plekhanov Posted September 16, 2008 Share Posted September 16, 2008 Where in the theory of evolution does it state that all the species we are descended from or otherwise related to must go extinct for us to exist? To answer my own question it doesn't. Speciation generally happens when two or more populations of the same species get separated and over time they each evolve to suit their specific environments eventually they change so much that the species evolving in the different environments can no longer breed with each other should for whatever reason their species no longer be seperated. So if humans had evolved directly from chimps (we didn't we both have a fairly recent extinct common ancestor) chimps wouldn't need to go extinct for humans to exist. What would happen is that as chimps extend there range from their initial habitat and moved into new environments or the climate in established habits changed survival of the fittest would gradually lead to different populations of chimps developing in different ways. One or more of these populations may remain more or less unchanged or in other words remain what we call 'chimps' others however because of selection pressures caused by changes in climate, other organisms in their environment and so forth could evolve (over enough time) into other species such as a brainier more upright human type ape but there's absolutely no reason why chimps need go extinct for this to happen. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Berberis Posted September 16, 2008 Share Posted September 16, 2008 So fish? not bee's? Someone once said bee's and also dinosaurs... And they both taste like chicken, figure that one out Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
catzeyesF Posted September 16, 2008 Share Posted September 16, 2008 So how many years does it take to for the process to take to evolve into a human? How come there are no chimp that are in between, if you get my meaning. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Little Buzz Posted September 16, 2008 Share Posted September 16, 2008 it depends on the environment. all animals fit their environment - there are no animals 'inbetween' as there is no environment for them to exploit that said, there are many types of monkey and ape, some more 'human' than others - what do you mean by in between? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
[Matt] Posted September 16, 2008 Share Posted September 16, 2008 Evolution theory tells the story of each species and how it evolved into another over time, but it fails to have a start point. This is what confuses me. Life does not come from a sterile environment. Some people say that life came on a meteor but that does not answer the question, it just moves it to another place and time. Maybe we are just not clever enough to figure it out just yet. The study of the origins of life or Abiogenesis to refer to it by its correct name is the least understood area of biological study. However we do know quite a few facts that lead credence to the idea that life can and does arise in such environments as the early earth such as the fact that high electrical charges applied to salt water produce amino acids which are the basic building blocks for all life. For more on the subject http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Origin_of_life Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
catzeyesF Posted September 16, 2008 Share Posted September 16, 2008 it depends on the environment. all animals fit their environment - there are no animals 'inbetween' as there is no environment for them to exploit that said, there are many types of monkey and ape, some more 'human' than others - what do you mean by in between? Yeh i guess you last point is right. I have seen monkey's eating like i do. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
[Matt] Posted September 16, 2008 Share Posted September 16, 2008 So how many years does it take to for the process to take to evolve into a human? How come there are no chimp that are in between, if you get my meaning. Humans and apes diverged around 6 million years ago or so our current understanding of biology says. As for transitional fossils between the time of our divergence and modern day you may find this video of interest... http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=sZ2WoHFc7eE Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
plekhanov Posted September 16, 2008 Share Posted September 16, 2008 Evolution theory tells the story of each species and how it evolved into another over time, but it fails to have a start point. The theory of Evolution doesn't fail to do that because it makes no attempt to do so, you might as well say it fails to predict the motion of a pendulum. Evolution very successfully explains the variety of life on earth other theories explain how natural selection got started in the first place. This is what confuses me. Life does not come from a sterile environment. Some people say that life came on a meteor but that does not answer the question, it just moves it to another place and time. Maybe we are just not clever enough to figure it out just yet. How do you be so sure 'Life does not come from a sterile environment'? Have you done comprehensive research to conclusively demonstrate that there is no feasible way in which life could ever come from none life in possible environment over any time period? I really rather doubt it, what you are really saying is that off the top of your head you can't conceive of how life could have come from none life. Personal incredulity however is not a valid argument as to how something could not have happened. Especially when as in this case a great deal of good scientific work has been done which shows that life could indeed have come from non-life or abiogenesis as this handy video conveniently summarises. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Warden Posted September 16, 2008 Share Posted September 16, 2008 So fish? not bee's? Someone once said bee's and also dinosaurs... Did the grocer's apostrophe evolve from the comma? *gets coat* Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
plekhanov Posted September 16, 2008 Share Posted September 16, 2008 I thought we descended from Fish? We're descend from an unbroken chain of other organisms including both apes and rather earlier fish. The two are in no way mutually exclusive. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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