Stephen Fry: Quite Interesting
Jan. 31st, 2008 05:45 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
jackAmongst other things, yesterday cuddly sunflower introduced me to QI, Stephen Fry's quiz program. Not quite the same as the one in the St. Trinian's film, more like Have I Got News For You. It was indeed ever so funny :)
However, a couple of things bothered me.
Woodpecker Tongues
The woodpecker's tongue is nearly as long as it is. The obvious question is, "How does it fit in the mouth, then?" Is answered with the obvious but surprisingly apparently true answer that "Its wrapped round the brain, duh."
This fact is often touted in evolutionist/creationist debates although I'm not sure on what side. Should the argument be that "Wrapping your tongue round your brain is stupid, no-one could have thought that up, not a billion years!" or "Wrapping your tongue round your brain is stupid, that could never have happened by chance, not in a billion years!" :)
(The actual case appears to be slightly complicated. I didn't really care, I just thought it was funny,though its a bit interesting.
The creationist argument is that this is an example of a creature which can't have evolved because any intermediate forms would have tongue wrapped halfway round the brain, clearly useless. The evolutionist rebuttal is that wrapped round is a poor description, a better one is that the muscles behind the tongue lengthened, eventually going all the way round, and you can actually observe this change as a single woodpecker grows to maturity. However, I didn't bother analysing the argument in detail. I expect the second explanation is correct, and it sounded plausible at first glance, but I haven't actually checked.)
However, a couple of things bothered me.
Woodpecker Tongues
The woodpecker's tongue is nearly as long as it is. The obvious question is, "How does it fit in the mouth, then?" Is answered with the obvious but surprisingly apparently true answer that "Its wrapped round the brain, duh."
This fact is often touted in evolutionist/creationist debates although I'm not sure on what side. Should the argument be that "Wrapping your tongue round your brain is stupid, no-one could have thought that up, not a billion years!" or "Wrapping your tongue round your brain is stupid, that could never have happened by chance, not in a billion years!" :)
(The actual case appears to be slightly complicated. I didn't really care, I just thought it was funny,though its a bit interesting.
The creationist argument is that this is an example of a creature which can't have evolved because any intermediate forms would have tongue wrapped halfway round the brain, clearly useless. The evolutionist rebuttal is that wrapped round is a poor description, a better one is that the muscles behind the tongue lengthened, eventually going all the way round, and you can actually observe this change as a single woodpecker grows to maturity. However, I didn't bother analysing the argument in detail. I expect the second explanation is correct, and it sounded plausible at first glance, but I haven't actually checked.)
no subject
Date: 2008-02-01 11:32 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-02-02 12:12 am (UTC)Alas, I don't really make time to watch much television at all, even good things.