tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7583674511519808833.post4718542824829367495..comments2024-03-29T01:45:45.002+00:00Comments on Rosa Rubicondior: Why We Need To Understand Evolution.Rosa Rubicondiorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06063268216781988588noreply@blogger.comBlogger1125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7583674511519808833.post-10420041545253404962012-11-11T04:37:11.841+00:002012-11-11T04:37:11.841+00:00"We have all been evolving for the same amoun..."We have all been evolving for the same amount of time. "<br /><br />Ah, but creatures with shorter generation times have been evolving for more generations, and creatures with higher mutation rates (and creatures with sexual reproduction) have been changing faster.<br /><br />So it is probably accurate to say that many species of bacteria are "more evolved" than humans. (I believe "more derived" is the technical term.)<br /><br />Of course that really does turn people's misconceptions about evolution on its head, doesn't it?<br /><br />I've come to realize that the single biggest barrier to people understanding evolution is that most people simply do not realize how much variety -- how much variation -- is out there. People mentally classify, very quickly, so they say "ah, these are all humans". Some have extra bones or nerves running along different routes, but until you study it you don't realize it. <br /><br />People need to be exposed to the sheer massive variety of life before they can "get" evolution. 19th century natural history museums, with their endless cabinets of thousands of individual specimens, each varying slightly, were really good about this; the 20th century style is much worse at making the evidence clear to people.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com