Quote:
Also no one has given me an adiquate responce to my initial question:
Can any one give me a documented example of a mutation giving rise to new genetic information which was seen as being benificial to an organism? |
The concept of genetic information is ambiguous and therefore useless. But beneficial mutation can be shown:
-SARS mutating to be more virulent. Beneficial because it increases its chance of reproduction.
-Bacteria becoming resistant to antibiotics or extreme temperatures. Same reason.
These are easily observed cases because virus and bacteria RNA and DNA is frequently studied and tested. Another organism well tested and documented for beneficial mutations are flies.
In the case of higher lifeforms, mammals for example, labs cannot run experiments on them like they can with viruses, bacteria and flies. This means noone is set up to "watch" changes in mammal DNA. Consequently any beneficial mutations occuring are missed.
This is common sense really. Any beneficial mutations that alter a mammals body plan slightly will occur in nature and generally noone is looking. Even if someone did notice a slight change in form in one individual, it certainly is not easy to take the mammal and find out what genetic change occured. Unfortunately hand-held DNA readers do not exist. We are not technologically advanced enough yet to spot the kinds of beneficial mutations you are after on the fly. Any documented beneficial mutations in higher animals will have been found by chance.