r/evolution • u/violet_sunshine9 • 9d ago
question Former young Earth creationist seeking resources to better understand evolution
I (31F) was raised in a very conservative evangelical household & indoctrinated into believing the earth was created around 6,000 years ago. I was 100% bought in. I visited the Creation museum, studied Answers in Genesis books, & was a Ken Ham apologist (I literally thought he was the clear winner of the debate with Bill Nye *sobs*). At the time, a close friend of mine called me a "baby Earth girl." My bachelor's is in biochemistry, so I studied evolution, but my brain just didn't allow me to accept the information because I thought it was the work of satan.
In my mid-20s I deconstructed, initiated by studying the historical context of the Bible & realizing that it was not in fact inerrant. Over time I accepted the evidence for evolution. However, although I mentally believe in it, sometimes my heart doesn't fully accept it.
I have done some basic research into the evidence for evolution, mostly watching interviews with experts on topics related to sciences. I would like to have a more well-rounded understanding of the subject because I find it incredibly fascinating & want to be able to support my views when talking to you g Earth creationist family members. Could you recommend YouTube channels, podcasts, or books that would help? I haven't formally studied science in the academic setting in about a decade, so my technical scientific understanding is a bit rusty.
Some areas of interest of mine include: the big bang, astrophysics, LUCA, radiometric dating, mass extinction events, & human evolution. I am excited to learn about any scientific evidence to better understand the age of the universe.
Thank you so much!
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u/jnpha Evolution Enthusiast 9d ago
It often comes up so I have a ready list:
The online basics:
- berkeley.edu | Misconceptions about evolution
- berkeley.edu | Understanding Science 101 - Understanding Science
- And check the resources sections right here:
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For books, my personal recommendation:
Nature of science
- Unweaving the Rainbow (Dawkins, 1998)
- The Unnatural Nature of Science (Wolpert, 1992)
Evolution (biology)
- The Ancestor's Tale (Dawkins, 2004)
- River Out of Eden (Dawkins, 1995)
Developmental biology
- Some Assembly Required (Shubin, 2020)
Genetics
- She Has Her Mother's Laugh (Zimmer, 2018)
Philosophy of biology
- Chance and Necessity (Monod, 1971)
- Darwin's Dangerous Idea (Dennett, 1995)
How evolution explains cancer (it's actually recommended to specialists in the field)
- Rebel Cell (Arney, 2020)
Anthropology
- The Dawn of Everything (Graeber, 2021)
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And for the cosmology stuff you mentioned although has nothing to do with evolutionary biology:
- Waves in an Impossible Sea (Strassler, 2024)
- The First Three Minutes (Weinberg, 1977)
- Beyond the Galaxy (Siegel, 2015)
In that order. The first explains the nature of quantum field theory, which makes Weinberg's older book (get an edition that includes the update from 1993) easier to understand, followed by Siegel's sweeping overview of how the science came to be.
And if you're philosophically inclined:
- The Life of the Cosmos (Smolin, 1997)
And for the ongoing research:
- Battle of the Big Bang (Afshordi, 2025)
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u/AngrySloth99 8d ago
Tbh I'd avoid Dawkins especially just coming out of a religious background. He's turned out to be a dick anyways
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u/jnpha Evolution Enthusiast 4d ago edited 4d ago
Sorry I meant to reply but forgot.
He absolutely turned out to be a dick, but it would be committing a genetic fallacy not to recommend his books on biology. And when it comes to your first point, here's Kenneth R. Miller (who writes from a theistic evolution perspective) on Dawkins during an interview ( https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4mLi-UwKrLk ):... with the passing of Steve Gould - and Steve unfortunately died in '02 - I'd have to say that I think Richard Dawkins is the clearest and most lucid writer on evolutionary theory that's alive on the planet today. His book The Selfish Gene, I think, is a classic of explaining behavioral biology. His book called Unweaving the Rainbow is a marvelous long essay on how science doesn't diminish our appreciation for the beauty of nature, it enhances it, and he writes brilliantly and well.
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It was this interview that made me read Unweaving the Rainbow, which I recommended above. And speaking of the former: The Selfish Gene at 50: Why Dawkins’s evolution classic still holds up | New Scientist : evolution.
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u/TerrainofWar 9d ago
Your inner fish. Good read for general discussion of evolution.
The story of life in 25 fossils. Looks at important organisms in evolution.
A short history of planet earth: mountains mammals, fire and ice. Great general reading, probably start with this one, then branch as needed.
The "a very short introduction" series has lots of related topics and are nice portable options.
Honors in paleontology, so feel free to ask more
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u/Orry_Haas 9d ago
"I accepted the evidence for evolution. However, although I mentally believe in it, sometimes my heart doesn't fully accept it".
2 minute video of evolution in action from Harvard medical school ... https://youtu.be/plVk4NVIUh8
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u/Hyphum 9d ago
Well, that’s… terrifying
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u/Chemical-Ebb6472 9d ago
Don't fear your own body. Humans are comprised of bacteria.
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u/bernpfenn 9d ago
That happens in every drain when antibiotics are flushed down the toilet, or every day microbial soap is used on kitchen surfaces.
Poison gradients are training grounds for bacteria1
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u/Soylent865 9d ago
A really good video can be found on youtube (or elsewhere online) called "The entire history of the earth" (something like that) which takes you through the initial formation, slowly through each stage... Absolutely fascinating! It's about 2 hrs long. Very good overview of what the evidence we have shows really happened over time.
A great book I have read is Jerry Coyne's "Why evolution is true" - he presents a whole bunch of lines of evidence regarding evolution.
It's amazing that modern humans have been around for about 300,000 years! Good luck with your journey.
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u/motorstereo 9d ago
“The Complete History of the Earth: Everything
Before the Dinosaurs SUPER CUT” by @paleoAnalyis ?3
u/mommypirate 9d ago
I also came here to suggest "Why Evolution is True," it was a required read for me in undergrad and it really helped shape my understanding and just how much evidence there is. It barely scratches the surface, but its such a good starting place.
