Can someone explain transitional fossils for me?

Question

I had a debate with a Christian scientist about this, and the only video I found on youtube about this topic was made by an creationist. There asking why aren't there many, if any transitional fossils. And they said the fossils of land mammals evolving into sea mammals are a fraud. Why aren't there many articles, videos,of scientists explaining this debate or proving that there are many transitional fossils? I'm confused.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mXAOM75RWO0 - Please watch.


http://www.skepticexchange.org/questions/262/if-evolution-was-true-we-should-have-millions-of-transitional-fossils - Check this out.

Answer 1

'Transitional Fossil' is kind of a misnomer. e.g. it's not really a scientific term, so no papers etc.



Truth is that ALL fossils are transitional. Every time a new fossil is found creationists just claim that another transitional fossil is now needed on both sides of that new find.



The fossil record is rich, and the land to sea mammals are some of the best out there. (they are in no way frauds. in fact newer finds make the record just about as perfect as it can get)



Go to youtube and search for

-Potholer54 or Potholer54debunks

-Aaronra

-Thunderfoot (a great "why do people laugh at creationists' series)

Answer 2

There aren't "youtube" videos because actual scientists don't publish peer-reviewed results on "youtube."



There are hundreds of thousands of articles (and actual fossils) dealing with "transitional" fossils -- published in peer-reviewed scientific journals, and residing in museums and universities. That this "creationist" is too lazy to get off his behind and go read them/look at them is his problem, not yours.



"But there has to be something making this still an open debate..."

It is NOT an "open debate." Scientifically, there is no debate.

The only people going on about it are the ignorant people who don't bother to examine the evidence, and in their ignorance make silly and worthless claims. Ignorance and dishonesty are what drive YECs to stick to their "belief," nothing else.



Peace.

Answer 3

In one sense, every single fossil is a transitional one. Apart from major mutations (which are rare and tend not be breed true), evolutionary changes are gradual. Unless a given species obligingly lived near a tar pit and thoughtfully had one member of each generation fall in to be preserved, you aren't going to have an unbroken chain of fossil samples to show the changes over time. Only a minisule fraction of creatures die in such a manner that permits fossilation to begin with.

Answer 4

There aren't many scientific articles on it because evolution is already a well documented scientific theory (in science, theories are well tested things, not mere guesses or hypotheses). There aren't many transitional fossils since there really aren't that many fossils, it takes a crazy combination of factors to fossilize something. There are enough transitional fossils and modern examples of evolution to prove it, though.

Answer 5

There aren't any because every fossil is a "transitional fossil" and every person with more then a grade school education is aware of this. Evolution is such an extremely slow process, with very minute changes occurring with every generation, that each fossil records those changes. Young earth Creationists just have a twisted understanding of what "transitional fossils" are. They ignorantly think a "transitional fossil" or "missing link" as they call it, will need to look like a mermaid, centaur, crocoduck, or some other 50/50 creature like that for it to be true. Don't try to educate the intentionally ignorant. It's a waste of time.

Answer 6

Actually, there are thousands of transitional fossils. It's because creationists misuse the term, like saying a transitional fossil is a fossil that shows half a horse and half a fish or something.



The problem is, we can't have fossils of every single living being that ever existed. Most bones simply rot away. It is very rare for fossils to form, so obviously there will always be some gaps. But saying there are no transitional fossils, is a flat out lie.

Answer 7

all fossils where the lineage continues is a transitional fossil, otherwise its an evolutionary dead end.



the fact of the matter is, fossils are the exception. not the norm.



they dont always form and require very specific environments for their formation.



i suggest you hit the creationist where it hurts and move away from fossils which are easily twisted into a field like genetics where they have no ground and you win almost by default.

Answer 8

There aren't many fossils of any kind, relative to the vast number of animals and planst that have ever lived.



And it is typical Creationist bluster to claim that any fossil that assails their ignorant view is a fraud!





You can't win the argument by logic and facts.

Answer 9

All the fossils are transitional. Since everything keeps evolving there are no absolute properties of organisms.

Answer 10

If fossils are suppose to be everywhere, I wonder were all the human fossils are that are supposed to be in the Sinai... Where are their fossils?

Answer 11

Again,the actual Paleontologists findings of Darwin's postulate of gradualism,confirmed by the work of population genetics=following phyletic lines through time reveal only minimal gradual change,but "NO"clear evidence for "ANY"change of species into a different genus.

Answer 12

Yes, these are fossils used by believers of Evolution to suggest that we evolved over a long and slow process of evolution... over billions of years. Generally, these are fossils with a noticeable difference in them, such that they are considered evidence for "transition" in a species as it evolves, in evolution for a species, over the long chain of evolution of that species throughout its history.



I should expect about 1000x as many of them as they currently have, if what they believe is true.

Answer 13

because they cant find any, Lucy and ida are 2 (supposedly) but there should be thousands, more than there are ape fossils, but we've found... lucy and ida, where are their mates, friends etc.?



and besides lucy and ida on a timeline look like this(assuming i have them in the right order):

(common ancestor)a-------I(lucy)---------s(Ida)-------z(human)



so where is b, c, d, e, f, g, h, j, k, l, m, n, o, p, q, r, t, u, v, w, x, & y?

Answer 14

All you have to know is that there aren't any. And if the evolution myth were true there would be hundreds of millions of them. Period!

Answer 15

FACT: None exist

That is all you need to know.

Answer 16

I agree... they are fakes