Sunday is Darwin Day. How Will You Celebrate It?

[demmiblue]

Source: AlterNet

Photo Credit: Tim Green

Despite the white beard, Charles Darwin isn’t Santa Claus, but like Christmas, Darwin Day comes once a year, and when it comes it brings good cheer. Across the country and around the world, at colleges and universities, schools and libraries, museums and churches, people assemble around February 12 to commemorate the life and work of the British naturalist. But it’s not just about Darwin: it’s about engaging in—and enjoying—public outreach about science, evolution, and the importance of evolution education.

<snip>

Knowledge about science and enthusiasm about science education sometimes seems to be in short supply. Nearly all scientists (97%) agreed with “humans and other living things have evolved over time” in a 2009 poll—but only 61% of the general public agreed. The general public was equally shaky about what scientists believed: only 60% believed that scientists generally agreed that humans have evolved over time. And is this level of ignorance about the science of evolution reflected in the educational system? You’d better believe it.

<snip>

And if you’re in the United States, one in every eight of public high school biology teachers in your country is presenting creationism as though it were scientifically credible, according to a national survey conducted in 2006, despite the overwhelming consensus of the scientific community that it is anything but. And the same survey suggested that six out of ten of public high school biology teachers are not presenting evolution with the accuracy, breadth, and confidence that’s needed for their students to attain a basic level of scientific literacy.

With a steady drumbeat of ignorance of, skepticism about, and hostility toward evolution among the general public, Darwin Day comes as a welcome respite every year: it can be a relief to be among people who understand evolution, and appreciate that it—and not creationism—belongs in our schools. But for whatever reason you attend your local Darwin Day celebration, whether for the company or the talks or the films or the face-painting or the refreshments, you’re sure to have a splendid time. Oh, by the way: save me a slice of cake.

http://www.alternet.org/story/154098/sunday_is_darwin_day._how_will_you_celebrate_it/?page=1

[Gore1FL]

1. I guess I'll see what evolves as the day progresses n/t

[demmiblue]

4. Okay... that made me laugh!

[Bigmack]

2. I'll spend it witnessing this country's devolution. nt

[arely staircase]

3. 7:30 am eucharist. btw

most christians - incluing myself - believe in evolution.

[taterguy]

5. By dodging cars on my bicycle

I guess every day is Darwin Day for me.

[HopeHoops]

6. Getting drunk, downing a bunch of Schedule II drugs, and fixing the electrical outlet in the shower.

With the shower running and the circuit still live of course.

What could possibly go wrong?

[OriginalGeek]

9. Well, for starters

You could get the floor wet!

[HopeHoops]

10. I would sort of have to since the nearest outlet is out of arm's reach.

[flying rabbit]

7. Get really drunk

and go cliff jumping on my quad.

[protect our future]

8. I guess I'll be kind to sponges.

Please refer to http://www.democraticunderground.com/12282016

[LiberalEsto]

11. I am going to try and evolve

see you at DU 4.0!

[HappyMe]

12. I'll be walking upright all day!

[dana_b]

13. a musical tribute!!

[Recovered Repug]

14. Will awards be presented?

[bluedigger]

15. I'll probably just move, adapt, or die.

[Brother Buzz]

16. I will relish a bit of Schadenfreude reflecting on one of Darwin's earlist antagonists

and the possibility there may just be a god, and she has one wicked cool sense of humor.

Agassiz was a bitter opponent of Darwin's theories. For Louis Rodolphe Agassiz, Swiss-born palaeontologist and systematist, the orderliness in nature was not due to an underlying natural process but had to be the result of a divine intelligence behind the scenes.

Stanford college - 1906

[quinnox]

17. Ignore it

Never heard of it before and it sounds a bit lame.