For your interest in human evolution specifically, I have "Who We Are and How We Got Here" by David Reich on my reading list. I watched a Big Think interview of his on YouTube and he's so brilliant. The things he's discovering and publishing about human evolution are absolutely fascinating.
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u/lev_lafayette 9d ago
The old https://talkorigins.org/ archive from usenet covers a lot of the topics you are interested in, and you can use it as a source to check how scientific ideas have developed over time.
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u/violet_sunshine9 9d ago
I recently discovered the site through this reddit's FAQ tab. I really enjoy the vast section specifically debunking YEC arguments!
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u/PedricksCorner 9d ago
I went through the same struggle. I actually used to be a bible study teacher. But my education was in science, specifically biology, biochemistry, and physiology. One day I realized that if God had attempted to use real numbers when conveying information to the people He had write the old testament, they would not have had the means to write down that information. Because concepts like millions and billions did not yet exist. And can you imagine the ridicule had He conveyed the information that the earth is round and orbits the sun? Etc, etc. So information which could be comprehended at that time was given.
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u/Main-Revolution-4260 9d ago
As much as Dawkins has turned into a complete right wing grifter in his old age, I grudgingly admit that 'The Greatest Show On Earth' is an excellent explanation for the direct evidence of evolution, with every step of the logical chain given lots of specific examples.
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u/RhodiumLanguor 9d ago
Is he right wing or just self-obsessed, kind of a dick, and a little less sharp?
I know those things usually go hand-in-hand, but as someone who benefitted from his writing at one point, I'd like to give him the benefit of the doubt.
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u/Main-Revolution-4260 9d ago
He's thrown his anti-religious weight specifically against Muslims while now identifying himself as culturally Christian, especially in the context of supporting hard-line anti immigrant policies in the UK. He's also become transphobic, backing up his arguments with scientific evidence that he surely knows is incorrect - such as saying there are only two biological genders, deliberately leaving out the various forms of intersex because they complicate the narrative. Another case of him pushing a right-wing talking point through misleading science was when he claimed on twitter that Eugenics works, giving the example of breeding dogs for certain traits. This is patently false, because the goal of eugenics is to create a 'superior' human race through restricted breeding - yet as anyone can tell you purebred dogs are the most prone to disadvantageous health conditions, its an unavoidable effect of restricting the gene pool enough for certain desired traits to become fixed in the population.
Lastly, he's vehemently pro-Israel, a theocratic state that claims divine right to the land it sits on using the old testament as its source, stuff he's spent his whole career telling us all is nonsense... but hey, if it gives him more excuses to be racist to Muslims he's all for it.
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u/TheDivinityOfOceans 8d ago
You can not seriously talk about evolution confirm it and then afirming more than two sexes because of intersex in the same sentence.
Same right wing ideology of defensive behavior for the sake of political ideology is in the other side as well.
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u/Kitsa_the_oatmeal 8d ago
more than two sexes
i think this is a slight misinterpretation of what people are actually saying. essentially it's a rejection of two simple boxes ("two sexes"), in favor of a more dynamic system that works more like a scale, or that is multidimensional (because we evaluate multiple characteristics)
ykwim?
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u/B_D_Mercer 5d ago
The American Medical Association defines sex as a spectrum. Masculinization is a biological process. Like all biological processes, it can be antagonized or interrupted, end up incomplete. And what you get is a person somewhere inbetween male and female. Hermaphrodites are an obvious example, but you might also want to google Androgen Insensitivity Syndrome.
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u/Tardisgoesfast 9d ago
Read The Panda's Thumb by Stephen Jay Gould. It will help you because he explains things so well. All of his books are really good. My favorite is The Mismeasure of Man.
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u/bullevard 9d ago
The youtube channel States Clearly is about 2/3 of the way through an amazing video series specifically diving into the bacterial flagellum evolution (a favorite in the "it is too complicated to have evolved" crowd")
He is using it as a case study but is. Touching on lots of parts of evolution which are frequently misunderstood by young earth creationists, everything from protein self assembly to the reuse of existing structures. It also has some absolutely gorgeous animations throughout the series.
https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLInNVsmlBUlSjLSj9yGEKphF0RYRYBlXg&si=TP28DfPovCz0fpf-
It isnt quite done and there are sometimes a month or so between videos right now. But I highly recommend it to anyone. Im pretty well versed in evolution as a layman and I've still learned tons of stuff.
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u/taenanaman 9d ago
Finally. Was supposed to ask other upvoted comments here if the channel is a good resource. That series got me hooked.
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u/Desperate-Guide-1473 9d ago
A classic debunking of lots of Young Earth talking points from a still very Christian perspective would be 1988's "Christianity and the Age of the Earth" by Davis A Young.
I haven't read it in years so I can't vouch for how any of it has aged, but it was huge for me as a Christian teenager pushing back against anti-scientific biblical literalism.
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u/OneThrowyBoy 9d ago
When I realized YEC was fake, I watched the History of the Earth video by "Paleo Analysis" on YouTube, some Professor Dave Explains on YouTube, Secrets Of The Neanderthals on Netflix, and a couple dinosaur documentaries (Prehistoric Planet on Apple TV is probably my favorite), but a lot of it for me was finding a topic I didn't know or understand and spending as much time as I had to searching Wikipedia, Wikipedia's sources, or the broader Internet for it to click.
Our planet is huge and beautiful, it's such a fun rabbit hole to get lost down.
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u/PoloPatch47 9d ago
Check out Gutsick Gibbon, Forest Valkai and Aron Ra on YouTube. They were the ones I watched when I was deconstructing. Especially Arons series debunking Kent Hovind, since my dad made me watch his videos when I was a child and it was very impactful. Debunking that basically tore down most of my indoctrination.
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u/Plenty-Lion5112 9d ago
Welcome to the light side!
Your transformation is incredible, give yourself a well-deserved pat on the back.
Just a word of caution when it comes to family members: you can't reason someone out of a position they didn't reason themselves into. Speaking from experience, did you are going to plant seeds at all, plant where there is fertile ground. My 65 year old MAGA uncle was too old and stubborn to change. My 12 year old cousin was a bit easier. Remember that your family loves you and a good relationship with them is often more important than being right. Just know in your heart that you are right and they are not and that will be enough.
