Mutations

"Or the 9,800 species of birds."
--Amazing what speciation will do.------------------

quote:

---

Originally posted by Quetzal:
Just one quibble 'cause I'm actually an evil pedant in disguise. Most archeologists studying Mesoamerican cultures think that the form for Quetzalcoatl was inspired by my pseudonym-sake: the Central American Quetzal (Pharomacchrus mocinno). It is known that many of the really fancy Aztec headdresses were composed primarily of quetzal feathers (why not? the birds have a 2 meter tail!). They (the birds) were considered royalty (or at least reserved for royalty) by the Maya, among others. When it flies, it undulates very like a snake with wings - just like the representative drawings of Quetzalcoatl.

---

Didn't know that!!

quote:

---

Originally posted by ksc:

---

ksc:Whether natural selection is or isn’t is debateable. What you have forgotten is that the mutations that you claim are naturally selected are RANDOM

---

---

Mutations in sexually re-producing organisms MUST occur in
the gametes. You cannot have a mutation that effects an already
existing organism, only a mutation which is created by a modification
to the DNA in the sex cells.Males tend to produce millions of gametes on a very regular basis.Gametes that have 'bad' mutations are likely incapable of
causing fertilisation.If an organism produces 10 million gametes, and 1% of those carry
mutations which are potentially beneficial, that would mean
100,000 mutant gametes ... and so potential for offspring
carrying mutations.It is also possible that 'bad' mutations have beneficial side-effects
in co-dominant situations (like sickle cell aenemia).Mutations are NOT that rare ... I found a news article of research
that suggests there are up to four copy errors everytime a cell
divides (or some astronomical figure like that ... I'll try
to find the article again).