Friday, May 9, 2008
In 2005 the National Academies rang the alarm: the United States was
beginning to fall behind other nations in the physical sciences, even as
the world faced new challenges. The report of the Academies, "Rising
Above the Gathering Storm" was just what the nation needed. Washington
science representatives began working together as never before. Congress
passed COMPETES, a $33 billion authorization bill. The President signed
it, and Congress left town for a vacation after its hard work. The
science policy wonks were throwing each other high fives celebrating the
victory. But when it came time to appropriate money, the White House sent
Jack Marburger to Congress to make the case for science. Congress just
divided up the money into pork-barrel projects. Who could be surprised?
An editorial in this week's Nature pointed out that constituents have many
pressing issues. Ultimately, science must persuade the public.
It must be a special experience to be the second polar explorer on Mars
when no trace has been found of the first. Mars Polar Lander simply
vanished. No wonder excitement is high as Phoenix prepares to make the
first soft landing on Mars in 30 years. It will probe the rocky polar
soil in a search for life to which we are not related. For the first
time, an Earth robot is expected to touch, and even taste and smell, extra-
terrestrial water. "If Phoenix finds indications of life," I was
asked, "would you then be less opposed to sending human explorers?" "On
the contrary," I growled, "had I the power, I would not allow a human near
a planet that might harbor extraterrestrial life." The first human
visitors to Mars will have to remain for perhaps nine months until Earth
gets into the right conjunction for a return trip. During that time,
human activity will have to be circumscribed to avoid the chance of
illegal immigrants, in the form of lesser Earthlings (germs), that have
stowed away in the human gut. If human explorers do find life on Mars, it
will likely look familiar.
Even before Darwinian evolution defeated intelligent design in Kitzmiller
v. Dover School Board, it has been apparent that this would not be the end
of it. Who thought it would? The creationists began casting about for a
new strategy (WN 13 Jan 06) . An
article in today's Science suggests they think they've found it: academic
freedom. I mean they've got Ben Stein, who in the movie Expelled seems to
think Guillermo Gonzalez should be allowed to teach whatever astronomy
agrees with his religion. That's going to be a hard sell. Suppose, for
example, I teach my students that pi equals three. It makes a lot of
sense. Who ever thought up irrational numbers in the first place? We've
got plenty of numbers without them. What's more, it's a matter of
religious conviction. I Kings 7:23-26 describes a round cauldron in the
Temple of Solomon that's ten cubits in diameter and 30 cubits in
circumference. If it's good enough for Solomon it's good enough for me.
My guess, however, is that it's going to get a few challenges. You can
believe anything you want, but you don't get to pick the facts. So what
are these guys up to? They must know that. Maybe Ben Stein just likes
being in the movies.
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