Comments on: Bombardier beetles.

By: Dolly Sheriff

Dolly Sheriff — Sat, 22 Mar 2008 09:12:00 +0000

Dont be so modest tr. It's still a great story!
See "How Beetle got the bomb"

By: TR Gregory

TR Gregory — Fri, 21 Mar 2008 16:11:00 +0000

I believe you may have missed the point, Dolly. The claim is that no plausible scenario could be proposed to explain the gradual emergence of this characteristic. The author of the video says very clearly that this is a hypothesis, and that the ability to propose it refutes the claim. The ideas proposed can be tested — which is how science proceeds (versus “it’s impossible, and that’s it”). If you don’t like the hypothesis, then by all means provide data to falsify it — that’s what scientists would do.

By: Dolly Sheriff

Dolly Sheriff — Fri, 21 Mar 2008 14:49:00 +0000

I’m sorry dears, but this is one of the best just so stories I have heard in a very long time! I will simply have to include it on my site :

http://darwinstories.blogspot.com

It doesnt even begin to sound like a plausible explanation. This is grasping at straws. Come on scientists, come up with a better one!

Love Dolly

By: TR Gregory

TR Gregory — Fri, 21 Mar 2008 02:11:00 +0000

Great — will add it.

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Thu, 20 Mar 2008 23:43:00 +0000

Here’s the original video with Dawkins
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=daONxbSR9WE&watch_response

-Tyler

By: CAE

CAE — Thu, 20 Mar 2008 22:50:00 +0000

Great link. In a similar scenario, I’m sure I read somewhere that snake venom is thought to have evolved from components of spermatic fluid.

By: Chris

Chris — Thu, 20 Mar 2008 18:09:00 +0000

Sorry, I’ve only seen the parody myself… I must have assumed that the original was available too. I’ve also read about it in the Blind Watchmaker, as was pointed out at the talk.

The talkorigins page is found at http://www.talkorigins.org/faqs/bombardier.html

By: TR Gregory

TR Gregory — Thu, 20 Mar 2008 16:55:00 +0000

I couldn’t find the video in which he mixes the two, except for a parody where it does explode… Do you know a link?

By: Chris

Chris — Thu, 20 Mar 2008 15:35:00 +0000

There is a general misconception about this argument. The claim is made that the two chemicals that are combined in the beetle are explosive. In fact, these chemicals do not explode when combined, as was demonstrated by a young Richard Dawkins in a video available on Youtube. A catalyst is required for the reaction to occur, the two chemicals by themselves are natural byproducts of cellular metabolism.

The wikipedia link explains the issue, and I’m sure it can be found on Talkorigins.org somewhere.