WTF, Evolution? is the most enjoyable Tumblr I've come across this side of the unassailable, if a tad nichier, Every Day I'm Pastorin'. Basically it's pictures of ridiculous-looking animals and then commentary, often in the form of a dialogue between evolution and a bewildered observer. For instance:

“You know that elephant seal I made? The one with the awesome floppy nose?”

“Yes, evolution, that was a pretty good nose.”

“And you know how it kept getting parasites up inside it?”

“I heard that was an issue.”

“I fixed it.”

“You fixed it? What did you do, give the elephant seal more protective mucus? A better immune system? Stronger nose hairs?”

“Nope! That all seemed too hard. I just made a nose-picking bird.”

“A nose-picking bird.”

“Works great!”

The Tumblr's "About" line: "Honoring natural selection's most baffling creations. Go home, evolution, you are drunk."

If it's not obvious from the premise of an anthropomorphized "evolution," the word "creations" should bring it home: this jokester of the innertubes doesn't seem to have a dog in the evolution/creation fight. Or at least, not a very clearly defined dog. Because the Tumblr both takes evolution as a given and speaks of it as though it's speaking (rather irreverently) about a creator god.

If, like me, you've never been able to hear the term "theistic evolution" as the mocking pejorative intended by the creationists who coined it—if it pretty much sounds good to you—then this Tumblr's assumptions are sort of refreshing. And if, like me, your interest in evolutionary science stops or at least detours significantly at pictures of weird animals, WTF, Evolution? is just the Tumblr for you.

There's even one where evolution's conversation partner seems to be more participant than observer, recalling Genesis's plural "Let us make humankind in our image." Amazing.

Steve Thorngate

The Century managing editor is also a church musician and songwriter.

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