 지식적 특징들을 가지기 때문에, 배우기도 힘들고 제대로 익히기 위해서는 전문적 수준의 컴퓨터그래픽지식을 배워야 한다. 그리고 창조적인 결과물을 제작하기 위해 저작도구 내에서 창의적인 시도를 하기도 한다. 또한 자기개발을 위해 사용자들은 커뮤니티를 형성해 정보를 교환하고 더 나아가 저작도구를 매개로한 구인구직시장을 형성하기도 한다. 이처럼 디지털 저작도구는 단순한 도구가 아니다. 그래서 저작도구에 대한 태도를 학구적으로 바꿀 필요가 있다고 생각한다. 그러나 이것이 긍정적인 측면만 가지고 있는 것은 아니어서 사용자들이 다루는 저작도구에 종속화되는 현상이 생기고 있으며, 저작도구를 맹신하거나 타 소프트웨어에 비판적인 입장을 갖게 되기도 한다. 기존에 저작도구에 관한 연구가 공학적 측면과 산업적 측면만으로 보는 경향이 많았는데, 이 논문을 통해서 인문학적 측면에서 사회/문화적 특징과 학술적인 의미를 찾고 교육적 차원에서 어떻게 접근하는 것이 옳은 것인지 조사 한다. Animation tool has been made changes rapid development of animation from analog tool to digital authoring tool. Depending on the change in the status of digital authoring tools, education of digital authoring tool has brought many changes occurred in the institute and university. Digital authoring tool was insufficient for research of authoring tool due to the recognition that authoring tool is a simple tool. I try to resolve the difficulties through the analysis digital authoring tools to students studying at the university. In addition, Suggests social/cultural change of animation practitioners and effective training methods of digital authoring tools in the education of beginners and practitioners. This tool have perceptual knowledge and narrative knowledge. Since the language features and knowledge features is difficult to learn. it must be learned knowledge of computer graphics of professional level properly to learn. Then users should try to be creative within the authoring tool to produce creative results. also formed the community and to exchange information for self-development further it should form job market that authoring tool make formed through medium. So, I think that there is a need to change academically attitude to authoring tool. because this is not only the positive side but it occurs phenomenon to enslave users in authoring tool, and blind faith in the authoring tool or critical stance on software. It was a lot of pre-existing research that investigate engineering and industrial side in the authoring tool. Through this thesis, We will find social/cultural features and academic significance, and investigate that how to approach the method of education.

비디오 객체 정의에 의한 동적 증강 정보 저작

It is generally required to use modeling or animation tools for inserting dynamic objects into augmented reality, and this process demands high expertise and complexity. This paper proposes a video object based authoring method that enables augmentation with dynamic video objects without such process. Integrated grab-cut and grow-cut method strips initial area of video target off the existing video clips, and snap-cut method is then applied to track objects` boundaries over frames so as to augment real world with continuous motion frames. Experiment shows video cut-out and authoring results achieved by only a few menu selections and simple correcting sketch.

Aprendizajes pedagógicos de la estrategia educativa Lectores Saludables

The study presents the results of assessing the implementation of the Healthy Readers (Lectores Saludables) teaching strategy in rural schools of the Colombian Caribbean. The purpose of the strategy was to strengthen teaching practices with literary animation resources and tools that can result in developing healthy habits and behaviors in elementary school children. It was a qualitative ethnographic study applied to administrators, teachers, students and parents in these schools. The strategy enabled recovering the quality of curriculum, pedagogical and teaching management, strengthening school culture, improving self-care practices in the academic community in general.

A Bayesian method and its variational approximation for prediction of genomic breeding values in multiple traits.

