Register | Sign In


Understanding through Discussion


EvC Forum active members: 65 (9162 total)
3 online now:
Newest Member: popoi
Post Volume: Total: 915,806 Year: 3,063/9,624 Month: 908/1,588 Week: 91/223 Day: 2/17 Hour: 0/0


Thread  Details

Email This Thread
Newer Topic | Older Topic
  
Author Topic:   is the advancement of macro evolution without hick up?
Granny Magda
Member
Posts: 2462
From: UK
Joined: 11-12-2007
Member Rating: 4.0


Message 4 of 41 (548393)
02-27-2010 10:25 AM
Reply to: Message 1 by SHEKINAH
02-27-2010 4:47 AM


We Are All Mutants
Hi Shekinah,
Let's take a look at your analysis;
If an animal mates with another animal not of its exact species, the result will be a sterile creature (e.g. a horse mating with a donkey produces a sterile mule).
Well... that's almost true. Hybrid animals are usually, but not always, sterile. For reference, there is a list of some animal hybrids here;
Hybrid (biology) - Wikipedia
Note that many are fertile.
If animals of a given species mate and produce an abnormal offspring (i.e. a mutant), it also is sterile.
That's just not correct. A mutation is simply a novel DNA sequence. A "mutant" is an organism that has DNA sequences that did not originate with either parent. Generally the term "mutant" is only used to refer to those individuals whose mutation has caused them to differ noticeably from the rest of their population. Strictly speaking though, all of us are mutants, on average we have about two or three novel mutations, DNA sequences that were not present in our parents. These are the result of DNA copying errors that take place during the production of sex cells (meiosis).
Mutations do not usually prevent reproduction. Most mutations are neutral and have no effect. Since the rest of your argument follows on from this error, I would say that I have answered your questions; mutations do not usually make organisms sterile.
Mutate and Survive

"A curious aspect of the theory of evolution is that everybody thinks he understands it." - Jacques Monod

This message is a reply to:
 Message 1 by SHEKINAH, posted 02-27-2010 4:47 AM SHEKINAH has not replied

Replies to this message:
 Message 7 by slevesque, posted 02-27-2010 3:18 PM Granny Magda has replied

  
Granny Magda
Member
Posts: 2462
From: UK
Joined: 11-12-2007
Member Rating: 4.0


Message 20 of 41 (548443)
02-27-2010 5:33 PM
Reply to: Message 7 by slevesque
02-27-2010 3:18 PM


Re: We Are All Mutants
Hi slevesque,
I don't know where you got your numbers.
Why, I believe that I pulled those numbers directly out of my ass.
Seriously, I'm more than happy to be corrected there. My only goal was to point out to Shekinah the ubiquity of mutations and the fact that his ideas about mutation and sterility were wrong. As for the neutral mutation thing, you're going to have do a lot more to convince me of that...
Mutate and Survive

This message is a reply to:
 Message 7 by slevesque, posted 02-27-2010 3:18 PM slevesque has not replied

  
Newer Topic | Older Topic
Jump to:


Copyright 2001-2023 by EvC Forum, All Rights Reserved

™ Version 4.2
Innovative software from Qwixotic © 2024