Transitional Fossils

[Hellbender]

I am starting this thread merely becasue I want to discuss the role of transitional fossils and their role in the science of evolution. Prominent examples include ichthyostega, archeopteryx, amphioxous, ambulocetus, australopithecus, etc. Thanks a llot

[ydoaPs]

every fossil is transitional, isn't it?

[Sayonara]

All states are transitional.

 

Well, that was fun.

[Hellbender]

wow thanks for the quick reply. All fossils are transitional, but I think the purpose of the term in the context didn't go unnoticed. I meant transition between 2 clades of animals. I find discussion on this topic very interesting.

 

"Well, that was fun.

 

it sure was wasn't it?

[Sayonara]

There ought to be a couple of threads on archeopteryx specifically, if you do a search.

 

Although I think it was spelled with an annoying merged 'ae' in there, so it might not come up on search.

[Sayonara]

Here's one:

http://www.scienceforums.net/forums/showthread.php?t=6579

[Hellbender]

hmm thanks for the link sayo. yeah I wanted to talk about archeopteryx too. Might spring up some juicey evo vs. creat debates.

[Ophiolite]

Might spring up some juicey evo vs. creat debates.

These tend to degenerate into a "god made me do it", "No he didn't" type of discussion. I am tempted to argue the case against evolution just to have some decent opposition. (I'm assuming your on the evolution side of the debate.)

If you enjoy a good confrontation I'll do my level best to find something to disagree on.

Welcome to the forum, by the way.

[Hellbender]

Thanks Ophiolite. Its not that I like to pick fights about this sort of thing.AS you can see, creationism is something I am willing to put a lot of time and energy into debunking, even though I know I am not going to change someone's religious beliefs, some will admit there is at least something to evolution. BUt you are right about how the debates degenerate. I was a memeber of a cryptozoology forum site, and there was a special forum page dedicated to this debate, and needless to say it always had the most threads. You'd be talking about how an elasmosaur's neck never evolved something or other and a creationist would start a whole preachy diatribe about how evolution is false becasue the bible said so. No wonder I am no longer a memeber of that site.....

[Sayonara]

One day, in the distant future, scientists will resurrect creationists using DNA recovered from fossils. Then everyone will be able to keep miniature ones as pets, to intrigue and entertain the whole family.

[Hellbender]

Lol who would want someone like that as a pet?

[Aardvark]

Lol who would want someone like that as a pet?

 

I bet the squishy noise they'd make when you tread on them would be most satisfying.

[Mokele]

Cheap monitor lizard food, too. The screams would make feeding time even more fun!

 

Mokele

[Ophiolite]

Sayonara: "Then everyone will be able to keep miniature ones as pets, to intrigue and entertain the whole family."

Hellbender:"who would want someone like that as a pet?"

Aarddvark:"I bet the squishy noise they'd make when you tread on them would be most satisfying."

Mokele:"The screams would make feeding time even more fun!"

 

Ah, the objectivity of the unbiased scientific mind in action. (Now why do the first letters of your names spell out SHAM?)

[aguy2]

One day' date=' in the distant future, scientists will resurrect creationists using DNA recovered from fossils.

[/quote']

 

This isn't the rel./phil. forum, but kidding aside you've hit on a good point. If you don't care to, I think I could work up a thread starter in the more appropriate forum.

 

Bye the way, do you happen to remember a thread I started in ast./cos. in nov. called "Is the Universe Collapsing"? I found and older & cruder version of it quoted in its entirety in "ABOUT Physics".

 

aguy2

[Hellbender]

you are right, I should have picked a different forum for trying to spark a debate of this sort. But I really did want to talk about fossils too.