BackgroundGenomic selection is an effective tool for animal and plant breeding, allowing effective individual selection without phenotypic records through the prediction of genomic breeding value (GBV). To date, genomic selection has focused on a single trait. However, actual breeding often targets multiple correlated traits, and, therefore, joint analysis taking into consideration the correlation between traits, which might result in more accurate GBV prediction than analyzing each trait separately, is suitable for multi-trait genomic selection. This would require an extension of the prediction model for single-trait GBV to multi-trait case. As the computational burden of multi-trait analysis is even higher than that of single-trait analysis, an effective computational method for constructing a multi-trait prediction model is also needed.ResultsWe described a Bayesian regression model incorporating variable selection for jointly predicting GBVs of multiple traits and devised both an MCMC iteration and variational approximation for Bayesian estimation of parameters in this multi-trait model. The proposed Bayesian procedures with MCMC iteration and variational approximation were referred to as MCBayes and varBayes, respectively. Using simulated datasets of SNP genotypes and phenotypes for three traits with high and low heritabilities, we compared the accuracy in predicting GBVs between multi-trait and single-trait analyses as well as between MCBayes and varBayes. The results showed that, compared to single-trait analysis, multi-trait analysis enabled much more accurate GBV prediction for low-heritability traits correlated with high-heritability traits, by utilizing the correlation structure between traits, while the prediction accuracy for uncorrelated low-heritability traits was comparable or less with multi-trait analysis in comparison with single-trait analysis depending on the setting for prior probability that a SNP has zero effect. Although the prediction accuracy with varBayes was generally lower than with MCBayes, the loss in accuracy was slight. The computational time was greatly reduced with varBayes.ConclusionsIn genomic selection for multiple correlated traits, multi-trait analysis was more beneficial than single-trait analysis and varBayes was much advantageous over MCBayes in computational time, which would outweigh the loss of prediction accuracy caused by the approximation procedure, and is thus considered a practical method of choice.

Visualization of 5D Assimilation Data for Meteorological Forecasting and Its Related Disaster Mitigations Utilizing Vis5D of Software Tool

Method for visualization of 5D assimilation data for meteorological forecasting and its related disaster mitigations utilizing Vis5D of software tool is proposed. In order to mitigate severe weather related disaster, meteorological forecasting and prediction is needed. There are some numerical weather forecasting data, in particular, assimilation data. Time series of three dimensional geophysical parameters have to be represented visually onto computer display in a comprehensive manner. On the other hand, there are some visualization software tools. In particular, Vis5D of software tool for animation of three dimensional imagery data can be displayed. Through experiments with NCEP/GDAS assimilation data, it is found that the proposed method is appropriate for representation of 5D assimilation data in a comprehensive manner.

Molecular, Physiological, and Motor Performance Defects in DMSXL Mice Carrying >1,000 CTG Repeats from the Human DM1 Locus

Myotonic dystrophy type 1 (DM1) is caused by an unstable CTG repeat expansion in the 3′UTR of the DM protein kinase (DMPK) gene. DMPK transcripts carrying CUG expansions form nuclear foci and affect splicing regulation of various RNA transcripts. Furthermore, bidirectional transcription over the DMPK gene and non-conventional RNA translation of repeated transcripts have been described in DM1. It is clear now that this disease may involve multiple pathogenic pathways including changes in gene expression, RNA stability and splicing regulation, protein translation, and micro–RNA metabolism. We previously generated transgenic mice with 45-kb of the DM1 locus and >300 CTG repeats (DM300 mice). After successive breeding and a high level of CTG repeat instability, we obtained transgenic mice carrying >1,000 CTG (DMSXL mice). Here we described for the first time the expression pattern of the DMPK sense transcripts in DMSXL and human tissues. Interestingly, we also demonstrate that DMPK antisense transcripts are expressed in various DMSXL and human tissues, and that both sense and antisense transcripts accumulate in independent nuclear foci that do not co-localize together. Molecular features of DM1-associated RNA toxicity in DMSXL mice (such as foci accumulation and mild missplicing), were associated with high mortality, growth retardation, and muscle defects (abnormal histopathology, reduced muscle strength, and lower motor performances). We have found that lower levels of IGFBP-3 may contribute to DMSXL growth retardation, while increased proteasome activity may affect muscle function. These data demonstrate that the human DM1 locus carrying very large expansions induced a variety of molecular and physiological defects in transgenic mice, reflecting DM1 to a certain extent. As a result, DMSXL mice provide an animal tool to decipher various aspects of the disease mechanisms. In addition, these mice can be used to test the preclinical impact of systemic therapeutic strategies on molecular and physiological phenotypes.

