RE: How many fossils have been discovered?
January 10, 2014 at 11:50 pm
(This post was last modified: January 10, 2014 at 11:51 pm by Lemonvariable72.)
(January 10, 2014 at 11:36 pm)pineapplebunnybounce Wrote: any evolutionary biologist worth their salt should know that every fossil and every animal (including human) is a transitional form.
I'm only referring to the colloquial use, which scientists do use in non peer review literature. Alas though you are right too.
(January 10, 2014 at 11:45 pm)Cthulhu Dreaming Wrote:The devil is in the details.(January 10, 2014 at 11:15 pm)orogenicman Wrote: Do you know of a fossil species that doesn't?
That's the question that immediately came to my mind when I read that.
I suppose it depends on what one's expectation is. If one expects to find crocoducks, one will be disappointed (not that we should expect to find such a thing). Obvious examples like Archaeopteryx Lithographica are few and far between - and are hotly contested by the audience in question. If that's what someone's looking for, yeah, it's going to look like there are few.
The far more common examples are a tougher sell to persons not versed in biology, and a far, far tougher sell to those who have an agenda to protect.
That phylogenetic trees created from paleontological evidence substantially align with those created from genome sequencing seems to paint a pretty compelling case that the naysayers are wrong - though that line of evidence is pretty tough for the average Joe to digest.
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.
