Originally Posted by: Dr_simonThis gain implies design and that is a big old bucket of fish heads that is unnecessary for evolution to occur. Living in a chemically reactive environment (full of Oxygen , UV radiation and all the other things than can cause cancer (random genetic mutation) causes ... wait for it random genetic mutation ! This is the driving force behind genetic plasticity. It is then just selected for (if it helps survival) or selected against (the organism dies) in accordance with how well the mutation fits the environment. Not the other way round !

Oh, of course! My mistake there.

That is the whole point mate!

Evolution is not spontaneous !!

You missed my point. I was not calling "evolution" spontaneous, but rather the development of a single living cell out of UNliving chemicals.

I majored in Ecology and Microbiology, have a PhD in Cell Biology and do genetics every day for a living !! Is it a fair fight, well I don't see what hat has to do with anything !

I'd hardly call it a fight! I'm genuinely interested, Doc! Besides, it's nice to be educated outside of school! Well argued points, all. I had never thought about the fact that a tiny change in the genes of an organism could alter a species SO dramatically that it might not leave a clear transitional species. Now I know interspecies evolution is debated by some in the scientific community (please understand that my questions for you are NOT from a religious standpoint, but out of a general scientific curiosity), so I may read up on that and come back with a few more questions, but for now, thanks a lot for putting up with my slow mind and answering my questions, haha! :D