Is the famous “panda’s thumb” evidence of unguided evolutionary processes, or is it a masterpiece of engineering and the result of intelligent design? On a new episode of ID the Future, I conclude my conversation with geneticist Dr. Wolf-Eckehard Lönnig, an intelligent design pioneer who has been offering robust criticism of Darwinian theory and advocating for intelligent design for over 50 years. The topic is Dr. Lönnig’s new paper reviewing the debate over the panda’s thumb. Giant pandas have an extra digit, an elongated wrist bone, that aids the animal in walking and manipulating bamboo with great dexterity. Some claim it’s a clumsy structure produced by evolutionary processes. It wouldn’t win any design awards, but it gets the job done. Others call it one of the most extraordinary manipulation systems in the mammalian world and clear evidence of purposeful engineering. So which is it? Dr. Lönnig helps us answer that question.

In this half of the interview, Lönnig argues that looking at the isolated thumb isn’t enough. We need to consider the entire panda system — how it grasps, walks, climbs, and its role in its ecosystem, including its unique gut microbiome. He proposes an “optimal panda principle,” suggesting the entire system is optimally designed. He also points out that evolutionists criticizing the thumb as sub-optimal have not proposed a better design. 

Dr. Lönnig also explores the giant panda’s unique genetics, including abundant genetic variations and specific genes, which he believes challenge traditional evolutionary explanations. He discusses the fossil record showing the panda’s thumb has remained largely unchanged for millions of generations. He concludes the conversation by offering reasons why intelligent design may offer a better explanation for the remarkable, optimal design features of giant pandas.

Download the podcast or listen to it here. This is Part 2 of a two-part conversation. Watch or listen to Part 1!

Dig Deeper

• Read Dr. Lönnig’s paper for yourself and take a deeper look at the evidence for design in the panda’s thumb.
• Watch Part 1 of this interview as Dr. Lönnig explains why evolutionary explanations of the panda’s thumb fall short: