Emory Moynagh
[Originally published as Examples of Evolution Debunked Pt4]
We’ve been working on a multipart series debunking an internet list of supposed examples of evolution. While beyond those listed here, there are more examples on the list, those involve changes in thought and technology, which are outside the realm of biology.
Reminder that this list has misdefined evolution as change over time, and also used some blatantly misleading or even false examples. This final part will feature more of them.
Lactose Intolerance in Humans
The argument here is that humans are the only species that do not become lactose intolerant as they age. The problem is, most people, other than those with certain ancestry, do become lactose intolerant as adults. While lactose tolerance is a mutation, it is not an example of evolution. If anything, it is an example of devolution.
Sickle Cell Anemia
This one infuriates me. It references a particular gene variant found mostly in West Africa that, when two copies are present, causes sickle cell anemia.
This is a painful disease that essentially deprives the body of oxygen by distorting the shape of red blood cells from the normal donut-like shape to vaguely resemble a curved sickle. These cells cause clogs in the blood vessels and cannot carry oxygen.
However, because of the shape of the cell, people with this disease are resistant to the malarial parasite. People carrying two copies of sickle cell tend to live very short lives. However, in some areas of West Africa where malaria is prominent, people who do not carry the sickle cell trait usually suffer from malaria and die. People who carry the trait, but do not have two copies, are largely immune to malaria, and while they do suffer from some sickle cell trait, they survive better than any other group.
But none of this is evolution.
In one unique situation, the sickle cell trait is beneficial. Despite this, every person carrying the trait suffers to one degree or another. This is an example of the genome breaking down. People with this disease who are never exposed to malaria suffer terrible pain and get no benefit out of it. If this is evolution, the evolutionists have a lot of explaining to do.
Whale Fossil Record
This one is pretty funny. The evolutionists regularly use the whale series as one of their flagship evidences for evolution. However, the whale series is one long mess. Many of the purported whale ancestors have been debunked over the years. For example, Pakicetus was portrayed as a semi-aquatic missing link, complete with flippers. Turns out, it was more like an oversized rat with legs meant for running on land.
Generally, one of the strongest proofs offered in the whale series is the ear bones. However, similar ear bones do not trump the wide gulf in morphology and anatomy that separates whales from their supposed land-based ancestors. If one trait were enough to determine ancestry, bats would be descended from pterosaurs.
Guppy Colors
It almost looks like the author of this list did not even understand this. Answers in Genesis has a great article on how natural selection works in guppies. Turns out, changes in guppy populations in response to predation are an example of natural selection, not evolution. The two are not synonymous, no matter how much evolutionists want them to be.
Feathered Dinosaurs
This one is really comical. First of all, feathered dinosaurs are a myth.
Most supposed “feathered dinosaurs” are either birds misclassified as dinosaurs or dinosaurs that did not actually have feathers. Even some secularists are unconvinced by the supposed evidence for feathered dinosaurs. While they represent a minority, they do exist and get their papers published in secular journals, so the question is still an open one.
Second, even if feathered dinosaurs did exist, they would not provide evidence for evolution. Some creationists believe God created several kinds of feathered dinosaurs at the beginning. So feathered dinosaurs are in a zone of overlap. They provide no evidence for either view because both views can accommodate them.
