What Darwin Never Knew

[BishopMnA 0]

This does look interesting. I love that we're able to look into these mysteries, understand more, and continue to be amazed. I suspect that amazement will never end...

[one...two...tree 2,762]

Steve, I didn't see the Nova program you are referring to. But from the description, I think you should really check out Neil Shubin's excellent book "Your Inner Fish"

It's a very readable account of the way in which our genome has evolved from and is closely related to the ancestral animals from which we come. For example, as vertebrates, we share the shame genomic sequences that all other vertebrates have - including reptiles, fish and sharks. A human embryo and shark embryo at an early stage of gestation share remarkable similarities which then differentiate - in one case a node becomes a shark rib, in another it matures into the human inner ear bone. Essentially, we "evolve" within the womb. The first ~ 10 weeks of development are a "replay" of 500 million years of evolution. It's way cool stuff.

http://tiktaalik.uchicago.edu/book.html

Yep. That's what the 2 hour program talked about. I learned that Darwin wasn't some kind of evil atheist trying to disprove the existence of God as some on the Religious Right suggest. He was a careful observer who witnessed the remarkable diversity of species. It should be required viewing for all biology students in high school.

[BishopMnA 0]

Essentially, we "evolve" within the womb. The first ~ 10 weeks of development are a "replay" of 500 million years of evolution. It's way cool stuff.

http://tiktaalik.uchicago.edu/book.html

That, if true, would be incredibly fascinating. It certainly would be wonderous, and incredibly heavy stuff

[one...two...tree 2,762]

That, if true, would be incredibly fascinating. It certainly would be wonderous, and incredibly heavy stuff

From a spiritual perspective, it makes me appreciate more, the belief in God. It is all just so awesome.

[BishopMnA 0]

From a spiritual perspective, it makes me appreciate more, the belief in God. It is all just so awesome.

Amen Brother. In truth, it increases the wonder, and quite overwhelming! Science is a great benefit to man because it allows to continuously probe these glories mysteries and come to a deeper understanding.

[Pooky 3,930]

Darwin was one smart man.

[NickD 203]

I see that program is on again tonight, CST time on PBS at 10:00 PM.

Have to believe there is some kind of Creator, we had nothing to do with making ourselves not providing the necessities for life. Who can take credit for inventing the grape or the banana? But on the other hand, we are very fragile, try living without oxygen for just five minutes as one small example. Amazing how asteroids hit this earth bringing us rare earth metals that were never here before that we need for our technology. Has to be more than an accident. Only accidents I am aware of are the kind that bend fenders, not very many really good accidents.

[Pooky 3,930]

I see that program is on again tonight, CST time on PBS at 10:00 PM.

Have to believe there is some kind of Creator, we had nothing to do with making ourselves not providing the necessities for life. Who can take credit for inventing the grape or the banana? But on the other hand, we are very fragile, try living without oxygen for just five minutes as one small example. Amazing how asteroids hit this earth bringing us rare earth metals that were never here before that we need for our technology. Has to be more than an accident. Only accidents I am aware of are the kind that bend fenders, not very many really good accidents.

Inventing the grape, or the banana? Are you for real?

[Teacher Mark 53]

Here's a link to the program, which isn't available in Vietnam naturally(pun intended):

http://video.pbs.org/video/1372073556/

Here's a similiar program by the hacks over at the BBC:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0C7nzb09Iok...&playnext=1

Edited December 31, 2009 by Mr. Saigon

[NickD 203]

Inventing the grape, or the banana? Are you for real?

Are any of us here for real? If you subscribe a belief to that Matrix movie series, it's all an illusion, including that banana and that grape.

But my point is, if we are for real, that is equally questionable, what we need to survive and to evolve is already on this earth, and we had nothing to do with that. It was already done for us.

[slim 1,533]

Darwin's theory was published in 1839. Busting out the old calculator here I see that's about 170 years ago.

Based on the leaps in technology of the past 170 years, is it improbable that we could be doing genetic engineering in 170 years? I'm not talking about cloning a sheep or building an artificial heart (we'll be doing that pretty regularly - and pretty soon) but actually "manufacturing" humans? Enhancing them with certain qualities too?

Could it happen?