Have scientists ever found any transitional forms or missing links from one species to the next?
2007-02-15 16:46:00 · 18 answers · asked by me 6 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
The question shows a lack of understanding of the nature of mutations. The genetic information is encoded in digital, not analog, form, so there is a minimal change in the organism caused by a one-bit change in the code. But there is NO maximum: a one-bit change can activate all or part of an intron, or de-activate all or part of an exon, so a mutational change can be arbitrarily large. It follows that every observed form is a transitional form, and if one is looking for a supposed intermediate form, it may not in fact have ever existed.
Incidentally, evolution is now a proven fact (details on request).
2007-02-15 16:56:45 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 4⤊ 1⤋
Yes. Archeoptyrex. The transition from Dinosaurs to birds. THey even founf transitional form from Dinosaurs to Archoptyrex. SOme Feathered Dinosaurs. THere are a lot more less famous one. THe thing is if you find the fossil records of an animal that is midpoint of two different species. You then have to find two new fossil record to describe the evolution between animal 1 and 2 and 2 and 3.
2007-02-15 16:57:55 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
The 'missing link' concept has changed over time when it comes to science, but not as much when it comes to what people think.
Take humans for example. A lot of people out there think that there would be one half monkey half human looking thing and that would be the 'missing link' between humans and apes. Maybe an animal with a large brain capacity but a larger jaw.
That's not really the way it works. As it turns out, in the line between apes and humans there are hundreds, if not thousands of different beings that represent steps of evolution on the way to becoming human. In a sence, they are all 'missing links.'
2007-02-15 16:54:18 · answer #3 · answered by Angry Moogle 2 · 4⤊ 0⤋
Yes, tons.
In fact, the transitional forms for whales have been confirmed by specifically studiying the evolution of the ear as teh whale lineage changed from a mainly terrestrial mammal to a fully aquatic mammal. The ear became specialized for hearing underwater.
2007-02-15 16:55:58 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 3⤊ 0⤋
Yes and no.
Evolution isn't a straight line, constant speed change.
Species change over time, and anthropologists have found different species that have have progressed from each other.
However, thanks to our limited ability to dig deeply into the earth, as well as the frequency at which geology destroys evidence, there are large gaps in the fossil record.
2007-02-15 16:50:29 · answer #5 · answered by Wolf 2 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Yes. Whales have hip bones. Scientists never knew why, but discovered ancient whales that had more developed legs, showing that whales evolved from a mammal that once walked on the land.
2007-02-15 16:51:26 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
Sure they have they found the missing link to the dolphin when it was a land animal they have found many missing links to humans.
2007-02-15 16:52:58 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
Here is a link for the transitional fossil of hominid skulls. http://www.theistic-evolution.com/transitional.html
Want more?
I could give you the links to 869,000 more web sites.
2007-02-15 16:53:35 · answer #8 · answered by Sara 5 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Yes, even the swallows have evolved since Charles Darwin originally documented them. (Beak changes). Evolution keeps marching on.
2007-02-15 16:57:03 · answer #9 · answered by Devil in Details 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Yes. All over the place. Transitional dinosaurs, whales, horses, primordial fish. Tons really!
2007-02-15 16:49:06 · answer #10 · answered by Gene Rocks! 5 · 5⤊ 2⤋