Ep2: Designed and Designoid Objects - Growing Up in the Universe - Richard Dawkins

richarddawkins....
Oxford professor Richard Dawkins presents a series of lectures on life, the universe, and our place in it. With brilliance and clarity, Dawkins unravels an educational gem that will mesmerize young and old alike. Illuminating demonstrations, wildlife, virtual reality, and special guests (including Douglas Adams) all combine to make this collection a timeless classic.
The Royal Institution Christmas Lectures for Children were founded by Michael Faraday in 1825, with himself as the inaugural lecturer. The 1991 lecturer was Richard Dawkins whose five one-hour lectures, originally televised by the BBC, are now available free online, courtesy of The Richard Dawkins Foundation for Reason and Science. The entire 5-hour program is also available on a 2-DVD set through our online store. richarddawkins....
The DVD includes subtitles in English, Spanish, French and Polish.
Read the transcript:
richarddawkins....
If you enjoy these free videos, please consider purchasing the DVD and/or making a donation to The Richard Dawkins Foundation for Reason and Science to help us continue our work. Donate here: richarddawkinsf...
Originally broadcast as The Royal Institution Christmas Lectures for Children, 1991.

[@Jonayofsweden]

This is how all subjects should be taught. Seriously, this level of commitment and interactiveness in schools would radically change the way students would immerse themselves in their studies.

[@aquillafleetwood8180]

Jonayofsweden...yep...they all will end up in hell! Sad.....

[@jatticusfinch9015]

White noise, Aquilla Fleetwood. What theists don't seem to understand is that threats of hell, even when they are directed at children (children, Aquilla!), are as empty as their issuers world-view.

[@unematrix]

Do keep in mind that Richard had far more time and resources to prepare for this one lecture while a regular school teacher would only have a few hours at most.

[@soundrider7025]

@@unematrix Regular school teachers have time too. They are only very underpayed.

[@Noname-w7f1e]

Wouter This is not a worthy reason not to try - it’s more of a sign that the educational system should be reworked!

[@JohnyTuga]

32:45 "Have you ever used a computer with a mouse?" that is the best 90's question ever xD

[@illusionz9053]

+PortugalHD I actually expected this to be a joke and the crowd laugh, then I realized just ~20 years ago computers were still a high privilege.

[@muhammadalkhawarizmi3630]

Waiting for computer with mind control.

[@headrockbeats]

+PortugalHD Who knows, the question might be relevant again in the near future.

[@necko2529]

I came to the comment section for the same thing... If you think about it, most kids of today have not used one either. Today's kids mostly use tablets and laptops.

[@adama5543]

JohnyTuga LOL I had the same reaction.

[@riteshajoodha4401]

I can't believe Richard is 50 years old here!!! he looks so young.

[@prla5400]

Blud, he looks 20

[@pgsmith22]

Good genes 😉

[@opeth84]

That is insane, looks like 30

[@jamesoverholt878]

There are benefits to sleeping with a time lord.

[@alfahim9iner]

@@jamesoverholt878 people are sleeping on this comment

[@4444kenpachi4444]

I absolutely adore this man. He truly seems like a really great guy with real enthusiasm for science and a humble attitude. I love it!

[@bakewithela8327]

I feel so privileged to be alive at a time that Professor Dawkins and other great minds such as Dennett, Krauss, and so on are as well. I'm glad that listening to them made me realize what I already knew all along about religion and evolution. It all makes perfect sense to me now as an adult, and I hope a lot of people can understand that this is the life worth living and be more open minded to question everything. I know it's not that simple for most, as most everyone I know is in some part religious and "disappointed" with my atheism, believing I will somehow change my mind in the future and bring back religion in my life. But I hope that by me "coming out" as atheist, they to will think differently and think for themselves.. Listening to Professor Dawkins' lectures is in my opinion, a priceless gift for everyone of us to listen, learn and enjoy.

[@6752-j1m]

Ela Alvarez

[@6752-j1m]

.

