(July 30, 2015 at 4:16 am)drkfuture Wrote: I wud like to know if speciation really occurs (trans-speciation), Have we had enough time for millions of species? The slow changes in traits in organisms, taking tens of thousands of years to yield a visible change in variation as evolution suggests, does eventually trap yourself in to a problem of "Time Riddle" - you just dont have enormous enough of time at hand for all these species to come into being. A quick average time calculation suggests that you should have a new species come into being every 15-20 yrs [just rough average time estimation suggests that in about 1 billion yrs ~50 million distinct species evolved]. Though I believe in evolution but I cant understand this part.
First off all your rate isn't as outrageous as you think, bacteria and single celled organisms can do that. However boru is right, so re-run your calculation with his numbers.
To-morrow, and to-morrow, and to-morrow,
Creeps in this petty pace from day to day,
To the last syllable of recorded time;
And all our yesterdays have lighted fools
The way to dusty death. Out, out, brief candle!
Life's but a walking shadow, a poor player,
That struts and frets his hour upon the stage,
And then is heard no more. It is a tale
Told by an idiot, full of sound and fury,
Signifying nothing.
Creeps in this petty pace from day to day,
To the last syllable of recorded time;
And all our yesterdays have lighted fools
The way to dusty death. Out, out, brief candle!
Life's but a walking shadow, a poor player,
That struts and frets his hour upon the stage,
And then is heard no more. It is a tale
Told by an idiot, full of sound and fury,
Signifying nothing.
