SHARKS
PUNCTURE THE THEORY OF PUNCTUATED EQUILIBRIUM
Ron Knisley
You have never heard of punctuated equilibrium?! Well, read on and learn. Of course, you have heard of sharks, but I suspect that you don’t know as much about them as you may think you do. For example, many of the more than 300 species of sharks aren’t the bloodthirsty, man-eating villains that they are made out to be in movies such as Jam and Jaws 2. The sharks that do attack humans, the great white, the hammerhead, and the bull, get all the press coverage. Still, when you are out on or in the ocean, it is important that you be wary of a shark of any kind in case it is the villainous type.
The most important thing for us who believe that God created “… great fishes, and every living creature, which the waters brought forth abundantly” (Gn 1:21), is that sharks have abilities and features which disprove evolutionary theories supported by many paleontologists. These scientists, who study ancient life based on fossils preserved in the earth’s crust, admit that some forms of life like the shark have remained unchanged for long periods of time. This seems to disprove the theory that all life gradually evolved over hundreds of millions of years from more primitive forms. These evolutionists have invented a new theory to account for the fact that sharks and other life forms have remained the same. They call the new theory “Punctuated Equilibrium” or the “‘jerky” theory. This theory states that evolution can occur in sudden bursts, which create new life forms that remain primitive.
The original theory of evolution was based on the self-taught English scientist Charles Darwin’s studies. Then it was expanded and supported by those who do not believe in the Creator God. The theory stated that life gradually evolved by a process of survival of the fittest.
Since the fossil evidence shows that sharks have never changed, the evolutionists propose that sharks are still in a primitive stage and have had a long “punctuated equilibrium.” However, these scientists think the shark will evolve further in another sudden or jerky burst. The facts show that sharks are not only primitive, but they also possess many special abilities and features that make them the most effective hunters of any creature in the sea or on the land. These special abilities and features include:
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Cartilage Skeleton — Their skeletons are like our noses instead of bone. This makes their bodies much more flexible and less prone to breaks.
Amazing Maneuverability — Instead of a buoyancy bladder like most fish, they use their tail and fins like an airplane.
Strong Sense of Smell — Sharks can detect odors such as blood many miles away and even pinpoint the direction of the odor.
Acute Sense of Hearing — Sharks can hear sounds many miles away and in ranges well below human hearing ranges.
Very Wide Field of Vision — Even though they do not have particularly good eyesight, their eyes are spaced wide apart and on the side of their bodies giving them excellent peripheral vision.
A Sense of Taste — This gives them the ability to sample their food to see if they like it much like kids do with peas and liver.
Teeth Replacement — Their teeth continue to be replaced throughout life, and the teeth are sharp and patterned in rows to make eating very efficient.
Hinged Jaws — Their jaws are hinged on the top and bottom, which makes their mouths open very wide to eat large prey and to serve as effective weapons. Our jaws only open on the bottom as do most land and water dwellers.
Special Extra Senses — This includes an electro-sense called the ampullae of Lorenzini, which allows sharks to detect weak electrical fields that are generated by living creatures. Also, sharks have a line of tubes just under the skin, which allows them to sense something that comes near. Amazing! A built-in radar system created before humans could even conceive of the idea! But why should we be amazed when God did the creating?
In summary, these abilities and features of sharks, which have not changed or evolved, are evidence that evolution, whether gradual or punctuated, is not a true explanation of how life was created. If the evolutionists would see the problems with their theory and look at the possibility that God did create all living things, they would be able to take a more balanced approach in their scientific studies. We can only pray that as the evidence of creation continues to add up, all will come to see God as creator.
Bibliography
Encyclopedia Britannica, 2001 Edition, “Evolution: Gradual and Punctuational Evolution.”
McDorman, P.
2001 Sharks by Design in Creation Research, Science Education Foundation Newsletter, 9.4, July-August.
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