[@ManicYouniverse]

Let's not forget Christopher Hitchens! :) All best to you in 2021 :)

[@hassangalal381]

Reading your comment in 2021 while enjoying Dawkins at his 80 bday :) from Cairo

[@bakewithela8327]

@@ManicYouniverse yes! Definitely!!! I love Christopher Hitchens ♥️

[@UV0023]

Just done watching the 5th episode, these lectures were way ahead of their time, everybody should know about shows like this I found out about it recently at the age of 28, it would've been great If I had the chance to watch it at an early age. It's a crime not to air this show in every channel of every country. Man, Richard Dawkins is a living encyclopedia!

[@mikebellamy]

+UV0023 Its a crime to proclaim evolution as a fact of science to an audience of young people without declaring what the assumptions are..

[@mikebellamy]

+subasurf There are at least three assumptions.. (1) MATHEMATICAL ASSUMPTION [The law of compound mathematical probability does not apply].. The assumption that adding time and selection to a series of random chemical and physical 'events' somehow reduces the improbability of the final result. The law of compound probability is independent of both 'time' and 'selection'.. Pr(A and B and C) = Pr(A).Pr(B).Pr(C) So lets 'evolve' a 1000 coins showing heads.. by random throws and selection.. I have a population of 100 batches of (10 coins) and I throw all 10 coins in each. Now select all those batches with heads > tails and copy them exactly. Now discard an equal number of batches with heads < tails so we are back to 100 batches but average heads > tails. Repeat the process again.. as many times as you like.. The end result will not 'grow' to be all heads.. rather the total average number of heads will remain close to half and after each throw ~half the batches will still have tails > heads.! (2) THE TECHNOLOGICAL ASSUMPTION [There exists an unbroken series of small changes each one functionally advantageous to its predecessor from an initial state (no function) to its currently observed evolved functional state] This is not observed anywhere.. There is no such thing a a series of partial proteins.. partial enzymes.. partial bicycles.. partial gearboxes.. partial record players. There is no incremental path from CD player to DVD player.. Just like there is no known incremental path from eukaryotes to prokaryotes.. These are all massive jumps. (3) THE SECOND LAW ASSUMPTION [The second law of thermodynamics does not apply to the evolutionary process of random change and selection in an open system] In an open system any decrease in entropy (increase in order) must be accompanied by a corresponding and larger increase in entropy (disorder) in the surroundings. Survival of the fittest does not explain the arrival of the fittest means growth and reproduction of a tree does not account for the creation of the tree in the first place. DNA is ordered and random change will always tend to destroy order by the 2nd Law. As the genome gets larger the chance of assembly of a functional specification of a protein say gets less by the compound probability rule (1) above. To pay for it the only way is to have enough random changes to make it probable enough to not violate the 2nd Law. This is calculated at [vh-mby.blogspot.com.au] Chapters 8 & 9.. Either way it is the FACT that these assumptions are NOT stated which makes the whole thing just philosophical pseudoscience..

[@mikebellamy]

Duplicate copy..

[@mikebellamy]

So what was the protein that was the ancestor of myoglobin.. and what was its ancestor..? If there is no such thing as a series of partial proteins you are agreeing with my point. They don't exist.. but evolution requires them..! What 'Darwinian' tiny incremental steps could we do to change a 3 speed hub gear or (fixed gear) bike into a 10 speed racer while still maintaining function and advantage..? There are many extant examples of eyes yes.. what is missing is the observed ancestral relationship.. assumed by evolutionists. If cumulative selection is VERY different from coin tossing why did @RichardDawkins use it in his Christmas lectures..?

