15-1 The Puzzle of Life's Diversity Slide 1 of 20

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2 15-1 The Puzzle of Life's Evolution is the process by which modern organisms were believed to have descended from ancient organisms. A scientific theory is a well-supported testable explanation of phenomena that have occurred in the natural world. 2 of 20

3 Macro vs. Micro Microevolution (small) refers to changes that occur with in a species. No scientist (Christian or non- Christian) will refute microevolution. Example #1 - Noah did not take two German shepherds, two dachshunds, and two poodles on the ark. He took two dogs (or perhaps even two wolves) and from that time we have had many changes within a species to produce all the different breeds. But they are still all the same species. 3 of 20

4 Example #2 there is a human trait that is a dominant genetic trait called polydactyly where there are 5 fingers AND a thumb on each hand. If this is a dominant trait, does that mean that Adam and Eve each had 5 fingers and a thumb? What happened that it is more common to have 4 fingers and a thumb on each hand in this day and age? 4 of 20

5 polydactyl 5 of 20

6 Macroevolution refers to the theory that one species transforms into another completely different species (the idea that birds evolved from dinosaurs). This is what the general population is refering to with the term evolution. When our book refers to evolution, and for the remainder of this chapter, we will be talking specifically about macroevolution. 6 of 20

7 Young Darwin Charles Darwin - Charles was raised in a religious home and brought up to pray. His dad encouraged him to be a clergyman. Darwin was quoted saying I liked the thought of being a country clergymen..i did not then in the least doubt the strict and literal truth of every word in the Bible. 7 of 20

8 He studied for 3 years at Christ s College in Cambridge, England. While there he became very interested in beetles and started large collections to study them. Before he had the opportunity to enter the ministry, he went on a voyage paid for by his father to help encourage his curiosity in nature. 8 of 20

9 Voyage of the Beagle Voyage of the H.M.S. Beagle In 1831, Darwin set sail from England aboard the H.M.S. Beagle for a voyage around the world. Darwin went ashore and collected plant and animal specimens for his collection. He studied the specimens, read the latest scientific books, and filled many notebooks with his observations and thoughts. 9 of 20

10 Voyage of the Beagle On board Darwin began to doubt the truth of Genesis when he read a book called the Principles of Geology by an author named Charles Lyell. Later when Lyell died in 1875, Darwin wrote these words honoring Lyell, I never forget that almost everything which I have done in science I owe to the study of his (Lyell) great works. 10 of 20

11 Voyage of the Beagle 11 of 20

12 Voyage of the Beagle During his travels, Darwin made numerous observations and collected evidence that led him to propose a hypothesis about the way life changes over time. That hypothesis has become the theory of evolution. 12 of 20

13 Darwin's Observations Darwin's Observations Darwin observed that many plants and animals were well suited to the environments they inhabited. He was impressed by the ways in which organisms survived and produced offspring. 13 of 20

14 Darwin's Observations Darwin was puzzled by where different species lived and did not live. Grasslands in some regions were similar to one another but were inhabited by very different animals. 14 of 20

15 Darwin's Observations Living Organisms and Fossils Darwin collected the preserved remains of ancient organisms, called fossils. Some of those fossils resembled organisms that were still alive. Others looked completely unlike any creature he had ever seen. 15 of 20

16 Darwin's Observations The Galápagos Islands Darwin observed that the Galápagos Islands were close together but had very different climates. Darwin observed that the characteristics of many animals and plants varied noticeably among the different islands of the Galápagos. 16 of 20

17 The Journey Home Darwin wondered if animals living on different islands had once been members of the same species. These separate species would have evolved from an original South American ancestor species. 17 of 20

18 Darwin convinced himself that everything in nature had come about by accidental, unguided, purposelessness actions rather than by the result of meaningful intention, divinely guided, and on purpose actions. His rejection of the Genesis account caused him to also deny the rest of the Old Testament. In his autobiography, he wrote I had gradually come by this time, to see that the Old Testament was no more to be trusted than the sacred books of the Hindus or the beliefs of any barbarian. 18 of 20

19 After he abandoned the OT, he then renounced the Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke and John). He wrote, I never gave up Christianity until I was 40 years of age. (1849) After several years of study, the result was a book called Origin of Species first written in Darwin died on April 19, 1882 at the age of 73. He was a self-acknowledged agnostic (one who thinks it is impossible to know whether there is a God, or a future life). 19 of 20