The Problem Of Missing Nascent Organs
Bodie Hodge, M.Sc., B.Sc., PEI
Biblical Authority Ministries, June 26 2026 (Donate)
In a world dominated by evolutionary thought, one might
think there is good evidence for it biologically. Of course, there are biological
problems including the abiogenesis problem (which violated the law of
biogenesis) but another glaring problem that is rarely discussed is that of
the missing nascent organs.
The missing nascent organs problem is devasting to an
evolutionary position. Let’s dive into it and see why.
What Are Nascent Organs?
A nascent organ is a hypothetical organ that
is in the process of evolving into a completely new, complex, and functional
structure. All your organs and systems in your body were supposedly at
one time “nascent”—useless biological masses on their way to evolving into a
useful, complex and functional organ or system that they are today.
According to molecules-to-man evolution, entirely new
biological structures must arise over millions of years through random
mutations filtered by natural selection. If this occurred, there should be
examples of organs that are only partially developed—structures that are
becoming new organs but have not yet reached full functionality.
Examples that might be expected would include the early
stages of a new sensory organ, the beginnings of a new gland, or the partial
development of an entirely new limb or organ system. Since evolutionists claims
that all major organs originated from simpler structures, the process should
not only have happened in the distant past but should still be occurring today
if evolution is an ongoing process—and considering there are around an
estimated we may be approaching 1 trillion individual biological lifeforms that
exist today (if you include all the bacteria, fungi, etc.).
From a biblical perspective, however, God created living
things according to their created kinds (Genesis 1). Organisms reproduce to
make others of their respective kinds, and while variation, adaptation, and
degeneration occur, Scripture never teaches that entirely new organs gradually
evolve into existence.
How Are Nascent Organs (New, Complex, And Functional)
Different From Vestigial Organs (Broken, Formerly Functional)?
Evolutionary discussions often focus on vestigial
organs—structures claimed to be leftovers from an evolutionary past.
Traditionally, a vestigial organ was defined as a once-functional structure
that has largely or completely lost its original purpose. Over time, however,
many organs once labeled vestigial—such as the appendix, tonsils, thymus,
coccyx, and various muscles—have been found to possess important biological
functions. Because of this, many evolutionary biologists have adopted broader
definitions of "vestigial," often meaning only that a structure is thought
to have changed or diminished relative to a hypothesized ancestor rather than
being functionless. So be careful of slippery definitions used to rescue a
false worldview like evolution.
Nascent organs are the opposite. Rather than representing a structure supposedly losing function, they would represent organs gaining entirely new functions and increasing in complexity. They would supposedly demonstrate evolution building something fundamentally new instead of merely modifying or reducing what already exists.
While evolutionists often have discussions about vestigial
structures, they rarely identify clear examples of genuinely nascent
organs—structures demonstrably progressing toward becoming entirely new organs.
There should be millions of nascent organs in process of
organizing themselves in an evolutionary worldview!
If evolution has been producing new organs over hundreds of
millions of years, the process should still be observable today. Since millions
of animal species
currently inhabit the earth—and billions upon billions of individual organisms
exist—there should be countless examples of organs in intermediate stages of
development.
Instead, critters generally possess organs that are already
fully integrated into the body. Eyes, ears, kidneys, hearts, lungs, feathers,
wings, glands, digestive systems, circulatory system, nervous system, lymph
system, and reproductive systems all function as coordinated biological
systems. Even structures that differ among species are typically complete and
functional rather than obviously incomplete.
From the creationist perspective, this observation is an
excellent confirmation of the biblical teaching that God created organisms
fully equipped to survive and reproduce from the beginning (Genesis 1).
Adaptation within created kinds certainly occurs, but this involves variation
in existing genetic information within their respective kind, rather than the
gradual construction of fundamentally new organs.
The Common Evolutionary Response?
As a rescuing device, evolutionary biologists generally
respond that complex organs evolved in the distant past over immense periods of
time and that present-day populations are not necessarily expected to contain
abundant, easily recognized "half-built" organs. Why not? The dumb luck
that all these nascent developments happened in the past and suddenly we happen
to live in a day and age where billions of creatures suddenly don’t have these massive
changes? This explanation is ad hoc and thus fallacious.
