[RightWingAtheist]

For the list?

[Texas Eagle]

What did plants evolve from?

[Texas Eagle]

I believe in The Big Bang Theory.

I believe God spoke and BANG! it happened.

[Texas Eagle]

I believe we had a common ancestor.

Adam.

[Texas Eagle]

What was the natural enemy of the first cell to ever exist?

[D-fendr]

Perhaps, future genetic engineers will be able to create a 12-fingered pianist without unwanted side effects.

Genetically engineered humans crosses so many moral boundaries – I'm glad I won't live to see it.

[SteveMcKing]

It's all HOX genes, derivative of Homeobox genes.

[DouglasKC]

The fact that this did not happen suggests that there are genetic constraints involved. Clifford J. Tabin of Harvard Medical School has suggested that the genes that control digit formation are structured so as to produce five basic patterns (thumbs, pinkies, etc., in the case of a human hand)

"Genetic constraints". "Structured". Almost sounds like it was designed that way.

[concerned about politics]

I'll bet this guy was really born with 6 fingers, but born without a brain.
Evolution is a fairy tale. This guy sounds serious!

[auzerais]

Anne Boleyn clearly had 6 fingers (at least on one hand) and yet successfully gave birth to Elizabeh I, so I wonder about your contention of hand-foot-genital genetic problems.

Why Elizabeth didn't inherit her mother's "abnormality" is a question for history.

.

[Redcloak]

Six fingers can make for an impressive swordsman; though perhaps not good enough.

[LonePalm]

I think the liberals drew aces and eights.

Garde la Foi, mes amis! Nous nous sommes les sauveurs de la République! Maintenant et Toujours!
(Keep the Faith, my friends! We are the saviors of the Republic! Now and Forever!)
LonePalm, le Républicain du verre cassé (The Broken Glass Republican)

[two134711]

This guy must not know that six-fingered hands (hexyldactyly)are rather common:

http://www.medterms.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=7756

In fact, I've known two people who exhibit this "defect," although one had the finger cut off at birth. Both were born in the Dominican Republican, where cousin marriage isn't uncommon.

[Gritty]

The only poker hand evolution holds is a "busted flush".

[Doctor Stochastic]

...A few extra fingers, after all, would allow more detailed grasping and other operations....

Not necessarily; they may just get in each others way. It's not clear that detailed grasping is needed for reproductive advantage.

Evolution is conservative; most things just hang around if not detrimental.

[Drammach]

The author seems to have limited himself to five digits as opposed to more, when he should have also addressed the 5 or less argument as well..

Experiments in robotics have shown that 3 digits is minimal..
Two "fingers" and an opposable "thumb"..
One thumb and one finger will allow grasping of an object, but control or manipulation is "shaky" as the object will rotate (laterally?) between the two digits...
digit #3 allows control of that rotation..

So one could argue, that for the sake of efficiency, humans could get rid of the 4th finger (pinky) and still have sufficient digital dexterity for any imagined task...

In many animals, an extra digit remains in the form of a "dew claw", which may be a disposed of thumb..
In hooved animals, the digits have evolved into 2 digits, (cloven hooved, like cattle and deer) and 1 digit ( hooved, like horses )..

The author looked in the wrong direction.. evolution "simplifies" ...
In different orders, digits have evolved to the task at hand..

Oh.. and then there's "flippers" on seals, etc.. and the whales... Once a land mammal, now sea-borne, and still retaining vestigial digits within it's flukes..

[shuckmaster]

I once had a school buddy who was born with six fingers on each hand. He had scars from where the extra digits had been removed. I once told him he should searh the world over & find a six fingered girl to marry and he didn't think that was too funny at all.