Quote:
Originally Posted by ADPiEE
This is a good topic but I think you have to define evolution
http://ncse.com/evolution/education/defining-evolution
For example, I don't think anyone can dispute that organisms (including the planet) change over time. But, do we have any proof of a species changing into another species? I don't know and I haven't taken a science class in 20 years so I'm not up on the current research. |
Yes. Over many generations, species can diverge into separate, new species. Often this is due to geographic isolation, ala Darwin's Galapagos finches. Let's say certain members of a species become isolated from one another...they're on different islands, in the case of the Galapagos. Over time, mutations occur in the separate populations, or environmental factors favor a certain adaptation. Members with this adaptation or mutation survive to reproduce. Over generations, the DNA differs to the point where members of a separated population can no longer reproduce with other members of the species, or other separated populations. At this point, you have new species with a common ancestor species. This has been happening throughout history. There is evidence in the geologic fossil record.
Individual members of species do not evolve into a new species.