[MrB]

Have you proven that the “new stuff eating” bacteria weren’t offspring of

other bacteria that already had the genetic information necessary

to produce the new bacteria when the environment favored the expression of that trait?

[allmendream]

Nothing in Science is “proven”. But yes, the nylon digesting bacteria evolved its enzyme from a precursor that was unable to digest nylon, it took two amino acid substitutions to make it capable of digesting nylon.

In the case of citrate plus e.coli it was a controlled experiment in evolution (you know, the Science that some idiots claim is not an experimental Science) and the original e.coli (and many populations of others that evolved independently) did not have the capability of digesting citrate.

Yes, the environment DID favor DEVELOPMENT and expression of those traits. Amazing how environment can act as a selective pressure on living systems and allows them to evolve. One might suppose that living systems that are adaptable in a changing environment is a superior design than static systems trying to exist in a changing environment.