Wednesday, January 16, 2008

Evolution is Still Just a Theory for Me

This may sound more like a joke than actual news, but a twisted sense of curiosity led me to click on this link today: Rat Race: Car-Sized Rodent Discovered.

Don't worry, if you click on the link you won't be subjected to a furry creature the size of a Hyundai. Somewhere in South America, scientists found a skull they believe to be the remains of a 2 million year old rodent, because they've compared it to a modern swamp rat. This raises two questions in my mind: 1) Why were you looking for dead rats? If you need to find something, help me find the remote we lost when we moved; and 2) If evolution is a plausible truth, not just theory, then why did this rodent evolve into something smaller and more helpless instead of growing larger and stronger? In fact, the article addresses the fact that with the demise of dinosaurs, "many animals groups were filling the void they left behind." So if they could grow bigger and stronger without dinosaurs, I don't really see how I'm a threat at 5'2". I mean, I already scream and run if I see a rat, so I'm clearly not a source of danger to their existence.

The article did mention that one giant species of rodent still exists today. A guinea pig called a capybara (pictured below). I confess, I've never thought of guinea pigs as rodents, but I'm glad I never had one as a pet. Plus, at 110 pounds, it's going to be tough to get it on the little running wheel in the cage.

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