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Refuting Evolution
by Dr Jonathan Sarfati
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Study Guide
Table of Contents
Chapter 1
Facts & Bias
Chapter 2
Variation and Natural Selection Versus Evolution
Chapter 3
The Links Are Missing
Chapter 4
Bird Evolution?
Chapter 5
Whale Evolution?
Chapter 6
Humans: Images of God or Advanced Apes?
Chapter 7
Astronomy
Chapter 8
How Old Is the Earth?
Chapter 9
Is the Design Explanation Legitimate?
Chapter 10
Conclusion
Lesson 4
Chapter 4: Bird Evolution?
Supplemental materials:
Discussion questions:
-
What characteristics of Archaeopteryx show that it was a true bird?
See: - What should our attitude be when we hear of the latest discovery that supposedly ‘proves’ evolution is true?
- Discuss the cursorial and arboreal ideas about the evolution of birds. What are the main problems of each?
- Summarize the basic differences between reptiles and birds.
- How are feathers different from scales?

Answers
- See Q&A: Dinosaurs for additional information. Archaeopteryx had fully formed flying feathers, the classical elliptical wings of modern woodland birds, and a large wishbone for attachment of muscles responsible for the downstroke of the wings. Its brain was essentially that of a flying bird (large cerebellum and visual cortex). Like other birds, its upper jaw and lower jaw moved. In most vertebrates (including reptiles) only the mandible moves.
- We should wait until we are able to read the actual report, and then separate what was actually found from the interpretations imposed on the findings.
- Formulate your own response—see pages 62-63.
-
See pages 63-68. Flying birds have:
- streamlined bodies with the weight centralized for balance in flight
- hollow bones for lightness which are part of their breathing system
- powerful muscles for flight with specially designed long tendons that run over pulley-like openings in the shoulder bones
- very sharp vision
- feathers
- special lungs
- DNA information that codes for feathers
- feather proteins that are biochemically different from skin and scale proteins
- scales
- solid bones
- DNA information that codes for scales but not for feathers
- skin and scale proteins that are biochemically different from feather proteins
- See pages 64-66.
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