Freethought & Rationalism Archive

l-bow · 03-11-2002, 11:20 AM

As some of you with biology background already know adaptive radiation is the idea that a higher taxa can come into existence by a series of closely spaced speciations, followed by a slower evolution. In the fossil record, this means fossils from the beginning of the radiation are less likely to be preserved, at it will seem like an entire taxa abruptly came into existence. Inevitably, creationists will latch onto this and say this represents a creation event. Even worse, since multiple SPECIATIONS are involved, creationists will confuse PE with adaptive radiation and conclude that it is PE that is responsible of the seemingly abrupt appearance. That randman, with his quotes, seems to be guilty of this.

The solution, I believe, is to point to an adaptive radiation where we indeed do have transitionals. The whale transition seems to fit the bill. Prior to the nineties, the fossil record seemed to indicate that whale popped into existence, fully formed. But the discoveries of whale transitionals in the nineties erased that gap.

[ March 11, 2002: Message edited by: l-bow ]

[ March 11, 2002: Message edited by: l-bow ]

MrDarwin · 03-11-2002, 12:02 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by l-bow:
The solution, I believe, is to point to an adaptive radiation where we indeed do have transitionals. The whale transition seems to fit the bill. Prior to the nineties, the fossil record seemed to indicate that whale popped into existence, fully formed. But the discoveries of whale transitionals in the nineties erased that gap.

The evolution of arthropods, the evolution of tetrapods, the evolution of birds, and the evolution of flowering plants are some more adaptive radiations of which we have found a huge amount of evidence in the last decade or so. (There are also some really cool fossils of early insects that for some reason haven't gotten as much press.) There are some really incredible fossils turning up. And they just keep coming! The creationists have to scramble to keep up. In just a few short years, evolutionary biologists have gone from apologizing for the fossil record to being dazzled by it. This is one reason why creationists rely so heavily on outdated references.

tgamble · 03-11-2002, 12:28 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by l-bow:
As some of you with biology background already know adaptive radiation is the idea that a higher taxa can come into existence by a series of closely spaced speciations, followed by a slower evolution.

oh is that what it is? a creationist I was talking to a while back seemed to think it was something like a nuclear power plant explodeing and mutations all over the place turning one kind into another.

<img src="graemlins/banghead.gif" border="0" alt="[Bang Head]" />

Daggah · 03-11-2002, 01:51 PM

Just goes to show you, we can analyze the specifics of randman's claims when he's not here spamming 20+ posts a day with his drivel...

03-11-2002, 11:20 AM	#1
l-bow Regular Member Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: Hawaii Posts: 215	Adaptive radiation: another concept abused by creationists As some of you with biology background already know adaptive radiation is the idea that a higher taxa can come into existence by a series of closely spaced speciations, followed by a slower evolution. In the fossil record, this means fossils from the beginning of the radiation are less likely to be preserved, at it will seem like an entire taxa abruptly came into existence. Inevitably, creationists will latch onto this and say this represents a creation event. Even worse, since multiple SPECIATIONS are involved, creationists will confuse PE with adaptive radiation and conclude that it is PE that is responsible of the seemingly abrupt appearance. That randman, with his quotes, seems to be guilty of this. The solution, I believe, is to point to an adaptive radiation where we indeed do have transitionals. The whale transition seems to fit the bill. Prior to the nineties, the fossil record seemed to indicate that whale popped into existence, fully formed. But the discoveries of whale transitionals in the nineties erased that gap. [ March 11, 2002: Message edited by: l-bow ] [ March 11, 2002: Message edited by: l-bow ]</p>

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03-11-2002, 01:51 PM	#4
Daggah Banned Join Date: Feb 2001 Location: Deployed to Kosovo Posts: 4,314	Just goes to show you, we can analyze the specifics of randman's claims when he's not here spamming 20+ posts a day with his drivel...

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