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Paleontologist Günter Bechly: What We Mean by the Missing Transitional Fossil Forms

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Here is a really interesting interview with German paleontologist Günter Bechly about the fossil record, his current work on evolution’s very difficult “waiting time” problem, and more. (Yes, it′s in English.)

It’s from a Polish group, the En Arche Foundation, which has done fine translating of work by proponents of intelligent design. Dr. Bechly makes some very helpful points. For one, he distinguishes between two meanings of “transitional” fossil forms and identifies the problem these forms pose for Darwinism. 

Certainly, we find organisms that are “morphologically intermediate,” bearing resemblances to organisms that came before and others that came later. What we don’t find is the smooth curve of change expected by Darwinian theory, a “fossil lineage that shows a gradual transition from one form into the other.” The record of abrupt appearances, “explosions” (not just the famous Cambrian explosion), “revolutions,” etc., is not the exception but the rule. Given conventional evolutionary assumptions, this should not be the case!

David Klinghoffer

Senior Fellow and Editor, Evolution News
David Klinghoffer is a Senior Fellow at Discovery Institute and the editor of Evolution News & Science Today, the daily voice of Discovery Institute’s Center for Science & Culture, reporting on intelligent design, evolution, and the intersection of science and culture. Klinghoffer is also the author of six books, a former senior editor and literary editor at National Review magazine, and has written for the Los Angeles Times, New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Washington Post, Seattle Times, Commentary, and other publications. Born in Santa Monica, California, he graduated from Brown University in 1987 with an A.B. magna cum laude in comparative literature and religious studies. David lives near Seattle, Washington, with his wife and children.

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abrupt appearanceCambrian ExplosionCambrian NewsDarwinismEn Arche Foundationevolutionexplosionfossil recordGünter Bechlyintelligent designpaleontologyPolandrevolutionwaiting time