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Vertebrate eye wiring as evidence for effective design

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Further to Lee Spetner’s comments on the (correct) wiring of the vertebrate eye* (sometimes used as a claim for “poor design”), over at Creation-Evolution Headlines, there are some recent articles on the subject, with lots of links:

Two Evolutionary Evidences Debunked (7/23/14)

This evolutionary argument began to unravel in 2007 when researchers found that Müller cells, penetrating the thicket of blood vessels in the human retina, actually provide near-ideal vision by acting as wave guides to the individual photoreceptors—providing better performance than could be had if the rods and cones were in front of the blood vessels (see 5/02/2007 and subsequent research reported 5/07/2010 about additional vision enhancements provided by the Müller cells)

and

Backward Wiring of Eye Retina Confirmed as Optimal (2/27/15)

On The Conversation today, Erez Ribak in person has explained why the eye is “wired backwards” for several good reasons. What’s new is how the retina optimizes reception by color. Since blue predominates in daytime light, we don’t need it amplified, so most of the blue wavelengths scatter in the eyeball and retinal blood vessels to the rods. That’s also why there are fewer blue-sensitive cones in the retina. Green and red, however, need amplification. Experiments with guinea pig retinas and computer models showed some surprises: …

(Ribak better watch his job unless he keeps the Darwinblather machine in high gear, to compensate. )

See also: Backwards eye wiring? Lee Spetner comments Spetner: The cleverness is not in the neurons on the image side of the retina, but in the glial cells, which always accompany neurons.

* It’s helpful to remember that Darwin’s followers today engage primarily in what politicians’ advisers call “talking points.” It needn’t be correct; they seek the votes of people who don’t think much or can’t afford to know whether they think or not.

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