The Kinks in Evolution Options

[Call911Quick]

I've been studying AP bio at a private international high school. We've learned a little bit about evolution, and after learning about it, I realize that there are problems with the theory. Here I will show you why Evolution is credible, and why it is also not "proven fact".

***If you are already fairly familiar in detail with the theory of Evolution, skip down to my series of dotted lines.***

First of all, let me inform you about DNA. 1.5% of your DNA are genes. Genes are what code for proteins and RNA molecules (enzymes). These are the mini machines in your body that regulate everything from the distance between your eyes to the length of your toes. There are around 30,000 genes in a human cell, give or take.

So, what is the other 98.5% of your DNA? It is actually composed of many different things. Random segments of non-coding DNA, transposons, satellite DNA, etc. At any rate, all you need to know is that the rest of your DNA does absolutely NOTHING good for you.

Now, I may be exaggerating, but 99% (or somewhere around that number) of our genes are identical to a fruit fly's genes. This is one of the bases for the theory of evolution; we are so similar to primates, flies, and even sea cucumbers. We must have a common ancestor.

The theory of evolution states that over the course of 1.5 billion years (That's a REALLY LONG TIME!), single cell procaryotes eventually evolved into simple multicellular organisms composed of specialized eucaryotic cells. The first animal: sponges.

From sponges, it went to worms. Worms were the first animals to have a central nervous system, radial symmetry, and most importantly, a head. From there it's a really long story but basically we evolved over the course of 1.5 billion years. This is actually quite probable; lots can happen in such a long time.

This is my mini introduction to the theory of evolution, just to clarify some things. It may be 1% of what is actually known, because I could write a 10-page essay on this thing.

----------------------------------------------

The problem with evolution likes in your DNA.

As you all know, genetic mutations cause diseases. Genetic mutations can occur in many different ways. The most common causes are mutagens, such as x-rays, car exhaust, etc. They're chemicals that cause genetic mutation.

Another way is from viruses. AS you know, viruses insert a segment of double-stranded DNA into your cell, which integrates itself with that particular cell's DNA. This causes the cell to produce more viruses, etc.

The step in which the virus' DNA integrates itself with your human DNA is where mutations can occur. Your cell doesn't produce viruses, but maybe it grows uncontrollably and eventually develops into a malignant tumor. Viruses are a leading cause for cancer.

Secondly, and more curiously, is your own DNA is capable of mutating itself. I mentioned earlier that a part of your DNA is transposons. Approximately 15%. If you have knowledge in Latin roots, you can figure out that transposons are segments of DNA that can be cut out and re-inserted by the enzyme transposase. This has no known positive benefit, and is just a formula for genetic mutations. Another cause for cancer.

If evolution were true, why did we develop this kind of DNA? The only reason why we don't have cancer is because a cell firstly needs 13-17 mutations in order to become cancerous, and the probability of transposons affecting a gene is low, because your cell's growth cycle has two restriction points, and if something is wrong, the it will commit suicide. Your mutated cell kills itself, unless the... well, if you want to know about cancer, PM me.

-------------------------------------------------

Are you curious why human cells stop metabolism? Why do we age? Why do we die? Well, part of the cause is once again, ourselves. Our cells have receptors for hormones with, basically, tell the cell to stop metabolizing. A scientist (forget her name, she's a genius tho) experimented with roundworms. She ended up being able to DOUBLE the life of a roundworm (from two weeks to four weeks) by mutating the gene that codes for said receptors on the cell. The cells are incapable of receiving the hormones, and thus don't die THAT way.

There are other ways our cells die. Our sex cells, or gametes, also have a way of causing our body to stop metabolism. I wasn't paying much attention during this part of the lecture, so I can't go into detail.

Anyway, why does this happen? If evolution were true, we'd have never developed this aging process. We strive for survival. The animals that mutated and began aging should have died, while the animals that didn't would live much longer. According to Darwin, that is.

Think on it. Sleep on it. Take some aspirin.

[Call911Quick]

Right, all the replies I'm typing are coming off the top of my head. I really don't have a website/book/wikipedia open in front of me. I don't know the chromosomes responsible for each genetic disease by heart.

