A comparative genome study of earthworms and their marine relatives could challenge Darwin’s theory of evolution by showing that worms colonized land in evolutionary jumps. […]
The team has shown that marine annelids (worms) reorganised their genome from top to bottom, leaving it unrecognisable, when they left the oceans. Their observations are consistent with a punctuated equilibrium model, and could indicate that not only gradual but sudden changes in the genome could have occurred as these animals adapted to terrestrial settings. The genetic mechanism identified could transform our concept of animal evolution and revolutionise the established laws of genome evolution.
The paper is here.
This actually makes more sense if you consider the regenerative abilities of some of these species. Flat Worms are a good example. They have the ability to regrow every single cell in their bodies. Such a “trick” would lend itself well to evolving to the circumstances. Zebra fish can regrow its entire spine. And, we all know about the ability for a Star Fish to regrow a lost appendage.
Such flexibility in survival would, IMO, have to have some influence on evolution as well. It’s like having a Formula One car in your driveway. You just have to learn how to drive.
Punctuated evolution does not counter Darwin’s theory; it is just a question of speed
Now I’m confused. Did the Ron MacLeans of the World crawl out of the ground or the water?
I’ve gone back pretty far in my family tree … and found quite a few worms. It’s amazing I’ve turned out as completely human as I am.
Its spelt Wrong MacLean and he crawled out of a Chocolate Starfish.
The older I get, intelligent design makes more sense.
RedPop,
I have tilted toward intelligent design for many years, and more so as I grow older and accrue more observational data. Life is a miracle.
Irreducible complexity is a core concept of intelligent design. Things that could not develop per evolutionary theory, like the eye, the immune system, blood clotting, and the miraculous way that creation abides and manifests, from catterpillar to butterfly, on through to the intelligence of crows.
CAW!
To say Darwin was wrong simply means you did not read any of the later additions of Origin. Darwin described punctuated equilibrium long before the ignoramuses like Stephen Gould tried to claim credit for it.
I thought the punctuated evolution theory was settled years ago, though I think it had a different name. Large changes in the expression of certain genes during large environmental changes. When things settle down you get innumerable tweaks to specialize for different environments.
I’ve always believed in evolution but have also begun believe some other factor or factors (no, not God) are involved as well in certain types of speciation. rapid transitions and some of the amazing complexities that exist in the natural world.
For me, one of the most incredible that is hard to fit neatly in the evolution model is metamorphosis (also eyes).
Here’s a 2-min. vid on how a caterpillar becomes a butterfly:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G3VMl-EY2DM
Sunshine and its radiation can do stuff to animals.
And don’t behavioural changes due to the demand of an environmental change make the animal change?
I wish evolution would fix my arthritis.