Page 51 - The Errors the American National Academy of Sciences

T he National Academy of Sciences

suggests that mutations provide the
T necessary genetic variation for evolu-
tion, and refers to them as follows: "They may or may not
equip the organism with better means for surviving in its en-
vironment." (Science and Creationism, p. 10). In fact, however,

contrary to what the NAS authors claim, mutations do not lead to
beneficial characteristics, and all experiments and observations on
this subject have confirmed this fact.
Mutation refers to random
changes in an organism's DNA,
the molecule in which its genetic
information is stored. Scientists
compare DNA to a data bank or
large library. Just as the random

and unconscious addition of let-
ters to any of the books in a li-
brary—or indeed any change
in the order of the letters of
such a book—will ruin the
sense of the relevant words Mutations are random changes in a
living thing's DNA, the molecule in
and sentences, so too does which its genetic information is con-
tained.
genetic mutation in or-
ganisms have an information-destroying ef-
fect. Mutation, which acts on the
complex information in the DNA