Free Lantern » Evolution

Darwin 2009 t-shirts

Ali — Sun, 22 Feb 2009 18:32:07 +0000

Mikero has designed a few Darwin posters (See the other designs in his weblog). He is now selling these designs as t-shirts and posters through Zazzle.com. The income will go to NCSE so you can get a nice t-shirt for a good cause. I checked and it seems that they do international delivery, but maybe I have to find a few other interested colleagues and share the shipping cost with them. (Interested Marco?)

Teaching Creationism in Germany

Ali — Wed, 18 Feb 2009 15:46:49 +0000

A friend of mine send me a video documentary in YouTube (Von Göttern und Designern, Christlicher Fundamentalismus part 1) about a School in Germany in which they teach “Intelligent Design” in parallel to Evolution theory. Although they teach both “theories” to children the school teacher says that he believes in creationism and as a result influences the opinion of the students. Unfortunately the Documentary is only in German so if you can understand German here is the first part of it.
The funniest (or the saddest) part of it is about a Museum in the US where in an interview one of the museum workers explains that “the Dianasours were vegetarian in Heaven and used their teeth and nails to pick and eat heavenly fruits!”.
Yesterday I also read PZ Myers post about the Gaurdian’s article on British creationism, it seems that they are invading Europe seriously.
If you watch the documentary and/or read the Gaurdian’s paper and need to cool down you can do so by watching “Creationism: A Cautionary Tale” from atheristcartoons.com.

Obama on Science and Evolution

Ali — Mon, 16 Feb 2009 07:59:50 +0000

A new Gallup Poll shows that only 39% of Americans say they “believe in the theory of evolution,” while a quarter say they do not believe in the theory, and another 36% don’t have an opinion either way. According to their work which is based on telephone interviews with 1,018 adults, believing in evolution has a strong relationship to educational level. I think there is not much to say. Fortunately President Obama does appreciate Darwin and Science. Listen and watch his views on Science and notes on Darwin’s Birthday:

Darwin Year 2009

Ali — Thu, 12 Feb 2009 16:30:23 +0000

Today is the bicentenary of Darwin’s birth, year 2009 is Darwin’s year. 2009 also is the 150th anniversary of his great work, “on the origin of Species”. A few quotes from Charles Darwin in honor of his day (and year).

A republic cannot succeed till it contains a certain body of men imbued with the principles of justice and honour.
The Voyage of the Beagle (1839), Ch. VII, Buenos Ayres and St. Fe.

If it could be demonstrated that any complex organ existed, which could not possibly have been formed by numerous, successive, slight modifications, my theory would absolutely break down. But I can find out no such case.
Charles Darwin,Origin of Species (1859)

It has often and confidently been asserted, that man’s origin can never be known: Ignorance more frequently begets confidence than does knowledge: it is those who know little, not those who know much, who so positively assert that this or that problem will never be solved by science.
The Descent of Man (1871), Introduction, p. 4

References and more reads:
Darwin Day Celebration website
Charles Darwin in Wikiquotes
Charles Darwin
History of Evolution thoughtToday’s featured article in Wikipedia