[@mikebellamy]

There are 5 models of origin on the table.. (meaning they have significant groups of followers including a number of highly qualified scientists).. (1) A-bio-genesis + evolution by natural selection over long ages. (2) Cosmic Ancestry the earth was seeded from outer space by comets containing bacteria with prototypes of all genes followed by evolution based on that genetic material over long ages. (3) Theistic origin + evolution with some help from God over long ages. (4) An unknown Intelligent Designer influenced the start and evolution of all life over long ages. (5) The God of bible created the whole universe in 6 days beginning with the earth and ending with humans less than 10000 years ago. I choose to ignore highly advanced 'aliens' directly creating life on earth. Given the algorithm of macro-evolution has been falsified (Fred Hoyle "The Mathematics of Evolution" and my independent proof that it violates of the 2nd Law.. Ref: [vh-mby.blogspot.com.au Ch 9]) that knocks out both 1 & 2. No 3 has lots of followers but little science and big inconsistencies both about God and evolution. No 4 is possible but leaves two huge unsolvable mysteries; Who is the designer? What exactly did he do? Which leaves No 5.. From all that is known I say it has the least number of seriously problematic unknowns. Now I think that after 6000 yrs of human history, I think at least one group must have got it right. So I choose to select from what is already there rather than invent my own. The one shown to have the most consistent support across all scientific disciplines (including sociology and theology etc) and observations. So that would be 5.

[@beaelliott]

I love how gentle and respectful of the nonhumans he is. Truly a gentleman in every sense of the word! Beautiful mind!

[@glutinousmaximus]

An excellent lecture - I wish that I'd had this kind of experience and learning as a child!

[@mordirit8727]

"Have you ever used a computer with a mouse?", to think that on this single man's lifetime we have gone from not having personal computers to having "primitive" forms of it, until some included a mouse and now we already have personal cellphones with tactile screens and a capacity to run any calculation faster than the whole of humanity could do at once... Our technological world is scary, but very beautiful.

[@AtamMardes]

Best educational video ever. This video should be part of high school science teachings.

[@brettshaver3074]

Something so soft and caring about Dawkins. Even the ways he asks the children if they ever used a computer mouse. Just is heartwarming

[@Shaunlf1401]

The kids in the audience don't know how lucky they are! Would have been amazing to be taught biology by Dawkins himself!

[@toni4729]

I should think they know now.

[@ahmedminhal8924]

You are right! I feel somewhat envious of them.

[@Kevo216666]

This lecture is a thing of beauty. Thanks Mr. D. xxx

[@cryptosporidium01]

i can't help thinking of Dawkins as the paragon of the humanist and objective scientist. The way he presents facts to people, including children, with such clearness and passion for the study of life is delightful and a testify to mankind's knowledge and his own skills at speech-making, waking up dormant thirst for discoveries of the origin and beauty of life for most intellectual people.

[@lolsddz]

Damn. I want to look this good when i'm 50.

[@thefamilyfriendlyskeet4465]

Aaah yes finally someone that has the same thing in mind

[@arash4712]

I’m 67 and I look younger than him

[@Jspore-ip5rk]

@@arash4712 bruh...

[@cyberrunner6529]

@@arash4712 I am 150 and I look younger than even you

[@mashable8759]

grace of god xD

[@The1Helleri]

Likely the most beautifully concise yet self explanitory phrase I've ever come across that can be applied to this (though it's actually a principle of late 20th century architectural design) is "Form follows function".

[@DanielThomasArgueta]

I'll remember that thank you for sharing.

[@froxdox1135]

The feeling I get from watching Dawkins enthusiastically lecture about these things is so much grander than what any religion could bring on the table - even if it were all true! I'm profoundly happy to live in a world where theism is false. Imagine living in a world where you'd never know if the ball (from the previous lecture) would hit your head or not.

[@CrazyWorldCupChicken]

Why would it be impossible to predict the motion of a ball in a theistic universe?

[@thebotformalityknownasdale2564]

I feel so lucky to have discovered these old lectures and to see the simplicity of logic with zero demands of faith

[@redshark618]

i love richard dawkins - he is the voice of reason

[@999is666upsidedown]

I thought the first episode was exceptionally amazing. And also this one. The points were made extremely clear, the children are asked to volunteer to get them more active into the lesson and pay attention. Excellent imo.

