Posted on 04/01/2006 10:50:28 AM PST by Condorman
Lincoln, NE (AP) - Researchers at the University of Nebraska have, for the first time, confirmed a prediction of the controversial theory known as intelligent design, or ID. The unexpected discovery was made by Paavamanti Ashook and Jessica Aylesworth, two graduate students working under the direction of Dr. Peter Harl, a professor in the Department of Biology at the University of Nebraska, while they were sequencing a section of the genetic code for the turquoise-browed motmot, Eumomota superciliosa, a Central American songbird.
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During the relatively routine procedure, the research team uncovered a gene in the turquoise-browed motmot that does not appear in any of its nearest relatives. “It came as a complete surprise,” said Aylesworth, “when we showed Dr. Harl he went to the lab and reran the sequence himself.”
“What we found is a gene with no evolutionary precursor,” said Dr. Harl. “There is no homologous gene in any other species of motmot. There's nothing like it in any other kingfisher that we can tell. It looks like someone stuck in an extra gene in the middle of the genome when no one was looking. At this point, the theory of evolution cannot provide a satisfactory answer. ID provides an explanation that works.”
ID is the scientific theory that evolution was guided is some way by an intelligent force, and was the subject of a controversial court ruling in Dover, PA last December in which the school board was forbidden from mandating ID as part of the science curriculum. Although the theory refuses to identify the designer, many adherents claim that the designer is God. According to one interpretation of the theory, some animals will contain certain features without a direct evolutionary pathway, as if the designer inserted or deleted a component of the species independent of the commonly accepted forces of natural selection.
“We will need to do more research,” Ashook said, “In the meantime, this definitely causes problems for evolution. But as a scientist I have to choice but to follow the evidence.”
The team’s results will be published in the next issue of the journal The Natural World.
What do you think? One for the ping list?
Hmm...an unexplained gene in this very attractive bird. And that's evidence of Intelligent Design? I don't see how.
Is it yet to be explained? Perhaps. Is it evidence of ID? Again, it is evidence only that there is a gene unique to this species in that position. Why? Well...more study is needed.
Were I an ID advocate, I'd be just as cautious as anyone about proclaiming this as proof of that odd hypothesis.
I have to ask, in that picture is that its tail hanging way down that far?
and Research Ping for all those who can use spell check.
Whether or not it is proof doesn't matter much. Some of us don't need proof.
Please provide a working link to this article. Thanks.
Nice, but I would like to see the raw data, not that I don't trust an AP story...
A weak attempt at humor that unitentionally may track with the sort of the thing that actually happens.
There are intricate irreducibly complex marvels tucked away in genome that await an appropriate trigger. One of those triggers almost certainly is natural selection. Indeed, natural selection could be the sole trigger and be perfectly consistent with ID theory.
"Whether or not it is proof doesn't matter much. Some of us don't need proof."
OK, then. Evidence is good. Science is based on it. Proof is really hard to come by.
Spontaneous or chaotic mutation?
Brilliant little April Fools joke!
"What do we call this, the April 1 gene? "
Could be an April Fool's thingie, I guess. However, I have no doubt that it will appear on every creationist and ID site within minutes, and then will be sent wending its way through the email pyramid.
Feh!
The warble does seem a little high-pitched, doesn't it?
O.K. No Peter Harl listed @ University
http://www.unomaha.edu/biology/
But there does seem to be a position open for in Genetics so I guess if Harl ever worked there his little theory got him canned LOL.
Also as you don't provide any link I searched AP and google news nada.
Can we get at least some evidence on this one?
HA
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