Evolution: the theory, the evidence

[Autodidact]

In a few recent threads I have offered to explain the Theory of Evolution (ToE) and provide the evidence that persuaded Biology is accept it as a foundational theory. Those threads petered, and I failed to deliver. This thread is for those of us who accept this scientific theory to explain it and provide the evidence in its favor, and for those who reject it to ask about and dispute the theory and the evidence.

Anyone interested?

 

[painted wolf]

I'm always willing to help with such things. I can provide explanations of more detailed aspects of evolutionary theory... such as Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium, founder effects and genetic drift.

I find such questions can be helpful for those who have a broad understanding of evolution, but want to know a bit more in depth. After all, evolution is a very complex theory with a great number of supporting hypothesis and mechanisms.

wa:do

 

[Autodidact]

Thanks, painted, your knowledge is welcome. Now let's see if any of our YEC friends are interested in learning.

 

[MSizer]

I'm also happy to discuss some of the neurological processes that occur during moral deliberations, and show how various types of dilemmas which can occur among only two individuals trigger activity in older parts of the brain which we share with non-social animals, while dilemmas which involve multiple individuals trigger areas of the brain that only developpped more recently in our history when we lived in groups. (and how our evolved moral faculties aren't able to adapt quickly enough to accomodate us very well in the very quickly shrinking world of internet and transportation).

 

[tumbleweed41]

[youtube]qKb1LXxKNHY[/youtube]

Longer video explaining the evidence for Common Descent to creationist.
(If they will truly watch the entire video they may learn something.)

 

[aymen amir]

ok here is my QUESTION you CLAIM that we mankind EVOLVED from apes is that true ?? what was there be4 the apes ?

 

[johnhanks]

ok here is my QUESTION you CLAIM that we mankind EVOLVED from apes is that true ??

Poe is in the air here, but let's ignore him for the moment.

Evolutionary theory maintains that humans and other apes share a relatively recent common ancestor. All available evidence is wholly consistent with this proposal.

what was there be4 the apes ?

How far back do you want to go? Before apes there were prosimian ancestral primates; before them there were primitive insectivorous mammals; before them ... As I said, how far back do you want to go?

 

[painted wolf]

yes, it's true...the best evidence we have shows humans and Chimps last shared a common ancestor between 8 and 6 million years ago. This is based on studies of our genes and other key molecules, anatomy and fossil record.

Using the same evidence we find that Apes and Old World Monkeys shared a common ancestor to about 25 million years ago.

Everyone gets their DNA from their parents... parts of this DNA are very slow to change and just like we can use that DNA to find out who your parents are, we can use it to find out who your great great great grandparents were... and we use it go even further back to find our deepest ancestors.

Now to put my religious hat on... isn't it magnificent that Creator left this record for us to find but gave us the ability to find it.

wa:do

 

[Baydwin]

Everyone gets their DNA from their parents... parts of this DNA are very slow to change and just like we can use that DNA to find out who your parents are, we can use it to find out who your great great great grandparents were... and we use it go even further back to find our deepest ancestors.

Just to be clear, you're talking about mitochondrial DNA right?

 

[painted wolf]

That and highly conserved areas of the Y chromosome... used to find out "who's your daddy" (a question all us old-timer at RF already know the answer to).
In general mtDNA (mitochondrial) is more often used in deep time studies.

wa:do

 

[Baydwin]

Something I found interesting about our genetic code are the number of haemoglobin genes we have. If memory serves there are 3 or 4 genes all encoding α-globin and 5 or 6 encoding β-globin, with numorous pseudogenes which might have encoded globins in our ancestors, or may encode protein in the future. And there's the fetal haemoglobin on top of that which is only used for a short time in our lives. That's a lot of redundancy.

 

[tumbleweed41]

Something I found interesting about our genetic code are the number of haemoglobin genes we have. If memory serves there are 3 or 4 genes all encoding α-globin and 5 or 6 encoding β-globin, with numorous pseudogenes which might have encoded globins in our ancestors, or may encode protein in the future. And there's the fetal haemoglobin on top of that which is only used for a short time in our lives. That's a lot of redundancy.

Yes, in truth, evolution makes for very redundant and inefficient complex organisms. (Our bodies are very poorly engineered for walking upright).
When you really look at it, the less complex an organism is, the more efficient it is.
I am sure an intelligent designer could have done it better, but, what are ya gonna do

 

[painted wolf]

One of the prime engines of evolution is duplication of genes. This can occasionally add improved functionality... other times it frees up a copy of a gene that is essentially free to mutate. (you don't want to tinker with your only copy of a hemoglobin gene!)
Added redundancy also allows a copy of a critical gene to change and not be immediately deadly to the organism. Very cool IMHO!

wa:do

 

[Autodidact]

ok here is my QUESTION you CLAIM that we mankind EVOLVED from apes is that true ?? what was there be4 the apes ?

Fortunately, other posters answered your question. I suggest that before jumping in at the end with a specific application, you learn the theory itself, how it works and what the evidence for it is.

 

[aymen amir]

Fortunately, other posters answered your question. I suggest that before jumping in at the end with a specific application, you learn the theory itself, how it works and what the evidence for it is.

i studied this theory when i lived in Brussels at my third grade or something i don't really remember but i guess it didn't make sense to be back then or otherwise i would have became an atheist :angel2:

 

[painted wolf]

You don't need to be an atheist to understand evolution...
I'm not an atheist and I'm studying to be an evolutionary biologist...

I probably know evolution better than any of the atheists here.

wa:do

 

[aymen amir]

You don't need to be an atheist to understand evolution...
I'm not an atheist and I'm studying to be an evolutionary biologist...

I probably know evolution better than any of the atheists here.

wa:do

most of them just use it for the argument loool

 

[painted wolf]

most of them just use it for the argument loool

I'm sure some do... just as many people of faith disagree with evolution just to argue the other way.

Anyway I'm here if you have any questions on how evolution works.

wa:do

 

[Autodidact]

i studied this theory when i lived in Brussels at my third grade or something i don't really remember but i guess it didn't make sense to be back then or otherwise i would have became an atheist :angel2:

Why? Are you confusing a scientific theory with a religious position?

Are you saying that if the Theory of Evolution is true, your religion is false? If so, I have really bad news for you. The Theory of Evolution is true.

 

[Autodidact]

most of them just use it for the argument loool

For what argument?