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News:
December 7, 2005
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Top Stories of 2005
Religion in the News
Thinking
Straighter
Why the world's most famous atheist now believes in God. By James A. Beverley.
The Scandal
of the Evangelical Conscience
Why don't Christians live what they preach? By Ronald J. Sider.
Exploring
a Parallel Universe
Why does the word evangelical threaten so many people in our culture? by
Philip Yancey.
Islam's Culture War
Author says Muslims are troubled by our morals more than our politics. Reviewed
by J. Dudley Woodberry
Breaking
The Da Vinci Code
So the divine Jesus and infallible Word emerged out of a fourth-century
power-play? Get real.
Christianity
Today Book Awards
2005
From more than 300 nominations, these books represent the year's best.
Science in the News
Science,
'frauds' trigger a decline in atheism
Godlessness is in trouble, according to a growing consensus among philosophers,
intellectuals and scholars (UPI).
Archaeology/Anthropology
David’s
palace in Jerusalem may have been found
A prominent Israeli archeologist claims to have uncovered the ancient palace
of King David near the Old City of Jerusalem. See also King David's
fabled palace: Is this it? and King David
palace may have been found and A debate
of biblical proportions and View
image of archaeologist and ruins and King
David's Palace Is Found, Archaeologist Says.
Ancient
Church Found at Israeli Prison
The ruins of a church, which archaeologists say could be the oldest Christian
church in Israel, were recently discovered on the grounds of that nation's
Megiddo Prison.
French magazine claims to have proven that the Shroud of Turin is a “fake.” & Father Brown Fakes the Shroud
Astronomy
Lakefront Landing
In Creme Brule, Titan Darmstadt, Germany (SPX) Jan 17, 2005
For the first time, humans have gotten a close-up look at Titan, the planet-sized
moon. Huygens, scientists say, has landed in soil with the consistency of
wet sand or clay. First
full mosaics of Titan’s surface.
Deep Impact:
sifting through the debris
When Deep Impact's washing-machine-sized probe slammed into comet Tempel
1 on 4 July, teams of astronomers watched using telescopes in space and
around the world. Nature investigates what the images tell us so far about
the comet's composition and history.
Scientists
Discover Solar System's Tenth Planet -- Bigger Than Pluto
A planet larger than Pluto has been discovered in the outlying regions of
the solar system. The planet was discovered using the Samuel Oschin Telescope
at Palomar Observatory near San Diego, Calif. The planet is a typical member
of the Kuiper belt, but its sheer size in relation to the nine known planets
means that it can only be classified as a planet.
Astronomers Obtain
First Image Of Extra-Solar Planet Jena, Germany (SPX) Apr 06, 2005
German astronomers have obtained the first photograph of a planet beyond
our solar system.
Biology
Cloning
techniques to create stem cells
By any measure, 2005's biggest medical news came out of Hwang's lab--despite
the subsequent scandal. The earliest bulletin was the announcement that
Hwang and his 45-person team had become the first to using cloning techniques
to create stem cells from human patients suffering from diseases such as
diabetes and spinal-cord injury. Tissue derived from those cells could,
in theory, be implanted in the pancreas or spine with little chance that
the body would rejected it. If such experiments work, the same approach
could be applied to other parts of the body, such as the brain or heart.
Is RNA inheritance
possible?
Researchers find plant clues to a non-DNA pathway for genetic transmission
(Laura M Hrastar)
Animal-Human
Hybrids Spark Controversy
Scientists have begun blurring the line between human and animal by producing
chimeras—a hybrid creature that's part human, part animal.
Creation/Evolution
Young-Earth Creationist
Helium Diffusion "Dates": Fallacies Based on Bad Assumptions and Questionable
Data
Young-Earth creationists consider the helium diffusion studies of D. Russell
Humphreys and others to be one of their greatest achievements in arguing
for a 6,000 year old Earth. A geologist shows that these studies are extensively
flawed and include: serious miscalculations in their data, sampling the
wrong rock type, failing to eliminate possible contamination, using equations
that are based on invalid assumptions and relying on questionable data.
"Polonium Haloes"
Refuted: A Review of "Radioactive Halos in a Radio-Chronological and Cosmological
Perspective" by Robert V. Gentry.
Professional geologist Tom Bailleul takes a second look at Gentry's claimed
polonium haloes, arguing that there is no good evidence they are the result
of polonium decay as opposed to any other radioactive isotope, or even that
they are caused by radioactivity at all. Gentry is taken to task for selective
use of evidence, faulty experiment design, mistakes in geology and physics,
and unscientific principles of investigation and argument style.
Chimp
Genome--and First Fossils--Unveiled
Many animals, ranging from the rat to the puffer fish, have had their genome
sequenced, and now humankind's closest living relative, the chimpanzee,
has joined the group. The recent publication of a draft sequence of this
primate's genome provides the most detailed look yet at the similarities,
and differences, between humans and chimps.
UCSD
Study Shows 'Junk' DNA Has Evolutionary Importance (October 20, 2005)
Genetic material derisively called "junk" DNA because it does not contain
the instructions for protein-coding genes and appears to have little or
no function is actually critically important to an organism's evolutionary
survival, according to a study conducted by a biologist at UCSD.
