Many high school biology textbooks still contain a section on comparative embryology. This is the idea that humans and animals have a common ancestor because their embryos have a similar physical appearance. In other words, as a human baby forms, it goes through a fish stage, amphibian stage, and finally becomes a human at birth. This concept was popularized in 1866 by Ernst Haeckel as he traveled throughout Europe lecturing on the subject and showing drawings of how different animal embryos had similar appearances. However, it was shown that he had used false drawings as early as 1874. Although the specific drawings used by Haeckel have long since been discarded, his teachings remain in textbooks to this day.
Why is this poor science still found in textbooks? Could it still be there because it leaves the impression that developing babies are mere globs of matter? Over 50 years ago, Francis Crick won the Nobel Prize for the discovery of the structure of the DNA molecule. This scientifically proved that a woman's fertilized egg is a complete human being with a full set of instructions. Only time and nutrition are required for it to grow larger. From the moment of conception, a pregnant woman's body is home to a completely unique person. The Bible acknowledged this fact long before it was proven by modern science.
From A Closer Look at the Evidence by Kleiss, February 23.
