Evolution: ask your questions here

[JennySue]

Not all religious people are old fashion, and many do have inquiring minds. I look at it this way, God is the creator of the universe, and by studying the world around us can only glorify Him. He didn't give us our curious minds for nothing.

This is a really good site that goes over the basics of evolution. I suggest going over the "Evolution 101" part. Best of luck with your endeavor and don't lose that curiosity of yours. Understanding Evolution

I don't mean that all religious people are old fashion. My church consists of pretty much all older people except for my family, and quite a few of said older people think that way.. I've learned it the hard way by what I've said and the looks/attitudes I get.
That website is pretty good, I stopped reading at the part where coevolution starts, I don't want to take it too fast. But evolution makes more sense (to me) when you think of it as a ton of little changes that add up and cause bigger changes instead of the classic picture everyone thinks of (the line thingy with the animals ending with the human. That picture makes it seem more unbelievable.)

 

[painted wolf]

I don't mean that all religious people are old fashion. My church consists of pretty much all older people except for my family, and quite a few of said older people think that way.. I've learned it the hard way by what I've said and the looks/attitudes I get.
That website is pretty good, I stopped reading at the part where coevolution starts, I don't want to take it too fast. But evolution makes more sense (to me) when you think of it as a ton of little changes that add up and cause bigger changes instead of the classic picture everyone thinks of (the line thingy with the animals ending with the human. That picture makes it seem more unbelievable.)

That picture is a left-over from the Victorian era... "the ladder of progression". (naturally Victorian England thought they were at the tippity top)
Evolution is a bush with lots of critters making it to the top rather than a ladder with us above everyone else.

wa:do

 

[Autodidact]

That picture is a left-over from the Victorian era... "the ladder of progression". (naturally Victorian England thought they were at the tippity top)
Evolution is a bush with lots of critters making it to the top rather than a ladder with us above everyone else.

wa:do

Yes, imagine a huge bushy tree, all starting from a single trunk, then huge limbs, branches, twigs and finally leaves. Now all we have left today are the leaves, because everything before that (pretty much) is extinct. From the pattern in the leaves, we deduce that it all came from that tree.

Click here to see a more detailed, really cool version. [click on the image when you get there to blow it up.]

 

[JennySue]

Yes, imagine a huge bushy tree, all starting from a single trunk, then huge limbs, branches, twigs and finally leaves. Now all we have left today are the leaves, because everything before that (pretty much) is extinct. From the pattern in the leaves, we deduce that it all came from that tree.

Click here to see a more detailed, really cool version. [click on the image when you get there to blow it up.]

Wow that's cool!

 

[RedOne77]

Polygenic traits are traits that are determined by the interaction of several genes as well as the environment, like human skin color.

A polygenic mutation is a mutation that affects one or more of the involved genes and/or it's expression. Cancers are often polygenic.

wa:do

Thanks! I looked everywhere for a definition and couldn't find one.

 

[Primordial Annihilator]

Knowing and understanding the processes and forces of evolution helps us to make predictions for extra solar species that evolve on other worlds...
If we know the physical (geological, chemical, gravitational etc) parameters we can therefore make the necessary adjustments to predict the nature of a form (like the flying one)
For example: A high gravity world will limit flying creatures to the very small and/or light...and in fact most creatures would be small or larger and ground hugging.
On low gravity worlds you might expect 'dragon' analogues to evolve...or very thin legged animals (they dont need to support as much weight).

There are of course countless other effects gravity would have...precluding or allowing certain forms and the exploitation of niches.

My question is...do we have any modelling software of the evolution of xeno biology...with...variable parameter inputs?

I would like to see it.

 

[tarasan]

Do evolutionists use beakers? its not real science unless they use beakers..........

and do they wear white coats..... its not real sceince if they dont wear white coats...

 

[Primordial Annihilator]

Do evolutionists use beakers? its not real science unless they use beakers..........

and do they wear white coats..... its not real sceince if they dont wear white coats...

