Traditional Models for Evolution

Models for Evolution

In this section I want to address some of the models we have for the evolution of Mankind on the planet. There are the conventional scientific theories on human evolution, which are incomplete. Archeologists are still looking for the "missing link". On adjacent tabs are some of the esoteric theories that have come from channellers, myths and legends.

Darwin's Theory

Darwin’s Theory of Evolution states that organic life sprung from non-organic matter exclusively through a natural mechanistic process on a pre-biotic earth. That original life form then evolved into more complex life forms through a natural process of random mutations and natural selection. In a nutshell, the basic premise is that matter acting on matter for a sufficient period of time can create anything, whether organic or non-organic.

Darwin’s Theory of Evolution is still widely accepted by the general public as scientific fact, especially in the popular media and the public schools. On its face, the “survival of the fittest” model is simple and self-evident. In fact, no legitimate scholars doubt that Darwin’s theory of natural selection accounts for most of the changes within a species (a testable process known as “micro-evolution”).

However, there are some problems with his theory, one being that fossil evidence should support innumerable numbers of transitional forms from one species to another. Of the 250 million fossil specimens in museum collections around the world, transitional forms are not found.

Darwin's Theory of Evolution was summed up by Darwin himself, as follows: “Lastly, looking not to any one time, but to all time, if my theory be true, numberless intermediate varieties, linking closely together all the species of the same group, must assuredly have existed. But, as by this theory, innumerable transitional forms must have existed, why do we not find them embedded in countless numbers in the crust of the earth?”

As such, Darwin's theory accounts for gradual changes within a species, but another factor (eg spontaneous mutation) must account for the sudden appearance of radically new species.

Spontaneous Mutation

Mutation takes place when an organism undergoes a spontaneous genetic change during replication. During the process of replication, the nucleotides of a chromosome are altered, so rather than creating an identical copy of DNA strands, there are chemical variations in the replicated strands. The alteration on the chemical composition of DNA triggers a chain reaction in the genetic information of an individual.

It is thought that cosmic events which shower the planet with high-energy radiation or ultra-violet rays may contribute to sudden widespread appearance of new species which is seen from fossil evidence in the history of the planet.

Together with Darwin't theory, mutation forms the basis for the conventional scientific theory for the evolution of life on this planet.

Conventional Human evolution

Archeaologists are continually making discoveries, refining theories, and are still looking for the "missing link" - the link between Homo Erectus and Homo Sapiens. Here is a brief overview of the current scientific view of human evolution from early bipedal Hominids.

Ramapithecus - existing about 6 million years ago was a group dwelling ape, that may have been the acestor of both Orangutans and Australopithecus.

Australopithecus - several species of early hominids found in Africa 1.6 million to 4.5 million years ago. It is believed that they were the ancestors of human beings. Up to about 5 feet tall, and capable of walking on two legs, with brain capacity of about 500 cubic centimetres. It is believed that about 3 million years ago there was a divergence in to several species - one into A. Africanus, a line which became A. Boisei and A. Robustus, and another line Homo (Habilis, Erectus, Sapiens as below). "Lucy" is the name of a skeleton found by Leaky in Africa, of the species A. Afarensis, the ancestor of both A. and H. lineages.

Homo Habilis - found in Africa 1.6 to 2 million years ago. Brain capacity 500 - 800 cubic centimetres, long ape-like arms and legs, and used primitive stone tools. Appears that this is the only link between Australopithecus and Homo Erectus.

Homo Erectus - found widely over Africa, Asia (Java, Peking), Europe (Algeria, Germany, Greece), etc. 250,000 to 1.6 million years ago. The first species to migrate out of Africa. Brain capacity 750 - 1225 cubic centimetres. This was the first hominid to inhabit caves and use fire. There is disagreement among scholars, however, as to whether Homo Erectus did continue to evolve into Homo Sapiens, as there are characteristics of the forehead, jaw and teeth which are more marked than Australopithecus and not at all similar to Homo Sapiens of today. Some scholars argue that Homo Erectus was an evolutionary line from Australopithecus which died out, and Homo Sapiens come from a different line. In any case, there is a "missing link" between Homo Erectus and Homo Sapiens. Homo Erectus appeared to die out all over the planet, and Homo Sapiens Neanderthalis emerged from hominid stock in Africa (which may, or may not, be from the Homo Erectus species).

Homo Sapiens (man the wise) - the earliest Homo Sapiens date back over 100,000 years ago (possibly back 250,000 to 400,000 year ago), and it appears that the first humans came from Africa. A date of 200,000 years ago was arrived at by 3% mutation method ("Eve" hypothesis, Stoneking 1989, and reverified in 1991). Average brain capacity about 1350 cc. There are two well known sub-species of Homo Sapiens:

Homo Sapiens Neanderthalis - Neanderthal man, found in Europe (eg Germany), the Middle East, North Africa, Central and West Asia. Dates back 30,000 to 100,000 years ago. Short and stout, with cranial capacity on average larger than the humans of today. They used clothing, caves, fire, buried their dead, and may have had religion of some sort. They certainly existed at the same time as Cro-Magnon man, and evidence has been found suggesting that the two sub-species traded with each other.

Homo Sapiens Sapiens - Cro-Magnon man (from caves in France and Italy), and modern human beings. Cro-Magnon man seemed to originate in West Asia and moved in to France around 35,000 years ago, and was still found in Europe 2000 to 5000 BC. Relatively pure examples of Cro-Magnon man can be found today in the Dal people of Dalarna, Sweden, and the Guanches of the Canary Islands. With Cro-Magnon man emerged the first signs of art and technological innovations.

Modern humans have a cranial capacity of about 1,350 cubic centimetres (varies from 1000 - 2000).

Scholars often refer to the "missing link". There has not been enough fossil evidence to positively link Homo Erectus to Homo Sapiens. Some schools believe that Homo Erectus was an evolutionary dead end, and that Homo Sapiens evolved independantly in a number of geographically separate areas from other sources. What we do have today is a wide range of human "races" - Negroid, Mongoloid, Caucasian, with skin colours varying from white, to yellow, olive, reddish, brown and black, varying eye colour, hair colour, blood types, etc. All humans on the planet are able to inter-breed.

Lifespan of Human DNA

It appears that the first modern humans emerged about 200,000 years ago, and it has been estimated that the lifespan of the human DNA is around 400,000 to 500,000 years. This is a mathematical limit assigned based on the replication of the genes. Neanderthal man clearly reached their limit, which would have been of similar age to ours. So we are currently about half way through the lifetime of the human race. It is likely that Homo Sapiens Sapiens will mutate into something new (or perhaps several new Hominid species) before we become extinct. Nobody gives this much thought, and it is many tens of thousands of years away - but it will happen.