Tag: Darwinism

Palca and scientist Neil Shubin discuss the genetic commonalities between humans and ancient fossil species including yeast, fish, and Australopithecus.  Link to the page and listen to the audio.

Sperm whale fossil has the biggest whale bite ever seen.

For evolutionary scientists there is no such thing as “Darwinism”. Instead we have a scientific theory that, in combination with Mendel’s work, provides the modern or neo-Darwinian synthesis, which explains the development of life on Earth. Although this is a rather succinct definition it effectively sets the limits of the usefulness of Darwin’s theory. However, in the last 150 years, there have been many attempts to take Darwin’s idea and apply it outside of the context for which it was developed, hence the influence of social “Darwinism” on concepts such as eugenics and a more recent Darwinian nihilism that absolves the individual of any moral or social responsibility.

More than half of adults in a survey of 10 countries thought school science lessons should teach evolutionary theories alongside creationism. Among those who knew of Darwinism, on average 53% felt other possible perspectives should also be taught.

A School marching band T-shirt design includes the image of primate evolution to man, each stage holding a trumpet. Teacher Sherry Melby says she’s disappointed and that she doesn’t “think evolution should be associated with our school.”

PZ Myers joins the Secular Student Alliance Trip to the Creation Museum.

Noah’s Ark farm denies allegations, saying it promotes debate between science and religion over evolution

Atheists are attacking the idea that science and faith can be compatible, but confrontation won’t spread the truth of evolution

An uninspired re-hashing of NOMA (Non-Overlapping Magisteria), that attempts to use Intelligent Design to prove the existence of God.

The never-ending attempt to reconcile science and religion, and why it is doomed to fail.

The so-called New Atheists are attacking the mantra of science and faith being compatible. Others in the science community question the value of confrontation.

To deny the importance of teaching evolution is to fail to grasp a basic truth about children

Seldom do theatrical trailers get this degree of attention, but it may be justified in the case of “Creation”, a new movie about Charles Darwin, and the writing of “On the Origin of Species”. This tongue-in-cheek review satirizes the film’s portrayal of Origin as a source of marital conflict between Darwin and his wife Emma, who respectively represent science and religion. Science and religion clashing on the silver screen? How boring. But a man and a woman, now there’s the stuff of cinema.

A recent Pew survey shows that almost a third of non-scientist Americans believe that humans have not evolved.

A boundary where scientists face a choice: invoke a deity or continue the quest for knowledge

An exhibition at the Fitzwilliam Museum in Cambridge explores the mutual influences of science and art 150 years ago when Darwin published On the Origin of Species

Richard Dawkins interviews Daniel Dennett for BBC TV series “The Genius of Charles Darwin”

When scientists set out to trace the roots of human laughter, some chimps and gorillas were just tickled to help. Literally.

People are altruistic because they are militaristic, and cultured because they are common. At least that is the message of a couple of new studies

The Discovery Institute, which promotes intelligent design, has launched a new website attacking the pro-evolution arguments of geneticist and evangelical Christian Francis Collins.