July 2009
Breathing at 30,000 Feet
Migration can often be a long and difficult journey for animals. For the bar-headed goose, migration often entails flights over the highest mountains in the world: the Himalayas.
The New Old Flood Geology
George McCready Price dedicated The New Geology to bringing down the "geological column," a strategy which he believed would undermine the support of evolutionary theory and make way for the acceptance of a literal six-day creation.
The Mystery of the Soul
What exactly is a soul? Is it a physical entity? Can it be separated from the body?
An Intellectual Sun
"I believe in Christianity as I believe that the Sun has risen, not only because I see it, but because by it I see everything else." - C.S. Lewis
A Call for Peace in the Science/Faith Battle
It is one of the oldest conflicts, one of the hardest fought, one of the most destructive. It is also, sadly, among the least necessary.
It’s Good to be Different
Variation among a species plays an important part in their evolution. The appearance of beneficial physical traits through genetic mutation drives species to evolve over time, as the best suited traits are passed on to future generations.
A Dangerous Book?
Biologist Ken Miller recalls first reading On The Origin of the Species during the summer after high school. Despite its revolutionary ideas about biology, Miller found the book fascinating for a completely different reason.
Natural Selection: The Video Game
Ever wanted to try your hand at establishing a viable evolutionary lineage? If so, the Science Channel has the perfect opportunity.
Different Types of Origins Stories
Whatever the setting, origins stories excite the imagination, and telling these stories is central to culture.
Traces of our Evolutionary Past
Are wisdom teeth good for anything other than a trip to the dentist's office? Why do we have an appendix anyway? Today, these body parts seem to serve no purpose.
Science and Religion at the Darwin Festival
The Darwin Festival in Cambridge, held from July 6 - July 10, marked the 200th anniversary of Darwin's birth and the 150th anniversary of his publication of Origin of Species.
Passing on the Burden
Francis Collins explains that if churches do not embrace the challenge to educate future generations, those generations will face a far greater challenge instead.
New Study Catches Speciation in Action
A new study published in the August issue of American Naturalist has found that a single genetic change has sent two different populations of monarch flycatchers on the path to speciation.
Not Chaos, But Cosmos
Polkinghorne begins by discussing the "double mistake" of assuming that science deals with fact and religion merely with opinion.
Blessed is the Peacemaker
The news these days -- especially in the BioLogos part of the world -- is all about Francis Collins being tapped as possible head of the National Institutes of Health. If confirmed by the Senate, he will disengage from BioLogos and head a somewhat larger and more complicated entity.
In the Cathedral and In the Laboratory
As our technology continues to increase and science continues to play an important part in our modern lives, the battle between science and religion seems to keep escalating.
Fire Starters
Plants that have evolved to spread wildfire? The idea seems to go against what we'd consider "survival of the fittest".
A Tale of Two Papers
Kenneth Miller tells a story of catching two students plagiarizing. It seemed quite clear that the two students had submitted the same papers, but the two argued it was merely by chance and that the fact that they were roommates explained why the papers seemed similar.
Word Games
"Why would the omnipotent Creator of the universe use such a wasteful (and cruel) process of survival of the fittest to bring about the higher forms of life? This view of 'theistic evolution' goes against God's very nature -- and logic itself."
Calling All Ants
As a boy, Sir John Lubbock helped none other than Charles Darwin, his next-door neighbor, to perform experiments. In the 1870s, he wanted to find out whether ants communicated with sounds. His method? In his own words, "I thought I would try the telephone."
Can God and Darwin Co-Exist?
A recent survey conducted by the British Council and marketing research company Ipsos MORI looked at the reactions of 10,000 individuals from ten different countries to Darwin and his theory of evolution.
Fireflies: Natural Selection in Progress
Many of us are familiar with the glow of fireflies that fills the air during the summer months. However, those pulses are more than just a pretty light show.