However, think about it this way. A theoretical way to cure cancer is to manipulate siRNA (short interference RNA) in order to stop the uncontrolled cell division. The thing is that we don't understand how the restriction points in the cell cycle work.

@Ersatz, people are boy or girl due to whether they have XX or XY chromosomes. In a girl, one X is turned off and becomes a barr body. Nothing is turned off in a boy. Your gender isn't determined by genes being controlled...

And you may have the same education as NoSex, but you sure don't talk like it.

Right, I'm grateful for my parents that they can give me an education. And seeing as how I've studied evolution for a grand total of 4 weeks, 10 pages IS impressive. I don't research evolution or anything, everything I've said is based off of what I've learned. Right, and I'm 16, how old are you? Unless the things I've been taught are false and thus invalid, my questions really have no answer.

Back to the original questions:

WHY do we have genes that code for receptors on our cells that stop metabolism?

WHY do we have SO MUCH unused DNA? Perhaps a segment of transposable DNA can be inserted into our gene to give us mind-reading abilities (exaggeration, don't take me seriously), but 98.5%? That's too outlandish of a number.

Again, I'm simplifying so that we don't have to read gigantic essays.

[Comptine]

Right, all the replies I'm typing are coming off the top of my head. I really don't have a website/book/wikipedia open in front of me. I don't know the chromosomes responsible for each genetic disease by heart.

However, think about it this way. A theoretical way to cure cancer is to manipulate siRNA (short interference RNA) in order to stop the uncontrolled cell division. The thing is that we don't understand how the restriction points in the cell cycle work.

@Ersatz, people are boy or girl due to whether they have XX or XY chromosomes. In a girl, one X is turned off and becomes a barr body. Nothing is turned off in a boy. Your gender isn't determined by genes being controlled...

And you may have the same education as NoSex, but you sure don't talk like it.

Right, I'm grateful for my parents that they can give me an education. And seeing as how I've studied evolution for a grand total of 4 weeks, 10 pages IS impressive. I don't research evolution or anything, everything I've said is based off of what I've learned. Right, and I'm 16, how old are you? Unless the things I've been taught are false and thus invalid, my questions really have no answer.

Back to the original questions:

WHY do we have genes that code for receptors on our cells that stop metabolism?

WHY do we have SO MUCH unused DNA? Perhaps a segment of transposable DNA can be inserted into our gene to give us mind-reading abilities (exaggeration, don't take me seriously), but 98.5%? That's too outlandish of a number.

Again, I'm simplifying so that we don't have to read gigantic essays.

[font=2]
I'm actually studying for college Intro Bio right now (not very well).

First of all, I'm in a rush, so I'll put in my two cents to your latest post and some stuff I picked up on. I'll come back to reply to other stuff.

1) Mutations are primarily bad. But by pure chance, every once in awhile, a mutation actually leads to something good. DNA duplicates and sometimes that leads to mutations like losing a function, or a gaining a new function.

2) Selection just happens. Species A had the better genes to survive than Species B. Species B cannot compete well for resources -> cannot find food for offspring -> die off. Simple as that. It just happens. It took millions of years to make a human. It's not an active process. It's completely passive and it's about who was born with the better traits to develop and REPRODUCE to pass the traits onto offspring.

3) We have a lot of junk DNA and a lot of it scientists have no idea what they do. Slowly, science is revealing more and more about DNA. Recently, it was theorized that junk DNA is actually rich in regulatory RNA sequences. They can regulate different things in the genome, like silencing a gene.

4) 97% of our genes are identical to a chimp. Such a large percent because humans and chimps diverged recently. Fruit flys and humans diverged an even longer time ago. So the DNA commonalities will be smaller. Please check your statistics.

5) The female scientist you mentioned in your first post, though I'm not sure because many experiments like this were conducted, was able to prolong the life because she extended the life of the tails on chromosomes. At the very end of a chromosome, there is a protective cap/layer (telomerase). Each time the chromosome duplicates, the protective layer deteriorates. This deterioration is the main cause for aging. It slows everything from metabolism to pigmentation down.

6) If someone somehow gives birth to a baby where the genes have mutated that don't slow down metabolism, then good for him. but right now, humans just didn't get the luck to have genes that don't stop metabolism. Just because it's a good thing doesn't mean we HAVE to have developed it.

[/size]