Gerald asks:

>Microbiologists have bred many generations of bacteria through a process of
>using increasingly oil-polluted media resulting in a super oil-decomposing
>strain.
>
>What criteria would biologists use to establish whether 'evolution' has
>occurred or not?

The most minimal definition of evolution is merely "a change in gene
frequencies," thus if a population can be shown to have had a change in the
content of its genome over some observable period of time, then evolution can
be said to have occurred.

However it is very important to note that this definition explains nothing, no
more than measuring a change in the angle of the sun during the course of a day
explains the nature of celestial mechanics. Both are only easily accomplished
empirical measures of readily observable physical qualities.

Wirt Atmar
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