Punctuated equalibrium: what proof is there?

Question

I was going to ask "By what mechanism did evolution occur?" but, then i realized it would end up at "punctuated equalibrium" which apparently requires no proof and has no proof....Am i wrong? please explain...

Whoa! I'd like some serious answers please..BTW: "Punctuated Equalibrium" is the theorization that says that, since there are problems w/traditional beliefs about the way evolution apparantly occured, that it happened in sudden leaps leaving no fossil evidence, primarily.....

I am not God, and i am not judging anyone by their beliefs or opinions...just posing what i thought would be an intrigueing question...

Thanx "Snout" I'll try that....(They'll probably tell me to post it in "religion" again though! LOL)

Answer 1

You've asked your question in the wrong section: it belongs in biology, not religion.

I'm not a biologist, but the main mechanism by which evolution occurs is natural selection of imperfectly reproduced genomes.

Punctuated equilibrium is not a mechanism so much as a description of the overall pattern of speciation. It is not in any fundamental opposition to the traditional gradualism, but is a highly debated offshoot of the theory, developed by Gould and Eldredge in 1972.

In essence, the theory proposes that species change occurs (gradually) in populations isolated from the main - where survival is at its most marginal and where selection pressures are most fierce. The evolved population then moves back and outcompetes the original main one, creating the impression of rapid change in the fossil record.

For a more learned summary of the pros and cons, see Wikipedia, or ask the biologists.

[Edit] I had the same problem once, posting a genuine evolution question there as well. Some of them can be a bit defensive, but there are some smart scientists as well who know their stuff and are happy to share it. Be persistent. If you don't get a good answer, maybe try contacting novangelis or secretsauce - they both usually provide excellent answers to evolution questions.
http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=AjLAjbV4XUunUTj4gWWdDz7sy6IX?qid=20061204143342AAFyZgK

Answer 2

You make a few wrong assumptions here:

1) Discussions on evolution do not necessarily come back to punctuated equilibrium. That's one specific model that some have used to describe certain mechanics of evolution. Some creationists have tried twisting the definition around to imply that punctuated equilibrium disproves evolution, but that's like saying Einstein's correction of Newtonian physics means apples might rise up from the ground and reattach themselves to trees.

2) If by "no proof" (a term better suited to mathematics than science) you mean "no evidence for punctuated equilibrium" and that it requres none, you would of course be wrong. People wouldn't be publishing papers on it if it was a pure hypothesis.

3) If you want to learn about punctuated equilibrium, go read what Steven J. Gould and other scientists wrote about it. This will require learning some vocabulary that goes beyond the layman's level. You should not expect a random internet messageboard to hand you clear information about this, especially since you posted this in the religous section and not the biology section.

Answer 3

what in the hell is a punctuated equillibrium?

evolution occurs by random gene mutations and natural selection over a long period of time
with the emphasis on LONG time

Answer 4

i have no idea what punctuated equilibrium is. there is proof supporting evolution, though its still not fact.

Answer 5

i thought god wasnt chaos and non judgmental

Answer 6

sure why not