by Richard William Nelson | Jan 3, 2023
The modern genetic shift early in the twentieth century rescued Darwin’s theory of natural selection, to a point. By the end of the nineteenth century, Charles Darwin’s influence had continued to deteriorate, stemming from his obsolete theory of inheritance.
In the search for a scientifically valid theory, scientists early in the twentieth century rediscovered Gregor Mendel’s theory of inheritance. His work had been published thirty years earlier.
Mendel’s theory delivered what Darwin missed – a scientifically valid theory of inheritance capable of driving evolution.
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by Richard William Nelson | Nov 8, 2022
Inheritance is the second of the five principles of natural selection introduced by Charles Darwin in The Origin of Species. While Darwin knew that inheritance plays a crucial role in natural selection, he was conflicted over how it works, noting –
“The laws governing inheritance are, for the most part, unknown.”
Niles Eldredge, of the American Museum of Natural History, introduced the V.I.S.T.A. framework to codify the principles of Darwin’s theory. The five structural principles of natural selection are variation, inheritance, selection, time, and adaptation.
In 1837, nearly twenty years before publishing The Origin of Species, Darwin drew his first sketch linking inheritance to speciation (pictured left).
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by Richard William Nelson | Jan 13, 2022
Three years into the pandemic, the origin of COVID-19 is still controversial. Two leading theories are under investigation: natural selection process or genetically engineered – each with vastly different implications. The phylogenetics of coronaviruses is the key to the COVID-19 origin dilemma and gaining insights into the theory of evolution.
Coronaviruses are RNA, not DNA viruses. RNA viruses are associated with causing the common cold, influenza, mumps, and measles; coronaviruses in humans can cause respiratory tract infections ranging from no symptoms, mild symptoms to a cytokine storm resulting in organ failure and death in humans.
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by Richard William Nelson | Mar 31, 2021
The platypus puzzles naturalists and scientists alike. While its bizarre characteristics seem to defy a natural explanation, the platypus may be a classic transitional link. Like a reptile, it lays eggs, yet, it nurses with milk without nipples. As one of the least understood living mammals, and unlike any other known species, it has ten sex chromosomes. The platypus produces venom, like a reptile, and uses electroreception, like a shark – a puzzle known as the platypus paradox dilemma.
That’s not all; the list of oddities goes on. To gain an understanding of this evolution icon, scientists have long-awaited insights from its genome. This January’s journal Nature reports on the most comprehensive investigation of the platypus genome ever performed.
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by Richard William Nelson | Sep 17, 2020
Public schools require the teaching of evolution as a scientific theory. Amazingly, no science organization in the twenty-first century has successfully developed a scientific consensus on evolution.
Science organizations have a privileged responsibility for developing and publishing a consensus on important issues. While a scientific consensus is not synonymous with absolute truth, it guides the public on what is considered scientifically valid.
Science Organizations
Eighteen science organizations, from the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) to the American Medical Association (AMA), currently have a consensus statement on climate change. While the consensus on climate change from leading science organizations is silent on a scientific consensus on evolution, the message is clear.
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The modern genetic shift early in the twentieth century rescued Darwin’s theory of natural selection, to a point. By the end of the nineteenth century, Charles Darwin’s influence had continued to deteriorate, stemming from his obsolete theory of inheritance.
Three years into the pandemic, the origin of 
Public schools require the teaching of evolution as a 