Javascript Evolution Demo

Javascript Evolution Demo

In honour of Ben Stein’s Canadian release of “Expelled – No Intelligence Allowed”

http://www.expelledthemovie.com/playground.php

I have produced a nice javascript demo of one of the basic concepts of evolution: natural (cumulative) selection.

Don’t get me wrong, I think Ben Stein is a very intelligent person.  Having said that I think when it came to taking attendance in biology class his teacher was saying: “Stein? Stein? Stein?”.  Natural selection is simple concept but is easy to confuse.  Does anyone know what natural selection is “anyone? anyone?”

(If you don’t catch my allusion, please watch : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nbqDGQvobVA)

I got so annoyed with the repeated claim that evolution is a random process that I developed a javascript demonstration to show how evolution actually worked.  I’ll say it one more time for all those who aren’t quite sure:  “EVOLUTION IS NOT A RANDOM PROCESS.”  The only thing ‘random’ (even chaotic will suffice) in the process is the generation of variability (diversity).  Natural selection is the exact opposite of random. It is a deliberate selection of traits which confer a higher fitness of individuals within a population.

So without further ado, here is the javascript demonstration of evolution in action:
http://www.rankyouragent.com/evolution/weasel.htm

Here is a video of the software in action:

On the left is the target block of text.  In the middle, random characters are generated which either equals (entirely) the left block of text or not (boolean).  On the right wherever a correct character is generated in the correct position, it continues to the next iteration (generation) until all the letters are eventually correct.

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