6 So-Called “Alternatives” to Evolution (And Why They’re All Wrong)

The title of this article “alternatives” to evolution would suggest that there are other explanations for our existence that are just as viable and well-supported. Arguments against evolution are as valid as offering a “potato on fire” as an alternative explanation for the huge fireball that the Earth revolves around. Simply put, evolutionary biology is the foundation of science because it explains everything. For instance, when seeking out treatment for medical conditions, chemists don’t simply throw a bunch of random concoctions together and hope they achieve helpful outcomes. They need to understand why the body reactions a certain way in certain situations, and evolution provides the perfect explanations. Sadly, lots of people around the world are skeptical of evolution because we are stubborn people who want to believe whatever it is we choose to believe, regardless as to whether it is grounded in evidence. They’ll say “Well, evolution is merely a theory, a hunch” which completely misunderstands what the term theory means in the scientific sense. Anybody who wants to education themselves can learn more about what a scientific theory is. In the meantime, here is a list of 6 alternatives to evolution.

1. Biblical Creationism

Biblical Creationism is based on the idea that everything in Genesis is literally true: a divine entity created the universe in 6 days, with light appearing on Day 1, the atmosphere on Day 2, dry ground and plants on Day 3, the Sun, Moon and stars on Day 4, birds and sea animals on Day 5, and land animals and humans making their grand debut on Day 6. Creationists also believe in a Young Earth that’s only 6000 years old.

The issue: The Bible is an ancient religious text, not a science book. It was written at a time when humans didn’t have the slightest idea how science worked, so Genesis provided answers to explain things that couldn’t be explained at the time. That’s why, for instance, the Earth is described as being flat and at the center of the universe when scientific discoveries in the past few centuries has since proven that this is not the case. The scientific evidence is simply too overwhelming to ignore, although it hasn’t stopped people from ignoring it anyway.

2. Ancient Astronauts

This is kind of a fun one. The idea here is that millions of years ago aliens in space ships came to Earth, planted the seeds of humanity because why not, and then guided us before taking off and leaving us to our own fate. The “evidence” is the pyramids, the Mayan calendar, and those spaceship thingies that you see in medieval paintings.

The issue: Sorry for making your life less fun, but all of these ancient astronaut legends have been thoroughly debunked no matter what ufologist Giorgio Tsoukalos might have told you.