Holy shit, that indeed was a detailed and hot debate. I was on fire! And put lots of energy into that thread. Thanks for digging it up.

What did you type into google? I tried "evolution lizard vgchartz" but came up with nonsense.

Don't tell Rep. Paul Broun about this... He'll tell you that you're a Demon from Hell, spitting out lies!!

Yeah, that's what I did after reading SB's post. When I first read the article I didn't think to look at the date it was written.

2 years on and science has moved on a bit. I think this looks like an epigenetic change based on temperature but I have no way of knowing as I can't find any studies looking at chemical modifications on the DNA of this lizard and the associated genes. This is pretty much what Slimebeast said in the previous thread.

If it is epigenetic then that doesn't eliminate evolution however. If a lizard(s) remains in a certain temperature environment for long period, those chemical modifications to their DNA can become more permanent, switching off genes and subsequently be passed down to offspring.

It it not for scientists to decide what traits are beneficial. The fact that these traits exist means that they have been beneficial at least at some time. Looking at it this way the theory of evolution is only quasi-scientific.

I say this as an atheist

It looks like this might be associated with epigenetics. Under certain conditions, chemical modifications can up or down regulate and even shut-off certain genes. I doubt that they've developed a gene specifically for live birth. More likely the genes for associated with laying eggs have been suspended due to temperature (note that without studying the DNA of these genes it's impossible to say for sure) causing them to live birth. As long as the offsping are still viable then it's a form of adaptation.

These epigenetic changes can become permanent and be passed on to offspring too so could potentially lead to a branch of lizards that only live-birth.

My question... which probably is in the other thread.


Have they taken lizards from the south, and put them in the north and vice versa to see if they can currently give birth to both, or if the lizards just do whatever is best as a reaction to climate.

Very interesting, thanks for clearing that up