Strap on your seat belt and learn about the reality of primates:
“Primates” are collectively defined as any gill-less, organic RNA/DNA protein-based, metabolic, metazoic, nucleic, diploid, bilaterally-symmetrical, endothermic, digestive, tryploblast, opisthokont, deuterostome coelemate with a spinal chord and 12 cranial nerves connecting to a limbic system in an enlarged cerebrial cortex with a reduced olfactory region inside a jawed-skull with specialized teeth including canines and premolars, forward-oriented fully-enclosed optical orbits, and a single temporal fenestra, -attached to a vertebrate hind-leg dominant tetrapoidal skeleton with a sacral pelvis, clavical, and wrist & ankle bones; and having lungs, tear ducts, body-wide hair follicles, lactal mammaries, opposable thumbs, and keratinized dermis with chitinous nails on all five digits on all four extremities, in addition to an embryonic development in amniotic fluid, leading to a placental birth and highly social lifestyle.
See here for the full transcript.
This video constitutes a highly condensed summary of some of the basic principles of evolutionary biology so often overlooked by creationists. The author goes to pains to point out that scientists don’t just make claims about evolutionary development because they want to make these claims. Rather, the conclusions of evolutionary biology are compelled by an elaborate well-documented scheme of development based on massive collections of evidence, verified by thousands of scientists over hundreds of years, including more than a few scientists who were conservative Christians. Using this evidence, we can trace the development of a species from antecedent related species , but the phylogenetic tree of life . . . can be just as objectively confirmed from the top down when re-examined genetically. This is why it is referred to as a “twin-nested hierarchy.”
This video was produced by “AronRa,” who has single-handedly created more than a dozen educational counter-attacks on the falsehoods of creationism. He does this by making a general point up front, then pummeling the viewer with evidence and arguments for ten-minutes, with the assistance of some high-energy video editing, much of it humorous. He describes the above video as follows: “An abbreviated introductory primer to cladistic phylogenetics, the most compelling and overwhelming evidence of evolution and our place in nature.”
For example, check out this video constesting the reality of “absolute truth.” Or this video on mutations. Or this video on speciation. It’s all fast-paced heresy for those who refuse to live evidence-based lives.
That was brilliant! I'm breathless just watching that video!!
Mike: I agree. In addition to displaying intellectual and research discipline, these videos show a willingness to invest enormous time creating these videos such that the images are constantly reinforcing the points made in the audio.
Yes, Erich. You got a taste of that time investment recently, I know!
If I may toot my own art's horn, that is one of the powers of video. I read through the transcript of this video. It is DENSE and difficult for a non-scientist like me. Hearing it read and simultaneously seeing it demonstrated on screen the message was absorbed effortlessly, as well as better communicating some of the more humorous aspects of the essay.
That's not to say that video is always the better medium. I often warn against making videos for certain topics, arguing that print is far better for certain kinds of information.
In any case, this was made with great skill and I will watch more from AronRa.
Beautifully assembled and narrated videos. Although they do leave me breathless just trying to keep up.
Dan wrote: "…they do leave me breathless just trying to keep up."
That's the beauty of the pause button and slider. I'm sure that AronRa EXPECTS you to pause and "rewind" from time to time. He is utilizing the flexibility of YouTube as a medium to present a lot of information in a small amount of time, giving you the opportunity to go back and explore further by reading the text of some of those images that go by way too fast.
If he were editing for traditional TV, the pace would have to be MUCH slower out of necessity.
You can download a highly detailed (and a less detailed) graphic of the tree of life here. http://www.zo.utexas.edu/faculty/antisense/Downlo…