Is there really sufficient empirical proof to support the theory of evolution?

Question

Or is it mostly about inferences, guesses and theory (understood in the scientific sense of the word)?

Answer 1

Let's see;

Adaptation has been observed in both the lab and in nature.

And we see mankind gaining in height over the centuries. Which, if evolution is not true, would be impossible to happen.

There exists literally millions of fossils of animals that are now extinct. Some marine fossils can be found in mountains and deserts, indicating changes in earth that took place over millions of years, which is just about the time needed for evolution to take place.

We have cataclysmic disasters (volcanoes, meteor collisions, etc.) that destroyed the majority of life on earth. Which is another way of showing adaptation and brutal way of natural selection.

We have animals with organs and body parts that have no real function (e.g. the appendix in human beings)

And many body parts are similar across the animal spectrum, suggesting that they all came from a common ancestors. For example, the bat wing and whale flippers all have 5 appendages, like human being and simian animals.

Human beings share more than 95% of genes of simians, again suggesting they had a common ancestor.

We have seen many animals become extinct with the advent of mankind, the dodo bird and the passenger pigeon. This is an example of natural selection. And since mankind is part of nature (he is a mammal after all), this natural selection process is a further proof of evolution.

Hope this helps!

Rob