Darwin argued some 150 years that: 1) life evolved from common descent, 2) life evolved by means of natural selection and adaptation. Since then there has been good evidence for common descent but there still is debate about how species arise -- the macroevolutionary events. Small changes due to adaptations -- microevolution can be seen as changes within species -- such as the changes in beak shape in Galapagos finches in response to available food sources. But does the assumed accumulation of microevolutionary events lead to macroevolution ones -- the origin of species?

The link between environmental change and evolutionary change is very weak -- something Darwinists would have assumed to be the case. Keith Bennett in the 18 October, 2010 edition of NewScientist (from which this blog is adapted) suggests that the "true source of macroevolutionary change lies in the non-linear, or chaotic, dynamics of the relations between genotype and phenotype -- the actual organism and all its traits."

Mutations occur all the time without external influences, most are 'silent' and make no difference on the physiology or morphology of the individual. But on the other hand a single small change can have far-reaching and unpredictable effects -- "the hallmarks of a non-linear system.

The consequences of this view of life is that macroevolution ('origin of species') is not due to simple accumulation of microevolutionary events but has its own processes and dynamics -- ones that we have yet to fully explore and appreciate.