I cannot argue any of this from any real level of science. Therefore, I would simply like to ask a few questions. I am not asking these questions to prove or disprove anything. I simply would like to know how evolution theory handles these types of observations. As most of you can guess, I am also a "creationist". In any case, here are a few questions/observations.
First, a note on evolution:
Evolution must not only account for the vast variety of species on planet Earth, but must also account for the animals behaviors. For example, many animals have defensive and offensive capabilities. If evolution is true, then these abilities must also have evolved as it is certain that the original protein did not have these abilities (i.e. camoflage, mimicing other animals, etc). The basic question I have is how does evolution account for these "acquired" behaviors that many animals display. Below is an example.
Last night I was watching some short video clips of sea animals with my son, Joshua. He has wanted to be a deep sea marine biologist since he was five (don't ask me where he came up with this idea because I really don't know, though I think it is great!) and now he is eleven. As a result of his curriousity I am learning more and more about sea life. In any case, we were watching some facinating clips on the internet about a creature called a Mimic Octopus. What a facinating creature. Not only does it have the ability, like other similar creatures have, to change its color to some degree and to become either smooth or rough in texture to blend in with its surroundings, but it also mimics other sea creatures to keep from getting eaten. In one instance we watched as it took on the shape of a flat fish similar to a flounder. It was amazing to watch it position its tentacles as it swam and to litterally transform in front of my eyes into what looked like another sea animal. Then we saw photos of this animal mimicing other sea animals like a sea snake, a rock fish, a star fish and others. How does evolution account for this type of behavior in an animal?
At one point in time Joshua also like to watch birds. As we would read about birds we saw that specific birds always build the same kind of nest. I think just about everyone knows this. If you see a Robin's nest then you know that a Robin built it. Each type of bird builds its own type of nest and, although "mommy" and "daddy" never teach their young how to build this type of nest, the next generation heads off and builds exactly the same kind of nest. How does evolution account for this behavior among birds?
Back to the sea ... this time the deep sea. As man began to explore the deepest regions of the sea he found an abundance of life where he thought no life could exist. This was especially true around the vents that released boiling hot (actually hotter!) steam from active volcanoes. One such lifeform is a giant tube worm. For some time these worms were a bit of a mystery. Here is something about them that I pulled from a web site:
Quote:
On the bottom of the ocean around deep-sea hydrothermal vents, there is a profusion of life that thrives on the hydrogen sulfide (H2S) gas released from the vents. Some of the most impressive of the creatures that live here are the giant tube worms, which can grow up to eight feet long. These tube worms grow in large clusters around the vents and live inside hard, shell-like protective tubes that attach to the rocks. They live in a symbiotic relationship with a bacteria that may hold clues as to how life on earth began billions of years ago. These worms lack mouths, anuses, intestines and stomachs, and scientists were at a loss to explain how these tube worms were getting nutrients to survive and grow. It turns out their insides are lined with bacteria that oxidize the H2S, turning it into usable nutrients for the worms. The bacteria, in turn, benefit from the relationship because the worms deliver blood containing hemoglobin which helps the bacteria to break down the sulfides.
How does evolution explain the existance of symbiotic relationships like this exampled in the deep sea giant tube worm? If the tube worm did not have the bacteria it would die. If the bacteria did not have the tube worm then it would die. This indicates that both the bacteria and the giant tube worm would have had to have developed this dependency simultaneously in order to have evolved to this form of dependency as we see it today. And this is not the only symbiotic relationship on the planet. There are many others.
Well, that should do it for now. Please keep in mind that I am not trying to prove or disprove anything. I am simply asking how evolution answers these questions. Often times the argument between evolution and creation will center on the origin of species, but both ideas need to go further and explain even the common behaviors that specific species have as well as symbiotic relationships and a lot of other things that simply make life possible and help a species to survive.
