Evolutionary Theory

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Darwinians Looking for Forgiveness in Apes

April 6, 2005

Forgiveness, a seemingly distinctive human trait, must have its roots in ape social behavior, believe some evolutionary biologists. According to MSNBC News, the state of Iowa got a lot of money for researching this topic: Dr. Sue Savage-Rumbaugh, lead scientist, said the four-month project studying bonobos [pygmy chimps] will be funded by a $125,000 grant […]

Dinosaurs

South American Dinosaur Find Modifies Theories

February 23, 2005

A deinonychus-like dinosaur has been found in Argentina. Representatives of this group, including velociraptor, had previously only been known in the northern hemisphere and Asia. Since South America was supposedly on another land mass at the time, “The new discovery demonstrates that Cretaceous theropod faunas from the southern continents shared greater similarity with those of […]

Physics

Watch for Falling Ants

February 9, 2005

Did you know some ants are gliders? When Stephen Yanoviak (U. of Texas) was studying insects in the rain forest canopy in Peru, he was struck by the fact that ants kept landing on his arm. This launched his team’s investigation into gliding ants. They took video cameras into the jungle and documented their unique […]

Human Body

Are Humans Still Evolving?

January 18, 2005

Science Now asks the question, “are humans still evolving?” Comparisons of genes and chromosomes between different people groups from Asia, Europe and Africa are challenging the view that there is one human genome. Some long stretches of DNA are inverted in some groups, and women so affected seem to have more children on average, even […]

Genetics

Genes Are Not Telling the Whole Story

October 20, 2002

A growing realization is dawning on geneticists: there is more going on in DNA than previously imagined. Now that whole genomes are becoming available, scientists are eagerly trying to understand how the genetic code (genotype) produces a full-grown organism (phenotype), like a fruit fly or human. The interesting stuff in DNA used to be the […]

Birds

How Evolutionary Science Is Done: From Deduction to Story

April 20, 2002

“Evolution is a fact!” Carl Sagan stated emphatically on TV in his 1980 Cosmos series (now in reruns on The Science Channel). Following this lead, many evolutionists repeat this four-word phrase, often augmenting it like, Evolution is a fact, like gravity (see association). This motto has some interesting properties in its effects on scientific research. […]

Dumb Ideas

Evolution Rules

March 20, 2002

51; It would be convenient if all a scientist had to do to prove his theory was declare it to be a law of nature. Is that what scientists from UC Berkeley and Imperial College have done with evolution? “First ‘rule’ of evolution suggests that life is destined to become more complex,” announced a press […]

Mammals

Bats Exhibit Aerodynamic Superiority

January 20, 2002

They may look clumsy fluttering around in the twilight air, but “Flexible, highly articulated wings give bats more options for flight than birds: more lift, less drag, greater maneuverability.” Thus reads the caption to a picture of a bat in flight on a Brown University press release. Researchers at Brown U are studying the differences […]

Fossils

Fish Gill Evolves toward Tetrapod Ear?