HURDLE NUMBER 51. THE CONVERGENT EVOLUTION HURDLE.
This quote is from the book Janus: A Summing Up, by Arthur Koestler, published by Pan Books, 1979, pages 205 to 212:-
Koestler explains that the class mammalian has two subclasses – Marsupials and Placentals. They EVOLVED INDEPENDENTLY FROM EACH OTHER. When Australia became an island the only mammals that got there in time were tiny, mouse-like, pouched animals. Koestler remarks:- “The enigma is why so many animals in the Australian fauna PRODUCED BY THE INDEPENDENT EVOLUTIONARY LINE OF THE MARSUPIALS LOOK SO STARTLINGLY LIKE THEIR OPPOSITE NUMBERS AMONG PLACENTALS.” Koestler remarks:- “The puzzle is why evolutionists refuse to see the problems that it poses.” Koestler continues:- “The archaic creatures (ie:- the original “tiny, mouse-like, pouched animals” in Australia) confined to their island continent - - - - gave rise to POUCHED VERSIONS of our placental moles, anteaters, flying squirrels, cats, wolves, lions, and so on, EACH LIKE A CLUMSY COPY OF ITS PLACENTAL NAMESAKE.”
The illustration on page 208 (of Koestler’s book) shows the Tasmanian Wolf skull and the Placental Wolf skull to be visually virtually identical. Koestler remarks:- “To duplicate this process independently on island and mainland WOULD MEAN SQUARING A MIRACLE. THE PUZZLE REMAINS WHY THE DARWINIANS ARE NOT PUZZLED – OR PRETEND NOT TO BE.” (My capitals and highlighting.)
My comment:- Actually, this is not puzzling at all. Darwinians PRETEND to not be puzzled because to ask “awkward” questions in academic evolutionary biology invites REPRISALS, ie:- loss of career, loss of funding, refusal of tenure. To show just how “awkward” this question is, Milner’s Encyclopedia of Evolution has no entry for the term “Marsupial” (which is an important topic in evolution). He probably didn’t want to get into “hot water”!
The next quote is from the book What Evolution Is, by Ernst Mayr (Professor Emeritus in The Museum of Comparative Zoology at Harvard University), published by Basic Books, 2001, pages 222 to 223:-
The author discusses the topic of “Convergent Evolution”:-
“The opportunity provided by the same adaptive zone results in the evolution of similarly adapted phenotypes (ie:- body morphology).” The author then lists the Australian marsupials (which) “produced types analogous to placental mammals in the northern continents.” He lists as follows:-
Northern Placental Wolf - - - -Tasmanian Wolf (Marsupial).
Placental Mole - - - - Marsupial Mole.
Placental Flying Squirrel - - - - - Flying Phalanger (Marsupial).
Placental Mouse - - - - - Marsupial Mouse.
Placental Badger - - - - - Wombat (Marsupial).
Placental Anteater - - - - Marsupial Anteater.
Placental Cats - - - - - Marsupial Cats.
The next quote is from the book – Flaws In The Theory of Evolution, by Doctor Evan Shute (Fellow of The Royal College of Surgeons, Canada), published by Craig Press, New Jersey, 8th printing, 1980, pages 128 to 129:-
“The cephalopod mollusk Nautilus - - - - has the perfect vertebrate type of eye, including the lens and all other parts down to the minutest detail.” The author then tells us that evolutionists explain this as “accidental convergence”.
The next quote is from the book – The Panda’s Thumb, by Stephen Jay Gould, (Harvard University promoted him to Professor of Geology and Curator of Invertebrate Paleontology at the institution's Museum of Comparative Zoology.), published by Penguin Books, 1990, pages 34 to 35:-
“Louis Pollo, the great Belgian paleontologist - - - - was a Darwinian interested in the subject of convergent evolution - - - - ELEMENTARY PROBABILITY THEORY, he argued, virtually guarantees that CONVERGENCE CAN NEVER YIELD ANYTHING CLOSE TO PERFECT RESEMBLANCE - - - - - - THE CHANCE OF ALL (complex and independent parts) EVOLVING TWICE TOWARD EXACTLY THE SAME RESULT IS EFFECTIVELY NIL.” (My capitals and highlighting.)