The Facts of Evolution
1. What is the point Shermer is trying to make in this article?
Shermer’s point is that evolution is a historical science and it did in fact happen and there is a lot of evidence to support that it did.
2. What was Darwin’s contribution to our understanding of coral reefs?
Our understanding of coral reefs is now that there aren’t different kinds of coral reefs but rather all coral reefs are in different stages of development.
3. Who was Darwin’s “one long argument” with? What was his view? How was it different from the Darwinian one?
Darwin’s “one long argument” was with theologian William Paley. Paley’s view was Intelligent Design; the correlation of the works of god and the words of god. Darwin’s
12. How long ago did the domestic dog “evolve”? Why does Shermer use this as an example of the way science works?
The origin of the domestic dog is 15,000 years B.P. He is describing how the scientific method is used to find answers.
13. What is the comparative method?
The comparative method allows us to infer evolutionary relationships using data from a wide variety of fields.
14. What other lines of evidence mentioned by Shermer support the evolution?
Evolution in modern organisms should show a variety of structures from simple to complex, reflecting an evolutionary history rather than instant creation. Biological structures show signs of natural design. Vestigial structures stand as evidence of the mistakes and leftover traces of evolutionary history.

15. What human vestigial structures does he mention? What is the evolutionary reason for their existence? Discuss the likely original function of at least four of the supposedly meaningless features?
Male nipples/uterus because females need them and also because the human body develops faster from a single developmental structure. Coccyx, the human tailbone is all the remains from our common ancestors’ tails, used for grasping branches and maintaining balance. Body hair, most of us have thin layer of fine body hair, thick-haired apes and hominids were kept warm by their hair. Goosebumps were used to puff up fur for heat insulation, or as a threat gesture.
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