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."
When Voltaire died, his doctor said he would never again attend the death of a non believer. It was not a pretty site. Cursing, and screaming--
"In his last illness he sent for Dr. Tronchin. When the Doctor came, he found Voltaire in the greatest agony, exclaiming with the utmost horror -- "I am abandoned by God and man." He then said, "Doctor, I will give you half of what I am worth, if you will give me six months' life." The doctor answered, "Sir, you cannot live six weeks." Voltaire replied, "Then I shall go to hell, and you will go with me!" and soon after expired."
I understand--
"He who trusts in his own heart is a fool...." Proverbs 28:26
"For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written, 'He catches the wise in their own craftiness'; and again, 'The Lord knows the thoughts of the wise, that they are futile.'" 1 Corinthians 3:19-20
"...the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned." 1 Corinthians 2:14-15
"For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are saved it is the power of God. For it is written: 'I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent.'
"Where is the wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the disputer of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of this world?
"For since, in the wisdom of God, the world through wisdom did not know God, it pleased God through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe. For Jews request a sign, and Greeks seek after wisdom; but we preach Christ crucified, to the Jews a stumbling block and to the Greeks foolishness, but to those who are called, both Jews. Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men." 1 Corinthians 1:18-25
"The fool has said in his heart, 'There is no God.' Psalm 53:1
"Fools mock at sin, but among the upright there is favor." Proverbs 14:9
"A fool has no delight in understanding, but in expressing his own heart." Proverbs 18:2
"For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse, because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened. Professing to be wise, they became fools..." Romans 1:20-22
"The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning,
But the heart of fools is in the house of mirth.
It is better to hear the rebuke of the wise than for a man to hear the song of fools.
For like the crackling of thorns under a pot, so is the laughter of the fool.
This also is vanity." Ecclesiastes 7:4-6
He who walks with wise men will be wise, but the companion of fools will be destroyed." Proverbs 13:20
"The way of a fool is right in his own eyes, but he who heeds counsel is wise." Proverbs 12:15
>So in spite of the fact that Darwin's daughter publically wrote that Darwin did not in fact recant on his deathbed, you will continue to peddle the lie that he did and that his children testified as much when asked, right?
Darwin DID recant of his inane idea. It's a well established fact. Books abound that he did admit toward the end of his life that evolution was/is speculation at best.
Oh no, the fact that it exists both in, and out of this universe means that it is very important to consider a spirit. It is timeless, and will not pass with your body. You have to decide where you will end up. Not many choices- only 2 in fact.
Christians never seem to tire of making up or repeating lies about what Voltaire said on his death bed. Y'all are a truly despicable bunch, to libel the dead.
So, like most CRIDers, your "argument" is: Because the Bible Says So.
Which is to say 'Because you say so', which is no argument at all.
I think it's a good argument.
I should use it myself next time.
Are you drunk or high? Your responses are getting increasingly nonsensical.
Scripture is not an argument.
It just a way of restating "because I said so"
I've never heard a dying man call out to Darwin while in the clutches of death; nor Buddha, Mohammed, Brahma, Vishnu, Lucifer or Shiva.
Excellent point- Because the Bible says so. Couldn't put it better myself. The Bible is, after all the greatest of all scientific textbooks- written by someone who was actually present at the creation- unlike Hawking.
But yes, give me the Bible any day. It (and it's Author), have never let me down.
The Bible is such a gargantuan collection of conflicting values that anyone can prove anything from it.Robert A. Heinlein, The Number of the Beast, 1980
Yes, suffering and death certainly bring people (hopefully) into line.
>Guys, we have one in competition with 106.
Post 106 is mine.
People can believe whatever they want- it's a free universe. Although, you have God to thank for that will and freedom in the first place. He's also holding every proton into place in every nucleus in your body as we speak/type. You should at least say thanks- :)
Becaue you don't have enough understanding to realize you actually asked a legitimate question.
To give a non-fruit non-controversial analogy:
Humans, chimps, gorillas share a common ancestor
Humans, chimsp also share a common ancestor not ancestral to gorillas, so humans and chimpos are more closely related to each other than either is to the gorilla.
However the divergance between us (humans/chimps) and gorillas is comrised of:
1) divergance bewtween gorilla and human-chimp-gorilla ancestor
. 1i) divergance bewtween human-chimp-gorilla ancestor and human-chimp ancestor
. iii) finally divergance bewtween human-chimp ancestor and humans or chimps respectivly
.
So if we are closer to the human-chimp ancestor than chimps are (ie the rate of evolution for humans has been slower) them gorillas are closer to us than to chimps.
Or going back to your original fruit analogy, we are gorillas.
Sometimes. The road to destruction is wide and swelled with pride. You never know when it's too late to accept salvation.
God's pretty clear that some people will wish to be saved and pass on the opportunity one too many times. That is why TODAY is the day of salvation. I can't imagine thinking I'm some god on a stick because I have a peg leg.
Good night and God bless you richly!
Many could say the same about the Boghavagita, the accused Qu'ran, the teahcings of Buddha, Mein Kampf, the Complete Works of Dr. Suess or any other philisophical musing.
It still boils down to "I believe the Bible, the Bible says xxxx, therefore I am right." (for you keeping score, this is called Begging The Question).
It can't be used to attack the position, since it has no foundation other than mythology (just one you happen to believe).
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