Can Punctuated Equilibrium Solve the Cambrian Explosion?

In the 1970s, paleontologists Stephen Jay Gould and Niles Eldredge proposed a model of evolution called punctuated equilibrium, intended to resolve the lack of transitional forms in the fossil record. Can “Punk Eek,” as it’s often called, resolve the abrupt appearance of new animal phyla in the Cambrian explosion? This video explains why the answer is No — among many other problems, Punk Eek requires too much evolutionary change too quickly and lacks a biological mechanism to account for the rapid origin of anatomical novelty we see in the Cambrian period.

This video is part of “Basics of Intelligent Design Biology,” a video series reviewing scientific problems with the Darwinian (and neo-Darwinian) evolution of animal life. The first four episodes (season 1) will review the basics of the Cambrian explosion and failed evolutionary attempts to explain it using Precambrian fossils, punctuated equilibrium, and the tree of life.

This series is a partnership between Discovery Institute and Lukas Ruegger, creator of the Deflate YouTube Channel, which has lots of great content dealing with science-faith questions and intelligent design.

For more information on the Cambrian explosion and problems with Darwinian explanations for the origin of animals, be sure to also check out the Darwin’s Doubt website and book https://darwinsdoubt.com/.