Beakers are used...and white coats...and protective suits in the cases of some geneticists.

 

[tarasan]

Beakers are used...and white coats...and protective suits in the cases of some geneticists.

Im sorry im just bein a bit trollish, far too much caffiene me thinks

 

[painted wolf]

Sorry there are no ways to model xenobiology outside of the imagination. Too many variables.

wa:do

 

[Primordial Annihilator]

Sorry there are no ways to model xenobiology outside of the imagination. Too many variables.

wa:do

Of course you are wrong...its just a matter of time.

You think the weather is less complex then?

 

[painted wolf]

Of course you are wrong...its just a matter of time.

You think the weather is less complex then?

Yes, because you need to model the weather of the alien world as one of the variables.

wa:do

 

[Primordial Annihilator]

Yes, because you need to model the weather of the alien world as one of the variables.

wa:do

Not necessarily, the global weather patterns yes...but localised temporal weather systems would not be important to the evolutionary model...but they are important to weathermen...and they are very very complex indeed...their causes and rammifications.

 

[painted wolf]

Not necessarily, the global weather patterns yes...but localised temporal weather systems would not be important to the evolutionary model...but they are important to weathermen...and they are very very complex indeed...their causes and rammifications.

Yes, but you need to understand climate as well as narrower weather patterns... for example some planets have superstorms... and other forms of drastic events.

Life on mars would need to adapt to withstand the massive violent sandstorms. You would have to model those storms to understand how they influence evolution of critters on Mars.

wa:do

 

[Primordial Annihilator]

Yes, but you need to understand climate as well as narrower weather patterns... for example some planets have superstorms... and other forms of drastic events.

Life on mars would need to adapt to withstand the massive violent sandstorms. You would have to model those storms to understand how they influence evolution of critters on Mars.

wa:do

Well the example you cited is a global phenomenon....Mars's sandstorms, which are as you say violent.
One could expect that on planets with such extreme atmospheric conditions the majority of the life forms present might be partly or wholly subterranean in habitat...shielded from the storms safely underground.

My point is all these factors are variables that can be mathematically reduced...all we need is a fat computer to model them and a decent program to emulate mutation and other random effects I guess.

I am sure its only a matter of time before someone starts work on such a project if it hasnt already been started.

 

[painted wolf]

Well the example you cited is a global phenomenon....Mars's sandstorms, which are as you say violent.
One could expect that on planets with such extreme atmospheric conditions the majority of the life forms present might be partly or wholly subterranean in habitat...shielded from the storms safely underground.

My point is all these factors are variables that can be mathematically reduced...all we need is a fat computer to model them and a decent program to emulate mutation and other random effects I guess.

I am sure its only a matter of time before someone starts work on such a project if it hasnt already been started.

Perhaps, but as far as I know Xenobiology remains a field of educated guesswork. Which is part of why I really want to see places like Europa explored better.

wa:do

 

[Primordial Annihilator]

Perhaps, but as far as I know Xenobiology remains a field of educated guesswork. Which is part of why I really want to see places like Europa explored better.

wa:do

Europa in my opinion has a high probability of harbouring life.
The moon is geologically active and liquid water is abundant.

That should be the first place we look for alien life.

Mars may have life...but I give that a low probability...but then we haven't dug very deep yet...

 

[the gateway]

Ever wonder what the Theory of Evolution really says? What evidence it's based on? How science knows it's correct? What its implications are? Ask your questions here, and the knowledgeable members will try to answer them.

iF U BELIEVE IN EVOLUTION PLEASE EXPLAIN THE CHICKEN AND THE EGG?

 

[Gunfingers]

iF U BELIEVE IN EVOLUTION PLEASE EXPLAIN THE CHICKEN AND THE EGG?

The egg was a two pump chump, so it came first.

 

[outhouse]

Mars may have life...but I give that a low probability...

thats why your not in charge of anything.

having life on mars is actually a high probability. Bacteria in nature im sure at this point.

fossils of previous life are almost a certainty as we believe we have them in possession now