My last column mentioned how evolution which resulted in a iLIVE letter (Which is kind of cool really). The following paragraph struck me.
The specific complexity of genetic information in the genome does not increase spontaneously. Therefore, there is no natural process whereby reptiles can turn into birds, land mammals into whales, or chimpanzees (or any other supposed common ancestor) into human beings
This was quoted from somewhere or other, and it amuses me – mainly because it is so utterly wrong.
One of the ways in which “information” is added fairly regularly is gene duplication. A search in Pubmed for the phrase “Gene Duplication” brings back over 8 000 articles. You can see it for yourself here.
Couple that with mutation and there you go, at least one well known mechanism for new information to get added.