
A new video from science advocates Stated Clearly provides an 11-minute examination of the evidence behind the theory of evolution that should come in handy for anyone debating the issue with creationists.
“Thousands of observable facts from completely independent fields of study have come together to tell us the exact same story: all living things on Earth are related,” the group’s founder, Jon Perry, states.
The video focuses on cetaceans, using evidence gathered through fossil records and findings from embryologists and comparative anatomy studies supporting the theory that whales and dolphins evolved from large land-based mammals.
“Strangely, whales have arm, wrist, hand and finger bones inside their front flippers,” Perry says, comparing their bone structure to those found in the appendages of bats, hippos and people.
The clip also displays images showing the migration of dolphins’ blowholes from the front of their faces, where they resemble conventional nostrils, to the top of their heads, as well as evidence pointing to a common ancestor between hippos and whales.
“They both have multi-chambered stomachs, which is common for herbivores, but is almost unheard of for meat-eating mammals,” he explains. “They are both missing a coat of fur, and here’s a fun fact: whales and hippos are among the only mammals on Earth that have internal testicles.”
Perry’s group launched a successful fundraising effort on Kickstarter this past March, amassing more than $12,000 in contributions, and their videos explaining concepts of genetics and biology have been cited by NASA’s Center for Chemical Evolution as a teaching tool.
“We are in love with the scientific process and the art of critical thinking,” the group states on its website. “We feel that an enhanced ability to think critically and ask probing questions will enable people to become better scientists and also aid them in every aspect of life from work and politics to family life and personal relationships.”
Watch the video, as posted by Stated Clearly on Friday, below.