Ancient Beaver Disproves Theory of Evolution

[sui generis]

http://www.cnn.com/2006/TECH/science/02/23/jurassic.beaver.ap/index.html

where oh where am I going with this . . .it is the lounge after all.



:rofl:

:evilgrin: edited to add fire protection for self :hide:

[LostinVA]

1. SEX THREAD!!!

[Hugin]

2. As to the article itself...

Exactly *how* does a tiny aquatic mammal instead of a tiny arboreal mammal
overturn evolution?

[LisaLynne]

4. Well, I think it goes something like this ...

"HEY! You Scientist types weren't completely SURE about exactly what was alive 164 million years ago -- so there!"

[AngryAmish]

3. You said beaver

[EstimatedProphet]

5. Oh. Well. Obviously evolution is a sham.

They found something that they didn't know existed before, so evolution is clearly wrong and the universe was created 6,000 years ago.

[sui generis]

7. scary thing is

there are people who actually believe that way of thinking is "scientific" and incontrovertible proof.

Just ask them how they define punctuated equilibrium. That usually shuts them up.

[Benfea]

10. Well... it's not as if we don't have similar going on in liberal circles

Those 9/11 conspiracy sites are chock full of the same kind of dishonest pseudoscientific technobabble as those "Answers in Genesis" sites. If you read enough of that crap for long enough, you can convince yourslef they must know what they're talking about. People in the best position to know better generally refuse to engage such people in open debate because they feel it legitimizes something that should have no legitimacy to begin with.

[sui generis]

12. those conspiracy sites are the fringe - not "liberal circles"

However, the difference between us and them is that we can question something, hear the evidence, and use our own brains to do our own thinking and decide for ourselves rather than just digesting a short list of talking points and vacuously spewing them out every time a topic comes up.

Some of them are out there no doubt - although I think that DU frowns upon posting from or linking to them them here.

[Benfea]

15. It may be fringe as you say but...

…there isn't a liberal-leaning message board I've been to yet that doesn't have a significant infestation of conspiracy wackos, and if you try to reason with them, you get subjected to an experience that is remarkably similar to disagreeing with creationists about the origins of life, or disagreeing with Hannity fans about the events of the world. Most of the time, it's simply not worth the effort.

[Solon]

19. I have yet to go to a conservative leaning board that doesn't mention...

Vince Foster being killed by the Clintons. Both sides have wackos, that's a given, any large group of people will have some that believe aliens landed at area 51, demons infest psychotic people, etc. etc. Personally, am an IMIH(Incompetence Made it happen) person myself, but the evidence is on my side, like Gore's report on terrorism sitting on *'s desk when he was inargarated, or the "Bin Laden determined to strike within the US" report.

[July]

6. Are we talking about Laura, Karen, or Condi? nt

[xchrom]

8. you just wanted to use the words

ancient, beaver and evolution in the same sentence.

:yoiks:

[sui generis]

9. looky what else I found

The chinese are already exploiting it.

[Blue-Jay]

11. Is this about Barbara Bush?

<shudders>

[kay1864]

13. CNN deserves a big smack upside the head

Their (overblown) headline:
'Jurassic beaver' turns theory on its tail

The actual text from the article:
It's the first evidence that some ancient mammals were semi-aquatic, indicating a greater diversification than previously thought, according to the researchers.

Sheesh.

[sui generis]

17. yeah, I knew I wouldn't even need to use a

sarcasm thingie.

CNN did that intentionally so I merely helped connect the dots, in abysmal taste as usual.

:P

[Solon]

14. First sentence is bullshit...

WASHINGTON (AP) -- For years the mammals living in the era of dinosaurs have been thought of as tiny shrew-like creatures scurrying through the underbrush. Now the discovery of a furry aquatic creature with seal-like teeth and a flat tail like a beaver has demolished that image.

I have never heard of any paleontologist making that BS assertion, MOST mammals of the era were around rodent size, that's true, but quite a few species were the size of small to large dogs as well. Given that, the pressures, along with the time period, it shouldn't surprise many scientists that some species actually specialized for some environments. Its called evolution, I hate science ignorant journalists! :grr:

[kay1864]

18. ITA!

I hate science ignorant journalists!

Agreed! And the GOP's attempts to add "intelligent design" to science curricula, and to discredit global warming, etc., etc., certainly don't help the plummeting scientific literacy in this country.

:grr: indeed!

[Beetwasher]

16. What's Better? Jurrassic Beaver or Stone Age Cock?

Inquiring minds want to know.