Evolution: an ability Darwin does not explain (Introduction)

by dhw, Tuesday, July 25, 2017, 13:20 (2460 days ago) @ David Turell

dhw: The bolded quote and your comment both stress that it is HUMAN cells that have this ability, as if it were unique to humans. It is not. But if you now wish to argue that your God specially prepared dogs and monkeys and other organisms for space travel, you are welcome to your theory.

DAVID: The real issue, lost in the shuffle, is why should the ability be present in advance of its need?

dhw: Why do bacteria have the ability to adapt to virtually any change in their environment? You might as well ask why ANY organism has (or does not have) the ability to adapt to new conditions. What, then, is so special about the ability of humans, dogs, monkeys and hundreds of other organisms to survive weightlessness? And why did you and the authors only mention humans, as if their ability was extra special? And why must you bring Darwin into it? I suggest that this thread is not worth pursuing.

DAVID: You are quite correct about the animals you list on the surface of Earth. Didn't you note that weightlessness is not present as part of Earth's environment? And the question still exists as to why the genome is prepared for it in advance? Why not answer that?

This is a silly thread. By all means embrace your belief that your God specially prepared some organisms (and not others) for space travel. I’ll stick to the argument that some organisms are more adaptable than others to new conditions.