Native U.S. Lizards Are Evolving To Escape Attacks By Fire Ants

Science Daily ^ | Jan. 24, 2009 | Science Daily

[Westbrook]

> an experiment with electricity zapping molecules that
> formed protein chains(?) that scientists said could be a
> precursor to life.

Yes, but it took intelligence to design the experiment, and intelligence to trap the amino acids out of the bath before the same process that formed them could destroy them.

Aslo, the amino acids formed by the experiment were the wrong type and could not support life.

When you see a lizard change into something other than a lizard, be sure to let us know.

[fr_freak]

Physical changes, longer legs, is evolution. Changes in behavior is adaptation.

No, you need to read post #4 again. He makes a good point. It is my understanding that Darwinism, which is natural selection within a species, is not a part of the modern theory of evolution. Natural selection states that the most beneficial existing trait in a species becomes dominant under certain conditions, as in this case with the lizard where the longer-legged ones survived the fire ants better. The modern Theory of Evolution states that one species may become another through one or more beneficial genetic mutations which provide greater potential for survival. In other words, it is new genetic information within the species that didn't exist before. Big difference between the two.

[mc6809e]

It’s not evolution, it’s adaptation.

It's evolution because genetics governs the length of the legs and guides the instinctive behavior.

[bert]

For those of you who can’t seem to learn the basics......

Adaptation is evolution
Adaptation is evolution
Adaptation is evolution
Adaptation is evolution
Adaptation is evolution
Adaptation is evolution
Adaptation is evolution
Adaptation is evolution
Adaptation is evolution
Adaptation is evolution

[RIghtNowAndAlways]

"Yes, but it took intelligence to design the experiment, and intelligence to trap the amino acids out of the bath before the same process that formed them could destroy them.

Aslo, the amino acids formed by the experiment were the wrong type and could not support life."

I'm not sure what your point is. You're describing the scientific method. They made observations, formulated a hypothesis, designed an experiment to test it. Science doesn't care if a hypothesis is found to be wrong, and in fact a "wrong" result is usually the most interesting outcome to scientists, as it leads to new hypotheses.

Or, by the subtle use of the words "intelligent" and "design," are you implying that theology is the only useful tool for understanding our environment?

[exist]

Would their DNA change their species over millions of year by them growing a set of wings?

Of course not everybody knows animals with wings and animals without wings totally have the same exact DNA.

[Rebelbase]

"They've already evolved to sit on fences to avoid bikes but fire ants don't ride bikes."

Don't underestimate the little pests.

[autumnraine]

So it’s evolution that my daughter gets my husband’s long legs and my big ears, but it isn’t evolution when my other daughter gets my short legs and her father’s little ears?

I think there is a difference between dominant genetic traits and evolution, isn’t there?

[RegulatorCountry]

So if they keep adapting for millions of years and grow friggin' wings

Psychic fence lizards. Very determined psychic fence lizards, at that. Millions of years, of flopping around with malformed forelegs, and yet they kept the faith ... I think I can, I think I can, I think I can fly.

And, these psychic lizards were so confident of their eventual flight capablities, that they chose to exclusively mate with other handicapped lizards, flopping around on progressively more malformed forelegs.

Until, one fine day, fence lizards could fly.

It's ridiculous on its face. Admit it.

[Westbrook]

> Or, by the subtle use of the words “intelligent”
> and “design,” are you implying that theology is the only
> useful tool for understanding our environment?

I’m not implying anything.

I’ll state outright that GOD is the only reason you think, breathe or even exist. If there was no External, Objective, Transcenent Order or Truth, how would you even know that you are really observing what you think you are observing? How can you even know for certain that the logic of your thinking is correctly formed?

There was no sublety intended by the use of the words “intelligent” and “design”.

By your recognition of the intentional pattern, you just demonstrated that even an evolutionist can detect intelligence and design in a construct.

[Nick Danger]

This just in...

Fire Ants are Evolving to Better Catch Lizards

Colorado State Professor of Entomology Adrian Bugsterbunny has discovered that fire ants are developing little inflatable sacs under their chins in order to fool lizards into thinking that fire ants are their friends. The ants are also learning to do push-ups with their front legs to better imitate their reptilian prey.

