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Europeans' understanding of science, evolution, more advanced than Americans
February 16, 2007
SAN FRANCISCO — When it comes to scientific literacy, Americans aren't nearly as evolved as they may think. In fact, only about 40 percent of American adults accept the basic idea of evolution, a figure much lower than any European country. Participating 8:30 a.m. PST Friday in an American Association for the Advancement of Science symposium, titled "Anti-Evolution in Europe: Be Afraid, Be Very Afraid, or Not?," Michigan State University's Jon Miller argued that religion plays a major role in how Americans view evolution.
"The lowest-ranking country in terms of discounting evolution is Turkey. The United States is next," said Miller, who has analyzed surveys on belief in evolution from around the world. "The way we characterize religious fundamentalists in Turkey and in the U.S. is that they are both one-book religions.
"Fundamentalists in this country say everything you need to know is in the Bible, period. Islamists say everything you need to know is in the Koran, period," said Miller, a professor in political science.
Last year, Miller published a paper in the journal Science that stated two in five American adults rejected the concept of evolution, which was a significantly higher proportion than found in any Western European country. Another one in five were unsure about evolution.
In contrast, 80 percent or more of adults in Iceland, Denmark and Sweden accepted the concept of evolution.
In addition to religion, politics plays a crucial role in how Americans view evolution. It has become a highly politicized issue, Miller said, with the Republican Party in particular often using it as a litmus test for potential candidates.
"There is no major political party in Europe that uses opposition to evolution as a part of its political platform," he said. "In the United States, there are people who think it is a political advantage to discount evolution."
Not surprisingly, Miller and colleagues also found that persons with strong pro-life beliefs were significantly more likely to reject evolution than those with pro-choice views.
"The total effect of pro-life attitudes on the acceptance of evolution was much greater in the United States than in the nine European countries surveyed,\\\
Michigan State University
Science News and Science Current Events Tag Cloud This tag cloud is a visual representation of term frequencies of random science news topics with common terms grouped together and emphasized by their display size.
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Related Evolution Current Events and Evolution News Articles Evolution Current Events and Evolution News RSS Desert rhubarb -- a self-irrigating plant Researchers from the Department of Science Education-Biology at the University of Haifa-Oranim have managed to make out the "self-irrigating" mechanism of the desert rhubarb, which enables it to harvest 16 times the amount of water than otherwise expected for a plant in this region based on the quantities of rain in the desert.
Increasing age of mothers in Spain leads to rise in mortality rates A new study examining the evolution of maternal mortality rates in Spain since 1996 shows a 17% increase in deaths. This trend is linked to the widespread increase in maternal age. The highest death rates are among foreign women and those who live in the province of Malaga.
Intense heat killed the Universe's would-be galaxies, researchers say Our Milky Way galaxy only survived because it was already immersed in a large clump of dark matter which trapped gases inside it.
The sound of light: Innovative technology shatters the barriers of modern light microscopy Researchers at the Helmholtz Zentrum München and the Technische Universität München are using a combination of light and ultrasound to visualize fluorescent proteins that are seated several centimeters deep into living tissue.
Largest ever survey of very distant galaxy clusters completed An international team of researchers led by a UC Riverside astronomer has completed the largest ever survey designed to find very distant clusters of galaxies.
Female human embryos adjust the balance of X chromosomes before implantation Dutch researchers have found the first evidence that a process of inactivating the X chromosome during embryo development and implantation, which was known to occur in mice but unknown in humans, does, in fact, take place in human female embryos prior to implantation in the womb.
Study of flower color shows evolution in action Scientists at UC Santa Barbara have zeroed in on the genes responsible for changing flower color, an area of research that began with Gregor Mendel's studies of the garden pea in the 1850's.
ASU scientist: Study of first wave of swine flu requires revised public health strategies There is no way to know how the newest strain of the H1N1 influenza virus will behave in the future. But scientists, notably those working at the intersections of epidemiology, mathematics, modeling and statistics, are monitoring it closely to identify anomalies on its pattern of spread while evaluating ways of mitigating its impact.
Straighten up and fly right: Moths benefit more from flexible wings than rigid Most scientists who create models trying to understand the mechanics and aerodynamics of insect flight have assumed that insect wings are relatively rigid as they flap.
Toxic chemicals affect steroid hormones differently in humans and invertebrates In a study with important consequences for studies on the effects of chemicals on steroid responses in humans, a team of French and American scientists, including Michael E. Baker, PhD, professor in UC San Diego's Department of Medicine, Division of Nephrology-Hypertension, have found that - contrary to earlier assumptions - enzymes used for the synthesis of steroids in insects, snails, octopuses and corals are unrelated to those used in humans. More Evolution Current Events and Evolution News Articles
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Evolution
Starring: David Duchovny, Orlando Jones, Julianne Moore, Seann William Scott, Ted Levine Directed By: Ivan Reitman Also With: Ivan Reitman (Producer), Daniel Goldberg (Producer), David Rodgers (Producer), Jeff Apple (Producer), David Diamond (Writer), David Weissman (Writer), Don Jakoby (Writer)
OUTRAGEOUS AND HILARIOUS. YOU'LL LAUGH OUT LOUD AND ENJOY THE FUN ACTION AND OUT-OF-THIS-WORLD SPECIAL EFFECTS AS THESE UNLIKELY HEROES BATTLE THE MOST UNECPECTED GROUP OF ALIENS YOU'LL EVER SEE.