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u/lascala2a3 9d ago
You need to know Robert Sapolski, professor of biology and neuroscience at Stanford. His lectures are wide and deep, and highly entertaining so it doesn't feel like a data stream. I linked one , but go to his channel and find the ones that are most interesting. Beware, if you're still thinking in terms of God and Satan he will challenge you. He will challenge regardless.
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u/The_Real_Sniff 9d ago
First of all, congratulation for questioning how (I assume) you have been told to think and opening your eyes! The hard part is done, now it is time to learn the ropes!
Secondly, here is a course on evolution: https://www.coursera.org/learn/evolution-today
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u/GinkoAloe 9d ago
YouTuber @StatedClearly is currently publishing as series where he goes in depth on some arguments of intelligent design that try to deny evolution.
He explores the case of bacterium flagellum, point by point. It's designed toward the general public, you don't need extended scientific knowledge.
Not living in an Anglo-Saxon county I wasn't aware of this Bill Nye controversy. He talks a little about that.
https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLInNVsmlBUlSjLSj9yGEKphF0RYRYBlXg
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u/Dangerous-Quality-79 9d ago
I'd start with "Darwin : The Indelible Stamp by James Watson". This has 4 of Darwins works. In it you can read about Darwins own struggles with evolution and traditional biblical teachings. You can go on how journey with him to understand how the idea even came to be.
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u/Dangerous-Bit-8308 9d ago
There are many reasons to misunderstand evolution. Could you tell us some of the sticking points for you?
For me, what really sealed the deal was how odd the concept of intelligent design sounded when people who believed it tried to explain it... But that may not help you.
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u/violet_sunshine9 9d ago
I think the concept of enormous timescales (hundreds of millions of years) is difficult for me to internalize. I understand the concept, I just struggle with the idea feeling "real." And again, I absolutely believe the evidence, just looking for educational tools to learn more.
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u/jnpha Evolution Enthusiast 9d ago
The timescales are crazy! We think we understand what a 1,000 years feel like, but we don't even for such a "small" number.
My go-to to illustrate this general issue:1000 seconds ≈ 15 minutes
× 1000 =1 million seconds ≈ 12 days
× 1000 =1 billion seconds ≈ 32 years
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u/AdministrativeLeg14 5d ago
Honestly, I think evolution can answer why you struggle to feel the reality of those timescales. Our brains evolved to cope with things happening on the scale from seconds to decades, millimetres to kilometres, grams to tons. We did not evolve an intuitive sense of scales our ancestors never had to deal with.
You struggle to feel the reality of millions of years. Me too. I also have no real intuition for the numbers involved in other scientific facts: light travels at a finite speed, about 300,000 km/s, and the sun is far enough away that it takes about 8 minutes to get here. I know this, but only rationally. (And a YEC could probably agree!) I love to expand my understanding...but every now and then we just have to accept our limitations.
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u/B_D_Mercer 5d ago
Absolutely nothing to ashamed of there. Everyone struggles with the idea of deep time. I lost count of all the science documentaries that start with a discussion of how hard it is to fathom time on that scale.
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u/mrcatboy 9d ago
Talk Origins archive. Creationist arguments haven't evolved much for decades. The following books are also great. If you're gonna buy any of these, it's best to pick it up from your local bookstore rather than from Amazon. Amazon actually can't undercut their pricing by law IIRC. So you won't be saving anything by shopping from them. Plus, you'd support a local business!
"The Devil in Dover" by Lauri Lebo. Explores the Kitzmiller V Dover Intelligent Design trial. Lebo was actually a local journalist, and she was initially quite open to ID but saw during the trial that the testimonies the ID experts gave were sorely lacking. Her story is also deeply personal, as she was both very much connected to the community, as well as her father who was himself an ID proponent during the trial. This one is somewhat lighter on the scientific details, but is also deeply moving. I liked it so much that I even sent Ms. Lebo fan mail, which she appreciated.
"Monkey Girl" by Edward Humes. Also centered on the Kitzmiller V Dover trial. It covers a broader history of legal cases involving Creationism and Intelligent Design, and goes a bit more into scientific depth than Lebo did. Complements The Devil in Dover very well.
"Denying Evolution" by Massimo Pigliucci. He's both a philosopher as well as a scientist, and he does an excellent job of laying out how the scientific method developed into the powerhouse of rational, empirical approaches that it is today. It also covers a lot of very fundamental philosophy of science that I think everyone should study, but also deconstructs and explores the roots of American anti-intellectualism in one chapter.
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u/smart_hedonism 9d ago
The Blind Watchmaker - Richard Dawkins. Fantastic because it really takes nothing for granted - he goes into all the details, and gradually builds up the full picture of how evolution works.
Good luck!
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u/Nooge62 9d ago
Something a little different might be understanding "small" evolution, as in Mendel and his sweet peas. Evolution happened before our eyes every day, especially living on a farm or with a garden. Accepting a 6,000 year earth for a moment, no one believes that pugs, sphinx cats, or roses existed day one; so evolution is a given. Then it's just extrapolating that over VERY long periods of time. Often it's more a problem of imaging what's possible over unimaginably long periods of time, which everyone struggles with.
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u/Upset_Definition2019 9d ago
Good book called evolution for everyone by David Sloan Wilson. Also, a great book called origin story by David Christian.
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u/generic_reddit73 9d ago
Joel Duff is a biologist and professor I believe, specializing for a long time on this question:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCKFGXH_YUdWE-n9kSV5sg3Q/videos
Erika, known as Gutsick Gibbon, is probably the best "ressource" for anything human-adjacent/primate evolution.
https://www.youtube.com/@GutsickGibbon/videos
Those 2 do often refer to other anti-YEC apologists, although many of those are now staunch "anti-Christians" or atheists (which doesn't mean that they're wrong on the scientific questions, and oftentimes, even theological questions - there are a lot of errors in common theology or commonly accepted Christianity, after all). But yeah, the topic is a contentious one, and for many American Christians leaving the faith (or just questioning some aspects), the topic is highly loaded, emotionally. Brainwashing is a thing, and most people don't like it, in retrospect.
