Ravens Are Evolving Into . . . Ravens

What they really show are examples of what God’s Word teaches—everything reproduces according to their kinds. Lizards produce lizards, salmon produce salmon, moths produce moths, mice produce mice, and bedbugs produce bedbugs! And, according to a new study, ravens produce—you guessed it—ravens!

What scientists have observed in the ravens is “speciation reversal” or what’s called “reticulate evolution” (which has been observed in other species as well). Based on DNA samples collected for two decades, scientists observe that North American common ravens are split into three genetically distinct groups, but two of these groups are melding back into one due to interbreeding between two of the lineages.

Organisms within a kind can reproduce with one another so it’s not surprising to see these raven species interbreeding and “messing up” the lineages within just a few decades.

Studies like this show that what makes a “species” (a modern, man-made term) is not clear-cut. One researcher says, “It gets at just how hard it is to answer seemingly simple questions like ‘What is a species?’”

But raven populations and lineages interbreeding are not surprising to biblical creationists. All three raven lineages belong to the same created kind. According to research, the biblical kind is usually (though not always) at the level of family in our modern taxonomic classification system. Organisms within a kind can reproduce with one another so it’s not surprising to see these raven species interbreeding and “messing up” the lineages within just a few decades. (Incidentally, due to numerous factors such as mutations, geography, preference, and so on, some members of a kind will not interbreed).

If you’d like to learn more about biblical kinds and what genetics teaches us about creation, including testable scientific predictions regarding genetics and speciation, I encourage you to read the new book Replacing Darwin by Dr. Nathaniel Jeanson (who has a PhD from Harvard). Replacing Darwin is available from our online store.

Get More Answers on Answers News

This item was discussed on Answers News today with regular cohosts Bodie Hodge and Dr. Georgia Purdom along with staff AiG writer Avery Foley. Answers News is our twice-weekly news program filmed live before a studio audience here at the Creation Museum and broadcast over my Facebook page. They also discussed the following topics:

• Did land plants lead to the formation of mud?
• Can some men have a uterus? (Planned Parenthood thinks so!)
• Does this baby bird fossil shed light on evolution?
• And more!

Be sure to join us each Monday and Thursday at 2 p.m. (eastern time) on my Facebook page for Answers News. You won’t want to miss this unique news program that gives science and culture news from a distinctly biblical and Christian perspective.

Thanks for stopping by and thanks for praying,
Ken

This item was written with the assistance of AiG’s research team.