[Right Wing Professor]

Intelligent design and evolution proponents agree that a test on bacterial flagellum could show if it was or wasn't able to evolve, which could provide evidence to support intelligent design.

I have no idea what 'evolution proponents' would agree with this. No competent biological chemist thinks a flagellum could evolve de novo in 10,000 generations in a single bacterial culture.

[PatrickHenry]

I have no idea what 'evolution proponents' would agree with this. No competent biological chemist thinks a flagellum could evolve de novo in 10,000 generations in a single bacterial culture.

It does seem bizarre. There's some really shabby thinking here about who has the burden of coming forward with evidence for ID. It's not the job of scientists to waste their time dis-proving ID's claims.

[furball4paws]

I have been giving this some thought. 10,000 generations in E. coli is only about 4 months (139 days, 20 minute generation time). That's ridiculous. A carefully crfted experiment in a chemostat with a mixed population might be interesting, but it's going to have to go much more than 10,000 generations and it's going to require a lot of thought, not just some flippant hand wave. Where'd the 10,000 come from anyway?

An IDiot wan't do it, because they haven't the expertise to properly design the experiment and carry it out. A Microbiologist won't do it because it's a waste of time and money.

[js1138]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but evolution doesn't predict that any particular structure will necessarily evolve, even if selection favors it.

[VadeRetro]

I have no idea what 'evolution proponents' would agree with this. No competent biological chemist thinks a flagellum could evolve de novo in 10,000 generations in a single bacterial culture.

Just what I thought. Not sure where Michelle Starr is coming from, but she clearly is wrong to say "both sides agree" on this rather fantastic claim.

[dread78645]

I have no idea what 'evolution proponents' would agree with this. No competent biological chemist thinks a flagellum could evolve de novo in 10,000 generations in a single bacterial culture.

Indeed. If mobility is an advantage, then selection pressure could result in a corkscrew propeller (Spirochete), or pole vaulting (Chromatium), or a surface effect glider (Oscillatoria), or even a jet engine (Sea squirts).

But that wouldn't be a flagellum now would it?

Evilution disproved. Teach the controversy!

[b_sharp]

"I have no idea what 'evolution proponents' would agree with this. No competent biological chemist thinks a flagellum could evolve de novo in 10,000 generations in a single bacterial culture."

There could be no assurance that the same solution to selection would occur.

If I remember correctly there was a study that had bacteria developing a different solution to just that. It was on t.o. but I have been unable to find it again. Does it sound familiar to anyone else?