Quote:I am curious how much they had to engineer, to accomplish this?
They inhibited the expression of one gene. One.
Quote:Also, why did none of the chickens survive to hatch?
Probably because their genes had been mucked about. But gene manipulation leading to non-viability doesn't affect the point of the experiment: dinosaurs and modern birds are amazingly similar on the genetic level.
Quote:I don't see where this is a problem....
It is a serious problem for a 'special creation' scenario for the origin of life. If each species were created specially and independently, we wouldn't expect genetic similarity. On the other hand, if life evolved from a common ancestor, we would expect nothing but genetic similarity. The fact that this similarity between extant species (birds) and species extinct for some 70 million years (dinos) is tremendously supporting of descent - with modification - from a common ancestor.
Boru
‘But it does me no injury for my neighbour to say there are twenty gods or no gods. It neither picks my pocket nor breaks my leg.’ - Thomas Jefferson