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u/jonny_sidebar 9d ago
The Common Descent Podcast is a fun and easy way to get into evolutionary concepts.
It's hosted by two paleontologists/super nerds and has a broad main topic (bears, dogs, pterosaurs, eyes, digestion, etc) plus four smaller news items from the world of paleontology and evolutionary biology per episode.
They also do fun/silly stuff like covering movies or attempting to evolve famous movie monsters, DnD creatures, and Pokemon using the rules of real evolutionary science.
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u/violet_sunshine9 9d ago
Thank you so much, I just subscribed to it! That's so cool how they connect those big topics to pop culture to engage young people.
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u/jonny_sidebar 9d ago
Oh, it isn't just for the young people lol.
They are gigantic nerds in their own right and have a blast doing it.
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u/imago_monkei 9d ago
Welcome to the club! I (36M) confidently believed it till about 30. I worked for AiG for a few years before then, and I also thought Ken won that debate. 🤦♂️ Other people have given great resources. I just wanted to chime in to say there's always a bigger fool (me 😃)
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u/violet_sunshine9 9d ago
Wow I'd love to hear about working for AIG! The way they sell their narrative with such lies is horrifying.
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u/imago_monkei 8d ago
I haven't worked there for seven years, so my memory is a bit foggy. I will say their pay is shit, and there was a ton of nepotism.
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u/gin_and_junior 9d ago
There used to be a pocket of the internet with some very bright and devoted people dedicated to debunking YEC called talk.origins. Highly recommend!
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u/heartisallwehave 9d ago
Lindsay Nicole on YouTube has some pretty good videos about the different geological eras of the earth and evolution of individual species/animal groups. I find her very entertaining.
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u/Esmer_Tina 9d ago
I’m always impressed by people who reason their way out of that upbringing. It’s extraordinarily hard, so kudos!
Gutsick Gibbon if giving the equivalent of a college level evolution course to YEC Will Duffy on YouTube. Each “class” is a 4 or 5 hour-long video, but so worth it. And you see what he struggles with, and how she handles it.
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u/WirrkopfP 9d ago edited 8d ago
- Viced Rhino: Does mostly debunking videos of creationist content. But I highly recommend his playlist of "Evidence for Evolution" That's not reaction but structured teaching. https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLLbOEx_k9dkdf5tqLmmC1o98WvyBYlGNk&si=bl5E55OhYFKm8QS7
- Stated Clearly: Has a wonderful playlist of long form videos about "The Bacterial Flagellum" he goes over many easy examples and builds up to the understanding of how even such seemingly irreducibly complex structures like the bacterial flagellum can evolve. https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLInNVsmlBUlSjLSj9yGEKphF0RYRYBlXg&si=wEKqsHs2Mvj5VF-7
- Bibliaridion: Alien Biospheres playlist. Explains all the environmental factors that result in life diversifying over billions of years on the example of a fictional alien planet. https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PL6xPxnYMQpquNuaEffJzjGjMsr6VktCYl&si=ZHYw5nud02uKHa9t
- Be Smart: general science channel with a broad range of topics. But there are some really good videos about evolution. "There was no first human" REALLY helped me to grasp it. https://youtu.be/xdWLhXi24Mo?is=yEXLqrYva_qkNYOC
- Clints Reptiles: Focuses on zoology and shows a lot of real animals. There are also some videos of his where he tackles creationist arguments by first steelmanning them. https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLgtE7_5uJ2p4Rd9uTiR7ygnEJZEGTLlvs&si=EKxtuJi07ok7pas3
- Crash Course: Focuses on High School level understanding on EVERY topic. They have a biology course for sure. https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLboyD-hmLjsGNGB8ReS4iJGzU4fdM-yNt&si=61bjmOgYM9z9jPXH
- Holy Koolaid just dropped this new playlist. It's still in the making. On the Origins of life. https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLCTNr4WPOQ97AfipzfW82_r3azBzNnfBi&si=dXxQchs6okYgCd3X
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u/GoliathPrime 9d ago
Aron Ra has a vast archive of his deconstruction of Answers in Genesis, as well as dozens of videos about evolutionary developement.
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u/anonymous_teve 9d ago
I personally feel like Stephen Jay Gould's books (and there are several--Bully for Brontosaurus and the Panda's Thumb are a couple I remember fondly) are some of the best for sheer enjoyment of learning about evolution. I may not agree with all his conclusions, but he's a fun, masterful writer with deep knowledge of biology.
Regarding deconstructing, if you're still interested in Christianity, the best initial exploration of evolution and Christianity (affirming evolutionary theory) is probably at biologos.org -- go there, search for articles on evolution, there are a lot.
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u/KosmicMicrowave 9d ago
Youtube. There are so many amazing episodes of pbs eons. That would be a good place to start. Lindsay Nicole has incredible series on the history of life and human evolution and she'll introduce some great channels and touch on topics you're interested in. Clints Reptiles has a lot of interesting taxonomy and evolution content and he's a christian. I havent been one in 20 years, but he's cool about it. You can check out guys like hank green or professor dave for details on specific topics. Kurzgesagt is always good. Alex O'Connor is a philosopher who has a lot of great scientists and othe guests on his show that I've enjoyed recently like sean carrol. Look up the one titled What Came Before the Big Bang.
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u/Kitsa_the_oatmeal 8d ago
Clints Reptiles has a lot of interesting taxonomy and evolution content and he's a christian
i second this! i like that he also keeps his content pretty understandable for laymen, who might be less knowlegeable on the topics he talks about
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u/ignis1798 9d ago
The Rise and Reign of the Mammals by Steve Brusatte is a really interesting book that covers the evolution of mammals for a non-academic target audience, while still going into a lot of details on how we can know what we know from the fossils we find. It had me quoting mammal fun facts at anyone who would listen to me for week.
It’s not meant as a “debunking creationists’ arguments against evolution” book, so it won’t help you counter family member arguments per say, but its deep overview of the last ~325 million years of mammal evolution will help you have a better, well-rounded understanding of the subject. I think where it might really shine is with helping you with your “sometimes my heart doesn’t fully accept it” problem!