Development and validation of a computerized model of smiling: Modeling the percentage movement required for perception of smiling in unilateral facial nerve palsy

The inability to smile stands out as a notable difficulty for individuals with facial nerve palsies; a problem that facial reanimation surgery aims to rectify. However, smile reconstruction currently lacks quantitative data by which to objectively measure outcomes. This study aims to identify the relative importance of different oral muscles in terms of smiling, and explore the percentage function that needs to be restored for a smile to be perceived by an observer. A computer animation tool was developed to model the oral facial muscles and demonstrate the facial expressions produced by contraction of different muscle groups. By programming a variable unilateral paralysis of the zygomaticus major, the effects of 0-100% function of this muscle can also be seen in a further set of animations using the basic muscular structure of a smile to produce a computerized proxy smile. These animations were shown to 75 adults from the general population who reported those expressions they perceived as a smile. The only facial expression consistently associated with a perceived smile was caused by the combined contraction of the zygomaticus major and the levator anguli oris (P<0.001). This concurs with previously reported observations of the human smile. Over 70% of the subjects were able to perceive a smile with just 40% function of the unilateral paralyzed zygomaticus major. These results present an objective target for facial reanimation surgery by which outcomes may be measured. This computerized model also provides a valuable tool for patient education during pre-operative consent.

Animal QTLdb: an improved database tool for livestock animal QTL/association data dissemination in the post-genome era

The Animal QTL database (QTLdb; http://www.animalgenome.org/QTLdb) is designed to house all publicly available QTL and single-nucleotide polymorphism/gene association data on livestock animal species. An earlier version was published in the Nucleic Acids Research Database issue in 2007. Since then, we have continued our efforts to develop new and improved database tools to allow more data types, parameters and functions. Our efforts have transformed the Animal QTLdb into a tool that actively serves the research community as a quality data repository and more importantly, a provider of easily accessible tools and functions to disseminate QTL and gene association information. The QTLdb has been heavily used by the livestock genomics community since its first public release in 2004. To date, there are 5920 cattle, 3442 chicken, 7451 pigs, 753 sheep and 88 rainbow trout data points in the database, and at least 290 publications that cite use of the database. The rapid advancement in genomic studies of cattle, chicken, pigs, sheep and other livestock animals has presented us with challenges, as well as opportunities for the QTLdb to meet the evolving needs of the research community. Here, we report our progress over the recent years and highlight new functions and services available to the general public.

Patterns of De Novo Allo B Cells and Antibody Formation in Chronic Cardiac Allograft Rejection After Alemtuzumab Treatment

Even though the etiology of chronic rejection (CR) is multifactorial, donor specific antibody (DSA) is considered to have a causal effect on CR development. Currently the antibody-mediated mechanisms during CR are poorly understood due to lack of proper animal models and tools. In a clinical setting, we previously demonstrated that induction therapy by lymphocyte depletion, using alemtuzumab (anti-human CD52), is associated with an increased incidence of serum alloantibody, C4d deposition and antibody-mediated rejection in human patients. In this study, the effects of T cell depletion in the development of antibody-mediated rejection were examined using human CD52 transgenic (CD52Tg) mice treated with alemtuzumab. Fully mismatched cardiac allografts were transplanted into alemtuzumab treated CD52Tg mice and showed no acute rejection while untreated recipients acutely rejected their grafts. However, approximately half of long-term recipients showed increased degree of vasculopathy, fibrosis and perivascular C3d depositions at posttransplant day 100. The development of CR correlated with DSA and C3d deposition in the graft. Using novel tracking tools to monitor donor-specific B cells, alloreactive B cells were shown to increase in accordance with DSA detection. The current animal model could provide a means of testing strategies to understand mechanisms and developing therapeutic approaches to prevent chronic rejection.

