1. Evolution Misconceptions

8. Evolution is the theory about the origin of life
Misconception
Evolution is the theory about the origin of life

9. Explanation
The theory of evolution primarily deals with the manner in which life has changed after its origin. While science is interested in the origins of life, these are not issues covered in the area of evolution. What is known is that regardless of the start, at some point life began to branch off. Evolution is, therefore, dedicated to the study of those processes.

10. Organisms are always getting better
Misconception
Organisms are always getting better

11. Explanation
While it is a fact that natural selection weeds out unhealthy genes from the gene pool, there are many cases where an imperfect organism has survived. Some examples of this are fungi, sharks, crayfish, and mosses – these have all remained essentially the same over a great period of time. These organisms are all sufficiently adapted to their environment to survive without improvement.

12. Evolution means that life changed “by chance”
Misconception
Evolution means that life changed “by chance”

13. Explanation
In fact, natural selection is not random. Many aquatic animals need speed to survive and reproduce – the creatures with that ability are more suited to their environment and are more likely to survive natural selection. In turn, they will produce more offspring with the same traits and the cycle continues.

14. Natural selection involves organisms “trying” to adapt
Misconception
Natural selection involves organisms “trying” to adapt

15. Explanation
Organisms do not “try” to adapt – it is natural selection that enables various members of a group to survive and reproduce. Genetic adaptation is entirely outside of the power of the developing organism.

16. Natural selection gives organisms what they “need”
Misconception
Natural selection gives organisms what they “need”

17. Evolution
Natural selection has no “intelligence” – it can not tell what a species needs. If a population has genetic variants that are more suited to their environment, they will reproduce more in the next generation and the population will evolve.

18. Evolution is just a theory
Misconception
Evolution is just a theory

19. Explanation
Scientifically speaking, a theory is a well substantiated idea that explains aspects of the natural world. Unfortunately other definitions of theory (such as a “guess” or a “hunch”) cause a great deal of confusion in the non-scientific world when dealing with the sciences. They are, in fact, two very different concepts.

20. Gaps in fossil records disprove evolution
Misconception
Gaps in fossil records disprove evolution

21. Explanation
Actually, many transitional fossils do exist – for example, there are fossils of transitional organisms between modern birds and their dinosaur ancestors, as well as whales and their land mammal ancestors. Science predicts that there will be gaps in the record for many evolutionary changes. This does not disprove the theory

22. Evolutionary theory is incomplete
Misconception
Evolutionary theory is incomplete

23. Explanation
Evolutionary science is a work in progress. Science is constantly making new discoveries with regard to it and explanations are always adjusted if necessary. Evolutionary theory is like all of the other sciences in this respect. Science is always trying to improve our knowledge. At present, evolution is the only well-supported explanation for all of life’s diversity.

24. Evolution is not science because it is not observable
Misconception
Evolution is not science because it is not observable

25. Explanation
Evolution is observable and testable. The confusion here is that people think science is limited to experiments in laboratories by white-coated technicians. In fact, a large amount of scientific information is gathered from the real world. Astronomers can obviously not physically touch the objects they study (for example stars and galaxies), yet a great deal of knowledge can be gained through multiple lines of study. This is true also of evolution.

26. Most biologists have rejected Darwinism
Misconception
Most biologists have rejected Darwinism

27. Explanation
Scientists do not reject Darwin’s theories, they have modified it over time as more knowledge has been discovered. There has not been, so far, a credible challenge to the basic principles of Darwin’s theory. Scientists have improved and expanded on Darwin’s original theory of natural selection – it has not been rejected, it has been added to.