You're probably wondering why I would ask a question like, "Does an understanding of evolution help scientists understand the secrets of biology?" It's not my question. It's a paraphrase of a question asked by someone who goes by the pseudonym "PaV" on Uncommon Descent. Here's the full context from her post: Does Evolutionary Theory Really Help Scientists?
For a number of years, many of us at UD have made the argument that evolutionary theory, in practice, is of almost no help whatsoever in getting at the secrets of biology. I’ve taken the position personally that it actually hurts, and that it is not a matter of indifference to the study of biology whether evolution is employed or not. ID is the way to go.
Now, besides the fact that she is an IDiot, you may be asking why anyone would write such a thing.
Here's the scoop. Someone was looking at unknown RNAs in zebra fish and discovered that one of them encoded a protein that hadn't previously been characterized. This sort of thing happens all the time in various species so why is PaV so excited?
Here's the answer ...
They’ve studied this embryonic stage for 20 years, and couldn’t figure out the decisive signals for initiation of the gastrula. They had to look to “non-coding” RNA, i.e., “junk DNA,” in order to solve their new found secret.
And why didn’t they study “junk DNA” before? Well, evolutionary theory posits that it is “junk” (their word, not ours), so why investigate.
See? Evolutionary theory actually impedes scientific progress. And you wonder why we call them ....
The University of Toronto is sponsoring a "science" festival with three talks tomorrow and Saturday. You have to buy tickets at: tickets.
There's two technology talks and one science talk. I'm going to the only science talk at the science festival. There are a bunch of other things going on, see the entire program.
Friday, Sept. 27th 7pm– "Human Exploration of Space: 50 Years and Counting": Space Shuttle veteran and first Canadian on board the International Space Station, Julie Payette
“High achiever” barely begins to describe Julie Payette. Masters degree in engineering, pilot, IBM engineer, Officer of the Order of Canada, singer with symphonies in Montreal, Toronto, and Switzerland, conversant in six languages, and now Director of the Montreal Science Centre. Oh, did we mention she was orbiting the Earth, using a giant robot arm to build a space station by the time she was 35? Julie will kick off the festival by sharing her unique insights into the past, present, and future of human space exploration.
Friday, Sept. 27th 8pm– "Brave Genius: Jacques Monod, Chance, and our Place in the Universe": Evolutionary biologist and “evo devo” pioneer, Sean Carroll
Biologist and Nobel Laureate Jacques Monod once remarked that “the most important results of science have been to change the relationship of man to the universe, or the way he sees himself in the universe.” Discoveries in molecular biology, evolutionary biology, and geology over the past half-century have profoundly reshaped our picture of human origins, and revealed the enormous role of chance in the fate of life on Earth. Join evolutionary biologist Sean Carroll as he chronicles some of those discoveries through Monod’s eyes, whose own ascent from struggling graduate student to leader within the French Resistance, co-founder of molecular biology, and emergence as a public figure and leading voice of science involved a great deal of chance, and courage.
Saturday, Sept. 28th 7pm– "Postcards from Mars": Mars rover imaging scientist, Jim Bell
Don’t worry if your application to live on Mars was rejected. You can still visit the Red Planet through the spectacular imagery captured by a trio of Mars Rovers—Spirit, Opportunity and Curiosity. Planetary scientist Jim Bell was instrumental in developing cameras and processing images from the three robotic explorers and in his talk “Postcards from Mars”, he’ll share his favorite vistas of our planetary neighbour with you. Through the beauty of these photographs, you’ll see why Bell can be described as a scientist, an explorer and a nature photographer.
There are dozens of trees like this in Venice, California (USA) in the neighborhood where my grandchildren live. Can you name this tree (common name and species name)?
Can you come up with an adaptationist explanation for why this tree is so different from most other trees and bushes?
Jerry Coyne says he will post a picture of a plant if he can find a cute one [A vertebrate]. I decided to help him out by pointing you to the latest Botany Photo of the Day.
This is Almaleea subumbellata, or wiry bushpea, from Tasmania, Australia. You can read all about it at the UBC Botanical Garden website. They have a high resolution photo.
Prettier than cats and they don't pee on your rug or scratch your furniture.
PZ Myers has just given his students a take-home exam. Here's one of the questions [It’s another exam day! ] ...
Question 1: One of Sarah Palin’s notorious gaffes was her dismissal of “fruit fly research” — she thought it was absurd that the government actually funded science on flies. How would you explain to a congressman that basic research is important? I’m going to put two constraints on your answer: 1) It has to be comprehensible to Michele Bachmann, and 2) don’t take the shortcut of promising that which you may not deliver. That is, no “maybe it will cure cancer!” claims, but focus instead on why we should appreciate deeper knowledge of biology.
That first restriction is going to make answering the question a real challenge 'cause you have to take into account the mentality of someone who is not just scientifically illiterate but scientifically anti-literate.
Nevertheless, this is exactly the sort of thing you want your science graduates to know.
Resep Martabak Manis
-
Resep Martabak Manis - Kali kami akan memberikan resep terbaru tentang cara
membuat martabak manis, resep martabak manis ini sangat sederhana sehingga
muda...
Desain Interior Ruang Tamu Rumah Minimalis
-
Untuk membuat rumah minimalis yang baik anda harus memiliki perencanaan
dalam melakukan desain rumah minimalis terutama desain interior ruang tamu
rumah mi...
Here's the answer ... 
.JPG)
.jpg)
