Loading ...This is a fairly compelling, scientific look at why evolution is a fact using simple computational examples.
The video basically states that in an environment with finite resources, predators will push the organisms to evolve. While the first 8mins or so explain how the process works (using simple “organisms” represented by 8 bits) by placing organisms in a light or dark environment, then “eating” them every cycle based on their traits (for example, light-colored organism in a dark environment) the computer simulation proves that the organisms, based on breeding and natural selection thin out the undesirable traits generation after generation.
Around the 8th minute or so the author shows a sped up animation of 4 factors:
- The organisms themselves, represented by light/dark dots.
- The “environment” they live in, represented by a color from pitch black to pure white
Then boxes #3 and #4 show the “color” of the organisms on a scale of black (0) to white (255). And as you watch the simulation cover “250 generations” you see that the organisms react rather quickly to their environment changing color, but because of the predatory factor, they inevitably change their color to match their environment.
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October 27th, 2007 at 8:01 am
This is the simplest I’ve ever seen the concept of natural selection portrayed.
October 28th, 2007 at 8:43 pm
Agreed… I liked the animation and the simplistic color/environment think was a nice distillation of it.
I think sometimes more religious folks feel like giving in part way to arguments like this mean they are denouncing God and everything they stand for… makes for a tricky argument to have with some folks =/
October 29th, 2007 at 1:25 pm
I have always wondered why many believers of god are so opposed to the thought of an adaptive reproductive process in nature. I mean if there is/was a prime mover to start up everything, why not put in place such a self-reinforcing system? In fact to me, natural selection seems to be more of an “intelligent design” than what some religious freaks, err I mean, regular people claim as intelligent design.
Belief in one does not categorically rule out belief in the other. In fact, I do not see why many religious types are so opposed to scientific process and empirical observation — in my opinion the findings of such pursuits do not necessarily contradict belief in god. I guess it just depends on the specific flavor of god in which one believes…
October 29th, 2007 at 1:44 pm
Amen to that.