"The ants will sneak up on the lizards, do a couple of push-ups, then inflate and deflate the little sacs under their chins. Then they bite the lizards, which any human can tell you hurts like Hell."

[Islander7]

“...The modern Theory of Evolution states that one species may become another through one or more beneficial genetic mutations which provide greater potential for survival. In other words, it is new genetic information within the species that didn’t exist before. Big difference between the two...”

Even though dogs have been selectively bred by humans, there is great ‘genetic elasticity’ (my term for want of a better one) within the specie. Every living thing has reams of unused genes.

I recently saw a program on the science channel where a researcher isolated a gene in chicken embryos. Once he stimulated or ‘turn on’ that gene, the chicks developed teeth. Much like those found in dinosaurs. There was a whole series of experiments demonstrating that many of the silent genes we carry have been turned off. The old information is there. So where did the new information come from? Random changes seems a reasonable hypothesis to me.

[Islander7]

Even when scientists do think about the origin of life (NOT evolution), I remember hearing about an experiment with electricity zapping molecules that formed protein chains(?) that scientists said could be a precursor to life.

The scientists also said that DIDN’T mean there was no God, because God may have put the beginnings of life into the universe and zapped them into being......”

I remember that experiment, around 1957?. They formed amino acids.

The views expressed by those gentleman were from the 1950s. The views of the younger, modern crop tend to be militantly anti-God. So from their views, I part company.

[RIghtNowAndAlways]

"By your recognition of the intentional pattern, you just demonstrated that even an evolutionist can detect intelligence and design in a construct."

I'm not an "evolutionist" no more than I am a chemist (I'm not a chemist, but I play one on TV). I don't study evolution.

"I’ll state outright that GOD is the only reason you think, breathe or even exist. "

I agree that God is the reason I think, breathe, and exist.

"If there was no External, Objective, Transcenent Order or Truth, how would you even know that you are really observing what you think you are observing? How can you even know for certain that the logic of your thinking is correctly formed?"

Yes, this is philosophy, and while worthy questions to ponder, it is a discipline entirely separate from science. So I'm still unsure what you wish to debate, as there isn't a conflict. Philosophy, theology, and science all have their ways of trying to understand the world.

[Nephi]

If it makes Darwinist Believers feel better to refer to adaptation as evolution. Fine. Have at it, but the Darwinist Believers preach their religious doctrine as though the lizards adapted to fire ants by sprouting wings while mocking creationists for clinging to their evidence of Intelligent Design. You know the sort of intelligent design that might have been the inspiration for the verses:

Matthew
6:25 Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment?

6:26 Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they?

[exist]

Until, one fine day, fence lizards could fly.

It's ridiculous on its face. Admit it.

I agree 100%. To think that Chinese people and black people "evolved" or "adapted" to their environments is absurd and that's why they look different is absurd. Obviously God made blacks and Asian people separately.

And for those Satanic so-called scientists on National Geographic to claim that poodles and wolves are related is just blasphemy. Ridiculous on its face. Agreed.

[Clintonfatigued]

Fire ants are a by-product of free trade.

[vetvetdoug]

Jim Morrison predicted this would happen.

[fr_freak]

I recently saw a program on the science channel where a researcher isolated a gene in chicken embryos. Once he stimulated or ‘turn on’ that gene, the chicks developed teeth. Much like those found in dinosaurs. There was a whole series of experiments demonstrating that many of the silent genes we carry have been turned off. The old information is there.

That would actually be a fascinating branch of the theory - if it were believed that every species has within its DNA the code for being an entirely different animal. I would have to know more about this experiment specifically, though, because I doubt that a single gene would determine the existence and structure of something like teeth. I'd also have to know their definition of 'teeth' (one man's bird tooth is another man's beak burr, etc.) Interesting stuff, though. What would really be instructive is if they could turn on some bird genes to make it grow hands, or a lizard tongue, or something else that we never see in birds.

Heh - maybe our DNA is designed by Microsoft - 10% of the code is used and the other 90% is re-copied junk programs like flight simulator and pong.

[Islander7]

Here's a blog entry about hens teeth.

"The team have also managed to induce teeth growth in normal chickens – activating genes that have lain dormant for 80 million years."

---------- Snip

The 'teeth' are actually tooth buds, since the chicks are just hatched. None have been allowed to mature so far as I know.