Some Important Evoutionary Changes in Species - In the Past 40 Years

News Type: Event — Seeded on Wed Jul 23, 2008 10:36 AM EDT

Article Source: The New York Times

science, evolution, darwin, theory, galapagos, finches

Last week, I discussed how evolutionary biology has changed since 1859, the year Darwin first published "On the Origin of Species." But the subject of evolution isn't the only thing that's changed since then. There's been plenty of actual evolution, too. For although we tend to think of evolutionary change as being something that only takes place over the course of millions of years, it isn't. It's going on here, now, all around us. So, this week, I thought I'd round up some examples of recent evolutionary change in nature. (What do I mean by recent? Within the last 40 years.)

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{"commentId":2269543,"authorDomain":"sherwood-1"}

atsidiwashichu

Evolution, Creation, what difference does it make? We are right here, right now. Now what? How we got here isn't really all that important. How do we get things straightened out so we can stay awhile. There is genetic drift--evolution if you will-- that is very observable. That dish soap you buy that kills 90% of the germs, doesn't work so well when the 10% come back.

{"commentId":2269543,"threadId":"318125","contentId":"1688963","authorDomain":"sherwood-1"}

1 vote

#26 - Thu Jul 24, 2008 12:42 PM EDT

{"commentId":2274231,"authorDomain":"bort901"}

bort901

Evolution, Creation, what difference does it make?

Several reasons. For one, it is critical to modern biology and by extension modern medicine. We know that we can study biological questions in other organisms than humans because we know their relatedness.

Another reason is that I believe it is dangerous to teach/believe in pseudoscience. The kind of sloppy thinking that goes on from ID/creation proponents cannot be good on a society level. Ignoring evidence and irrational thinking will make accurate views of political candidates, historical events, and judicial trials impossible. It really is a road that I don't want to go down (anymore than we already are).

{"commentId":2274231,"threadId":"318125","contentId":"1688963","authorDomain":"bort901"}

3 votes

#26.1 - Thu Jul 24, 2008 8:38 PM EDT

{"commentId":2275081,"authorDomain":"awetzel"}

Andy Wetzel

Excellent points, Bort!

I think Atsidiwashichu is on to something when he note the importance of the question, "How do we get things straightened out so we can stay awhile?" I know an ecology professor who answers evolution "controversy" questions with, "If you have a Rembrandt painting in danger of being lost, why argue about how it was painted?" Avoiding bickering (or at least neutralizing it's adverse policy-paralyzing effects) may be a necessary step in making sure the world gets the care it needs.

IMHO, if everyone could agree on that level of restraint, the strategies of following evolutionary insights (into disease transmission, for instance), and avoiding pseudoscience (in energy / emissions policy, for example) in favor of careful investigation would be free to bear good fruit.

But fighting against the pseudoscience may have the effect of exposing some of the bickering for the foolishness it is, so if you do that first, you're off to a good start!

{"commentId":2275081,"threadId":"318125","contentId":"1688963","authorDomain":"awetzel"}

2 votes

#26.2 - Thu Jul 24, 2008 11:06 PM EDT

{"commentId":2271435,"authorDomain":"jennifer-troupe"}

JLTpa

makes you wonder how people can still doubt the "theory" of evolution.

{"commentId":2271435,"threadId":"318125","contentId":"1688963","authorDomain":"jennifer-troupe"}

2 votes

#27 - Thu Jul 24, 2008 3:15 PM EDT

{"commentId":2275138,"authorDomain":"jimmym"}

Jimi M

It's amazing how many so called educated people are in LA LA Land.
My guess is they think about the real god (MONEY) to much and they need a break , so they debate about Jesus,Alla, Buddha or whoever is popular at the time.

{"commentId":2275138,"threadId":"318125","contentId":"1688963","authorDomain":"jimmym"}

1 vote

#28 - Thu Jul 24, 2008 11:17 PM EDT

{"commentId":2276007,"authorDomain":"stevenp"}

Steven P.

Some Important Evoutionary Changes in Species - In the Past 40 Years

Good God, watson! I think I found something revolutionary here. Take a look. The finches were changing into...wait a minute.....they're changin back into....er....finches.

Watson, think I got it this time. Remember those lizards. Well, their heads are getting bigger and their stomachs are getting stong enough to eat more plants. I bet they're changing into ......er 'different' lizards. This'll get me a noble Nobel for sure. I'll kick in the data on fruit flies to lock it in.

{"commentId":2276007,"threadId":"318125","contentId":"1688963","authorDomain":"stevenp"}

1 vote

#29 - Fri Jul 25, 2008 3:51 AM EDT

{"commentId":2283620,"authorDomain":"sherwood-1"}

atsidiwashichu

You guys are pretty good. I have had more fun the last couple of weeks than I have had in years. I live a little out of the loop as far as what most consider "normal" and intellectual stimulation of any kind has been about as rare as chicken lips for quite awhile until I stumbled on this News vine thing and have been reminded over and over that I am not really all that smart and there are a lot of people around that are a lot more articulate than I am.

Evolution is right there in front of us if any body wants to look at objectively. Religion and God and all that is more of a subjective thing. They are not mutually exclusive, and there is really no need for the pointless argument on the issue.

The only exact science is mathematics, everything else is theory and speculation.

I have noted that these discussions seem to have a half life of about two days and then they taper off. This one is probably about run it's course, so I would like to say it's been fun and I hope I get to come back once in awhile to visit.------thanks

{"commentId":2283620,"threadId":"318125","contentId":"1688963","authorDomain":"sherwood-1"}

2 votes

#30 - Fri Jul 25, 2008 11:08 PM EDT

{"commentId":2287269,"authorDomain":"sphinx"}

Jack Huang

They are not mutually exclusive, and there is really no need for the pointless argument on the issue.

True, though to be more precise, evolution has no problem with a bare concept of God. It is in cases when the religious decide to make claims which run counter to rigorous scientific knowledge where conflict arises.

The only exact science is mathematics, everything else is theory and speculation.

Hehehe, well, Goldbach's Conjecture has yet to be proven. ;-)

{"commentId":2287269,"threadId":"318125","contentId":"1688963","authorDomain":"sphinx"}

4 votes

#30.1 - Sat Jul 26, 2008 2:56 PM EDT

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Some Important Evoutionary Changes in Species - In the Past 40 Years

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