What are other types of evidence for evolutionary theory, other than fossils?
Darwin's observations on the voyage of the Beagle, and succeeding scientist's observations that conform to his hypotheses. Domestication of plants and animals by purposeful and accidental selection over the past ten thousand years. Real-time observation of changes in bacteria, viruses and simple animals. A hundred years of fruit-fly experiments. DNA analysis and genetic decoding. The appearance of new stains of drug-resistant microbes comes quickly to mind. The breeding of animals for hunting and agricultural purposes, and for sporting purposes and pets, has been practiced for 1000s of years and is essentially human-directed evolution, and in many cases is historically documented. The principals of getting a good goat or cow were known and practiced long before anybody thought to extrapolate them backwards to the origin of a species and call it a scientific theory.
-Neanderthal mitochondrial DNA
-Fused chromosome #2
-Endogenous-retroviral remnants (ERVs)
-Homology
-Observed speciation
-Vestigial structures
-Ontogeny
Molecular genetics, biogeography, homologous structures, and biochemistry, just to name a few evidences for evolution and the theory of evolution by natural selection.
Tracks, nesting sites with eggs, just general morphology and how the fossils were laid down would be helpful.
Fossils are like the clues the police use to solve a crime. Together they paint a picture of the truth - in this case the truth is evolution Each one tells a story. Like clues to a crime, where the police don't have to find a print of every footstep taken by a subject or confirm every thing that he did, the clues paint a logical outline of all the events around the crime. Like clues in a crime the police do not initially identify a person they want to pin the crime on and then seek to tie him to the event - they find a number of clues which identify potential subjects of interest. They then attempt to prove the relation of these suspects to the crime until the trail of evidence is strong and dependable. Usually multiple facts on the same evidence are considered - for a crime it might be fingerprints and video tape and eye witnesses, for fossils it could be carbon 14 and dendrochronology and geologic strata.
Fossils provide one body of evidence for evolution and an accurate theory of our phylogeny back to every living organism's common ancestor (because we are all related and so must have come from the same ancestor). By performing radiometric dating of the surrounding geology where the fossil was found. There are several radiometric clocks that can be used and as many as are possible are used to get an accurate and confirmed age. This allows evolutionary scientists to better understand how we and all other living things have evolved, and allows for comparison with the other bodies of evolutionary evidence (such as genetic clocks and taxonomy). That we evolved is a fact, the only question evolutionary scientists are asking now is "How?" And we're getting closer to the truth every day. A better explanation can be found on YouTube - search for DonExodusII.
Revolution and evolution have nothing to do with each other.
No. There was a rumor circulating that Darwin recanted evolution on his death bed, but that rumor has no foundation or plausible evidence. And even if Darwin ever had said such a thing, it would be meaningless. Galileo recanted is heliocentric theory, under pressure from a religious group. That in no way alters the fact the earth orbits the sun, and not the other way around.
Fossil records contain radiation, and the older the fossil is, the less radiation it gives off. Scientists study how much radiation is in the fossil record, and they find out how old the earth is.
Fossils' existence confirms that species are not fixed but can evolve into other species over time
It serves as a bit of evidence. There are millions of other bits of evidence. Without it, evolution would not be damaged, as there are so many other transitional fossils. With it, the theory is a few millionths stronger than it was.
Fossils' existence confirms that species are not fixed but can evolve into other species over time
You can't get any other fossils unless you buy FireRed or LeafGreen.
Paleontological and archeological evidence about hominid evolution.
Fossils are like the clues the police use to solve a crime. Together they paint a picture of the truth - in this case the truth is evolution Each one tells a story. Like clues to a crime, where the police don't have to find a print of every footstep taken by a subject or confirm every thing that he did, the clues paint a logical outline of all the events around the crime. Like clues in a crime the police do not initially identify a person they want to pin the crime on and then seek to tie him to the event - they find a number of clues which identify potential subjects of interest. They then attempt to prove the relation of these suspects to the crime until the trail of evidence is strong and dependable. Usually multiple facts on the same evidence are considered - for a crime it might be fingerprints and video tape and eye witnesses, for fossils it could be carbon 14 and dendrochronology and geologic strata.
Fossils are proof of organisms that lived long ago
We can look at fossils to determine what physical characteristics each organism had and compare them to other organisms to see what characteristic's they have in common or how the changed (evolution)
No. The platypus has always been a platypus. It is not derived from the beaver, otter, duck or any other animal. There is no actual evidence of evolution in the platypus's line. Fossils of possible platypus ancestors indicate that, if it did indeed have other ancestors, they shared the same characteristics the modern platypus has today.
Palaeontological evidence involves studying fossils of ancient organisms to understand past life forms and environments, while geological evidence involves studying rocks, minerals, and landforms to understand the Earth's history and processes. Palaeontological evidence provides insight into evolution and biodiversity, while geological evidence helps in understanding the formation of rocks, mountains, and other Earth features over time.
"Evidence". There's no special term to distinguish evidence supporting one theory in science from evidence supporting any other theory in science.
Platypuses did not evolve. The platypus has always been a platypus. It is not derived from the beaver, otter, duck or any other animal. There is no actual evidence of evolution in the platypus's line. Fossils of possible platypus ancestors indicate that, if it did indeed have other ancestors, they shared the same characteristics the modern platypus has today.