Evolution Explained.
One day, at a visit to the Natural History Museum, I chanced to overhear a gentleman talking to his young companion about the exhibits. The gentleman seemed to engage in a captivating subject and his cohort was totally enthralled, so I thought it might be of interest to retell what he was saying in this blog.
This large fossil, explained the gentleman in the museum to the child called Peter, is evidence of creatures that dominated the earth millions of years ago. Then came the quizzical retort from Peter, asking his dad, why those same animals were not living now? It was all a part of how things work, stated the older gentleman and he continued with the response that it can be summed up by the evolution theory.
What is the evolution theory? Part of it represents the thought that all life had a common ancestor at one time. Through a natural process and at birth, there was a variation of traits which determined that some life forms and species maybe better suited to enable survival for future life. However there is often competition and change in the environment, ones that could include life threatening events of such a magnitude that whole diverse species are wiped out.
Such an epic and transforming event happened to this large creature, replied the gentleman to the questions of why from Peter, and all that was left were a relative few fossils.
At that precise minute, Peter frantically began searching in his pocket for a handkerchief. Just in time, he sneezed into it. His father said to him that he hoped he had not caught a cold, because if he had, then the child’s mother would not be too happy with him. On that rather solemn prospect, he ventured on to tell the little boy, that idea reminded him about viruses. The common cold, was of course a virus. At one time viruses were thought a possible reason for the extinction of Dinosaurs. At the moment, a meteor is the favourite suggested potential cause.
Back to the subject of viruses, the man and boy continued their discussion and the conclusion that the virus does have a close connection to many forms of life. Peter interrupted by saying that he still did not see, how even if you have different breeds of dog, how they turn into a new species. His dad told him that it happened when there was a variation that stops procreation of an original species, and it was at that point a new species could be formed, it could take a very long time and the original species did not have to die out. It is only survival that dictates the course of life.
Dogs, the pair decided, were a good example of a diversion of species. Although descended from wolves, the exact breed of wolf is no longer living.
Peter asked why is it called an evolution theory and not fact. His father replied that in science there is always a possibility for something different or new to occur. In that case, the theory would be amended or replaced, if no longer viable. To date all the predictions of evolution have been found
reliable but there is a possibility that something could be found that falsifies evolution’s reliability. For example there could be a possible scenario whereby evidence of modern life from four billion years ago could substantiate that evolution could not have taken place.
Eventually it was time for me to leave Peter and his father in the natural History Museum, but their conversation stayed with me for a long time to come. It had shown me how science and history could fascinate, teach and cause curiosity in many a generation and for many a different reason it could mystify and provoke wonder.
This large fossil, explained the gentleman in the museum to the child called Peter, is evidence of creatures that dominated the earth millions of years ago. Then came the quizzical retort from Peter, asking his dad, why those same animals were not living now? It was all a part of how things work, stated the older gentleman and he continued with the response that it can be summed up by the evolution theory.
What is the evolution theory? Part of it represents the thought that all life had a common ancestor at one time. Through a natural process and at birth, there was a variation of traits which determined that some life forms and species maybe better suited to enable survival for future life. However there is often competition and change in the environment, ones that could include life threatening events of such a magnitude that whole diverse species are wiped out.
Such an epic and transforming event happened to this large creature, replied the gentleman to the questions of why from Peter, and all that was left were a relative few fossils.
At that precise minute, Peter frantically began searching in his pocket for a handkerchief. Just in time, he sneezed into it. His father said to him that he hoped he had not caught a cold, because if he had, then the child’s mother would not be too happy with him. On that rather solemn prospect, he ventured on to tell the little boy, that idea reminded him about viruses. The common cold, was of course a virus. At one time viruses were thought a possible reason for the extinction of Dinosaurs. At the moment, a meteor is the favourite suggested potential cause.
Back to the subject of viruses, the man and boy continued their discussion and the conclusion that the virus does have a close connection to many forms of life. Peter interrupted by saying that he still did not see, how even if you have different breeds of dog, how they turn into a new species. His dad told him that it happened when there was a variation that stops procreation of an original species, and it was at that point a new species could be formed, it could take a very long time and the original species did not have to die out. It is only survival that dictates the course of life.
Dogs, the pair decided, were a good example of a diversion of species. Although descended from wolves, the exact breed of wolf is no longer living.
Peter asked why is it called an evolution theory and not fact. His father replied that in science there is always a possibility for something different or new to occur. In that case, the theory would be amended or replaced, if no longer viable. To date all the predictions of evolution have been found
reliable but there is a possibility that something could be found that falsifies evolution’s reliability. For example there could be a possible scenario whereby evidence of modern life from four billion years ago could substantiate that evolution could not have taken place.
Eventually it was time for me to leave Peter and his father in the natural History Museum, but their conversation stayed with me for a long time to come. It had shown me how science and history could fascinate, teach and cause curiosity in many a generation and for many a different reason it could mystify and provoke wonder.
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