Page 85 - The Errors the American National Academy of Sciences

The NAS's Errors Regarding Speciation

In an article in the journal Scientific American published in
October 1991, Peter Grant declared that this research was direct proof
of evolution. According to Grant, 20 selection events were sufficient
to turn the medium ground finch into the large ground finch; if it is
assumed that there is a drought every 10 years, then such a change

could happen in as little as 200 years. He maintained that, with the
addition of a margin of error, it might take 2,000 years, but that bear-
ing, in mind the long time the birds had been on the island, even that
figure might be too short. A greater period of time was required for
natural selection to turn the medium ground finch into the cactus-eat-
17
ing finch. Grant renewed his claims in subsequent articles, insisting
that finches had verified Darwinism and proved that natural selec-
tion caused living things to evolve. 18

AVIEW OF THE GALÁPAGOS ISLANDS

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