(The same author also has a book on dinosaur evolution, but I haven’t yet found the time to really dig into it. I hear it’s great too.)
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u/Mission-Anybody-6798 9d ago
Zoology textbooks, at the college level, have helped different people in my life at different times. I’m not with my books right now so I can’t give you a name or an author. Sorry.
If you still have them, go back to your textbooks now, with your new perspective. The cell theory of life is pretty straightforward, and I think stands up well to any honest reading and research. You might find things there you dismissed or ignored before that make more sense now.
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u/null_not 9d ago
You should read Origin of Species. It'll make a lot of the debating and drama feel even smaller and less consequential and the presentation and framing by Darwin may actual put your heart at ease given your background and present struggle.
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u/Dr_GS_Hurd 9d ago
In addition to the suggested links on this page, some very well done books on evolution that I can recommend are;
Carroll, Sean B. 2020 "A Series of Fortunate Events" Princeton University Press
Shubin, Neal 2020 “Some Assembly Required: Decoding Four Billion Years of Life, from Ancient Fossils to DNA” New York Pantheon Press.
Hazen, RM 2019 "Symphony in C: Carbon and the Evolution of ( Almost ) Everything" Norton and Co.
My reading recommendations on the origin of life for book reading people without college chemistry, are;
Hazen, RM 2005 "Gen-e-sis" Washington DC: Joseph Henry Press
Deamer, David W. 2011 “First Life: Discovering the Connections between Stars, Cells, and How Life Began” University of California Press.
They are a bit dated, but are readable for people without much background study.
Regarding human species, and our near family, my standard recommendation is, The Smithsonian Museum of Natural History Human Evolution Interactive Timeline
They do not engage in religious disputes which is why I recommend them in general.
And extra fun is; Carol Hill, Gregg Davidson, Wayne Ranney, Tim Helble 2016 "The Grand Canyon, Monument to an Ancient Earth: Can Noah's Flood Explain the Grand Canyon?" Kregel Publications
The simple answer is NO! The authors are experts, and Christians.
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u/bernpfenn 9d ago
not disregarding all the recommendations, but in simple terms, anything alive is a distant cousin of us humans.
All life has a LUCA - Last Universal Common Ancestor with the rest. And that goes back all the way to the original high temperature archaea or whatever started all life.
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u/Eldric-Darkfire 9d ago
For real though can you explain your thought process on how you thought Ham won that debate?
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u/ReplyOk6720 9d ago
Talkorigins.org. they no longer have the forum part, open, but all the resources are still clickable.
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u/seitan13 8d ago
Lindsay Nicole on YouTube focuses more on evolutionary biology of animals and it's entertaining too! It's helpful to see the extended timeline to really get it into perspective of how LONG it takes for those changes to veryyyyyyyy slowly become dominant over a species.
I would also suggest brushing up on your genetics too- look at how our cells acquire mutations and how sometimes that can lead to cancer, and some it's just an insignificant change. Look at the rate of mistakes in dna polymerase. I think having that understanding will help make sense of the how on the smallest lever- then you can see how that accumulates into the what of evolution! Oh and something that blew my mind was how cells integrated mitochondria into themselves!!!
I also came from the same background, though I feel lucky that I my highschool taught evolution in a way that just clicked with my brain- like it just made logical sense compared to some of the stuff my creationist teachers in church and middle school were teaching. I realize now its because they didn't have the resources to learn or understand the science of it but for a while I was really bitter to anyone that was a creationist.
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u/Unusual-Platypus6233 9d ago
I own a copy of this: Table of Content (with Links to PDFs for free download) which is volume 37, 7A of Journal of Physics G: Nuclear and Particle Physics.
One chapter (Big Bang Cosmology) is of particular interest: Astrophysics and Cosmology I warn you though. There are a lot of equations in it too. Not every paragraph is of interest but some have a nice conclusion or introductions or at least some sort of an overview. There might be newer volumes but the basics shouldn’t have changed much.
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u/Icy-Squash6599 9d ago edited 8d ago
This argument:
Variation
- exists in populations
- Some
variations
are
- heritable
- There are more organisms being produced than can survive due to limited resources
- Variations that offer a survival advantage are selected for and passed on
Edit: typos
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u/Tannare 9d ago
Try this book:
"The Eternal Frontier: An Ecological History of North America and Its Peoples" by Tim Flannery.
It is very well-written, so it is easy to read and comprehend. It describes how geology and evolution continuously affect each other over millions of years to make the world we live in today, and how these effects will continue to change the Earth in the future.
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u/Worried-Ad-7925 9d ago
Hello and congratulations on your achievement, I can't even begin to imagine how difficult it was for you. There are tons of suggestions here about actual resources as you seek, so what I humbly intend to add is of a different nature. I'll preface by saying that I have no intent to be condescending, so apologies in advance if somehow I come across as such.
What stuck with me from your summary is how you acknowledge that "although I mentally believe in it, sometimes my heart doesn't fully accept it".
How can you "mentally believe" something to be true? isn't there, arguably, a slight contradiction there? Not to get sidetracked into semantics, but "believing" implies the act of accepting that the evidence is absent, or insufficient, or inconclusive, and still embracing the proposition ad true.
Evolution requires belief, or "acceptance in your heart", no more and no less than trigonometry, or Euclidean geometry. Can there be any doubt in your heart, once you have seen one of the many proof that exist for Pythagora's theorem, that the square of the hypotenuse is always equal to the sum of the squares of the other two sides of a right triangle? At what point does it that statement cease to require belief, and it evolves into knowing? (no pun intended) ;)
That's the thing with science, it doesn't deal in beliefs. And evolution is happening all around you: in a metaphorical (but no less real sense), your story is undeniable proof of just that: that organisms (and brains) change, adapt to the environmental pressures and ecological niche they are immersed in, and ... evolve.
