What are your views on Evolution?

Now this is a tough question to many and a very difficult question to answer. A lot of people are still against the science of Evolution. I'm curious as to what are your views on Evolution. Maybe you already have a lot of questions and I would love to share a lot of information with any of you who would like to go deeper in the science of evolution.
Just to get it out of the way. Let's respect each other here. It's pointless to argue. Kind of like he said she said issue lol.
Here are sites that discuss the history and what Evolution is about.
www.pbs.org...
exploringorigins.org...
evolution.berkeley.edu...

Microevolution in action!
www.evolutionnews.org...
More information on Microevolution
evolution.berkeley.edu...

Evolution and lizards in action! Oh yeah!
news.discovery.com...

A great site with news updates on Evolution studies.
www.evolutionnews.org...
www.galapagosislands.com...

A great game you can play to teach you about adaptation and evolution.
www.pbs.org...

HIV not so ancient history.
evolution.berkeley.edu...

Top ten myths about evolution!
www.toptenmyths.com...

Evolution wiki
wiki.cotch.net...

Here's a site for both us Creationist and Evolutionist!
www.talkorigins.org...

I have included the sites for research and fun! Remember guys! Respect one another. Look at the links and tell me what you think as well.

Another link I found browsing the world wide web on the internet. Should be useful! Tell me what you think!
www.swarthmore.edu...

I believe in evolution because it is happening before our eyes. I take the 6 toed cat that has been camping out on my front porch as an example. Cats on the east and west coasts of the US developed, through a genetic mutation, an extra toe that allowed them to better hold on to fish. i've only seen these cats on the discovery channel a few years ago until this summer when this cat appeared. Now, if this cat were to reproduce it would eventually pass on it genes and those offspring will pass on those genes as well and the next thing you know in a few hundred years most cats will have 6 toes.

I have a question that I have asked in other threads but never got an answer that I was happy with.

What is the last species we know of to have evolved?
I.e what is the newest species (not sub species) on earth, and have any any species evolved while Humans have been around.
I know we have seen certain adoptions occurring to species (like moths changing colour to suit the changing forests)

As far as I know genetic diversity is usually more prevalent in fast changing environments like we have today, forcing species to adapt to the changing conditions, how long do people think that it will be before we see new species evolve to suit the changing planetary conditions?

reply to post by davespanners


I can not answer your question with out making assumptions. I would suggest to look for animals that live in an area where they aren't native to and compare the differences to that of the same species in their native range. Any modification such as coloring can/may be a form of evolution. The animal is evolving to better suit the new habitat.
I believe that evolution happens so slowly and gradually that we will not notice to see it. It is a very long process, it would be like watching the grass grow in super slow motion. It is happening before our eyes though, very slowly through slight genetic mutations and or modifications to suit the new or changing habitat/environment. I gave an example in my post about the 6 toed cat. these cats were few and only found in certain parts of the country and now the range off distribution has changed due to the genes being passed down from cat to cat. Note, it probably took a few hundred years for more than a few cats to pass on the gene but cats also have litters of multiple cats multiple times a year so evolution could occur more rapidly in such a creature.

reply to post by kimish

I think I just answered my own question with a little more research

Scientists see new species born

reply to post by davespanners


Awesome, great article! That's very interesting, evolution is happening faster than I thought.

reply to post by davespanners


I've got another one for ya. I posted the article in a thread once... Click the link to read all about it.
First I will tell what's it about...

About a century ago there ( Don't flame on me when I'm not entirely correct. I'm writing this by heart.) Is that even proper English ? Anyway...

There was a flooding in Central Africa that caused the introduction of fish in fish free lake. The fish are called Cichlids and they have within a century achieved to populate the several ecological niches that were available, since there were no other fish before.

This resulted in differences of diet, appearing, and some of them won't even interbreed with another sub species.

This is called speceation and it is the closest you get witnessing evolution.

Link :Proof ? Observable macro evolution happening now.

reply to post by Romantic_Rebel


Killer thread! S&F for you.

The one point of clarification that I'd make regarding your OP is that micro and macroevolution aren't really discussed as two separate processes in the field of evolutionary biology at this point. It's really just a matter of the degree of the observed changes.

I think evolution is just peachy, just like this thread

Star and a flag.


To move on to the more specific thing I'd like to say about evolution: It has horrible PR. I've debated evolution on here for years now and found a few prevailing problems.

