Posted on 01/23/2006 4:31:58 PM PST by PatrickHenry
Scientists at the Georgia Institute of Technology have found genetic evidence that seems to support a controversial hypothesis that humans and chimpanzees may be more closely related to each other than chimps are to the other two species of great apes – gorillas and orangutans. They also found that humans evolved at a slower rate than apes.
Appearing in the January 23, 2006 issue of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, biologist Soojin Yi reports that the rate of human and chimp molecular evolution – changes that occur over time at the genetic level – is much slower than that of gorillas and orangutans, with the evolution of humans being the slowest of all.
As species branch off along evolutionary lines, important genetic traits, like the rate of molecular evolution also begin to diverge. They found that the speed of this molecular clock in humans and chimps is so similar, it suggests that certain human-specific traits, like generation time, began to evolve one million years ago - very recently in terms of evolution. The amount of time between parents and offspring is longer in humans than apes. Since a long generation time is closely correlated with the evolution of a big brain, it also suggests that developmental changes specific to humans may also have evolved very recently.
In a large-scale genetic analysis of approximately 63 million base pairs of DNA, the scientists studied the rate at which the base pairs that define the differences between species were incorrectly paired due to errors in the genetic encoding process, an occurrence known as substitution.
"For the first time, we've shown that the difference in the rate of molecular evolution between humans and chimpanzees is very small, but significant, suggesting that the evolution of human-specific life history traits is very recent," said Yi.
Most biologists believe that humans and chimpanzees had a common ancestor before the evolutionary lines diverged about 5-7 million years ago. According to the analysis, one million years ago the molecular clock in the line that became modern humans began to slow down. Today, the human molecular clock is only 3 percent slower than the molecular clock of the chimp, while it has slowed down 11 percent from the gorilla's molecular clock.
This slow down in the molecular clock correlates with a longer generation time because substitutions need to be passed to the next generation in order to have any lasting effect on the species,
"A long generation time is an important trait that separates humans from their evolutionary relatives," said Navin Elango, graduate student in the School of Biology and first author of the research paper. "We used to think that apes shared one generation time, but that's not true. There's a lot more variation. In our study, we found that the chimpanzee's generation time is a lot closer to that of humans than it is to other apes."
The results also confirm that there is very little difference in the alignable regions of the human and chimp genomes. Taken together, the study's findings suggest that humans and chimps are more closely related to each other than the chimps are to the other great apes.
"I think we can say that this study provides further support for the hypothesis that humans and chimpanzees should be in one genus, rather than two different genus' because we not only share extremely similar genomes, we share similar generation time," said Yi.
Even though the 63 million base pairs they studied is a large sample, it's still a small part of the genome, Yi said. "If we look at the whole genome, maybe it's a different story, but there is evidence in the fossil record that this change in generation time occurred very recently, so the genetic evidence and the fossil data seem to fit together quite well so far."
EVIDENCE FOR ID????
WHAT EVIDENCE:
On cross-examination, Professor Behe admitted that: "There are no peer reviewed articles by anyone advocating for intelligent design supported by pertinent experiments or calculations which provide detailed rigorous accounts of how intelligent design of any biological system occurred"(22:22-23 (Behe)). Additionally, Professor Behe conceded that there are no peer-reviewed papers supporting his claims that complex molecular systems, like the bacterial flagellum, the blood-clotting cascade, and the immune system, were intelligently designed. (21:61-62 (complex molecular systems), 23:4-5 (immune system), and 22:124-25 (blood-clotting cascade) (Behe)). In that regard, there are no peer-reviewed articles supporting Professor Behe's argument that certain complex molecular structures are "irreducibly complex."17 (21:62, 22:124-25 (Behe)). In addition to failing to produce papers in peer-reviewed journals, ID also features no scientific research or testing. (28:114-15 (Fuller); 18:22-23, 105-06 (Behe))p 89 of the Dover Judgement [emphasis added to help the addled, the confused, and the victims of anti-Evo mendacity]
They're allowed to do that. It's for the Lord and apparently He will understand.
So here we are. There are only two possibilities. Warped is an impostor or Lambert Dolphin was stinking up the joint on FR.
I'm just saying that scientists as a group are no more trustworthy than any other group. Simple. Some are decent and honest, some aren't.
Not every pronouncement, finding, test, peer reviewed article etc put forward by scientists is trustworthy or accurate. A lot of people have faith in scientists the way some people have faith in God.
A better attitude is "Buyer Beware".
A third possibility: he might return and invoke the Dover Defense: "he misspoke."
Maybe the reason he hasn't been back is that he's off kicking his Oxycontin addiction, with William Buckingham....
Exactly! I was using "misspoke" in the same sense as some of the Dover defendants used it..... as a synonym for FAT ENORMOUS WHOPPER!
;-)
O horrible man!
"(unlike creationists, I admit when I make errors)."
So do I.
I'm sorry, though, today I ain't got much constructive to add to the thread. I shared my ideas and opinions (don't forget those links!) in the hope that as American citizens we all have a right to hear and to be heard. It has been a good exchange and I hope that you have benefited and been enlightened by my ideas as much as I've benefited from yours. Although in opposed camps we all have something to learn from each other.
We were not made to live like brutes, but to follow virtue and knowledge.
Post #693 was meant for all, not just dementio.
We were not made to live like brutes, but to follow virtue and knowledge.
Interesting philosophy from someone who insists on posting outright lies after they have been debunked.
And who then posts more lies trying to defend the original ones....
But I am. And I was not going to let a slight at the abilities of our scoundrels and con artists go unprotested - on Austrlia Day no less.
Very well, I conceed the superiority of Australian con artists and scoundrels.
(FYI: Wallace Shawn--The Princess Bride)
>it would have been a far less bumpy ride for you.
Au contraire!
It wasn't a bumpy ride for moi. I had a good time and welcome the opportunity to - once again - sincerely share my know-how and vast storage of knowledge and ideas with others.
I was gonna say I like to ride on the driver's seat, and I was. But I'm not gonna say it.
PS: All responses and pings will be courteously and professionally responded to. So, do not hesitate to ping me.
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