Heidegger, Merleau-Ponty and the Question of Biological Continuism

I THE LEGACY OF HUMAN EXCEPTIONALISM AND MERLEAUPONTY'S TURN TO EVOLUTIONARY BIOLOGY Even as posthumanists seek to dismantle the legacy of human exceptionalism, a queasy reluctance among philosophers prevents full acknowledgement of our kinship with the rest of animalia. Heidegger's declaration that animals are 'poor in world' and his description of an abyss yawning between humans and all other animals established the best known and most influential position in this regard. (1) Even though Derrida challenged what he saw as Heidegger's dogmatic humanism and violent commentary on animals, (2) he could not acknowledge the biological continuism which evolutionary science, genomics, and microbiology make obvious. (3) Matthew Calarco takes 'Derrida's insistence on maintaining the human-animal distinction to be one of the most dogmatic and puzzling moments in all of his writings' (4) and wonders 'why he would use this language of ruptures and abysses when the largest bodies of empirical knowledge we have concerning human beings and animals strongly contest such language'. (5) Similar to Derrida, Giorgio Agamben decries what he calls 'the anthropological machine' but never moves beyond it. He urges us to work on the divisions of animal from human and suggests that 'even the most luminous sphere of our relations with the divine depends, in some way, on that darker one which separates us from the animal'. (6) Only Cary Wolfe, Matthew Calarco, Donna Haraway, and Kelly Oliver among prominent recent animal theorists are moving away from abyssal distinctions between humans and other animals, Haraway the most decisively. (7) Yet more than fifty years ago, Maurice Merleau-Ponty had already gone far beyond Heidegger to seriously explore the philosophical consequences of evolutionary biology and ethology--the scientific studies of actual animals--and to anticipate the radical breakthroughs of the past several decades in studies of animal sentience, tool use, communication, and culture. Merleau-Ponty laid the theoretical groundwork for an understanding of human animality that is congruent with evolutionary biology and ethology. (8) In this essay I will briefly describe Heidegger's resistance to thinking of humans as animals within an evolutionary perspective, in order to demonstrate how Merleau-Ponty took a radically different direction through a thoughtful engagement with evolutionary science and ethology that affirms both biological continuity and the distinctive qualities of our species. At stake in these debates is the question of whether cultural theory can accept the legitimacy of modern science as an access to knowledge about the natural world, or whether we are trapped in a solipsistic bubble. Calarco thinks that persistent anthropocentrism is one of the chief blind spots in contemporary Continental philosophy, claiming that it is always 'one version or another of the human that falsely occupies the space of the universal and that functions to exclude what is considered nonhuman (which, of course, includes the immense majority of human beings themselves, along with all else deemed to be nonhuman) from ethical and political consideration'. (9) And as Derrida argued in his Geschlecht essays and also in The Animal That Therefore I Am, a central problem remains the failure of theorists to seriously pay attention to the life sciences, particularly the experimental studies of other animals. (10) He himself never got around to doing this, and neither have most participants in recent critical animal studies debates indebted to Derrida's work. (11) What makes Merleau-Ponty's philosophy unique and radical in this regard is his lifelong engagement with the sciences of his own era, including Gestalt psychology and cognitive neuroscience for his work on embodiment in The Phenomenology of Perception, and in his later writings, quantum mechanics, evolutionary biology, embryology, and ethology. Close examination of empirical animal research in his late Nature lectures led to the beginnings of an understanding of a 'strange kinship' between humans and animals over evolutionary time, and the human-animality intertwining that defines our species' distinctive way of participating in the Brute being of the world's flesh. …