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Evolution: is it necessary to know how life ultimately began in order to study and debate the evidence that evolution has since occurred? [Spirituality & Religion]

If you think it is, why do you think so? Can you explain that reasoning for me?

I ask because i've encountered a creationist's position that the evidence for evolution can be ignored if we don't know how life began.
I point out that the theory of gravitation still allows us to study the interactions of matter without knowing how it came to be but this apt comparison appears to be ignored.

Since i've received no explanation from the parties involved, i'm coming to YOU!
So. Thoughts?🙂

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kittee · 22-25

another theory is humans came from another planet,landed on earth, maybe crash lamnded and couldnt leave so had to stay and slowly over millenium they multiplied, humans may have killed neatherdal man,henc eno missing link between the two types fo men

Pikachu

@kittee

I don't think that's a realistic theory given how closely we're related to other apes and other organisms on this planet.

That's some star trek level unlikelihood of similarity between earthlings and aliens.

kittee · 22-25

@Pikachu we may have brought the animals with us, on a space ship ark,for food and to help us start up a new planet,after destroying our old one

Pikachu

@kittee

Not really supported by the fossil record though.

kittee · 22-25

@Pikachu fossils may be of creatures alreadt on earth before humans showed up much later, its as outlandish as a man who can wlak on water or turn water into wine

Pikachu

@kittee

fossils may be of creatures alreadt on earth before humans showed up much later

Not if one wants to espouse the idea that humans came from off world bringing with them the animals with whom we appear closely related.

newjaninev2 · 56-60, F

@kittee

humans may have killed neatherdal man

We bred with Neanderthals... in fact, around 4% of our DNA is Neanderthal.

Females bred with Neanderthals at a higher rate than males (maybe they were smooth talkers, or had more shiney things) 😃

DudeistPriest · M

"@kuminme
humans may have killed neatherdal man"

@newjaninev2
"We bred with Neanderthals... in fact, around 4% of our DNA is Neanderthal.

Females bred with Neanderthals at a higher rate than males (maybe they were smooth talkers, or had more shiney things)"

This is essentially correct. They never really went extinct, we as a species absorbed Neanderthals over time. My own genographic DNA analysis reveals I am 3.7% Neanderthal/Denisovan hominin...

Every human being has a trace of hominin ancestry (Neanderthal/Denisovan) in their genetic makeup, except for a couple of tribes in Africa that never left that continent. I encourage everyone to have their DNA analysis done. Totally fascinating.

Sharon · F

@newjaninev2

We bred with Neanderthals... in fact, around 4% of our DNA is Neanderthal.

What is the evidence for that? How can we say whether some of our DNA is Neanderthal? Do we have samples of Neanderthal DNA?

blooblookookoo

@newjaninev2 :D like what the fuck so funny this topic... specially that females bred with neandhertals faster than males, I bet because not the right gear to bred something if 2 dicks breeding :D

newjaninev2 · 56-60, F

@Sharon Hi Hun. it's late here (11:55) on Sunday night, and although tomorrow is a public holiday (the Queen’s birthday), I have friends coming for breakfast, so I’d better slip away to my bed. However, I promise to cover your questions tomorrow as soon as I have a chance to do so.

(good questions, by the way)

DudeistPriest · M

@Pikachu That sounds a bit like the theory of panspermia.

Pikachu

@DudeistPriest

I'm not opposed to the notion that life was on this planet arose as a result from extraterrestrial sources.
I just think it's silly to suggest that aliens made humans

BlueVeins · 22-25

@DudeistPriest except with the seeding coming at a very different developmental stage.

DudeistPriest · M

@Sharon

@newjaninev2
We bred with Neanderthals... in fact, around 4% of our DNA is Neanderthal.

What is the evidence for that? How can we say whether some of our DNA is Neanderthal? Do we have samples of Neanderthal DNA?

Sharon, it's called gene sequencing. Maybe this short clip can help illustrate, especially at about 58sec:

[media=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0dLaOdveDGs]

So basically, they calculate the percentage by using a sophisticated method that looks at part of the DNA that we share with Neanderthals. Here are a couple of other good ones:

[media=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k5Pz0EFo5sc]

[media=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xX2iv4SyNHg]

newjaninev2 · 56-60, F

@DudeistPriest Oh, thank you so much for this. I promised Sharon more information around this, and I’ve been meaning to get to it all day, but it’s a public holiday here, and I’m a little unmotivated.

Hopefully this evening I can assuage my guilty feelings. 😃

DudeistPriest · M

@newjaninev2 Yes of course. A totally fascinating subject. What will they find next?

Sharon · F

@DudeistPriest Thank you. I'm a bit busy right now so I look at the clips later.

Sharon · F

@DudeistPriest I've just watched those clips. For some reason the links aren't appearing on this page, I had to take them from the page source and paste them directly into my browser.

The first clip answered my question. I didn't know DNA had been extracted from Neanderthal fossils so I couldn't understand hod anyone could say that some of our DNA came from Neanderthals. Thanks for clearing that up for me.