1journeyman
Active Member
Originally Posted by GeriDoc
http:///forum/post/2587158
Actually, in some cases it is easier. The cell wall forms due to the hydrophobic (water fearing) nature of lipids. Put the right lipids into water and you get a simple form of a cell membrane. As for multicellularity, there are many intermediates even today - single cell organisms that like to form colonial structures in which some of the cells in the colony begin to specialize. It isn't much of a stretch to imagine these stabilizing, and you have the beginnings of multicellularity. The current theory on mitochondria is that they were once free-living organisms that invaded cells, and a form of mutualism developed in which the host and invader both benefited. There is genetic evidence that this is so, but I don't believe there are any fossil remains of mitochondria available. Birds: the fossil evidence is that birds did not evolve all of those traits at once, and there probably is no single moment when you could point at an organism and say "BIRD!". Flight has evolved independently several times (bats, birds, flying squirrels), indicating that this is a sound survival strategy, and evolves without much difficulty. For a good introduction to these ideas and their supporting evidence, check out Neil Shubin's book, "Your Inner Fish".
Those are all very partial and very small examples when you need a giant puzzle piece.
The way certain lipids behave in water is an example of a cell wall developing? How then did the nucleus also happen to evolve simultaneously to operate inside of it? Etc. Etc. Etc.
There is an enormous difference between colonies of single celled organisms and the first multi-cellular organism.
Assuming mitochondria were individual creatures that invaded early cells is a great example of "faith".
My point of flight is to simply point out the vast array of diiferent events that would have to simultaneously eveolve in order for it to occur. Take the flying squirrel for example. They don't fly, nor do we see them evolving feathers anytime soon to become better at flying. To say flying evolves fairly easily is another great example of "faith". Look at the number of species of birds that are flightless that we've seen go extinct. Clearly the non-flight phase of flying is rather percarious. Again, this "weak" phase (less fit) should have been wiped out of the evolutionary tree, not been allowed the millions of years neccessary to fully develop into flight (according to Darwin's premise)
http:///forum/post/2587158
Actually, in some cases it is easier. The cell wall forms due to the hydrophobic (water fearing) nature of lipids. Put the right lipids into water and you get a simple form of a cell membrane. As for multicellularity, there are many intermediates even today - single cell organisms that like to form colonial structures in which some of the cells in the colony begin to specialize. It isn't much of a stretch to imagine these stabilizing, and you have the beginnings of multicellularity. The current theory on mitochondria is that they were once free-living organisms that invaded cells, and a form of mutualism developed in which the host and invader both benefited. There is genetic evidence that this is so, but I don't believe there are any fossil remains of mitochondria available. Birds: the fossil evidence is that birds did not evolve all of those traits at once, and there probably is no single moment when you could point at an organism and say "BIRD!". Flight has evolved independently several times (bats, birds, flying squirrels), indicating that this is a sound survival strategy, and evolves without much difficulty. For a good introduction to these ideas and their supporting evidence, check out Neil Shubin's book, "Your Inner Fish".
Those are all very partial and very small examples when you need a giant puzzle piece.
The way certain lipids behave in water is an example of a cell wall developing? How then did the nucleus also happen to evolve simultaneously to operate inside of it? Etc. Etc. Etc.
There is an enormous difference between colonies of single celled organisms and the first multi-cellular organism.
Assuming mitochondria were individual creatures that invaded early cells is a great example of "faith".
My point of flight is to simply point out the vast array of diiferent events that would have to simultaneously eveolve in order for it to occur. Take the flying squirrel for example. They don't fly, nor do we see them evolving feathers anytime soon to become better at flying. To say flying evolves fairly easily is another great example of "faith". Look at the number of species of birds that are flightless that we've seen go extinct. Clearly the non-flight phase of flying is rather percarious. Again, this "weak" phase (less fit) should have been wiped out of the evolutionary tree, not been allowed the millions of years neccessary to fully develop into flight (according to Darwin's premise)
