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Vampire Moth Discovered -- Evolution at Work
National Geographic News ^ | 10-27-08 | John Roach

Posted on 10/30/2008 5:11:48 AM PDT by Renfield

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A vampire moth in Siberia sucks blood from a researcher's hand. Scientists have found a previously unknown population of vampire moths that may have evolved from a fruit-eating species.

Only slight variations in wing patterns distinguish the Russian population from a widely distributed moth species, Calyptra thalictri, in Central and Southern Europe known to feed only on fruit.

Photograph by Sharon Hill

1 posted on 10/30/2008 5:11:48 AM PDT by Renfield
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To: Renfield

What’s the difference in adaption and evolution?

Just curious because I don’t understand the difference.


2 posted on 10/30/2008 5:24:48 AM PDT by autumnraine (Churchill: " we shall fight in the fields and in the streets, we shall never surrender")
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To: Renfield
Soon to be popularized in The Night Of The Moths. This movie will be about a small town terrorized by vampire moths. The hero/heroine will set off a thermonuclear device over the town, causing all of the moths to fly into the fireball to be incinerated. Except for one pair, thus setting up a sequel for yet another film that shouldn't be made in the first place.
3 posted on 10/30/2008 5:34:20 AM PDT by magslinger (I am Joe.)
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To: magslinger

The vampire moths will all be ACORN volunteers.


4 posted on 10/30/2008 5:41:10 AM PDT by Renfield (Turning apples into venison since 1999!)
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To: Renfield
Oh lookie...an Obama supporter....
5 posted on 10/30/2008 5:44:24 AM PDT by rightwingextremist1776
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To: Renfield

It is interesting what a species will do or how behavior can change so that it survives.


6 posted on 10/30/2008 5:53:04 AM PDT by A Texan (Oderint dum metuant)
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To: autumnraine

Evolution is a change in the allele (genetic variation)frequency of a population.

Adaptation just means changing to fit new circumstances.

Evolution through natural selection of genetic variation allows adaptation.


7 posted on 10/30/2008 5:57:36 AM PDT by allmendream (Wealth is EARNED not distributed.... so how could it be Redistributed?)
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To: Renfield

They should let loose some Van Helsing moths to take care of the Vampires.


8 posted on 10/30/2008 5:58:54 AM PDT by LIConFem (The tree of Liberty...)
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To: Renfield
Well, all Marxists are bloodsuckers by nature...
9 posted on 10/30/2008 6:00:24 AM PDT by magslinger (I am Joe.)
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To: Renfield

Probably evolved from a species of Democrat moths. They’ll not only chew up the money in your wallet, but suck you bone dry as well.


10 posted on 10/30/2008 6:30:52 AM PDT by mass55th (Courage is being scared to death - but saddling up anyway...John Wayne)
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To: Renfield

Oops, I just noticed your FReepname. I didn’t mean anything by that, honest.


11 posted on 10/30/2008 6:37:18 AM PDT by magslinger (I am Joe.)
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To: allmendream

Thank you.

And thanks for not mocking me for not knowing. I have read and read and I guess Evolution is beyond my intellegence level or something because some things don’t make sense to me, and yet I wouldn’t even dream of believing that a being, even God, just poofed animals into existence.


12 posted on 10/30/2008 6:55:31 AM PDT by autumnraine (Churchill: " we shall fight in the fields and in the streets, we shall never surrender")
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To: autumnraine
Slight minor variations in 'wing morphology' could be the result of a mutation or simply cross breeding of two separate species. When most people use the term evolution they immediately conjure up apes evolving into homo sapiens etc, or dinosaurs into birds etc., which is absolute nonsense and mathematically impossible when taken to the molecular level.

Perhaps the larger question is merely why we exist at all? If physicists and astronomers are correct the 'current' or 'present' universe is approximately 14 billion years old. If they are also correct it may last for another 15-20 billion years until all energy is consumed and it reverts to a dark void.

