The Incompetence of Evolution with Dr. Rob Stadler & Dr. James Tour

In this conversation, chemist James Tour and biomedical scientist Rob Stadler examine what long-term laboratory experiments reveal about evolution’s capabilities—and its limits. Focusing on controlled, repeatable studies rather than historical inference, they discuss why many evolutionary experiments show rapid adaptation followed by clear constraints, particularly when multiple coordinated changes are required. Drawing on research involving bacteria, yeast, plants, and metabolic systems, the discussion explores the difference between adaptation, optimization, and genuine biological innovation. Along the way, they consider why complex biological systems often resist stepwise change, how organisms frequently respond by suppressing or rerouting existing pathways, and what these findings suggest about long-standing assumptions in evolutionary biology. The result is a careful, evidence-driven conversation about what evolution can—and cannot—demonstrate in the laboratory. --- If you’d like to support our work and help us create more content across all platforms, we’d be grateful for any contribution. 🙏 Learn how to give at jesusandscience.org/donate. God bless you! Donate: 💝 jesusandscience.org/donate Research Page: 🔬 jmtour.com Facebook: 📘 facebook.com/drjamestour Instagram: 📸 instagram.com/drjamestour X/Twitter: 🐦 x.com/drjamestour TikTok: 🎶 tiktok.com/@drjamestour YouTube: ▶️ ⁨@DrJamesTour⁩ Discord: 💬 https://discord.gg/zUgBMKjk2p