Evolutionists: If everything is on its way to becoming something else why are there ANY species at all?

Question

By your way of thinking everything would be a hodge-podge of animal parts.

Why don’t we see horses born with tusks or a trunk?

Or people waking up one morning with wings or fish scales?

Answer 1

Er, your problem is that you don't know what a "species" is.

In fact, everything IS a "hodge-podge of animal parts".

Your examples, though, are just silly - they have nothing whatsoever to do with evolution.

Answer 2

There is the potential for a lot of strange things to happen whenever an individual is born. There is a lot of unused genetic information in each individual which is not turned on during normal embryonic development but things can go wrong and structures can develop which don't normally show. I don't know of an example but I suppose it is possible for a horse to be born with a defective nose and lip that looks somewhat like a trunk. The genes for a horses facial features are not that different those for an elephant. This mutant might or might not survive. If it turned out that it did survive and provided an advantage, then it could breed and produce more offspring with that feature. It could be a new species. (if it happened today, it would probably be in a domesticated horse and it would be up to a breeder to determine whether to breed it or destroy it.)

So, what you describe is really exactly how new species do arise. It just doesn't happen often.

Answer 3

"Why don’t we see horses born with tusks or a trunk?"

Because their genes don't code for it. A random mutation wouldn't just instantly cause a horse to have tusks or a trunk. As someone else said, damaged genes could cause a horse's lips, nose or teeth to be enlarged thus giving the slight appearance of a trunk or tusks but it wouldn't be exactly the same as an elephant.

On another note though, there are species that have developed tusks, a trunk, etc besides elephants. Look at boars and how different their teeth are to other swine. Then you've got tapirs which are near enough on the verge of having a short trunk.

"Or people waking up one morning with wings or fish scales?"

Now that's just silly. We just don't have the genes for scales or wings. Wings especially would be near impossible to be born with. The closest you could get to wings would be extra limbs for a partially absorbed twin (as disturbing as that may sound).

I recommend reading up on natural selection, genes and evolution in general from an unbiased source. I recommend Wikipedia as it is maintained to ensure there is no biased point of view - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Evolution

Answer 4

Your question is very interesting (it dosen't matter what some people here might tell you, its a very good one)

1) There are a LOT of complex molecular mechanisms preventing mutations from occuring more often than they should from one generation to another. The occurance of mutations driving evolution dose'nt mean its a "mutation party" and a turtle can be born with gills and fur all over its body. Most obserbable mutations are small ones (the big ones usualy don't work and lead to the death of the individual), its the accumulation of these small mutations that seems to drive evolution. Remember, the enviroment plays a big big role in all of this, so only the "good mutations" will be passed on.

2)What is a species? Well some scientists seem to think there aren't ANY SPECIES AT ALL, that it is just an abitrary division to help biologists to study life! I've heard a question like yours before and i think its funny how it ends up confirming evolution. Let me explain, briefly.
The genetic mixing within a population + the enviroment selecting all unwanted mutations are what keeps a species a speices. The wolf and the coiote are 2 clearly distinct species, still they mate and generate hybrids for thowsands of years now (which is one of the millions of things hard to explain properly without evolution). Why don't we see those hybrids? Natural selection takes care of them, they are not apt to live in the enviroment in which they inhabit, so they don't, for very long. You see? It is obserbable in many cases how the distinction between species is unclear, and that a very good evidence for evolution (you implied it yourself with your question).

Space here is short and i'm not a good teacher, so i ask you to check out the book in my source.

thats it

paz de Cristo

Answer 5

"everything is on its way to becoming something else"

even your first sentence is misguided.

evolution is not a linear process and is not aiming in any direction. Humans are not the pinnacle. everything that is alive today is equally evolved, some animals are essentially not evolving at all, because they are prefectly adapted to their current environment.

secondly, everything IS a "hodge podge of animal parts", although is more accurate to describe them a hodge podge of different aged parts.

"Why don’t we see horses born with tusks or a trunk?"

evolution may be random, but its not THAT randomn. there are not unlimited possibilities for new mutations.

please learn more about it. All of you questions can be anweres easily, but you honestly need to understand more than the very basics (which you don't even seem to get).

Answer 6

You need to do some reading about how evolution actually works. No one ever said it would be an overnight process where someone wakes up another species. The Yahoo religion section is hardly the place to seek out accurate biology information. The term evolutionist is only used by religious fundamentalists who are intent on denying evolution regardless of the evidence so if you are sincerely looking for information you might not want to use that term. It betrays a certain intent and discredits you from the get go.

some basic coverage that might bring you a bit more up to speed:

What Evolution Is. by Ernst Mayr

Evolution vs Creationism by Eugenie Scott and Niles Eldridge

Evolution The Triumph of an Idea by Carl Zimmer

Answer 7

Mutation, adaptation is not a fast process in higher animals. What you describe actually can be seen in some single cell and low end multi cell life since their life spans are so much shorter and their reproductive cycles much quicker. The changes do not always signify the creation of an entire new species. Either you went to a private religious school that didn't teach biology or during your biology class at public school you were reading your bible.

Answer 8

On a molecular level our genome, which is subject to errors in nucleobase replication, as well as near endless combinations as a result of sexual reproduction, offers near endless variation for natural selection to act on. Over time natural selection will favor heritable characteristics that increase fitness. Hence, we do not see the unusual combination of parts that you suggest. We do see a hodge podge in other ways though, like bipedal humans with bad backs and fallen arches due to our ancestry from 4 legged mammals.

Answer 9

Because evolution doesn't take place overnight, it takes place over tens of thousands of years. Kind of like the writing and rewriting of the fables in the bible.

Answer 10

"If evolution is happening, why isn't it happening far faster than would be logical, and without the influence of natural selection?" Seriously, did you just not think before you wrote this, or are you really that stupid?