[@cryptosporidium01]

The oddness of life he presents are amazing as well, and thought I already knew about most of it it's a real treat to watch this wise dude explaining them. Best scientific popularization ever in my opinion.

[@amiraboodi2075]

Another remarkable lecture from Prof. Richard Dawkins. Thank you very much for creating these beautiful videos. By watching them I really get inspired to do research on some of the ideas and lessons he teaches during his lectures. Some of the moments were too interesting for me: 1. How iris of our eye wide or shrink the pupil according to the amount of lights it measures, so fast and automatic. 2. Compass termite nests. 3. Imperfection in evolution of that flat fish. 4. How a spider moves to create a web. 5. Skull bones of Boa constrictor that can be detached to swallow preys that are much bigger than its jaw. 6. That special plant that keeps water like a pot and uses special techniques to catch insects and nourish the maggots so that it could use manures. And I loved every second of this lecture. English is not my mother tongue and listening to these types of lectures is a little more difficult for me but I think it worth it. By watching these videos, I could see the beauty of the world around me and become more grateful of understanding a little bit more about these remarkable designoid.

[@ineffablemars]

He has such a calming voice/demeanor.

[@margen47]

Amazing lecture! Much respect for Dr. Dawkins.

[@JeremiahObediah]

"Have you ever used a computer with a mouse before?" is one of th emost outdated questions I've heard in a while. That was somewhat shocking!

[@eblocha]

Also how it took a whole night to calculate a few thousand generations of webs.

[@mercy514]

1991

[@Gilgaladt]

Amazing ;) I was 8 at that time playing prince of persia on a 486 with 50 Mhz

[@Aethuviel]

I remember being maybe 5 (I was born the year this was filmed BTW), borrowing the library computer as very few people had home computers yet, and while there was a mouse, there was also an alternative. It was a huge, yellow ball that you had to steer, like the ball on the underside of an old computer mouse, just bigger. It was really weird and unpractical.

[@vivavaldez87]

I once heard someone say these were "timeless" lectures :)

[@jsb0321]

Must say that Dawkins has become a much better public speaker over the years. I could easily kids getting board with this lecture.

[@MrLesbie]

What a hottie!

[@Sheldonwh]

I like these lectures more each time I watch them. Thanks Josh and Richard to posting them on YT.

[@JR-ee4xf]

Wow.... Thank you for uploading this gem of a lecture...... Is there someone doing such lectures currently?

[@c0l1n_m45]

We can only wish we for a world where there is a Richard Dawkins teaching in ever classroom across the globe.

[@keistzenon9593]

26:16 dammit Bryson this was your chance to shine

[@jwoya]

Poor Bryson. If you look at his CV, this was one of the highlights of his career (www.omniscience.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/area1/page2.html). I bet he hates cabbage now.

[@RedHeadedStepchild_77]

What a brilliant man.

[@missinformation3449]

Really? No snide remarks about how well Dawkins got along with the snake? Pick up your game, monotheists. xD

[@nakedmrburns8940]

Heheh

[@mee.sam_]

Besssttt xD

[@oyamapapu7219]

It easy to see why this man is regarded as a great explicator - without having a biological background, I can listen for several minutes and make sense of what he is teaching due to his ability to explain simply (without resorting technicality) an otherwise complicated subject. I'm so happy to see young Richard Dawkins, I only got to know he exist now at his old age.

[@StrikaAmaru]

(speaking from memory alone...) About 7,000 years ago, a mutation in European population gave my ancestors the ability to digest milk in adulthood; this is not the case in other human lineages, let alone other mammals. Tetrachromatic vision is caused by a mutation on the X chromosome; it's surprisingly common, and manifests only in women. Nepalese have a mutation that enables them to breathe in low pressure and levels of oxygen; they are fine in environments where we'd need a rebreather to live.

[@aviduser9402]

Simple explanations yet powerful and easy to understand evolution.

