Evolution - is it real?

[JohnnyJones]

Have we done this?

Evolution is a theory. If it happened / happens then where are all the ‘half way’ animals? It’s not just the missing link between us and the monkeys that’s missing is it, there are thousands. Where are walking fish, bald birds or whatever. And if the theory is wrong then what’s the alternative?

[otherman]

You're one of the half way animals. Half way to what, we don't know yet.

[Clifford Chambers]

It's proven, stuff has evolved within living memory.

[vetrof]

At least this is in the Lounge and not the Science forum.

[DocJock]

The walking fish and bald birds have been found. They died out die to......evolution!

[Johnnytheboy]

Covid has evolved.

/thread.

As for the halfway animals, that's not how it works.

[otolith]

Next week - Australia, does it really exist?

[Steamer]

Have you ever visited the Forest of Dean area?...

..You may well find a lot of your questions answered.

[LimaDelta]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JA_Bhi3iFdg

(Futurama episode extract - not conspiracy nut content)

[cml24]

This thread has cheered me up whilst I'm feeling a bit miserable about things.

[anonymous-user]

This post has to be a windup?

[Condi]

JohnnyJones said:

Evolution is a theory.

It's not.

It's called "the theory of evolution" because when Darwin (and others) first proposed the idea it was a theory.

Over 150 years later, and with much more evidence available, it is scientific fact.

[MikeT66]

otherman said:

You're one of the half way animals. Half way to what, we don't know yet.

There are fish that walk - quite a few species. The mudskipper is probably the most known. At a guess, I'd say evolution is a very slow process, and (AIUI) species cannot 'move up' whilst something else is in the category above. Remove humans and you may find an ape learning new skills as part of the evolutionary environment is now empty. Predators also may have an effect. Mudskippers may eventually become more land-based if their environmental predators are removed, for instance, and it is safer out of the water than in. Evolution takes a long time and the right conditions.

[StevieBee]

JohnnyJones said:

where are all the ‘half way’ animals? It’s not just the missing link between us and the monkeys that’s missing is it, there are thousands. Where are walking fish, bald birds or whatever. And if the theory is wrong then what’s the alternative?

There's no missing links. The ape species from which humans evolved no longer exists because the species evolved to a better one. This is ongoing across all species. Some might have slowed down their evolution or stopped evolving altogether but that's because they have reached the optimum level for them - a process that may start again through external environmental influence.

[underwhelmist]

Also the scientific definition of the word theory is different to the way we use the word in general conversation. In general conversation it's used to describe something that might or might not be true, but a scientific theory has been confirmed through observation and/or experimentation.

[thewarlock]

otolith said:

Next week - Australia, does it really exist?

The ground looks flat outside of my window...

[p1stonhead]

JohnnyJones said:

Have we done this?

Evolution is a theory. If it happened / happens then where are all the ‘half way’ animals? It’s not just the missing link between us and the monkeys that’s missing is it, there are thousands. Where are walking fish, bald birds or whatever. And if the theory is wrong then what’s the alternative?

Look up what theory means in a scientific context.

The end.

[ReverendCounter]

JohnnyJones said:

Where are walking fish, bald birds or whatever.

Fish that can walk on land like mudskippers? Fish with lungs that can breath air, like the lungfish? Birds that are half lizard, half reptile, like ye olde archaeopteryx?

[paulguitar]

JohnnyJones said:

Evolution is a theory.

In just the same way as gravity, but I suspect you don't need to be convinced of that?

[Wiry PAYE]

I find evolution a fascinating subject and can see where the op is coming from. Take metamorphosis for example or the sheer number of different plants animals insects that there are it’s just mind boggling.