Historical Biogeography of South America, Part II: Fossil Vertebrates
This section focuses on South American fossil vertebrates, excluding marine fish. Extinct families will be emphasized here, as living families were considered in Part 1.
This section focuses on South American fossil vertebrates, excluding marine fish. Extinct families will be emphasized here, as living families were considered in Part 1.
One of the most interesting challenges in understanding Earth history is explanation of the order in the fossil record. Study of fossil patterns and trends should help improve our understanding of the underlying processes. Published in Origins v. 23, n. 2.
A collection of short commentaries of scientific papers published in 1996, covering topics such as biogeography, Milankovitch cycles, turtles, degeneration by mutation, fossil sharks, fossil bird, ichthyosaurs, speciation rates in cichlid fish, plate tectonic anomaly. Published in Origins v. 23, n. 2.
Given the current database on fossil hominids, caution is warranted. Indeed, it would be premature to draw any definitive conclusions with regard to the origins of these organisms and their relationship to the Genesis record.
A collection of short commentaries on scientific papers published in 1996, covering topics such as Homo erectus, the Permian mass extinction, mutations in Chernobyl rodents, dropstones, yeast genome, Heart Mt detachment, carbonate cycles, eye development gene, RNA World, Archaeopteryx, Cambrian chordate, turtles, stromatolites, and pseudogenes. Published in Origins v. 23, n. 1.
A collection of short commentaries on scientific papers published in 1993-1995, covering topics such as biodiversity, gene transfer, genomics, ancient DNA, comparative immunoglobulin genes, Burgess Shale, fossil whales. Published in Origins v. 21, n. 2.
A review of the book, The Quest for Life in Amber. Published in Origins v. 21, n. 2.
Ancient fossil reefs are considered to be a challenge to the biblical concept of creation. But do these fossil reefs really negate the biblical account of beginnings? Published in Origins v. 21, n. 2.
A review of the book, Messel: An Insight Into the History of Life and of the Earth. Messel is a pit in a deposit of oil shale in Germany with many finely preserved Eocene fossils. Published in Origins v. 22, n. 1.
Coconino Sandstone research has demonstrated how catastrophists can use their theory to develop specific hypotheses about a geologic feature (the Coconino Sandstone), and successfully carry out scientific research to test that hypothesis. This is one criteria that science used to determine the scientific value of any theory.
A collection of short commentaries on scientific papers published in 1993-1994, covering topics such as C. elegans genes, hotspots, stromatolites, insecticide resistance, and the Cambrian Explosion. Published in Origins v. 21, n. 2.
Early in the history of paleontology, a university professor with an interest in fossils was tricked into collecting fabricated objects as fossils and published a book illustrating these false productions. As a result, Johann Beringer was ridiculed unmercifully. This is not a good example to follow. We all make mistakes, and we should show compassion when we find errors in the work of others. Published in Origins v. 19 n.2.
A collection of short commentaries on scientific papers published in 1991, covering topics such as Permian trees, molecular genetics, epigenetics, inheritance of paternal mtDNA, water and formation of petroleum, water in mantle rocks, impacts, Ordovician volcanism, molecular phylogenies of ratites, termites, cichlids and sabertooths, osteocalcin in dinosaur bones, fossil flowers, origin of life, Precambrian predation, stromatolites, Cambrian Explosion, quality of fossil record, rapid speciation, tree biogeography, Miocene ape, fossil dermopteran, Asian marsupial, dinosaurs, mammal-like reptile. Published in Origins v. 19, n. 2.
A review of the book, The Early Evolution of Metazoa and the Significance of Problematic Taxa. Published in Origins v. 19, n. 2.
Microorganisms can exist in rocks several kilometers below the surface of the earth. Recently a number of reports indicate that these organisms are much more common than previously surmised and that vast regions of the underworld may be inhabited. Published in Origins v. 19, n. 2.
The unnatural mixture and the rapid stratigraphic shifts of fauna seem to require catastrophic water transport into the area. The large geographic extent precludes a local event. Creationists suggest that a world-wide flood could produce results as seen in the Santana Formation and is a better explanatory model.
A collection of short commentaries on scientifc papers published in 1991, covering topics such as phylogenies, origin of life, Precambrian fossils, polar dinosaurs, fossil turtles, Lysan finch, ecological gradients and the fossil record. Published in Origins v. 18, n. 1.
A review of the book, Wonderful Life: The Burgess Shale and the Nature of History. The book describes the history of discovery of the Burgess Shale fossils and their classification. Published in Origins v. 17, n. 1.
A review of the book, Rates of Evolution. Published from a symposium on evolution. Published in Origins v. 16, n. 2.
Fossil reefs from Silurian and Devonian sediments in the Great Lakes region of the United States are compared with a modern reef in Florida. The fossil reefs differ significantly from modern reefs by lacking the framework of corals that are characteristic of modern reefs. Instead, the fossil reefs look more like carbonate mud mounds. Published in Origins v. 14, n. 2.