Do Gaps in the Fossil description Show That Darwin Was Wrong?

Darwin believed that small changes or mutations in species over small periods of time would originate large changes - new species - over large time frames. However, although some fossil 'transitional forms' have been found, for the most part the fossil description does not show a gradual turn in organisms but rather sudden bursts of species production, such as the illustrious Burgess shale. Some population believe this wholly disproves the system of evolution, others say it must mean there are some serious gaps in our comprehension of how the process occurs.

Scientists have traditionally put the gaps in the fossil description down to the low probability of any fossils being formed at all. The system of punctuated balance suggests that evolution admittedly does occur in a stepwise manner at species level, with species remaining the same for millions of years followed by rapid bursts of change. To understand how punctuated balance might occur think a species as a ball in a system of hills and valleys. The lowest points of the valleys laid out a garage species. Most of the time when a genetic mutation disturbs a species it tends to roll back down into the same valley. Occasionally a mutation increases a species' Fitness sufficient to push it over the hill and into the next valley causing a new species to rapidly appear. But is this sufficient to elaborate everything? Why is it that at inescapable periods in earth history there were sudden bursts of millions of new species?

Darwins

Darwin's idea of small changes adding up to dramatic changes over a long time was revolutionary as before then it was questioned either any theories about the past could be carefully scientific. A bumpy rather than flat fossil description does not totally disprove Darwin's theories, but does tell us there is more to the photograph than meets the eye.

Do Gaps in the Fossil description Show That Darwin Was Wrong?

Do Gaps in the Fossil description Show That Darwin Was Wrong?

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