OK, I'm getting annoyed by what I'm reading here. Time for a bit of cut and paste
Evolution is a theory that has not yet been disproved. Evolution, in this context, is how life in general changes over time. There is little doubt that life on earth has changed over time. It is believed that 99% of all the species that have lived on earth, are now extinct. Extinction of a species is one way in which life evolves. That evolution occurs within populations of life forms on earth is well supported.
Scientists measure gene frequencies and protein structures in a group of organisms, and then see how those frequencies and structures change over time.
All life on earth, according to evolutionary theory, evolved from common ancestors. All life on earth is related to each other; we are all of the same family. Modern whales have hip bones in their flesh that they do not use because they do not walk. They probably evolved from mammals that did walk. Paleontologists have found a fossil whale called Pakicetus that has more developed rear legs. Older whales should look more like their ancestors if evolution is correct. Without evolution, we could not understand why whales have hip bones.
Another example is Archaeopteryx. This was a dinosaur that had feathered wings, like birds. Bird and dinosaurs have a common ancestry. This fossil has teeth, although no bird has teeth. It has the skeleton of a dinosaur, but the feathers of a bird. It shows that there was a time when the difference between birds and dinosaurs was not obvious.
There is a growing mountain of evidence that supports evolution. It will never be proven true because we can not know for sure. But by using the scientific method, we can make a good guess, based on careful observations of the earth as it exists today.
[This message has been edited by Ajax (edited 16 July 2000).]