1. Darwin still causing waves after 150 years

Comment #188735 by CanadianRealist on June 4, 2008 at 12:41 pm

"Accept evolution" Yes, that does sound so much better! Acceptance based on evidence, as opposed to belief based on.... ????

Funny that those who reject evolution are the ones most likely to make me believe that they are in fact "descended from monkeys"*.

*Yes, I'm well aware that's a misstatement - monkeys are (distant) cousins, not ancestors - but it's their misstatement, not mine.

2. Put a Little Science in Your Life

Comment #187253 by CanadianRealist on June 1, 2008 at 4:39 pm

What's really sad is there are people who love their cell phones, iPods, personal computers, the internet and modern medicine (among other things) who will still ask the question "what has science ever done for me?"

When questioned, I've never heard one of them provide a good answer about where they think those things come from. Maybe I've just missed people pointing out which passages in their favourite holy book explain about the (full) electromagnetic spectrum, electronics, viruses, bacteria and so on.

3. Scientists rally against creationist 'superstition'

Comment #186995 by CanadianRealist on June 1, 2008 at 3:17 am

Professor Jones said religious students - even those studying medicine - were becoming increasingly vocal in their opposition to evolution, saying he was "telling lies and insulting people's religion" by teaching the subject.

I think that such a view should be grounds for immediate dismissal from medical school. The last thing that anyone needs is a medical doctor basing their decisions on what their religion tells them, rather than on what we know through observational evidence.

I wonder how these medical students reconcile our very imperfect human bodies having being created in the image of a perfect creator. Or if they believe the human body to be as perfect, why do they feel a need to become a doctor?

4. 'Uncontacted tribe' sighted in Amazon

Comment #186806 by CanadianRealist on May 31, 2008 at 10:33 am

Many people have pointed out the danger to these people that would come with contact with the outside world, due to exposure to new diseases to which they have no immunity.

I think it would be interesting to consider the possible benefit as well. Specifically, I would be interested to know what is the current life expectancy of these people. Is it something like the 30 years that is common for primitive peoples?

If we could offer them immunization to the diseases, could we offer them a significantly longer lifespan? Would that be worth considering?