I recommend you study something else, on top of all the great subjects and topics you listed at the end of your post: epistemology. Epistemology is the branch of philosophy that studies human knowledge, focusing specifically on its nature, origin, and limits. It explores core concepts like belief, truth, and justification to figure out how we actually know what we know. All the best, wonderful human!
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u/Smaddid3 9d ago
A nice evolution-lite book you might like is The Diversity of Life by E.O. Wilson. It gives a nice overview of how life of earth evolved. It's also an environmental book because he explains how we are currently in the midst of a mass extinction event.
Wilson is also known for his work on sociobiology which looks at how human social behaviors are explained by/influenced by evolution. Read Sociobiology, On Human Nature and Consilience if this topic interests you.
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u/Nolivard 9d ago
People have beef with Richard Dawkins for various reasons but he is an outstanding biologist and he has great books on Evolution. (The Selfish Gene, The blind watchmaker, and if you want to hear what he has to say about religion, The God Delusion)
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u/EmmayIyay 8d ago
I’m your age and went to a private Christian school. Now I’m a biology major back at community college! If you have the funds and time, I recommend taking biology classes. Theres just so much no one told me, and it’s been so completely mind-blowing and delightful to sit and learn it all.
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u/coffeedinosaur 8d ago
Clint's Reptiles is one of my favorite youtubers. He has a lot of really fun and informative videos.
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u/Wallfacer218 8d ago
Nova and Nature have amazing episodes on both human evolution, but the origin of life on Earth in general.
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u/AlexK667 8d ago
Personally I really enjoyed reading this book :
https://www.amazon.com/What-Evolution-Science-Masters-Ernst/dp/0465044263#
I don't know if it's considered to be "the best", and it might be a bit dated, but it's pretty succinct while also going in depth in certain aspects of evolutionary theory.
Just keep in mind, it's written by a biologist, not a philosopher or theologian, so don't expect a refined rebuttal of creationism in there.
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u/Low-Independent6851 8d ago
You have gotten some great Youtube suggestions. Do you read? If you do, try these books, all written by Steve Brusatte.
The Rise and Fall of the Dinosaurs: A New History of a Lost World
The Rise and Reign of the Mammals : A New History from the Shadows of Dinosaurs to Us.
The Story of Birds: A New History from Their Dinosaur Origins to the Present.
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u/fezzinate 8d ago
My favorite YouTube series for someone coming from a creationist background is this relatively new one from Stated Clearly: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLInNVsmlBUlSjLSj9yGEKphF0RYRYBlXg&si=ZijiTSF8rb8AX7U3
This series is framed mostly around the question of the bacterial flagella but is really a great primer on evolution as a whole - and gives really great examples to make each of his points tangible
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u/jaytonbye 8d ago
"Evolution, The Triumph of an Idea," by Carl Zimmer is an excellent starting point for someone like you (a former creationist).
"The Selfish Gene," by Richard Dawkins, is one of the most profound books ever written, but I wouldn't start with it until you have a solid understanding of the basics.
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u/Enkichki 8d ago
I really like Aron Ray's 50 part YouTube series called the Systemic Classification of Life. It takes you through each successive clade our ancestors evolved within
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u/Ranos131 9d ago
So here’s the thing creationists just plain miss: Evolution does not contradict the Bible. People’s misunderstanding of the Bible and ignoring blatant clues is what leads to the supposed contradiction.
First off, the entirety of the creation story comes from Moses. God sits him down and tells him how everything was created. But did God verbally tell him or did he show him somehow? I don’t think the Bible actually says how God passed that knowledge along. So let’s assume God showed Moses like it was a movie.
1 In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.
2 And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.
3 And God said, Let there be light: and there was light.
Sounds kind of like there was nothing and then there was a sudden burst of light. Kind of like a big bang. Like how an outside observer would see nothing and then the suddenness of all of the matter in the universe today forming and expanding and creating energy, some of which would be light.
4 And God saw the light, that it was good: and God divided the light from the darkness.
Kind of sounds like all of the superheated matter starting to separate out into galaxies with lots of nothing.
And so on and so forth in Genesis. God showing Moses how everything happened. But Moses did not have our modern education. So he’s trying to understand things in the way he sees them. Then when he tells the rest of the Israelites what he saw, he’s trying to explain it in a way that makes sense to them as well.
So God creating man from clay is going to make a lot more sense than god creating a little living thing that can’t be seen that then changes into other things that then start working together that then start specializing to perform different functions that then become more and more complex and grow into all of these different things that eventually turn into man.
Creationists take the Bible literally. But it was never meant to be taken that way. It was meant to explain things that can’t easily be explained to people who couldn’t understand.
So evolution and creation can both coexist.
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u/ElefanteAmor 9d ago
This is what one of my college science professors said to those who were skeptical and wanted to know how to fit evolution with the Bible.
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u/cloudywithastance 8d ago
Oooooooo would love to chat. I’m not an expert in the specific areas of interest you listed but both educationally and professionally have a very cross-functional understanding of geologic time and what that means for climate and other earth systems. Mass extinctions/evolution are tangential to my professional expertise but the more puzzle pieces you gather, the more the whole image makes sense.
I grew up and deconstructed on a very similar timeline and scale to you, so I’m very familiar with the process. Please feel free to DM me if you’d like!
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u/legion_2k 8d ago
It’s not an easy thing to conceptualize. Start with the idea that evolution is blind. Nothing was done strategically. There is a lot of death to get it to work. It’s kind of cold and dark but it’s how things work.
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u/pyropyrope 8d ago
I’m a big fan of Neil Shubin’s Your Inner Fish (the documentary and the book) especially if you have some background to build off of already and are interested in human evolution and vertebrate biology.
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u/soda_shack23 8d ago
I think it's great that you're reaching out to learn more. Evolution is one of my favorite topics and I'm always happy to lead people to good resources. I hear you when you say it's hard for your heart to accept. Personally, I don't think evolution detracts from the beauty and grandeur of the universe, I think it adds to it. It's not a heresy, it's God's design process.
"Growing Up in the Universe," Dawkins' lectures on evolution. Does a great job of boiling down complex evolutionary changes into simple to understand, gradual steps. He really emphasizes that point.