Evolutionists also point to changes in existing
structures through developmental biology and comparative anatomy rather
than expecting obvious partially completed organs in living species. But
pointing to useful organs in hopes they may change into something different
with a different new complex function in the future doesn’t actually help their
position. They are merely stating their belief system without any evidence of
it.
Nascent Organs Are Blatantly Missing
One argument made by many creation scientists is that
despite over 150 years of evolutionary research, no universally accepted
example exists of a truly nascent organ—a novel organ demonstrably evolving
toward full complexity.
Instead, examples typically cited involve:
- Modification of existing organs.
- Loss or reduction of structures.
- Changes in size or proportion.
- Variation within existing anatomical systems.
- Changes in gene regulation rather than the origin of entirely new integrated organs.
For example, Darwin devoted considerable attention to
vestigial structures as evidence for descent with modification. Yet after
research, we constantly find that vestigials continue to be valuable and
useful, functional organs.
Yet comparatively little attention has been given to
identifying living examples of organs that are clearly in the process of
becoming entirely new functional systems. This asymmetry is significant because
evolutionary beliefs requires not just the loss or modification of organs
but ultimately the origin of many new ones throughout life's history.
Nascent Organs Are Not Necessary In A Biblical Worldview
The Bible does not teach that God gradually evolved
increasingly complex organs through countless generations. Instead, Scripture
teaches that God created living creatures complete and functional during
Creation Week (Genesis 1–2).
This does not mean organisms never change. Scripture and
observable biology are consistent with variation, adaptation, specialization,
and even degeneration after the Fall. For example:
- Flightless birds may have descended from flying ancestors through loss of function (think big white flightless turkeys being bred from flying turkeys).
- Cave fish may lose eyesight in perpetual darkness.
- Domestic dogs display tremendous variation while remaining dogs.
These examples involve changes within created kinds rather
than the origin of entirely new organ systems. It is going in the opposite
direction of evolution.
Furthermore, because creation was originally "very
good" (Genesis 1:31), the biblical worldview expects organisms to begin
with integrated, functional biological systems rather than incomplete organs
awaiting millions of years of refinement. Since the Fall, degeneration, brokenness,
mutation, disease, and loss and filtering of information are expected
consequences of living in a sin-cursed creation (Genesis 3; Romans 8:20–22).
Conclusion
The discussion of nascent organs shows a major difference
between the biblical creation and evolutionary religious system. Evolution
requires that entirely new, highly integrated organs originated from simpler
structures over long periods of time. Yet these are not observed. The Bible teaches
that God created organisms—and this means they came with complete, functional
anatomy from the beginning.
While many classic examples of vestigial organs have become
increasingly difficult to defend as new functions have been discovered, there
remains a lack of clear, observable examples of genuinely nascent organs
developing into entirely new biological systems. Vestigial (broken) organs are
going in opposite direction of evolution and nascent are not found in the massive
abundant quantities that they should be! In fact, finding a few alleged ones
are even proving to be difficult!
Those who begin with the authority of Scripture see fully
functional organs, adaptation within created kinds, and the absence of obvious
nascent organs as consistent with God's original design and the subsequent
effects of life in a fallen world.
Bodie Hodge, Ken
Ham's son in law, has been an apologist defending 6-day creation and opposing
evolution since 1998. He spent 21 years working at Answers in Genesis as
a speaker, writer, and researcher as well as a founding news anchor for Answers
News. He was also head of the Oversight Council.
Bodie
launched Biblical Authority Ministries in 2015 as a personal
website and it was organized officially in 2025 as a 501(c)(3). He has spoken
on multiple continents and hosts of US states in churches, colleges, and
universities. He is married with four children.
Mr. Hodge earned a
Bachelor and Master of Science degrees from Southern Illinois University at
Carbondale (SIUC). Then he taught at SIUC for a couple of years as a
Visiting Instructor teaching all levels of undergraduate engineering and
running a materials lab and a CAD lab. He did research on advanced ceramic
materials to develop a new method of production of titanium diboride with a
grant from Lockheed Martin. He worked as a Test Engineer for Caterpillar,
Inc., prior to entering full-time ministry.
His love of science
was coupled with a love of history, philosophy, and theology. For about one
year of his life, Bodie was editing and updating a theological, historical, and
scientific dictionary/encyclopedia for AI use and training. Mr. Hodge has over
25 years of experience in writing, speaking and researching in these fields.
* Images generated by ChatGPT