"Darwin's forgotten Defenders" by David Livingstone
He discusses a number of other influential evangelicals who saw no inherent
conflict between evolution and the Christian faith. Another very important
advocate of evolution was the theologian B.B. Warfield, who was a strong
advocate of biblical inerrancy. See Darwin's
Forgotten Defenders: The Encounter Between Evangelical Theology and Evolutionary
Thought by David
N. Livingstone also The
Post-Darwinian Controversies: A Study of the Protestant S truggle to Come
to Terms with Darwin in Great Britain and America, 1870-1900 by James
R. Moore and Perspectives
on an Evolving Creation by Keith
B. Miller.
NEW
on DVD! Arguments Creationists Should NOT Use by Dr. Jonathan Sarfati.
In this candid presentation before an international conference of nearly
600 creationist speakers and writers, scientist Dr. Jonathan Sarfati reveals
the out-of-date, faulty and downright “flaky evidences” that reputable creationists
must avoid. In his trademark style, Sarfati challenges some of the most-loved
arguments of modern creationists. Bottom line: hold “facts” loosely and
focus intensely on God’s written Word as the absolute guide to evidence
interpretations!
Latest Creation/Evolution News see http://www.ncseweb.org/
Earth Science
Dino Blood Redux
Over a decade ago Mary Higby Schweitzer began her research career by announcing
that she and professor Jack Horner had discovered evidence of blood residues
in a Tyrannosaur rex femur. There followed many years of creationists' distortion
of those findings which they presented as support for a young Earth that
was debunked in Dino Blood and
the Young Earth. In April of 2005, Schweitzer and Horner were again
at the center of a media circus prompted by their announcement that this
time they had discovered blood vessels and identifiable cells. The creationist
reaction was immediate. This article reviews these new discoveries, their
presentation in the popular media, and the sadly predictable creationist
responses.
Ice Core Extends Climate Record Back 650,000 Years
Researchers have recovered a nearly two-mile-long cylinder of ice from
eastern Antarctica that contains a record of atmospheric concentrations
of carbon dioxide (CO2) and methane--two potent and ubiquitous greenhouse
gases--spanning the last two glacial periods. Analysis of this core shows
that current atmospheric concentrations of CO2--380 parts per million (ppm)--are
27 percent higher than the highest levels found in the last 650,000 years.
New
Method Of Dating Oceanic Crust Is Most Accurate So Far (November 1,
2005)
A newly developed method that detects tiny bits of zircon in rock reliably
predicts the age of ocean crust more than 99 percent of the time, making
the technique the most accurate so far.
A
Cool Early Earth?
Our planet might not have spent its first half a billion years drenched
in magma. Oceans, proto-continents and opportunities for life may have formed
much earlier. By John W. Valley.
Probing
the Geodynamo
Studies of our planet's churning interior offer intriguing clues to why
the earth's magnetic field occasionally flips and when the next reversal
may begin.
Physics
THEORY
OF EVERYTHING
Successful calculations about black holes and forces have given stunning
indications that our present approach to the theory of everything is the
right one, explains Lisa Randall.
Picking On Einstein
Huntsville AL (SPX) Mar 29, 2005
This year marks the 100th anniversary of a revolution in our notions of
space and time. Before 1905, when Albert Einstein published his theory of
special relativity, most people believed that space and time were as Sir
Isaac Newton described them back in the 17th century.
Fusion
energy: Just around the corner
For 50 years, physicists have been promising that power from nuclear fusion
is imminent. Now they are poised to build an experiment that could vindicate
their views. But will the machine work? Geoff Brumfiel investigates.
Psychology
Family
First
Dr. Phil’s new book Family First has one feature that sets it apart
from the crowded shelves of family self-help books: his chapter on divorced
and blended families. He has seen first hand that the official line we’ve
been given about divorce and remarriage is misleading at best and down-right
false at worst. The happy talk we have been given that “children of divorce
do just fine” is simply untrue. Dr. Phil might help these struggling couples
see that divorce won’t necessarily solve every problem they now face. As
parents, they will still have to interact with each other, even after divorce.
Sometimes, brand new problems emerge while old problems are simply transferred
to a different arena. "Marriage is hard, but divorce is harder." Comments
by Dr. Jennifer Roback Morse.
Exploding
the Self-Esteem Myth
Boosting people's sense of self-worth has become a national preoccupation.
Yet surprisingly, research shows that such efforts are of little value in
fostering academic progress or preventing undesirable behavior.
Genes contribute
to religious inclination
Genes play a key role in long-term religious behaviour, a new twins study
suggests, and the effects of a religious upbringing may fade with time.
What
is . . . neurotheology?
Neurotheology is the scientific study of what happens to brain activity
during religious or spiritual experiences. It is a recent development, made
possible because of advances in brain-imaging. The idea is to use the latest
tools available within psychology and neuroscience to detect which parts
of the brain are active during spiritual experiences. (Times, London)
The
Neurobiology of the Self
How does the brain's activity give rise to a constant sense of being oneself?
Biologists are slowly teasing out an answer.
Self Tests
A fascinating collection of tests that are as fun to share as they are to
take.
Zoology
Species
list reaches half-million mark
Researchers claim 'spectacular progress' towards logging all Earth's life.
Reference
revolution
Wikipedia co-founder Jimmy Wales offers a whole new species of information
online.