EVOLUTION,what was your first thought? Was it change in gene frequency, that annoying t-shirt, Lucy, the fossil record, Darwin fish, micro, macro, Neutral theory, HMS Beagle, pigeons, or was it simply a negative thought? Did you grasp your crucifix as if a vampire had walked into the room? Did you say a silent prayer for the faithless evolutionist? The word, evolution, conjures up many images and thoughts. How can something so simple cause so much confusion?
The problem lies in the age at which evolution is studied in depth by American children. Yes, most of us had an idea that we were related to chimps and gorillas, but the mechanics of evolution were a mystery. The reality of animal phylogeny had to be taken on something akin to faith, and this led to confusion because some of us pictured an ape transforming into a human. This is a common mistake, and by no means is it the only one made due to a lack of early education in evolution.
I started learning about evolution in college. College, this can't be right! Well it is. Many people never learn much about evolution until college, and for those that don't choose biology as a career, they may never learn any of the intricacies of evolutionary biology.
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