Page 183 - The Evolution Impasse 1
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           to regulate its characteristics within cer-  the number of light-colored moths decli-
           tain bounds, according to changes in the  ned, the dark-colored ones increased be-
           surroundings. Otherwise, even minor  cause they were less visible.
           changes in climate or food sources wo-  Evolutionists resort to the misleading
           uld spell the species’ death.       claim that this process represents major
              Many living things such as mam-  evidence for evolution and that those
           moths, dinosaurs, and flying reptiles have  lighter-colored moths gradually “evol-
           become extinct due to sudden environ-  ved” into darker ones.
           mental or climatic changes). These life  The fact is, though, this example
           forms disappeared when they were unab-  cannot stand as evidence for evolution.
           le to adapt to environmental conditions  The natural selection that took place did
           exceeding the limits of the genetic poten-  not give rise to the emergence of any
           tial they possessed when they were crea-  new species that did not exist before.
           ted. However, there is no scientific evi-  Black individuals already existed in the
           dence that these turned into other species.  pre-Industrial Revolution population.
                                               All that changed was the characteristics
                                               of a species that already existed. Moths
           Peppered moths, the                 acquired no new organs or characteris-

              Douglas Futuyma’s 1986 book Evo-  tics that would lead to species change.
           lutionary Biology, is regarded as a refe-  Whereas in order for a moth to turn into
           rence that most clearly explains the the-  another distinct species, countless chan-
           ory of natural selection. The best-known  ges, additions and subtractions would
           of the examples cited by Futuyma is the  have to occur in its genes. To put it anot-
           darkening of the color of a moth popula-  her way, a whole new genetic program
           tion in Great Britain during the Industri-  containing the physical characteristics of
           al Revolution.                      a new species would have to be loaded
              Before the Industrial Revolution be-  onto the moth.
           gan, the bark of trees in the Manchester  Contrary to the impression evolutio-
           area was light in color. Therefore, any  nists seek to give, it is impossible for na-
           dark-colored melanic moths landing on  tural selection to add or remove any or-
           these trees were easily detected by birds  gan from a living thing, and for that spe-
           and thus had little chance of survival.  cies to turn into another one. The stron-
           Fifty years of pollution later, however,  gest evidence on this subject since Dar-
           the bark grew darker, after the death of  win’s time is the tale of the peppered
           the light-colored lichens on the trees,  moths in Britain.
           and now the lighter-colored moths fell  Yet there is an even more noteworthy
           prey to birds more often. As a result, as  aspect to the evolutionist “example” of



           Harun Yahya (Adnan Oktar)
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