[@arkopf85]

Best scientific evidence that this video is not from the year 2009: "Have you ever used a computer with a mouse?"

[@TonecrafteLuthiery]

Arnold Kopf Lol. It's from the Christmas lectures at the Royal Institute in 1990 or something.

[@RedJonChina]

1991

[@juansarria6478]

Arnold Kopf I think reading the description may be a better piece of evidence. It will save you the half hour you have to watch to realize that this is not recent and, if you read enough, you may also find out what the video is about

[@vasulv]

Grateful for sharing these kind of lectures.. thanks a lot

[@danpt2000]

Richard dawkins was born in March of 1941. This series was published in 1991, so the Richard Dawkins we see here is about 50 years old. Today he is about 76 years old.

[@ArnobMD]

That's insane how young he looks

[@Mrtitmice]

I love how he involves the pupils, makes them feel good with applause, very cool!

[@BlackEpyon]

I think that Richard just made a room full of atheists :P

[@mikebellamy]

+BlackEpyon Reveals his true purpose and agenda.. Nothing to do with science actually.. It is his religion and he is the evangelist..

[@BlackEpyon]

Mike Bellamy No, that was all science. Mechanism and evidence. You're just butthurt that the rest of us get by just fine without imaginary skydaddies.

[@mikebellamy]

Well that just reveals your definition of 'science' is governed by your belief "there is no God".. which is like any religious belief is un-provable..

[@BlackEpyon]

Mike Bellamy Before you diss my lack of belief in invisible sky-daddies, please disprove for me the existence of unicorns.

[@jedimasterbernisanderus3665]

+Mike Bellamy Didn't know science was a religion, but according to you the Bible is a science/history book. SO if that is true Science is a religion. I think Ken Hamm is missing one of his "scientists". Mike make sure Noah is riding the dinosaur this time. I think him just standing next to it with his "list" is a little less believable

[@afreenjamal4045]

I wish there were hundreds of such lectures.

[@pyrotechnick420]

I like watching extremely educational videos like this on youtube...and then I go watch you laugh you lose challenges to cleanse my palette and to make sure I stay humble lol

[@travelsandconcepts5040]

Richard Dakins is one of my hero, Thanks

[@koltirasrip5775]

Richard looks really good back in 1991. The last 20 years have been rough on him.

[@aliceandthecatt]

Sweetie Child. The next twenty will be hard on you, dearie. Now Dawkins' has weathered the decades well enough. We should all hit 70 with the same grace Professor Dawkins has.

[@wonderkeyz]

aliceandthecatt exactly. and its not all about superficial looks. His brain is still amazingly cognizant for his age!

[@koltirasrip5775]

aliceandthecatt My Oma and Opa in Germany are in their early and mid 70s and, last I saw, looked no older than 50. Richard looks like he's about to fall apart these days. I'm not saying he's a worse off human being for it, I just feel like he needs a vacation or something.

[@ali------8649]

Lol. He was in his early 50s here and looks amazing. Your jumping from 50 to 70 in a blink (a lot happens in 20 years), what else do you expect someone in their 70s to look like? What a knob!

[@kwiz8848]

This is a great series deserves more views

[@mime454]

Dawkins said that he was afraid of snakes in "The Greatest Show on Earth" this is very brave of him :)

[@dimlighty]

Commenting to remind you of your this very old comment.

[@k3nny111]

If there would be a god who cares about humanity, people like Carl Sagan, Richard Dawkins and co would be immortal.

[@Wagonrider89]

I want a romance novel narrated by Richard Dawkins and Christopher Hitchens.

[@jamescox5297]

Wonderful. I experimented with my own code to do similar experiments to look for data patterns . Good to see such thought worked out by others forbinsight.

[@thoserusskies115]

his tie is tucked into his trousers

[@dongi916]

I never realized that until now, I wonder why he has his tie tucked into his trousers..

[@tag.1835]

@@dongi916 many people do it so it wont be moving too much while he is demonstrating.