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Why Evolution Is True
by Jerry A. Coyne (Author)
Why evolution is more than just a theory: it is a fact
In all the current highly publicized debates about creationism and its descendant “intelligent design,” there is an element of the controversy that is rarely mentioned—the evidence, the empirical truth of evolution by natural selection. Even Richard Dawkins and Stephen Jay Gould, while extolling the beauty of evolution and examining case studies, have not focused on the evidence itself. Yet the proof is vast, varied, and magnificent, drawn from many different fields of science. Scientists are observing species splitting into two and are finding more and more fossils capturing change in the past—dinosaurs that have sprouted feathers, fish that have grown limbs.
Why Evolution Is True weaves together the many...
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Just The Facts: Prehistoric Man - Human Evolution
Starring: Just the Facts Directed By: Cerebellum Corporation
Beginning in the late nineteenth century and throughout the twentieth century, geologists, archaeologists and paleoanthropologists have given the world evidence of the physical and cultural development of humans. Amazing discoveries continue into the twenty-first century, broadening our knowledge of our earliest ancestors and pushing the date of the first appearance of humans to millions of years before recorded history. In Part 1 of "Prehistoric Man," viewers come face to face with fascinating ancient creatures who looked something like apes but walked upright. We learn how they lived in their foraging societies; what their life may have been like; how they fashioned tools out of stone, wood and bone; and how scientists determine the age of the fossils that give us windows to their...
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Bosch 4819 Evolution All-Season Bracketless Wiper Blade - 19"
by Bosch
Bracketless wiper blades, also known as beam blades, are designed without the metal or plastic brackets, joints or hinges of conventional wiper blades. So snow and ice have nowhere to build up. In addition, the patented design of Bosch Evolution features dual precision-tensioned steel springs that distribute more uniform pressure along the entire length of the blade for exceptional all-weather visibility.
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Evolution Boxed Set
Starring: Liam Neeson (narrator)
Evolution offers a groundbreaking and definitive view of the extraordinary impact the evolutionary process has had on our understanding of the world around us. Beginning with Darwin s revolutionary theory, this seven-part series explores all facets of evolution the changes that spawned the tree of life, the power of sex, how evolution continues to affect us every day, and the perceived conflict between science and religion. Includes:
Darwin s Dangerous Idea: Interweaving key moments of drama in Darwin's life with current research, Darwin s Dangerous Idea explores why his theory of evolution might matter even more today than it did in his own time.
Great Transformations: From the development of the four-limbed body plan, the journey of animal life from water to land, and the...
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Science, Evolution, and Creationism
by National Academy of Sciences (Author), Institute of Medicine (Author)
How did life evolve on Earth? The answer to this question can help us understand our past and prepare for our future. Although evolution provides credible and reliable answers, polls show that many people turn away from science, seeking other explanations with which they are more comfortable. In the book, Science, Evolution, and Creationism, a group of experts assembled by the National Academy of Sciences and the Institute of Medicine explain the fundamental methods of science, document the overwhelming evidence in support of biological evolution, and evaluate the alternative perspectives offered by advocates of various kinds of creationism, including "intelligent design." The book explores the many fascinating inquiries being pursued that put the science of evolution to work ...
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Pro Evolution Soccer 09
by Konami
New Look, New ContentÂż Same Passion! Pro Evolution Soccer is back for 2009! The terms ÂżPESÂż and ÂżWinning ElevenÂż have always been synonymous with realism and superior gameplay, but this year PES will further narrow the gap between the game, and the real thing! New stadiums, player motions and gameplay modes will bolster a game already focused on providing the most exciting soccer experience next to actually being on the field.
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Evolution
John Powell (Composer), Gavin Greenaway (Composer), George Doering (Composer), Hollywood Studio Symphony (Composer), Michael Fischer (Composer)
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Bosch 4822 Evolution All-Season Bracketless Wiper Blade - 22"
by Bosch
Bracketless wiper blades, also known as beam blades, are designed without the metal or plastic brackets, joints or hinges of conventional wiper blades. So snow and ice have nowhere to build up. In addition, the patented design of Bosch Evolution features dual precision-tensioned steel springs that distribute more uniform pressure along the entire length of the blade for exceptional all-weather visibility.
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Evolution: The First Four Billion Years
by Michael Ruse (Editor), Joseph Travis (Editor), Edward O. Wilson (Editor)
Spanning evolutionary science from its inception to its latest findings, from discoveries and data to philosophy and history, this book is the most complete, authoritative, and inviting one-volume introduction to evolutionary biology available. Clear, informative, and comprehensive in scope, Evolution opens with a series of major essays dealing with the history and philosophy of evolutionary biology, with major empirical and theoretical questions in the science, from speciation to adaptation, from paleontology to evolutionary development (evo devo), and concluding with essays on the social and political significance of evolutionary biology today. A second encyclopedic section travels the spectrum of topics in evolution with concise, informative, and accessible entries on...
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