Controversy of Georges Cuvier theories

Cuvier did not believe in evolution. His theory or belief was that any change to and oraganism's anatomy would render it incapable of survival. Cuvier drew this conclusion after carefully studying the remains of mummified cats, after which, he compared them to the skeletal structures of a modern cat. There were no differences between the two, and as a result, he theorized that creationism was the foundation of science, and that if any “evolving” occurred, it was merely adaptation to the environment.

In the early 1800s, scientific theories and beliefs were deeply influenced by religion, and one of the period's most popular theories was that extinction was impossible because God would never willingly wipe out His own creation. Extinction would be counterproductive to creation, thus, it was impossible.

Because Cuvier believed extinction to be impossible, he began to study the anatomical forms of numerous species, in order to prove that an extinction-level event was impossible. It is said that Cuvier could recreate the physical structure of an extinct animal, even if there was only a sampling of bone pieces available.

While studying the fossils of an elephant, Cuvier discovered a species of elephant that did not match any living elephant. This was a game changer, and Cuvier's belief that extinction was impossible led him down new paths of study. Was the elephant is hiding? How was this possible? In the end, he concluded that planetary changes (abrupt) caused some animal species to go extinct.

Extinction, in itself, is a scary proposition, and Cuvier's studies are responsible for numerous discoveries. In the early 1800s, these discoveries were a frightening proposition, particularly, because they were so difficult for the layman to understand.

Today, we understand things a bit differently.... the possibility of catastrophic events is no longer unthinkable. Though we might think about it, we aren't necessarily frightened by the prospect of asteroids hitting the earth, or the possibility of a super-volcano, but we are troubled by the thought of nuclear weapons... nuclear war, and the devastation it would have on the world as we know it.