National Acadamies Press has released a new book entitled, "Science, Evolution, and Creationism." You can read the PDF version for free here. One of my favorite passages in the book was,
"In late 2002 several hundred people in China came down with a severe form of pneumonia
caused by an unknown infectious agent. Dubbed “severe acute respiratory syndrome,” or SARS, the disease soon spread to Vietnam, Hong Kong, and Canada and led to hundreds of deaths. In March 2003 a team of researchers at the University of California, San Francisco, received samples of a virus isolated from the tissues of a SARS patient. Using a new technology known as a DNA microarray, within 24 hours the researchers had identified the virus as a previously unknown member of a particular family of viruses — a result confirmed by other researchers using different techniques. Immediately, work began on a blood test to identify people with
the disease (so they could be quarantined), on treatments for the disease, and on vaccines to
prevent infection with the virus. An understanding of evolution was essential in the identification
of the SARS virus. The genetic material in the virus was similar to that of other
viruses because it had evolved from the same ancestor virus. Furthermore, knowledge of the evolutionary history of the SARS virus gave scientists important information about the disease, such as how it is spread. Knowing the evolutionary origins of human pathogens will be critical in the future as existing infectious agents evolve into new and more dangerous forms."
2 comments:
Bacteria don't evolve, the information that is already there is just rearranged and/or exchanged. Take a look at the multi part genes of some flu viruses, new viruses don't evolve, they just mix up their DNA and somehow survive. This is not evidence of evolution but just change of what is already there, not creating anything new. Bacteria that become immune to certain antibiotics do fight against the antibiotics as our own body fights against them, but they also just LOSE information sometimes, certain mutations cause them to lose specific gene characteristics which if they were intact and present, and being expressed, would result in them being susceptible to certain things like some antibiotics. Thank you. Shalom, Jehovah-Nissi!
Simply take a look at the article "Is Antibiotic Resistance a Case of Evolution in Action?" for the answer to that. Also take a look at "Evolution for Creationists" Part 4.
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