Debunking Evolution - Vestigial Structures (Lesson 3b)

Genesis Apologetics

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00:02

Is it just me, or is it kind of creepy that evolutionists say we're made up of spare parts?

00:36

Working on your car? I can't hear you. Can you shut it off?

00:43

I can't hear you because the car's on. What's in the box? Oh, you know, my car's left over parts.

00:52

I always have a few of them left over when I'm done working on it. Parts you don't need? Pretty sure.

00:58

Are you sure you don't need these? Or you know this? Not really, but I started the engine and it runs without this junk.

01:07

You know, all this reminds me about what our textbook says about vestigial structures. Can you help me grab it out of my backpack?

01:15

How do you not know what's in your car? Uh, something wrong?

01:22

No, no, no, no, but why don't you look it up for us? Oh, yeah, right.

01:28

Okay. Oh, there it is right there. Vestigial structures are inherited from ancestors but have lost much or all of their original function due to different selection pressures acting on the descendant.

01:42

So they're saying that animals and people have leftovers in their bodies that once served a function in our evolutionary ancestors?

01:49

Hey, just like the parts for my car. Exactly. The example they give here is the dolphin's hip bones.

01:56

They're saying its ancestor used to walk on land. But once the dolphin evolved to live in water, it has useless leftover hip bones.

02:04

What's funny is scientists recently discovered that marine animals, like whales, need these bones during mating season.

02:11

The study was published in a 2014 article in the science journal Evolution. Wait, wait, wait.

02:16

The name of the journal is Evolution? Yep. The one that claims they've discovered a purpose for these bones, which goes against the whole idea that these bones are mere evolutionary leftovers?

02:28

That there's the definition of irony, isn't it? So, in the textbook they call them useless, but in reality these bones help the dolphin reproduce and survive.

02:38

Exactly. And they say the same thing about humans. That we have dolphin hips? Not exactly, but close.

02:45

They point out that our coccyx, the tailbone, is leftover from when we had tails. They think we used to have tails?

02:52

Yeah, but it's just the end of our backbone. I mean, it has to end somewhere, right? True. It's also the anchor for a bunch of muscles, right?

02:59

Yes. Tiny muscles, tendons, and ligaments connect to it, and it supports something called the pelvic diaphragm.

03:06

This whole system holds a bunch of muscles and organs in place, like the bladder. So, what other things did they say are leftovers?

03:14

The tonsils. Of course. Lots of people had their tonsils removed. Great way to get ice cream for dinner.

03:20

You'd seriously let them cut out your tonsils just so you can have ice cream? Well, it depends on what kind of ice cream we're talking about here. Okay, not really, but people survive just fine without tonsils, right?

03:29

Studies now show that in some cases, removing your tonsils can be worse in the long run, and especially for young children.

03:35

So, what's their purpose? Tonsils are placed at the back of the throat so they trap germs when we breathe.

03:42

Proteins called antibodies produced by immune cells in the tonsils help kill germs and prevent throat and lung infections.

03:49

They actually manufacture antibodies against disease. They're basically the first line of defense against inhaled or ingested viruses.

03:56

So, what about the appendix? It's thought to be vestigial, right? I'm not even sure I know what it is.

04:02

It's a tube -shaped sac attached to the lower end of the large intestine. It's part of your digestive system, and it...

04:08

Okay, enough said. But they also have purpose? Yes. It's the storehouse for beneficial bacteria.

04:15

When you fight an intestinal disease, your body gets rid of bacteria, both good and bad. But then the appendix can quickly resupply your system with good bacteria.

04:25

Sounds pretty helpful. Yep. It also plays a role in our body's immune system, especially when we're younger.

04:31

Sounds pretty important. Charles Darwin thought vestigial structures were a winning argument for evolution.

04:36

And he believed there were lots of vestigial structures? Yeah. And a German anatomist by the name of Robert Wiedersheim made a list of 86 vestigial structures in the human body.

04:46

And later, evolutionists expanded the list to about 180. But modern science has now shown that every one of them has a purpose.

04:55

So, they didn't know about these organs' functions in the body? No. They assumed that since people could survive without them, that these were totally useless.

05:03

Then they reasoned in a circle, arguing that since they were useless leftovers of an evolutionary past, they demonstrate our evolutionary past.

05:13

So, reasoning in a circle is bad? Uh, yeah. It's when we assume our conclusion, then use that assumption to prove our conclusion.

05:23

It's crazy. So, what do modern evolutionists say about these organs, now that science has discovered that every one of them have functions after all?

05:30

They now claim that vestigial organs can have functions after all. And those functions may have evolved after the organs spent time being useless.

05:39

Wow. Talk about imagination. It's kind of sad that they think we're made up of useless parts, instead of acknowledging the design by Jesus the creator.

05:48

It kind of reminds me of Psalm 139 .14. Yeah. Yeah, it says, I will praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made.

05:56

Marvelous are your works, and that my soul knows very well. God has a purpose for everything.

06:02

Even if we aren't sure of what it is. I guess that could be true of my leftover box of parts, huh? Uh, yeah.

06:09

By the way, this is the air cleaner that filters air going to the engine, the EGR valve regulates exhaust, and the EVAP canister prevents gas from leaking into the atmosphere.

06:17

Whoa. You know about all this stuff? My dad's a mechanic. Okay, well, um, can you show me where they go?

06:23

Uh, sure. Alright. One last thought. The fact that evolutionists can't find any useless organs really destroys the idea that we're made up of spare parts.