[qam1]

Once again the media blows the reporting of a scientific study big time. This story way over exaggerates the findings.

Here's the link and abstract to the actual study.

Accelerated Evolution of Nervous System Genes in the Origin of Homo sapiens

Human evolution is characterized by a dramatic increase in brain size and complexity. To probe its genetic basis, we examined the evolution of genes involved in diverse aspects of nervous system biology. We found that these genes display significantly higher rates of protein evolution in primates than in rodents. Importantly, this trend is most pronounced for the subset of genes implicated in nervous system development. Moreover, within primates, the acceleration of protein evolution is most prominent in the lineage leading from ancestral primates to humans. Thus, the remarkable phenotypic evolution of the human nervous system has a salient molecular correlate, i.e., accelerated evolution of the underlying genes, particularly those linked to nervous system development. In addition to uncovering broad evolutionary trends, our study also identified many candidate genes—most of which are implicated in regulating brain size and behavior—that might have played important roles in the evolution of the human brain.

I have a Science Direct account and read the whole study.

A couple of things

1) This 'extraordinarily fast' evolution they are talking about occurred over 25 million years!!!!! 

2) In the actual study, They compared only human and macaques and not humans & chimps because as they put it

Quote "To obtain evolutionary rates in primates, we compared sequences between human and the Old World monkey, macaque. We note that even though much discussion of human evolution has focused on human-chimpanzee comparisons, the strong sequence similarities between these two species results in high stochastic uncertainty in the estimation of evolutionary rates".

So they are basically talking about the whole ape line not just humans. If they did this study with chimps or gorillas and macaques they would have gotten the same results. So despite the sensational headlines of this article there is nothing in this study to suggest that somehow humans evolved (for lack of better words) in a more "special way" (thus hinting at some sort of ID) than any other ape.

3) They only compared the evolution of human/Macaque vs mouse/rat brains, who knows if other families might have actually had more brain evolution (i.e. elephants, dolphins, etc)

4) Interesting thing in the study: The Human(ape) line split from the Macaque line and the rat line split from mouse line both about 25 million years ago. But despite the "fast" evolution of the Human brain, Humans overall are still more genetically similar to macaques than rats are to mice. So for all this talk about 'extraordinarily fast' evolution, rats still over all evolved much faster/more than humans did over the same time period. (which since they breed so darn fast is to be expected under the T.O.E.)

[Red6]

Evolution=Theory turned to dogma

“Hmmmm, we can’t accept the possibility of there being a God, so how do we show this evolution to have worked? I got it, we have sudden “spurts” of evolution! Evolution happens in sudden “leaps” which we don’t see happen elsewhere nor can be proven, but it makes perfect sense and keeps the dogma alive.”

But dare state that evolution is JUST a theory! Dare ask that it be thought accordingly! Then you’re a stupid bible thumping hick according to the “open minded” and safe proclaimed “logical/scientific minded” people.

Red6

[nmh]

Evolution is one of the saddest jokes going on. It's sheer impossible that a "brain" or human could "evolve". It's laughable!

[television is just wrong]

However some of us have evolved faster than others...

[VOA]

bump

[A CA Guy]

Eating meat and radiation make a great compbination.

[dennisw]

This article also provides an opening to the alien intervention theories one hears on the Art Bell/ Coast to Coast show. Zacharia Sitchin is a proponent of alien creatures manipulating the genetics of pre-humans to make human beings.

[Fester Chugabrew]

One cannot help but wonder whether the recent tsunami might have such an effect upon the population as to expedite the reintroduction of gills in the human genome. In fact, if the environment has much to do with our billions of years of history, I am surprised we cannot presently endure much longer times underwater. To think we have to sweat for our food when it's all laid out for us in the ocean! More water than land on this planet and here we are, stuck without gills. Oh well. Another trillion years will tell.

C'mon evolution. Work!

[savedbygrace]

"Simply put, evolution has been working very hard to produce us humans," said Bruce Lahn, an assistant professor of human genetics at the University of Chicago and an investigator at the Howard Hughes Medical Institute.

It's amazing that so many evolutionists will go to great lengths to avoid acknowledging God, then quickly give God-status to a theoretical process with a statement like this.

[VOA]

bump

[Aquinasfan]

Since viruses survive better than human beings, why did we bother to evolve?

[Just mythoughts]

"Simply put, evolution has been working very hard to produce us humans," said Bruce Lahn, an assistant professor of human genetics at the University of Chicago and an investigator at the Howard Hughes Medical Institute. "


Oh my, finally a peer review that says it all, "evolution" is a 'god'.

[aMorePerfectUnion]

Welcome to the 

HARD Science of Evolution!

 

An Advanced Scientific Spectrum Qualifier Analysis of this post reveals the following qualifiers used to buttress the claims of evolution:

 

__x__ "suggests "

__x__ "generally "

__x__ "sometimes "

__x__ " In general terms "

__x__ " perhaps "

__x__ " suggests "

__x__ " probably "

__x__ " might "

__8__   TOTAL

 

Yes! By including LESS than 10 qualifiers,

this article remains in competition for the

title of Best HARD Evolution Post of 2005 on

FreeRepublic!!!!!

 

{Though technically posted in 2004, the continued life of this post gives it a second shot at a 2005 title. - Judges]

[DennisR]

"The sophistication of the human brain is not simply the result of steady evolution, according to new research. Instead, humans are truly privileged animals with brains that have developed in a type of extraordinarily fast evolution that is unique to the species."

Hm...sounds kind of like "And God made man in His own image."

[Angry Enough]

"Simply put, evolution has been working very hard to produce us humans."

Oh, hello. Can you say 'God'?