So exactly how did we arrive here now in this galactic calendar and why? Why is the universe so old? Why not 14,000 years old? 14,000,000 years old? Why is our life span so short compared to the age of the universe? Since all vestiges of life forms as we know them will undoubtedly cease to exist in the future, why are we here? What's the point of it all?

13 posted on 10/30/2008 7:01:34 AM PDT by Doc Savage ("Are you saying Jesus can't hit a curve ball? - Harris to Cerrano - Major League)
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To: Renfield

Russian Vampire Moths. Figures.


14 posted on 10/30/2008 7:03:18 AM PDT by Centurion2000 (To protect and defend ... against all enemies, foreign and domestic .... by any means necessary.)
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To: autumnraine
The first step to knowledge is the admission, to yourself or another, that ‘I don't know’.

There is nothing in Evolution beyond any ones’ intelligence level. It is a rather simple concept.

Genetic variation exists within a population due to imperfect replication of DNA. New genetic variations can and do arise within a population due to imperfect DNA replication, mutation, moving DNA elements, etc. A bacteria under stress actually increases its mutation rate in order to increase its ability to generate genetic variation.

Some genetic variations are selected for and others are selected against by virtue of different environments. This causes a change in the frequency of particular genetic variations, with some variations increasing its frequency in the population and others decreasing, and others staying roughly the same.

Genesis says that by Gods word the oceans and the land brought forth life, not that they were directly created by God.

Gen 1:20 And God said, Let the waters bring forth abundantly the moving creature that hath life, and fowl that may fly above the earth in the open firmament of heaven.

15 posted on 10/30/2008 7:08:07 AM PDT by allmendream (Wealth is EARNED not distributed.... so how could it be Redistributed?)
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To: Doc Savage

What “on the molecular level”, would stop a 2% genetic difference and a 6% genomic difference between chimps and humans? What makes such a change “mathematically impossible”?


16 posted on 10/30/2008 7:10:02 AM PDT by allmendream (Wealth is EARNED not distributed.... so how could it be Redistributed?)
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To: allmendream

See, I see evolution as a process that God got going, you know?

I think I understand what you mean. Like I had to be crude, but truth is truth and scientifically speaking...

I have two children with my ex-husband, one with my current. I see the genetic traits of their father with each of them and I can see a dominant trait staying through. And all the combinations of DNA in each of them.


17 posted on 10/30/2008 7:17:27 AM PDT by autumnraine (Churchill: " we shall fight in the fields and in the streets, we shall never surrender")
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To: autumnraine

As a Biologist I see evolution as the inevitable consequence of living systems with molecular inheritance being subject to molecular change.

As a Christian I see this as part of God’s plan.

The “perfect design” of a living system in a changing and changeable world is not a static design, but one that can change with changing circumstances.


18 posted on 10/30/2008 7:23:30 AM PDT by allmendream (Wealth is EARNED not distributed.... so how could it be Redistributed?)
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To: allmendream

That’s exactly what I say! The perfect process shows intellegent design, in my opinion, but I definitely can see the scientific theory of evolution believable.

I have alot of Skeptic friends and luckily they aren’t dogmatic in their atheism, but I don’t understand why it has to be either/or. Why can’t both apply?


19 posted on 10/30/2008 7:41:09 AM PDT by autumnraine (Churchill: " we shall fight in the fields and in the streets, we shall never surrender")
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To: Renfield
The next logical question is when will the moth evolve into some completely different species?

What?
You don't say?...we have no evidence of once species ever nutating into a totally different species?

...um...well, in that case...never mind.

But what about those who hold that enlightend belief...*trying not to laugh here*...that they evolved from distant ancestor primates?

I don't know about them, but I'm not sure I'd be willing to take my gf to the primate exhibit at the local zoo to introduce her to "Uncle Charlie" the chimpanzee. And then boast about superior evolutionary intellect.

But back to the moth... Get back to me when it "morphs" into a differnet species.

...until then, isn't micro-adaptation within God's creation a marvel!?!

20 posted on 10/30/2008 7:53:31 AM PDT by woollyone ("When the tide is low, even a shrimp has its own puddle." - Vance Havner)
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