Evolution.

Now to the debate! In my opponent's opening argument, he/she asks when evolution started. Of course, in order to determine when evolution started, we must first determine what evolution is. Biological evolution, according to (Source 1), is defined as change through time as species become modified and diverge to produce multiple descendant species. Evolution has been in action ever since the first life appeared on Earth around 3.85 billion years ago (Source 2), when microscopic, bacterial prokaryotes began to form as a result of abiogenesis (Source 3). The first recorded physical evidence of evolution comes in the form of 3.5 billion-year-old fossilized stromatolites, or natural colonies formed by photosynthetic bacteria called cyanobacteria, found in sedimentary rocks around the coast of Shark Bay, Australia (Source 4; Source 5). As some of the stromatolites found within Shark Bay are still living and contain living cyanobacteria with only minor biological differences to those found in the 3.5 billion-year-old fossils, scientists have concluded that the modern-day cyanobacteria have evolved from those found in the 3.5 billion-year-old stromatolites. Of course, though the oldest known example of evolution in action has already been accounted for, there are countless more examples of how evolution has made an impact upon our biological world. For example, a recent study completed at Emory University finds that chimpanzees share 96% of their DNA with human beings, suggesting a strong evolutionary relationship between the two species (Source 6). Human evolution from other primates can further be attested to due to the widespread presence of fossil evidence for many ancient primate species with similar biological characteristics and features to humans, such as Australopithecus afarensis, Paranthropus boisei, Homo erectus, and Homo neanderthalensis (Source 7). The presence of fossil evidence connecting these species biologically to humans is a testament for evolution, and is one of millions of demonstrations of how, in fact, species of organisms can become modified and diverge to produce multiple descendant species as the millennia go by. In my opponent's argument, he/she asks if evolution started "prior to 1859," when Charles Darwin wrote "Origin of Species. " I fail to understand why my opponent keeps asserting that evolution only began when "Origin of Species" was written, as well as why he/she states that the premise that "the theory of evolution states the earth is billions and billions of years old" is "in direct contradiction with time as a whole. " While my opponent has put forth the argument that the Earth is only 6,000 years old due to statements found in the Bible, he/she is yet to provide evidence that this age estimate is more accurate than that proposed by science (my opponent's second source merely discusses Biblical events, but fails to provide evidence for their truth). Meanwhile, I am able to provide evidence that the Earth is older than 6,000 years old, as per (Source 8). Overall, I believe that I have successfully demonstrated how the theory of evolution is valid, and how it began before the year 1859. I have also pointed out how my opponent has failed to provide evidence that the Earth is too young for evolution to be true, and has failed to provide evidence that the Bible's account of biological history is more accurate than that of evolution. Thanks, and good luck! Sources: 1. . http://press.princeton.edu... 2. . http://www.scientificamerican.com... 3. . http://www.britannica.com... 4. . http://www.sharkbay.org.au... 5. . http://www.fossilmuseum.net... 6. . http://news.nationalgeographic.com... 7. . http://humanorigins.si.edu... 8. . http://map.gsfc.nasa.gov...