The Cambrian Explosion - Part 1 of 2

The Cambrian Explosion relates to an abrupt appearance of a wide range of organisms, mainly invertebrates, with hard (fossilizable) parts in Cambrian strata, which mainstream scientists date from about 540 million years ago. They were complex, well-developed organisms with many types of differentiated cells, and it is widely conceded that evolution of these organisms from unicellular precursors within such a short period of time is highly doubtful.

Now, it can be granted that organisms without skeletons will leave few if any fossils, so it should not be too surprising if one evolving line were to appear suddenly in the fossil record. It is surprising, however -- at least within an evolutionary framework -- that such a wide variety of fossilizable forms should appear at more or less the same time. The number of radically different body plans which appear in such a very short period of geological time (about 13 million years according to mainstream science) is greater than at any other. Accounting for the abrupt and sudden appearance of these organisms is one of the leading challenges in evolutionary biology.

For more video on The Cambrian Explosion, please visit my friends at http://www.ColdwaterMedia.com for the entire series, Investigating Evolution. Also, for more information on the Cambrian Explosion, the fossil record, Evolution, Charles Darwin, and Intelligent Design, please visit http://www.allaboutscience.org/the-cambrian-explosion.htm --

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[macularis]

All fossils from the "Cambrian explosion" were ocean-dwelling organisms. Are we now to assume that God made fish, then directed a small group to start crawling on land, evolve into amphibians, reptiles, and later to mammals, apes, and humans? Because there is an enormous amount of fossil evidence that supports subsequent development. Pointing fingers at the Cambrian explosion in the name of "intelligent design" doesn't negate the overwhelming evidence that humans are related to chimpanzees.

[macularis]

@contents7 And what, exactly, has the Bible been right about? The talking snake that tricked two people into eating a fruit that made them realize they were naked?

[whitefox998]

@MagnusCattus So I guess your answer is no? Too bad. Willful ignorance never made much sense to me, but if that's the world you want to live in...

[MagnusCattus]

@whitefox998 Thats a good one, did you ever hear the one about the chicken and the bookstore?....

[whitefox998]

@MagnusCattus Evolution has been proven as much as scientifically possibly, macroevolution has been directly observed and is supported by every field in biology, and the theory is positively supported by the Cambrian explosion. And I don't have to dictate anything, I can present evidence to support my position which also flatly disproves yours. If you'd like me to I am more than willing but it'd have to be somewhere where we're aren't limited to a 500 character limit. You game?

[MagnusCattus]

@whitefox998 Evolution as never been proved, if you are gona dance around with pretty definitions be my guest. We have seen small mutations, never ever observed macro evolution. The cambrien explosion nullifies everything you have said. AND GUESS WHAT, if a fossil looks like another one, who the hell gets to say its related? its either THE SAME CREATURE, or NOT THE SAME. see how that works? Evolution has not been proven. I'm not going to let an atheist dictate to me what is fact.

[whitefox998]

@MagnusCattus (cont.) So how is any of that consistent with (creationist) Christianity or anything found in Genesis?

[whitefox998]

@MagnusCattus "To anyone rational, a tremendous lack of fossils would mean a tremendous lack of evidence for evolution..."

First off evolution has already been proven as much as can be just through the field of genetics. Further fossils found prior to, within, and after the Cambrian support the theory and line up pretty nicely with what is known in other fields. As a final point fossils of decreasing complexity the further back in time you go stretch back for about three billion of years...

[MagnusCattus]

@libalchris Yes a million years ago marshmellows ruled the earth, they had no bones therefore left no fossisl. Good luck my friend. To anyone rational, a tremendous lack of fossils would mean a tremendous lack of evidence for evolution, and coincedentaly fits right along with the christian creation account. Now I'm bit saying that perhaps what you have to say is meritless, but it is by faaaaaar inadequate for me.

[libalchris]

@MagnusCattus The cambrian explosion is predicted by current models of evolution due to the fact that precambrian organisms had not yet evolved the more efficient oxygen-based respritory systems

[MagnusCattus]

The cambrien explosion is a stab wound. The fossil record is a series of deep cuts, and scientific research is a killing blow. Evolution did not happen and there is every reason to conclude thusly.

[ZachSolten]

"There is no way evolution can explain the Cambrian Explosion." If we were living in the time of Charles Darwin, this would be true. However, we are not. Scientists have not been sitting around twiddling their thumbs in the century and a half that has passed since the Origin of Species was written. Scientists have since found a perfectly reasonable explanation for the Cambrian Explosion, called punctuated equilibrium. Besides, even if science had no idea what caused the Cambrian Explosion,