Evolution.....

[JustinJ]

I don't think religion and evolution need to be mutually exclusive.

I don't claim to be an expert on evolution by any means, but I'll see if I can't explain it to my knowledge.

Take a species of birds and put some on a an island that has different food sources and fauna from the original habitat. Lets say the island has a plant where a bird with a longer beak can eat more food. Lets also say the fauna has a yellow color and bird that have more yellow can more easily survive. So over time (loooonnnngggg time) birds with long beaks and yellow feathers have a higher survival rate and thus produce more offspring than birds with blue feathers and short beaks. Eventually all of the birds on the island will have yellow feathers and long beaks because their parents did, and eventually these birds will look very different than their predecessors from the original habitat. Combine that with tons of variables (food sources, atmosphere conditions, predators, etc etc etc) and the birds, over time can look and act much different than their predecessors.

Another way to look at it is with dogs. Dogs and wolves are the same species. So a chihuahua and a wolf are the exact same species but look and act MUCCCHHH different. Now this isn't technically "evolution", but you can see how selective breeding over time can create very different individuals of the same species. Evolution works the same way(with survival of the fittest as opposed to selective breeding) but over millions of years which allows time for species to separate and become genetically different.

Now does this mean, to me, that all life came from single celled organisms? No. But you don't have to believe that and shun Creationism to believe that species can evolve over time.

[Keg]

It takes a whole lotta faith to believe in this theory....

[Encinal]

People that only believe one book holds truth shouldn't bother reading other ones.

Let's just keep it that simple.

[GatorBait]

Grizzly bears and polar bears have the same DNA. They are descended from the same source. Over time the Brown color gene was weeded down in predominantly white icy areas, and vice versa for grizzly bears in the more verdant green and Brown environment. Would that be considered evolution or adaptation.

[tex4k]

Well here's a theory from a barely educated, God fearing, hillbilly, redneck. IMO adaptation is a part of evolution and both are part of Gods plan for us all. The highly educated on both sides of the debate are just using the debate itself to keep the masses divided so they continue to entice their supporters to keep them in funds, whatever studies or evidence they can come up with is simply used to feed the base that funds them.

[Keg]

Grizzly bears and polar bears have the same DNA. They are descended from the same source. Over time the Brown color gene was weeded down in predominantly white icy areas, and vice versa for grizzly bears in the more verdant green and Brown environment. Would that be considered evolution or adaptation.

So a bear is a bear is a bear?

[DOUBLE.A]

What's the difference in evolution and adaptation?

[JES]

I don't think religion and evolution need to be mutually exclusive.

I don't claim to be an expert on evolution by any means, but I'll see if I can't explain it to my knowledge.

Take a species of birds and put some on a an island that has different food sources and fauna from the original habitat. Lets say the island has a plant where a bird with a longer beak can eat more food. Lets also say the fauna has a yellow color and bird that have more yellow can more easily survive. So over time (loooonnnngggg time) birds with long beaks and yellow feathers have a higher survival rate and thus produce more offspring than birds with blue feathers and short beaks. Eventually all of the birds on the island will have yellow feathers and long beaks because their parents did, and eventually these birds will look very different than their predecessors from the original habitat. Combine that with tons of variables (food sources, atmosphere conditions, predators, etc etc etc) and the birds, over time can look and act much different than their predecessors.

Another way to look at it is with dogs. Dogs and wolves are the same species. So a chihuahua and a wolf are the exact same species but look and act MUCCCHHH different. Now this isn't technically "evolution", but you can see how selective breeding over time can create very different individuals of the same species. Evolution works the same way(with survival of the fittest as opposed to selective breeding) but over millions of years which allows time for species to separate and become genetically different.

Now does this mean, to me, that all life came from single celled organisms? No. But you don't have to believe that and shun Creationism to believe that species can evolve over time.

See post #11.

[El General]

Grizzly bears and polar bears have the same DNA. They are descended from the same source. Over time the Brown color gene was weeded down in predominantly white icy areas, and vice versa for grizzly bears in the more verdant green and Brown environment. Would that be considered evolution or adaptation.

Adaptation involves individuals. Evolution involves species.

[El General]

Ever been to the welfare office? Proof the strongest, smartest or healthiest are the most likely to procreate

They are alive, right?

[El Viejo]

What's the difference in evolution and adaptation?

There are two kinds of evolution: macro evolution and micro evolution. Macro teaches that one species evolved into another. Micro teaches that species adapted, or changed over time. Dogs are a perfect example. There is only one species, yet may varieties brought about by micro evolution (adaptation) In the case of dogs, it is manmade, but the same thing occurs in nature as environments change. There is no proof of macro evolution.

[JustinJ]

See post #11.

Adaption is a process in evolution.

[.270]

I believe God allowed evolution to happen.

There is no reason to believe that God was not a guiding force behind evolution. While it does contradict some specific interpretations of God, especially ones requiring a literal interpretation of Genesis 1, few people have this narrow of a view of God.
There are many people who believe in the existence of God and in evolution. Common descent then describes the process used by God. Until the discovery of a test to separate chance and God this interpretation is a valid one within evolution.

[Capt.Brown]

Oh man get a good seat and grab the popcorn!!!

[GrapeApe]

That's the great thing about science fact, it doesn't matter if you believe in it or not.

You idea that something had to know about light and light frequencies to develop vision is a little bit silly. Natural Selection and Epigenetics are what bring about those changes. This is not the Mendelian genetics that everyone is force-fed in school however, that is a little bit basic and doesn't cover the subject well.

In a brief, *******ized summary, the things that live and keep living are good at what they do. The DNA and proof that we are related to apes is irrefutable. We just do have monkeys as relatives, no way around it. Things don't always go extinct when a new variant comes along, look at the finches that Darwin studied; just because one set of birds evolved and adapted their beak to suit the food it was eating does not mean that the previous version of bird died out.

Humans evolving from apes is a function of founder, bottlenecking, gene flow and epigenetics to make a short list.

I'd be happy to sit down over a beer and explain this to anyone, it's wicked fun.

edit. Religion; Who says God didn't design evolution and adaptation?