1. People do not understand what it states
   
2. People do not understand what a 'scientific theory' is
   
3. And people do not understand that it only relates to the origin of species following the first life to arise on Earth
   

If anyone here would like to explain the evolutionary process that allows a caterpillar to form a cocoon, turn into complete liquid and reassemble itself molecule by molecule into a spectacular colored flying creature bearing no resemblance to the caterpillar what so ever... I would love to see that in writing, Cause I cannot fathom why that would make any sense knowing the definition of evolution.

reply to post by Romantic_Rebel


Evolution is a fact. If we were stuck with the same animals we had in the cambrian era, no more and no less, then...yea. New animals come from somewhere. Fundamentlist Creationism can't explain the appearance of new species. One of my favorite stories, which as far as I can tell is true, is that one of the things Lewis and Clark went in search of on their expedition was living Mammoths. It was assumed back in the day that extinction wasn't a phenomanon. Well, extinction is real, and new stuff takes its place. Once you accept that this happens with animals, I see no reason to not accept that it happens with humans as well.

That doesn't mean humans don't have a divine purpose. Or that there isn't a divine plan. It just means natural selection is a part of nature.

reply to post by shoulda taken the blue pi


Metamorphosis is not evolution. A caterpillar turning into a butterfly is not much different from a fetus developing into a human. In fact fruit flies go through the same developmental stages as a butterfly, so if you want to understand the underlying genetics that is the place to start since we have a very wide knowledge of fruit fly genetics. As for how metamorphosis evolved in insects in the first place, I suggest checking out Truman and Riddiford's 1999 article in Nature, "The origins of metamorphosis in insects."

reply to post by shoulda taken the blue pi


There is a rather unusual theory that butterfly's and caterpillars were originally separate species that evolved to be one by a process called hybridogenesis.
I don't pretend to understand it and can't vouch for it's validity, but there is a paper on it here (click on the Full text PDF link in the top right)

www.youtube.com...

www.youtube.com...

You have done such a good job that I am hard pressed to add anything to the issue so I will add what many of those against bring up. The lack of transitional fossils.

The other is just something general on life itself and the beginning of it here on earth.
We may not be able to know exactly what happened in the too distant past but the answer may lie in space.

Keep up the good work and accept my apology for starting a competing thread on Darwin. I did not know yours was here or I would not have done so.

Regards
DL

Originally posted by madnessinmysoul
I think evolution is just peachy, just like this thread

Star and a flag.


To move on to the more specific thing I'd like to say about evolution: It has horrible PR. I've debated evolution on here for years now and found a few prevailing problems.

1. People do not understand what it states
   
2. People do not understand what a 'scientific theory' is
   
3. And people do not understand that it only relates to the origin of species following the first life to arise on Earth
   

edit on 9/26/10 by madnessinmysoul because: Fixed list

You are absolutely right.
I hope you do not mind a personal note here instead of at the other Darwin post. I did not want to aggravate the others there whose clocks you are cleaning. You rock dude. Keep it up.

Regards
DL

It doesn't matter what my views are or what I personally believe. Evolution is simply the best explanation that mainstream science has to offer. Mainstream history, social studies, and the like are what are typically taught in our classrooms and generally accepted as true within our society. I find it ridiculous to expect that science be treated any differently.

Three jagged jawbones on three ancient plains
made us ponder if man was a chimp or an ape.
I know what you think, what a statement to make,
but just read this and check my mistakes.

A dinosaur tooth is as plain as the skin
on your gluteous maximus man...
If you don't believe it, you better start counting
the digits on both of your hands.

I'm not saying God wasn’t pretty involved
in the making you don't have to shout.
An angel somewhere made my girl, she's so fair
that I'm not ruling anything out.

We all have beliefs, and it's normal we pray
to whoever we feel put us here.
With a time and a place for it all, as agreed,
I believe I will grab a cold beer

I'm back with my agatey brown, silver crown,
chores are finished, and ready to write.
My princess is sleeping at home in her bed
and the words should be easy tonight.

The push from the back of the fan
a distraction I welcome, but wonder in fear...
I lean back the chair, is it gonna collapse?
(engineering a key factor here)

My throne holding fast. and the bubbles retracting,
we're back to the topic at hand.
It's coming, I see it, it's gone, there it is...
Evolution, oh why'd I pick that!

I wanted to ask why the sky never ends.
Where's the edge, can you tell me, I bet that you can't...
Just why we must always go forth first, and then
when we listen, we hear only silence come back.

I'll pray for the answers, and dig for the find.
I'll tell you the minute solution is mine.
I've wandered, or have I...this could be a lie.
I'm off track, what a quack, but distraction tastes fine.