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Here’s some not entirely unsuccessful science humor from the National Center for Science Education, taking down creationist Ray Comfort and his ridiculous “special” version of Charles Darwin’s “On the Origin of Species.” [Video]
Evolution, Creationism, Ray Comfort, charles darwin, Bananas, Right Wing, Anti-Science, Eugenie Scott, NCSE
The intellectual mismatch of the year: NCSE executive director Eugenie C. Scott vs. creationist Ray Comfort. How Creationist ‘Origin’ Distorts Darwin. Ray Comfort and I agree that “science is a wonderful discipline, to which we are deeply indebted.” We agree that it would be nice for students to get ...
Evolution, Creationism, Ray Comfort, charles darwin, Bananas, Right Wing, Anti-Science, Eugenie Scott
The PBS Nova show has a great new website for their ongoing series dealing with various aspects of Evolution. Among other things to explore, an interactive map of the Galapagos Islands featuring Gigapan ultra-high definition scrolling panorama images.
Evolution, Science, Natural Selection, Biology, NOVA, PBS, Gigapan
The discovery of a new fossil in Egypt that appears to be a younger relative of the “Ida” fossil announced a few months ago (with great fanfare and publicity) has cast considerable doubt on whether Ida is an ancestor of human beings: New Primate Fossil Poses Further Challenge to Ida. ...
Evolution, Science, Natural Selection, Biology, Anthropology, Common Ancestor
Despite the huge battle over the teaching of “intelligent design” creationism in 2005, a new survey shows that the majority of the people of Kansas are still in favor of teaching creationism in public school science classes: FHSU Learns ‘What Kansans Really Think’. A majority of respondents, 53 percent, ...
Evolution, Creationism, Science, Kansas, Intelligent Design, Turkey, Education
Two of the far right religious fanatics appointed to the Texas social studies curriculum review board by their fellow creationist fanatics are David Barton (of the theocratic Wallbuilders group) and Rev. Peter Marshall (who operates Peter Marshall Ministries in Massachusetts). The Texas Freedom Network has a look at the incredible ...
Evolution, Creationism, Religion, History, Science, Texas, David Barton, Peter Marshall, Wallbuilders
Airing tonight on the Discovery Channel at 9 pm (Eastern and Pacific), Discovering Ardi — a documentary on the investigation leading up to the historic announcement of the Ardipithecus ramidus fossils. Set your TiVos and your Eye TVs; this looks like a must-see. [Video] The scientific investigation began in ...
Evolution, Science, Natural Selection, Biology, Anthropology, Common Ancestor, Ardipithecus, Video
[As Fox News runs the label: “Richard Dawkins - Atheist” over a pre-recorded, heavily edited interview...] Bill O’Reilly: Atheist. Atheist! You’re an atheist! And a fascist! You atheist! Richard Dawkins (atheist): But science is working on the problem... Bill O’Reilly (interrupting): [pictures of Jesus flash on the screen] So you ...
Evolution, Creationism, richard dawkins, Bill O'Reilly, Fox News, Religious Right, Fanaticism
Last Saturday in a thread about climate change, I wrote: Again, I’m struck by the similarity between the techniques of global warming deniers and creationists; they both use cherry-picked data, they both make outrageous claims couched in pseudo-scientific language that sounds convincing to gullible people, they both compile lists ...
Evolution, Creationism, discovery institute, Science, Climate Change, Global Warming, Propaganda
Iowa Republicans have picked creationist Governor Tim Pawlenty to headline the “Leadership for Iowa” event in Des Moines November 7. Note that Pawlenty isn’t content to simply believe in creationism himself; he wants to see it taught to everyone else’s children: Gov. Tim Pawlenty on Why He Supports Creationism. ...
Evolution, Creationism, discovery institute, Science, Tim Pawlenty, GOP, Republican Party, Anti-Science
Just like the Council on American Islamic Relations, the dishonest creationists at the Discovery Institute are now reduced to paying PRNewsWire to disseminate their propaganda: Leading Darwinist Richard Dawkins Dodges Debates, Refuses to Defend Evolution. This is a good sign; it means these atavistic dissemblers are having trouble finding reputable ...
Evolution, Creationism, discovery institute, Science, richard dawkins
Karl Rove came out today in support of Florida’s former state House Speaker Marco Rubio, in his bid to upset Governor Charlie Crist in the election for one of Florida’s Senate seats. It gives me no pleasure to report that, like almost every Republican politician, Marco Rubio is a creationist ...