[cthulu2016]

18. By surviving, of course

[SidDithers]

19. Tortoise soup as an appetizer, followed by BBQ'd finches....nt

Sid

[eppur_se_muova]

20. Aren't you supposed to roast a beagle ? nt

[mick063]

21. I will watch a great documentory.

Carl Sagan's Cosmos
Episode 2 ; "One Voice in the Cosmic Fugue" (available on Netflix)

Sagan discusses the story of the Heike crab and artificial selection of crabs resembling samurai warriors, as an opening into a larger discussion of evolution through natural selection (and the pitfalls of the theory of intelligent design). Among the topics are the development of life on the Cosmic Calendar and the Cambrian explosion; the function of DNA in growth; genetic replication, repairs, and mutation; the common biochemistry of terrestrial organisms; the creation of the molecules of life in the Miller-Urey experiment; and speculation on alien life (such as life in Jupiter's clouds). In the Cosmos Update ten years later, Sagan remarks on RNA also controlling chemical reactions and reproducing itself and the different roles of comets (potentially carrying organic molecules or causing the Cretaceous–Tertiary extinction event).

I will do this to remind myself that the typical American was much more intelligent in 1980 as people like Carl Sagan were embraced. The eventual GOP nominee will vehemently disagree with the late, great Carl Sagan and 40% of America will as well.

Edit: A great book by Sagan titled "Brocca's Brain" is a very good read as well.

The final section of the book is entitled, "Ultimate Questions." Sagan is famous for his quote about God in this part:

“ My deeply held belief is that if a god of anything like the traditional sort exists, our curiosity and intelligence were provided by such a god...on the other hand if such a god does not exist then our curiosity and intelligence are the essential tools for survival. In either case the enterprise of knowledge is essential for the welfare of the human species.

[davsand]

22. I celebrate Darwin EVERY time the Republicans have a Presidential debate. n/t

[former9thward]

23. I will be eating species less evolved than me.

[i own my story]

24. Probably in deep meditation, thinking of the Divine Intelligent Creator

of us all, including Mister Darwin. I find science to be seriously lacking...

[Arugula Latte]

25. Wow.

"I find science to be seriously lacking."

No wonder this country is in so much trouble. It's so much easier to believe in magic and make believe!

[i own my story]

26. Excuse you?

Correction: magick.

I am not impressed with science. Where has it gotten us?

[Arugula Latte]

28. Well, gee, nowhere other than the majority of huge advancements have been due to science.

Perhaps you'd rather be living in a cave in the dark eating whatever insects happen to crawl over your cold, muddy foot.

But, hey, if you don't like fire, tools, the wheel, constructed houses and other buildings, the combustion engine, medicine drugs, xrays and other scan technology, telescopes, microscopes, computers, transportation other than walking, the Internet, electricity, plumbing, kitchen and bathroom appliances, to name just a few, you're free to go back to the old ways. Enjoy the bugs.

[NashvilleLefty]

32. Where has science gotten us? Are you healthy?

Much of what was previously thought of as "magic" was a precursor of magic. The ancient art of healing was proto-science. Science has impacted us in every single aspect of our lives.
Do you eat? Science.
Do you drink water? Science.
Do you expect safe food and clean water? Science.
You used a computer to post your reply - hello! Science.

In answer to your question "where has it {science} gotten us?" Everywhere. It is what got us where we are today. It got us out of the caves. If you are over 25 or 30 years old, you can thank science.

[mick063]

27. Having been raised by an Engineer

Science was always "front and center" in my upbringing. My dad was the smartest man I have ever known.

Saying that "Science is lacking" is a cop out.

We simply would not be where we are today without the use of "Scientific Method".

We can thank Christianity for being the only European bastion for the preservation of aquired knowledge through the dark ages. The preserved knowledge wasn't exactly correct, but that is irrelevant. The concept of preserving knowledge was in itself, the great contribution.

Modern Theocrats want to throw away aquired knowledge and it isn't just Christians. The most blatant attempts to discard aquired knowledge have been demonstrated by the Taliban.

People that "get it" understand where Theocracy leads. Theocracy perpetuates aquired knowledge only when the contents are monopolized by the Theocracy.

[Arugula Latte]

29. Like I do every Sunday -- by NOT going to a church

and being grateful I live in a world where we have advanced beyond Bronze Age knowledge, in spite of the many Americans who'd prefer to remain in the Bronze Age.

[provis99]

30. I will read the bible and pray for your heathen souls!

[justiceischeap]

31. I will not get a Darwin Award!

http://www.darwinawards.com/