Timeline of Charles Darwin’s Life
-1809 He was born in England
-Age 8-His mother died
-School Grade-Darwin did very poor in school. His father stated he had no
direction in life.
-Medical School-His father enrolled him in the best medical school in
Europe in hopes he would follow the footprints of his brother.
Darwin’s hematophobia (fear of blood) and lack of interest in medicine
had a negative impact on his schoolwork.
-Darwin decided to quit school. His father was very displeased with his
decision and strongly encouraged Darwin to follow pursuits in becoming a
clergyman.
-Darwin decided to attend school yet again,
become a clergyman.
though this time to
-Embarked on a five-year mapping and collecting expedition of
South America.
Darwin Collected specimens, observations and careful records of what he
found significant. He noticed animals adapt to change and new habitats
form.
-He returned to England October 1836.
His collections were praised in the scientific community.
-1837 Darwin began his first notebook on evolution.
Summary of Darwin's Theory
of Evolution
• A species is a population of organisms
that interbreeds and has fertile offspring.
• Living organisms have descended with
modifications from species that lived
before them.
• Natural selection explains how this
evolution has happened:
—More organisms are produced than
can survive because of limited
resources.
—Organisms struggle for the necessities
of life; there is competition for
resources.
—Individuals within a population vary in
their traits; some of these traits are
heritable -- passed on to offspring.
—Some variants are better adapted to
survive and reproduce under local
conditions than others.
—Better-adapted individuals (the "fit
enough") are more likely to survive
and reproduce, thereby passing on
copies of their genes to the next
generation.
—Species whose individuals are best
adapted survive; others become
extinct.
Information derived from the following websites:
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/evolution/educators/course/session2/explain_c_pop2.html
http://www.aboutdarwin.com/timeline/time_02.html
Evidences for Evolution
Bacteria's Immunity to Antibiotics
One commonly cited evidence for evolution is the development of resistance in bacteria
against antibiotics. Fifty years ago, penicillin killed many types of disease-causing bacteria.
However, it is not that effective today. The development of resistance against antibiotics
is supposedly direct evidence for evolution.
However, this is not the case. Before the development of penicillin, some bacteria species
were already resistant. Many were not. After penicillin was used against the bacteria, the
non-resistant bacteria were killed. The resistant bacteria survived and reproduced to
produce more resistant bacteria. The population increase of resistant bacteria is not
evolution. A new species of bacteria did not evolve. The bacteria are still the same species
as they were before. What happened was only a weeding out of non-resistant bacteria.
The magazine Scientific American has to say the following in its March 1998 issue: "Many
bacteria possessed resistance genes even before commercial antibiotics came into use."
Homologous Structures
Another "evidence" for evolution is homologous structures. Homologous structures are
structures that are similar in arrangement or function. Evolutionary biologists view
homologous structures as evidence that organisms with similar structures evolved from a
common ancestor.
However, this idea is only based on apparent physical resemblance. Homologous structures
are found in creatures of completely different species among which evolutionists have not
been able to establish any evolutionary relationship. In addition to birds, we find wings on
bats (which are mammals) and insects. These organisms have no evolutionary relationship
among each other. Similarly, the octopus and man have similar eyes, though they have no
evolutionary relationship.
Though homologous structures should be coded with similar DNA codes, we find that in
most cases the genetic coding is quite different. Furthermore, similar genetic codes in the
DNAs of different creatures are often associated with completely different organs.
Michael Denton, an Australian professor of biochemistry, describes in his book Evolution:
A Theory in Crisis the genetic impasse of the evolutionist interpretation of homology:
"Homologous structures are often specified by non-homologous genetic systems."
Also, the development of homologous structures in the egg or mother's womb should
parallel one another. However, embryological development of homologous structures is
completely different in every living species.
Vestigial Structures
Vestigial structures, as defined by evolutionists, are body structures that have no function
in a present-day organism but were probably useful to an ancestor. Evolutionists say that
these structures are evidence for evolution as they show structural change over time.
However, S.R. Scadding, an evolutionist himself, wrote in his article titled "Can vestigial
organs constitute evidence for evolution?" published in the magazine Evolutionary Theory
Since it is not possible to unambiguously identify useless structures, and since the
structure of the argument used is not scientifically valid, I conclude that 'vestigial organs'
provide no special evidence for the theory of evolution.
In 1895, the German Anatomist R. Wiedersheim, made a list of vestigial structures in
humans that included approximately 100 organs. As science progressed, it was discovered
that each of the organs in the list had important functions in the body.
For instance, it was discovered that the appendix is in fact a lymphoid organ that fought
against infections in he body. It was discovered, among others, that tonsils have a
significant role in protecting the throat against infections, particularly until adolescence;
that the thymus sparks the immune system by activating T cells; that the thyroid gland is
effective in providing steady growth in babies and children; and that the pituitary gland
controlled the correct functioning of many hormone glands.
There is another problem with vestigial structures. Though they are supposed to have
been inherited from their ancestors, some of these structures are not even found in the
living species claimed to be the ancestors of human beings! The appendix, for instance,
does not exist in some ape species that are said to be the ancestors of man.
Embryology
Another argument of evolutionists is that the embryos (the earliest stage of growth and
development of both plants and animals) of fish, reptiles, birds, and mammals are very
similar and thus are evidence that they evolved from a distant, common, ancestor. They
claim that all have gill slits and tails in their embryos.
However, the similarities are just based on appearance. Research has shown that the
"gills" in the humans are in fact the initial phases of the middle-ear canal, parathyroid, and
thymus. The "tail" is in fact the backbone, which resembles a tail only because it takes
shape before the legs do.
Childhood: He was a rather shy and reserved boy, who invented wild
stories and was always into mischief
Darwin was more interested in the study of insects. His first
encounter with anti Christian beliefs was during scientific debates.
Medical school:
Darwin didn’t take time seriously. He spent time playing with beetles
and spending time with his girlfriend franny
Clergyman:
He became interested in natural science knew a great deal about Christian faith
passed exam.
-Considered living with clergymen on the countryside
Expedition: Chile results of an earthquake: fossil shells of marine organisms
in rock beds at about 4,300 m.
-was that he suffered from terrible seasickness ( wanted to observe things
on the land) and couldn't wait to get off the Beagle.
-He came to agree with Lyell that over millions of years earthquakes and
other geologic processes could change the geology of the land.
-new habitats would form.
-Darwin realized that animals would have to adapt to these changes.
Theory
What is it?.
His evidence:
- Fossils of similar relative ages are more closely related than those of widely different relative
ages.
-Comparing homologous structures, vestigial organs, and embryological development of living
species gave him additional evidence of evolution.
He focused on animal and plant breeders about changes in domestic species.