Evolution, Creationism, Marco Rubio, Anti-Science, Florida, karl rove
Carl Zimmer has a great post at The Loom on the historic announcement this week of the discovery of Ardipithecus: We Meet At Last. At first, Ardipithecus ramidus was yet another scrappy pre-Lucy fossil. The first report offered details about part of a 4.4 million-year-old jaw bone–a remarkable jaw ...
Evolution, Science, Natural Selection, Biology, Anthropology, Common Ancestor, Carl Zimmer, Ardipithecus
“Missing link” is really the wrong term to use for this newly-announced fossil discovery (it implies a single link between humans and their ape-like ancestors, when the truth is far more complex and fluid), but if it will set creationists’ heads spinning I’ll accept it: Oldest ‘Human’ Skeleton Found — ...
Evolution, Science, Natural Selection, Biology, Anthropology, Common Ancestor
Here’s evolutionary biologist Richard Dawkins on the Colbert Report, promoting his new book The Greatest Show on Earth: The Evidence for Evolution (which I give my highest recommendation). Comedy Central Video
Evolution, Science, Natural Selection, Biology, richard dawkins, Creationism, Stephen Colbert, Video, Humor
Evolutionary biologists have long wondered whether it was possible for evolution to reverse direction; in other words, whether the proteins that make up an organism could “devolve” back to a previous shape or purpose. Carl Zimmer has an interesting piece on new research that strongly suggests evolution is a one-way ...
I got this book for my beloved Kindle a few days ago: The Greatest Show on Earth: The Evidence for Evolution by Richard Dawkins. I’m about a quarter of the way into it, and I already have no hesitation about recommending it highly to anyone interested in arming themselves with ...
Kindle, Creationism, richard dawkins, Biology, Natural Selection, Science, Evolution
Former teen idol Kirk Cameron and his idiot creationist pal Ray Comfort are distributing a new edition of Charles Darwin’s “The Origin of Species” — with an introduction “explaining” how Darwin’s scientific theory led directly to Adolf Hitler, among other mind-bendingly dumb creationist tropes. Darwin is spinning in his grave ...
Evolution, Creationism, Ray Comfort, charles darwin, Bananas, Anti-Science, Kirk Cameron
The far right religious fanatics appointed by Texas Governor Rick Perry to the State Board of Education are at it again. Led by David Barton of the extreme fundamentalist group Wallbuilders (who don’t believe in the separation of church and state), the three fanatics on the panel are trying to ...
Evolution, Creationism, Religion, History, Science, Texas, David Barton, Peter Marshall, Wallbuilders
Louisiana Governor (and part time exorcist) Bobby Jindal’s stealth creationist bill is starting to bear rancid fruit, as the state’s top school board approves new rules intended to make it difficult for residents to challenge the teaching of creationism in science classes. Pseudo-science promoted by ignorant religious fanatics takes another ...
Evolution, Creationism, discovery institute, Science, Bobby Jindal, Louisiana
I thought I’d seen everything. Then I saw this completely crazy anti-evolution article at the web’s craziest right wing site, Weird Nut Daily: ’Origin of Species’ edition debunks evolution. That’s right. They’re claiming that Darwin’s ground-breaking work “The Origin of Species” is an anti-evolution book. You almost have to bow ...
Evolution, Creationism, Ray Comfort, charles darwin, Bananas, Right Wing, Anti-Science
A delightful video version of a song titled “Science is Real,” from the new kids’ album by They Might Be Giants, Here Comes Science. A big LGF thumbs-up goes to TMBG for being such strong advocates for science education. [Video]
New research into mitochondria provides a devastating refutation of one of the main talking points of Michael Behe and the Discovery Institute neo-creationists, as “irreducible complexity” turns out to be very reducible. Intricate cellular components are often cited as evidence of intelligent design. They couldn’t have evolved, I.D. proponents ...
Evolution, Creationism, Religion, Intelligent Design, Science, discovery institute, Irreducible Complexity
Unbelievable. Apparently, there are quite a few politicians and school board members in Texas who are either 1) unaware of the existence of the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment to the US Constitution, or 2) actively trying to subvert it: Texas public schools required to teach Bible this year. ...
Evolution, Creationism, Religion, Fundamentalism, Texas, David Barton, Wallbuilders, Fanaticism, Theocracy
A fascinating piece by science writer Carl Zimmer looks at the evidence that climate change is forcing surprisingly rapid evolutionary changes in some species of plants and animals: First Comes Global Warming, Then An Evolutionary Explosion. In 1997, Arthur Weis found himself with an extra bucket of seeds. Weis, ...
Evolution, Science, Natural Selection, Biology, Carl Zimmer, Climate Change, Global Warming