[Southack]

"If you read the page at my source, you will find a discussion of bacteria that eat nothing but Nylon. Find that in your pre-existing genes."

Pilgrims had nothing about eating corn in their genes either, yet they managed just fine after landing at Plymouth Rock.

[js1138]

I love it!

[Ichneumon]

["If you read the page at my source, you will find a discussion of bacteria that eat nothing but Nylon. Find that in your pre-existing genes."]

Pilgrims had nothing about eating corn in their genes either,

Sure they did. They had genes which enabled them to eat and digest a wide range of sugars, proteins, and fats.

Since corn consists of these same materials, the Pilgrims' genes most certainly *did* "have something about eating [lots of stuff, including corn] in their genes". (If you still want to disagree, feel free to point out the "corn-eating gene" which indigenous Americans have which Europeans don't have...)

The same can't be said about genes for eating nylon, however, especially since nylon didn't even *exist* before the 1930's (it's a man-made substance). And that's by no means the only example (e.g. Evolution of Enzymes for the Metabolism of New Chemical Inputs into the Environment).