Another Evolution Post

Unfortunately, I don't have the time or energy to cover all I wanted to, just the highlights. I left a comment over on Bingley's post, but I wanted to add some, specifically about some really dumb stuff written by the reporter.

First off: Missing link? Please define your terms. Traditionally, the mythical "missing link" cited by anti-evolutionists has been between man and chimps (and other apes). Oh, and by the way, several have been found. A freakin' plethora of them. As in a boatload of Homo and Australopithecus genera and species. As have also been found "missing links" between man/apes and monkeys, and man/ape/monkeys and lemurs (look up Proconsul and Aegyptopithecus).

Next: "The search for a direct connection between humans and the rest of the animal kingdom has taken 200 years - but it was presented to the world today" and "This little creature is going to show us our connection with the rest of the mammals." Oh please. It's still a primate. Like the other primate fossils already found dating back to the Cretaceous Period. A little more lemur/monkey-like perhaps, but still a primate. That isn't going to persuade anyone not already persuaded by all the other evidence available. Well, maybe some joker sitting on the fence leaning that way. And getting hit with a gale.

More: "Researchers say proof of this transitional species finally confirms Charles Darwin's theory of evolution, and the then radical, outlandish ideas he came up with during his time aboard the Beagle." Okay, that's just borderline retarded. Any researcher who actually said something that stupid should be beaten with his own ill-gotten grants.

Say it with me, kids. DARWIN DID NOT INVENT THE CONCEPT OF EVOLUTION. Nor did his Grandpa Erasmus, who had a different theory of evolution. As did Lamarck. And others. At most, this new fossil adds to the body of evidence that evolution occured, but says NOT ONE FREAKIN' THING ABOUT DARWIN.

People don't seem to get it. DARWIN DID NOT INVENT THE CONCEPT OF EVOLUTION. It was already known, if not widely accepted, when he rolled around. Darwin's contribution, and what was so radical and subversive about his theory, was the utterly mechanistic idea of natural selection. Yet apparently even grown scientists still spout nonsense (trying to be somewhat charitable toward the reporter).

Eh. Done for the evening. Too tired, but maybe I'll add some more tomorrow. My one final comment for the evening:

47 million years old and 95% complete? Way too cool. I'm reminded of a comment, can't remember exactly who said it or the exact wording (oh, wait, I found it, God Bless the Innernuts): "mammalian history, as known from fos­sils, featured little more than the mating of teeth to produce slightly modified descendant teeth." Sad, but largely true.