[@rickfrombohemia9550]

That's evolution of ties, those which are in symbiosis with trousers have more offsprings.

[@MissPerriwinkle]

thank u richard.....................................

[@basketballfrogy]

Have you ever used a computer with a mouse?, 32:45 :D Good old times. Thank you for uploading this,

[@confirmjannati]

HAHAHAHAH

[@Brettyification]

its the uncle devil show, christians around the world spit chips and seeth together in harmony, i love this guy.

[@m1foley]

I'm 29, and Richard Dawkins still just educated my ass.

[@dimlighty]

You're 41 now.

[@heroicmythos8002]

So you miss being 29?

[@LesterBrunt]

I recently found a bird's nest in my garden. I was really amazed with the quality of the work. Twigs twisted and re-enforced with dirt on the inside and so light but very strong. I would have to spend weeks building that. And I wondered, what had to go on in the birds head when they made it?

[@RustySuffering]

Is the bird's nest still there?

[@dimlighty]

Commenting to remind you of your this very old comment.

[@unoriginalusernameno999]

"Have you ever used a computer with a mouse?" Wow.

[@ahaquer153]

Filmed in 1991

[@Mahesh-om6sq]

Great teacher ,lucky to have him again..

[@igorblagojevic9138]

Brilliant lectures!

[@thebeautifulgame17]

thanks so much for posting this. it's an amazing series

[@sakuwagtail8743]

I will probably regret saying this, but he's daddy as fuck

[@sakuwagtail8743]

I want him to shine lights in my eyes too 😍😍

[@barbarayaga2977]

Okay good I'm not the only one

[@SirBuliwyf]

"Have you ever used a computer with a mouse?" Haha, I don't know when this was done but i'm going to place it at roughly..... 1989-1992 I love the Royal Society Christmas Lectures. They're always so good.

[@melissamauk3530]

I don't think he said um or uh once

[@billdavis9286]

Tyler says um quite a bit actually...

[@deserthamster7049]

"what the boa constrictor is best at is throttling it's pray,..." lmao that part was hilarious! great lecture, wish i had found it a lot earlier...

[@w00fw00f]

"have you ever used a computer with a mouse?"

[@aquillafleetwood8180]

w00fw00f...more like...he uses a mouse (real one) as his computer! The Bible says...he is a ...FOOL...

[@josephbehanan722]

It was filmed in 91 I believe

[@infundere]

These were very nice lectures!

[@jackingtonfoxpickle4861]

Richard Dawkins: gripping knobs.

[@DemonmachinE]

Those paintings, in case you were curious and wanted to find them again, are by a man named Giuseppe Arcimboldo. He's very good.

[@dimlighty]

Commenting to remind you of your this very old comment.

[@Scalpaxos]

Amazing lecture.

[@knasbollolo]

"Have you ever used a computerwith a mouse" Priceless.

[@dhwgrooves]

wow that eye experiment was fantastic!

[@stacy1001]

A young Richard Dawkins, wow.

[@skankhunt3624]

All it takes is a tiny little dog bark, and you realize why dogs are man's best friend.🐕

[@marioaleksandrov7859]

the beginning was confusing but by the end it was crystal clear.

[@aquillafleetwood8180]

Mario Aleksandrov...crystal clear as....mud...

[@sherwood49523974]

I'm usually fed up of Christmas by Christmas time with all the commercialisation coming through from as early as June on the television and have always enoyed the Christmas Lectures, Dawkins being one of the more memorable although I forgot how well he communicates with the tools he is using. It was very good to see an alternative view broadcast for children to the standard christian view though most of the advertising of christmas isn't really that religious anyway or at least wasn't as far as I remember at the time of the broadcast.More to do with a mid-winter break and selling products.I think the UK television channels have produced some good alternative programmes to religion in the past such as an atheist christmas or something similar.

