any animals have similar bone structures, giving the superficial

appearance of relationship. (crit) Thought to have been evidence for

common ancestry until significant advancements were made in
biochemistry. Simply put, "Similarity does not imply a genetic
relationship." embryos of different vertebrates look alike in their early
stages, giving the superficial appearance of relationship. (crit) Embryos
of different vertebrates DO NOT look alike in their early stages. "This
idea was fathered by Ernest Haeckel, a German biologist who was so
convinced that he had solved the riddle of life's unfolding that he
doctored and faked his drawings of embryonic stages to prove his
point." Darwin's proposed mechanism for evolutionary change is
observed in nature. (crit) Natural selection serves as a means of
conservation, not one of creation. It explains survival of a species, not
arrival of a species. Here is an illustration: You work in a car factory.
Your job is quality control - make sure the cars work as they are
supposed to. You kick the tires and slam the doors, drive the cars
around, etc. You identify and remove defects (an arbitrary selection
with the same result as natural selection). How long would it take this
selection process to turn one of those cars into an airplane naturally
over time? It will not happen. "Natural selection may have a stabilizing
effect, but it does not promote speciation [the arrival of a new
species]. It is not a creative force as many people have suggested."