Tree of Life

Modern genetic research has turned up some fascinating information.

For example, did you know that the humble amoeba has 200 times more genetic data than Albert Einstein did?¹

Amazing! However, this bit of information caused quite a stir in the scientific community because it is contrary to what was predicted in the evolutionary model. To understand the significance, we have to go back to the beginning of the evolutionary model.

Back in 1859 Charles Darwin released his now famous book “On the Origin of Species.”  Fundamental to his book is his model of the “Universal Tree of Life,” where he states that all living things on Earth descended from a common ancestor.

For example, a tree is a good illustration of the evolutionary model, where just as limbs gradually branch out from the trunk, the common ancestor (which represents the trunk) gradually evolves over time into new forms. A simple organism, which is the common ancestor, can slowly evolve to something much more complex over a long period of time.

So within the evolutionary model the idea is that’s how an amoeba can gradually evolve into a human being. But if that is the case, why is the amoeba much more complex (containing more genetic information) than a human being?

Well, many evolutionists are asking that exact same question, which is perhaps why the January 2009 cover of New Scientist featured the headline “Darwin Was Wrong: Cutting Down the Tree of Life.”²

Genetic data was once thought to be the “silver bullet” to finally prove the evolutionary model, but not anymore. For the Bible-believing Christian, we have nothing to fear because all truth will only continue to validate the Bible.

¹Maxmen, A. “Evolution, You’re Drunk”, nautil.us, Nautilus, 21 Jan 2014, https://nautil.us/evolution-youre-drunk-1585/. Accessed 28 Feb 28 2022.

²Lawton, G. “Why Darwin was wrong about the tree of life”, New Scientist, Jan 2009.