Evolution Is Irreversible

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The tone of the article sounds like such transitory "blocking" mutations always occur. Probably given enough time it's likely but it's certainly not uncommon for a base to mutate and then mutate back to the original again in a short timespan. That would still count as evolutionary reversal in my book.
@auradawn - The Neanderthal genome was recently published and it looks like there was a bit of intermixing going on. Definitely look into it.
@Dryfire - Check out "Campbells Biology" at your local library. It's an excellent and readable biology primer that covers some basic information on the physio-chemical, macromolecular, structural, observed and experimental evidence for evolution at the "macro scale."

Dan of VA 3:42PM August 26, 2010

Q. "Where is that skull of hybrid Neanderthal-human child?"
Rent the movie "Animal House."
I kid. I kid.

Angie Koutrotsios of IL 1:09AM October 01, 2009

Read Luke 18:9-15. The Pharisee paid tithes to the fullest ten percent. Yet, he was not justified by God. The tax collector probably didn't pay the tithes like that if at all, but his prayer is heard. So do not think that tithes is the sole reason for Christianity. You may have had bad experiences with other Christians, but I want to be different. First, I would like to start over by saying I'm sorry. I'm sorry for any insult I gave. Second, I am going to pray for you.
As for evolution going forwards, doesn't this contradict biological dead ends? Also, what proof do we have concerning macro-evolution?

Dryfire of IL 10:02PM September 29, 2009

Many years ago, an article said someone discovered a child's skull that showed it was a hybrid homo sapiens and Neanderthal. Does anyone have up to date information about that? They apparently lived near enough and long enough, for mating to occur.

auradawn veirs of CA 5:58PM September 27, 2009

Rellgion was invented to create a class of tithe-dependent preachers. Nobody can deny they take money to hear confessions, recommend proof of penitence & forgive sinners. But this contradicts Scripture. It says that as soon as people accept Christ, he instantaneously forgives their past, present and future sins. So who actually forgives sinners? No genuine scientist can believe everything was made by a Creator. They may call themselves scientists & have degrees, but they're not people who demand proof of all propositions, Religion is so tied to money-making that it takes only a short list to reveal everyday sources of church income. People pay for weddings, christenings, confirmations, church school, and funerals. Although churches say they're non-profit, they claim tax exemption on INCOME. They take tax exemption on real property, and real estate is a prime source of INCOME when sold or rented. Religion endures because it makes jobs for so many people. Most of them have only seminary training or even less. Catalogs that sell church supplies reveal how many merchants profit from religion. Religion will endure as long as it's profitable.

auradawn veirs of CA 5:52PM September 27, 2009

Rellgion was invented to create a class of tithe-dependent preachers. Nobody can deny they take money to hear confessions, recommend proof of penitence & forgive sinners. But this contradicts Scripture. It says that as soon as people accept Christ, he instantaneously forgives their past, present and future sins. So who actually forgives sinners? No genuine scientist can believe everything was made by a Creator. They may call themselves scientists & have degrees, but they're not people who demand proof of all propositions, Religion is so tied to money-making that it takes only a short list to reveal everyday sources of church income. People pay for weddings, christenings, confirmations, church school, and funerals. Although churches say they're non-profit, they claim tax exemption on INCOME. They take tax exemption on real property, and real estate is a prime source of INCOME when sold or rented. Religion endures because it makes jobs for so many people. Most of them have only seminary training or even less. Catalogs that sell church supplies reveal how many merchants profit from religion. Religion will endure as long as it's profitable.

auradawn veirs of CA 5:52PM September 27, 2009

While it possible to see micro-evolution in organisms (beagles producing an entirely new breed of dog), macro-evolution (dog to bird, insect, etc.) has yet to be observed. This makes macro-evolution a hypothesis and not a theory.

Dr. Shade of NC 11:33AM September 27, 2009

Evolution is observable, whereas religious (or even non-religious) theories of the origin of the cosmos aren't, at least at the moment. That is why evolution is science and creationism isn't. It really has nothing to do with whether either is right or wrong.

Jim of PA 7:48AM September 27, 2009

RE: "Evolutionary biologists have long been fascinated by whether evolution can go backwards..."
Ever watched a bunch of loud frat boys making a racket?
Sometimes, it can seem as if humans do de-evolve. Rather loudly, too.

Angie Koutrotsios of IL 1:42AM September 27, 2009

Mutations may be random under the model evolution theory uses, but they are not
random at the molecular physics level. At that level, they are deterministic. True,
such a model is too detailed to be practically useful, but it is still accurate.
There is no dice rolling when one looks at things via the deeper model. Physics
has dice-rolling at the quantum level, but there are no reports gene changes
are influenced by quantum processes.
Choosing a model which has dice-rolling as its postulate and then claiming we are
the products of chance is logically circular. The dice-rolling postulate works only
because it approximates a complex but deterministic process, by taking a very high-level
approach. The randomness of random mutation is like the randomness of a coin toss.

Ajoy of CA 1:27AM September 27, 2009