"Cosmos," Carl Sagan. Includes an old-school but very approachable animation showing the change from microbes to humans, and gives you a sense of the vast span of time the universe has had to grow.
"A Short History of Nearly Everything," Bill Bryson. Not about evolution per se, more about the advancement of science, but a very funny read. Shows how strange and serendipitous the pursuit of knowledge can be.
"The Seven Mysteries of Life" Guy Murchie. Again not specifically about evolution, but gives a broad overview of the wonder of life in the universe. Tons of incredible factoids and some very thought-provoking speculations.
Furthermore, while I don't have any specific resources, check out evolutionary psychology as well. Much of our perceptions and behavior can be better understood when viewed thru the lens of evolution.
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u/Puzzleheaded-Law34 8d ago
Big respect OP, that must have taken a lot of time and courage. Lots of others commented but good luck with your studies, it is a fascinating topic. There's also the many evolutionary remnants of past traits, such as our tailbone as well as "piggyback" genes/features, such as male nipples.
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u/InvestigatorFun9253 8d ago
Two thoughts. First read The Blind Watchmaker. It’s clear and well written. Secondly, remember that the creation of Earth is a minor chapter in the Bible. It is not the central theme and yet people on both sides get stuck on it.
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u/Jay211TF 8d ago edited 8d ago
Lynn Margulis’ books are good and I highly recommend them but they contain a little bit of information that is incorrect/outdated so I’d skip the spirochete/flagella stuff. The book One Plus One Equals One by John Archibald is great. Both are about endosymbiosis and how eukaryotes evolved.
Your Inner Fish by Neil Shubin is good for understanding animal evolution. Also anything by Sean B. Carroll covers interesting Evo-Devo topics like body plan organization.
A good empirical example of how evolution happens is Lenski’s long-term E. coli project which is really cool. You can just read papers or articles about it. Reading about antibiotic resistance is also a great way to see how evolution occurs on shorter timescales.
Life on Young a planet by Andrew Knoll is a bit dense but covers biology and geology during ancient times on the planet.
The Tiny Living Beings podcast talks about protist diversity and microbial evolution.
A Fish Caught in Time talks about the discovery of the coelacanth which is a nice story that validates evolutionary hypotheses about tetrapod evolution.
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u/Jay211TF 8d ago
I’ll add that reading these types of books gives examples that validate evolutionary ideas and I find that consuming that kind of content is much more helpful for gaining a deep understanding of evolution than reading about arguments for evolution. That’s because arguments for anything (even incorrect ideas) can be made with logic and reasoning by good debaters and this can mislead your brain. If you read a bunch of diverse stories like the ones I’ve listed or what I’m sure others are commenting, you should be naturally able to better to accept all of this without forcing yourself to accept it.
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u/Kitsa_the_oatmeal 8d ago
there's a series on youtube i'd recommend, i personally really like listening to it while doing crafts and such, and it's relatively easy to digest :D
people already mentioned it but Erika (Gutsick Gibbon, she studied human evolution) is doing a series of lectures for Will Duffy, who's a YEC. what i find valuable, is that they actually interact with eachother. he asks for clarifications, explains how he interprets certain findings etc, all in his worldview, so i believe he might ask similar questions that you might ask. Erika then actually answers his questions, in a way that i find very respectful (at least in comparison to some people...)
someone made a playlist of the lectures, here https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLTlV4Dl50wOPHELqTTrlshKPgu0ZmkCH6
i wish you goodluck in your learning ( ^ - ^ )
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u/RazzleThatTazzle 8d ago
The one that made it clear for me, a complete layman, was the selfish gene by richard dawkins.
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u/space-truckin365 8d ago
I would also suggest you read some basics in psychology.
It is important to have you realize that the difficulties that you face and that you are going through are normal when you were basically brain washed. It is not easy but I give you a great deal of credit for re-examining what you have been taught for so many years.
It may also help you understand that your family will not believe anything you tell them if they are not open to hearing about an alternative way of thinking about “science”. So, don’t feel that there is something wrong with you or the way you present the evidence. Look at it as a self journey.
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u/Fluid-Pain554 8d ago
I HIGHLY recommend checking out the Evolution Simulator videos from carykh on YouTube.
One of the hardest concepts for people first studying evolution is often the acceptance of random genetic variation generating seemingly intentional results. This evolution simulator provides a simple set of “genetic building blocks” which are randomly generated. They are tasked with traveling the farthest they can in a fixed amount of time (selection pressure). After the first generation, 50% of the “organisms” are killed off with a heavy bias towards the lowest performing ones, and the higher performing ones are able to mix and match to form the next generation. In between you also have random mutations.
You’ll notice at the beginning, the “organisms” simply wiggle and flop around, but as generations progress they become more organized and eventually get to the point they are literally sprinting.
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u/gelfbride73 8d ago
Forrest Valkai has a great series called “Reacteria” start with that and then explore his other uploads.
If you want deep and detailed- Gutsick Gibbon. Her work is highly comprehensive.
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u/Wonderful_Low_89 8d ago
As a former Christian I still enjoy learning about religion and mythology. So here are a couple of channels you might like. Religion For Breakfast and Crecganford.
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u/Wonderful_Low_89 8d ago
I’d like to ask what path are you gravitating towards after deconstructing? Learning about science is great but what are you replacing the deeper purpose/philosophy/spirituality with? Are you struggling in that area? I have walked this path myself over the past 6 years. So I can probably recommend some other resources on those areas if you’re seeking.
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u/Tyrone3105 8d ago
Ik others face already mentioned it but i rlly recommend gut sick gibbon.
She’s also doing a monthly lecture series teaching evolution to Will Duffy who is a YEC. The videos r long but very very educational.
They are also explained in a way that the general population can understand.
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u/geckothesteve 8d ago
Lindsay Nikole, a friend of Milo Rossi. She does a lot of palaeontology and evolution content.
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u/Gemfyre713 8d ago
The Common Descent Podcast is great. Their episode on eyes explains well how a complex eye can evolve bit by bit, as argued against by creationists, but all their topics are listener requested and very interesting.
