Knight (1897) Gallup ® – June

Knight (1897) For a creationist it is possible that the various species of zebra had a common ancestor but this is not the case for zebras, bears and antelopes—still less for monkeys and humans, for birds and reptiles or for fish and fir trees. Michael Reiss (2007)

Potts & Sloan (2010)

All Life is Connected

Natonal Geographic Evolution is… - the accumulation of inherited changes in populations of organisms over the course of generations - “descent with modification”

In other words… 1. Do kids look like their parents? 2. Do individuals of a group look different? 3. Do individuals of a group have the same number of offspring?

In more other words… 1. Do kids look like their parents? 2. Do individuals of a group look different? 3. Do individuals of a group have the same number of offspring? yes + yes + no = evolution

All Life is Connected

The Field Museum

All Life is Connected

National Museum of Nature and Science

The average American spends less than five percent of his or her life in classrooms. (Falk & Dierking 2010)

The evolutionists seem to know everything about the missing link except the fact that it is missing.- G.K. Chesteron Scientists concede that their most cherished theories are based on embarrassingly few fossil fragments and that huge gaps exist in the fossil record. - Time ( )

quills for thrills: are we still talking about missing links? Richard Kissel, PhD Yale Peabody Museum of Natural History

Thomas Huxley Birds & Dinosaurs “The road from Reptiles to Birds is by way of Dinosauria” (1868) “There is no evidence that Compsognathus possessed feathers; but, if it did, it would be hard indeed to say whether it should be called a reptilian bird or an avian reptile.” (1876)

Early Cretaceous – China (1996) Sinosauropteryx

Sinosauropteryix first dinosaur for which color is known (2010) melanosomes – microscopic pigment-bearing structures found in the feathers of living birds (100 melanosomes can fit across a human hair) Sinosauropteryx

Early Cretaceous – Asia (1999) Sinornithosaurus

Early Cretaceous – Asia (2000) Microraptor

2012

Late Cretaceous – Asia (1924) Velociraptor

Epidexipteryx Late Jurassic – China (2008)

Late Jurassic – Asia (2009) Anchiornis 2012

Late Jurassic – Germany (2012) Sciurumimus

Late Cretaceous North America & Asia (1905) Tyrannosaurus

Tyrannosaur evolution Dilong Early Cretaceous- China (2004) Guanlong Late Jurassic – China (2006)

Yutyrannus – April © Xing & Liu

Sheehy (2012)

why feathers?

flight?

Dinosaurs & feathers? Like peas & carrots.

whales: from foot to flipper

Early 1800s - Discovery of Basilosaurus Tracing the history of whales…

Basilosaurus Tracing the history of whales…

Basilosaurus Tracing the history of whales…

Basilosaurus Modern Whale Tracing the history of whales…

Late 1900s Pakistan Egypt Tracing the history of whales…

Late 1900s Tracing the history of whales…

Rhodhocetus Tracing the history of whales… Image © The Field Museum

Rhodhocetus (50 Ma) Basilosaurus (40 Ma) Tracing the history of whales…

Pakicetus (50 Ma) Tracing the history of whales…

Even-toed hoofed mammals Artiodactyls

Image © The Field Museum Artiodactyls

Image © The Field Museum Artiodactyls

Missing links, anyone?

Fins to Limbs © Scientific American Prothero (2007)

THE HUMAN ANIMAL © John Gurche

March of Progress (1965)

Meet the Family Zimmer (2005)© John Gurche

© Scientific American

Late Triassic – 210 million years ago (1887) Proganochelys

Late Triassic – 220 million years ago (2008) Odontochelys

Knight (1897) Gallup ® – June

Knight (1897) Gallup ® – June How can we improve?

Knight (1897) Gallup ® – June How Can we improve?

Debate Dialog Relevant Conceptions & Ways of Knowing