[@jerlij1249]

This is incredible... 🔥

[@Gr8Success]

WHAT A GREAT MAN THIS Richard Dawkins ! he is like a breath of fresh air in this idoctrinated world full of fools

[@rosiebanks5618]

Oh bless Bryson. What a hero.

[@adebrysi]

hey thanks for throwing these up here.

[@BeekersSqueakers]

The opening is really cool.

[@jenniferann1123]

I can listen to, comprehend, and be profoundly moved by the content of this...and have fleeting moments of uninhibited fantasies about him at the same time. lol

[@JesusSuckedGayPenis]

I've rarely heard of the Thylacine referred to as a Tasmanian Wolf. It's more common casual name is the Tasmanian Tiger, because of the stripes.

[@Jspore-ip5rk]

Love the name fan

[@OliviaRI12]

i love him

[@Forscythe80]

Hundred years from now someone will ask the 'stupid' question: "Have you ever used a computer with your thought?"

[@donnahaynes8766]

i had a good question but I kept watching and forgot my point. I will watch again and try again.

[@pointbreak8646]

How things have changed. I was a similar age as these kids at that time and would have 10p on a Friday to get a bag of sweets after school, now 12 year olds have smart phones, walk to school with a coffee from Starbucks and get a subway on school lunch break.

[@bizzee1]

Great series! I'd say that even human made objects are designoids, because the versions that continue on have to earn thier worth by funtioning in the real world. Thus, environmental selection takes part in the process. The human mind just speeds up the design cycle processes because it can model environmental conditions in its imagination to predict what will work best. After the object is built and tested in the real world, refinments are imagined, then built and tested again etc.

[@subpoprec]

The man's system of logic is impeccable. I've found that in reading his works, the instances in which I disagreed with him were largely because I had initially misunderstood him. Review cured this problem. Perhaps it is the same for you and perhaps that same misunderstanding allows for an individual's disbelief in Darwinian theory of evolution. Until I heard it from Dawkins, I hadn't fully understood it myself.

[@alexcowart]

@toxicKt That has got to be the best quote ive ever heard from Richard Dawkins. Gotta love the 90's

[@michuk007]

Richard Dawkins sets out the science of intelligent design. He is the Darwin of Intelligent Design.

[@guymedia2012]

You were right with your second point "mutations happen randomly and get selected according to their survival value". Species often die out when their enviroment changes faster then they can evolve to survive in it.

[@JayashriV]

Beautiful introduction showing evolution. Really love that. And, of course, a wonderful lecture.

[@dimlighty]

Commenting to remind you of your this very old comment.

[@DSAhmed]

I was referring to how Dawkins seemed to insinuate that an insect's nest (for instance the pot made by a potter wasp) isn't designed, since it was made by an animal and not a human. He calls it a "designoid" object (like the human eye is "designoid" and not designed by a "designer") I say that it is designed. The creature created a tool to aid in its survival.

[@davidpersson250]

I say that snakes cant talks, likewise burning bushes either, magic fruits with eternal life, necromancy, dragon levithan, curses and blessings are all magic...magic isnt real

[@BustedHeart]

Love the part when he talks about how if humans went the bulldog would also, then they cut to sad faced child. Nice touch.

[@Neotenik]

I spotted a mistake. At 15:50 that is not a leaf insect, but instead a mantis. Not that important in the context it is being shown.

[@SweRaider1993]

Hey first time I see Richard Dawkins as young :D

[@MClollolol]

"Have you ever used a computer with a mouse before?" LOOOOOL

[@NeedsEvidence]

Nice series for kids.

[@Shaman0979]

I wish that I had known of Richard Dawkins 25 years ago. I wouldn't have wasted so much time pursuing those archaic and culturally reinforced ideas of the physical universe.

[@dimlighty]

Commenting to remind you of your this very old comment.

[@hydro3211]

Im sorry but I thought there is a specialist species of spider for the pitcher plants that digest most of the insect's insides than drop the carcass to the bottom pot plant? Please correct me if im wrong.