[gore3000]

",i>Every speciation could well include a changed environment for the isolated population. That's where the natural selection comes in. The vat is a different environment than Long Beach. If the worms had instead migrated up to Oregon & speciated there, that would be a different environment too. Surely you're not really trying to lawyer that one away? ?

BUT THEY ARE STILL WORMS!
That some animals cannot mate with others is not proof that new characteristics have arisen, only that something is different. We are all different from each other, and if we breed separately from other human beings the characteristics of the small group will change over those of the other group. We see this in the breeding of plants and animals, different characteristics become more pronounced. However, in almost all cases, this results in a decrease in the viability of the individuals, not in an increase in their viability.

[jennyp]

That some animals cannot mate with others is not proof that new characteristics have arisen, only that something is different.

AHEM, COUGH, SPRAY, SET DOWN GLASS, WIPE

Ahhh, gore3000, you're back in fine form!

[Stultis]

That some animals cannot mate with others is not proof that new characteristics have arisen, only that something is different.

Yeeeess... And what is different is that there are now two species where before there was one. Thus acts of speciation have been observed (or near as dammit). Since evolution at the species level is macroevolution, then macroevolution has been observed.

[Quila]

That some animals cannot mate with others is not proof that new characteristics have arisen, only that something is different.

Something is different -- the species. And that's what we're talking about.