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Question to Nick Matzke from Paul Nelson, and Nick’s reply

Salvador Cordova
April 7, 2014
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Paul Nelson poses question to Nick on Paul Nelson Day

and a report of

Nick Matzke’s response to Paul Nelson

Comments
It's clear Mr Matzke can't answer Mr Nelson's question. Does he actually think he's fooling anyone?Blue_Savannah
April 8, 2014
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Correction, Matzke didn't say Mosquitos freeze at 68 degrees (sorry it has been a long time). Here is the actual exchange.
Jehu: We are supposed to believe that in fewer reproductive events than malaria has in one year, mammals evolved from small shrew like animals into humans, bats and whales? So mammals can create mammary glands, fur, wings, flippers, human intelligence, echolocation, and placentas in fewer reproductive events than Malaria has in one year, yet after 100,000 years Malaria cannot adapt to cold weather? Interesting. Matzke: Um — is someone going to point out that the malaria parasite lives in adult mosquitos, but that in cold regions all the mosquitos (and all other flying insects) die when the temperature hits freezing, and that this provides a perfectly obvious explanation for the distribution of malaria which Behe and all his fans somehow, incredibly, shockingly, astoundingly missed?
A couple points. 1. P. falciparum, the parasite that causes Malaria, cannot reproduce below 60ºF. 2. Water freezes at 32ºF. 3. The mosquitoes of the Anopheles genus that carry the Malaria parasite have a habitat that extends into cold climates, including freezing climates and is vastly larger than the warm areas where the Malaria parasite is found. 4. The reason for the distribution of malaria in warm climates is because they can’t reproduce below 60ºF, not because mosquitoes freeze. 5. Many flying insects, including mosquitoes, do in fact survive in sub-freezing temperatures.Jehu
April 8, 2014
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Matzke once argued that the reason P. falciparum never evolved the ability to reproduce below 60 degrees farenheit is because Mosquitos freeze at 68 degrees.Jehu
April 8, 2014
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Nick Matzke is confused- phylogenetic analysis does not and cannot answer Paul's questions.Joe
April 8, 2014
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Yup. If they had something substantial to say, you know they would say it without hesitation and be done with it!tjguy
April 8, 2014
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After I read Nelson's challenge I thought, "I bet Matzke's just going to condescendingly insult Nelson's understanding of evolutionary theory." I'd like to claim it shows I'm psychic, but unfortunately it only shows how predictable Matzke and his ilk are.William J Murray
April 8, 2014
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