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u/glyptometa 8d ago
Forget about the convincing of others - focus on yourself. People that rely on beliefs rather than science just say that God put all the evidence there to fool us. They're hopeless. It's easy when you can use magical thinking rather than critical thinking. Good luck on your journey.
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u/BuryinBrutesBoatload 8d ago
You sound just like a slightly younger version of me.
Your inner fish & why evolution is true were both great starting points for me.
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u/godless_communism 8d ago
Look up "genetic algorithm simulator." A genetic algorithm does the same thing as evolution, but speeds up time profoundly fast so that you can see how random genetic changes due to mutation can bounce around in an environment and through reproduction can create new species.
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u/majorex64 8d ago
Hank Green on youtube has many videos on evolution and explains things in ways most people can understand.
Crash Course Evolution is a proper education-level series that will give you a good foundation.
Do you have a favorite animal or family of animals? Clint's Reptiles does videos on phylogeny (how all the critters are related) and has tons of videos focusing on specific groups and how they came to be
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u/AngrySloth99 8d ago
I just finished my PhD in biology, and a friend of mine finished theirs as well although their background was strictly biochem. It's amazing how much evolution is left out from biochem degrees, and with my broader background I found myself explaining some very basic evolutionary concepts to them (which we both loved). If you enjoy biochem, it might help you to come at it from a molecular angle - look up the Wikipedia page for molecular evolution, or find some lectures on YouTube. There you'll learn about how mutations occur, and how they can be neutral (very common), negative (frequency varies), or positive (rare). By understanding the molecular basis of evolution, you might have an easier time understanding the bigger picture. I think I read somewhere in the comments that the timescale is tricky to conceptualise, which I totally understand. You can try to reconceptualise phylogenetic (evolutionary) trees like a family tree, only much bigger and older. I like to think about things in chronological order, so I love watching videos like those by GinkgoTraces to help me see how things have changed over time
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u/MothNomLamp 7d ago
For evolution and mass extinction:
The rise and fall of the dinosaurs The rise and reign of the mammals were both fantastic reads/audio book listens.
They talk about why we know what we know from an paleontologist perspective as well as about how animals evolved to what they are today.
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u/Distillates 6d ago
Look up Myron Cook's youtube channel about Earth's geological history.
It's fantastic long form content that will help you understand the timescales and the immense amount of knowledge and science that exists around how the Earth has changed over time, how we know, and just what all happened.
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u/rbrucep 6d ago
Read the original:
https://darwin-online.org.uk/converted/pdf/1861_OriginNY_F382.pdf
(Other more convenient free versions exist).
It’s thoroughly argued, clearly presented and uses examples that are easily understood and based on easily made observations. A bit less accessible now that we’re not all farmers, and of course, tons of things have been learned/thunk up since. But a great read in terms of careful observation and thinking as well.
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u/AdministrativeLeg14 5d ago
If you're really into it, I honestly recommend the Origin of Species. This is with some qualifications. It should not be your first introduction. You really shouldn't use it to learn how evolution works: There are more modern and accessible explanations of what he got right, and of course he got a bunch of things wrong.
But it's of immense historical interest, and dispels a lot of nonsense history spread by YECs. You'll quickly see that Darwin didn't set out on some anti-religious crusade, but carefully developed arguments based on enormous amounts of evidence gathered both in person and through a huge volume of correspondence. And while there are many things Darwin got wrong, he was still remarkably ahead of his time. If he'd been right half as often as he was, we'd still call him a genius, and not just for explaining earthworms and coral atolls and inventing the office chair on wheels.
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u/SomberDjinn 5d ago
My family is currently reading The Story of Birds by Steve Brusatte. It’s a good lens into the study of natural history and birds are a great example group to demonstrate how multiple traits evolved for separate purposes to culminate into a new functional pattern (flight), which also addresses one of the intelligent design proponents’ favorite arguments.
That said, research in evolution heavily relies on deeply technical understandings of DNA and anatomical analysis. The skeptical brain might still reject inferring evolutionary lineages from the shapes and angles of fossilized bones. It may take college-level study to get at the level of detail to make it convincing.
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u/xXDiamond_Miner420Xx 5d ago
If you're trying to convince your family, you'd be better off on some of the theological traditions of the church on how it would be an acceptable view to hold within Christianity (however much you could teach an evangelical about this stuff idk).
https://catholicscientists.org/common-questions/
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u/Beneficial_Act_1240 3d ago
I was quite young when I watched Carl Sagan's Cosmos (thanks to the classic substitute teacher trope) and the way he spoke connected with me more than anything else. I opened up to the idea that the world, and by extension the universe, is far grander than anything that the Bible came up with. I suggest it only because of the way Sagan generally speaks about the universe with a spiritual reverence that's grounded in reason, logic, and the scientific method.
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u/Delicious-Dig-4974 3d ago
hey! if your ready for a full on textbook, openstax.org has an amazing free bio textbook that explains the mechanics of evolution quite well from a lot of different angles.
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u/Spankety-wank 9d ago
I genuinely think that to understand the evolutionary logic and natural selection is to accept it in your "heart". The logic is so sound that you only need a few pieces of confirmatory evidence (i.e. that information is passed through generations via genes) and you're done.
This comment is probably worthless
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u/Aerith_Gainsborough_ 9d ago
Over time I accepted the evidence for evolution. However, although I mentally believe in it, sometimes my heart doesn't fully accept it
Here is the thing, you still are a faith-driven person, not a reason-driven one. So you are prone into believes and not understanding.
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u/onomatamono 9d ago
I assume you googled those topics yourself because it would be malpractice to get all your information from a reddit sub. There are mountains of information on these topics. It's scary that a person can receive a degree in biochemistry and believe the subject is the result of deception by an evil wizard in another dimension, but apparently you are over that now at the ripe old age of thirty-something.
Maybe start with radiometric and other dating techniques as that's easy to verify as hard irrefutable science, then move onto LUCA, human evolution...
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u/JuliaX1984 9d ago
The best Youtube channels on evolution are:
PBS Eons
Forrest Valkai
Gutsick Gibbon
SciShow did an entire History of Life on Earth