The past week brought a total solar eclipse and a magnitude 4.7 earthquake to the northeastern United States (among other places for the eclipse). For the folks who will seize any opportunity to invoke the rapture and possibly God's judgment on specific subpopulations, it was a convergence too delicious to pass up. This in turn could not be overlooked by the folks who love to trot out a science fact. Don't you know that eclipses and earthquakes have natural causes, and that the eclipse has been predictable for decades? … [Read more...] about Science Corner: So When is an Eclipse not Just an Eclipse?
Science and Faith
Science Corner: Ask Your Parents Where Life Comes From
Lent is halfway through, we've set our clocks ahead, and Peeps are on the store shelves. It must be nearly spring, and so soon young men's fancies will lightly turn to thoughts of life. New life will be everywhere: blooming flowers, baby birds, buzzing cicadas. We know where this life comes from. But where did the first life come from? That remains a mystery, yet one which many young folks of all sorts seek to unravel. One group in Scotland has gone so far as to build their own "Chemputer" to help, and its first results … [Read more...] about Science Corner: Ask Your Parents Where Life Comes From
Science Corner: When the Bloom is off the Rose
Imagine if you will a holiday on which it is customary to bring flowers, chocolates, and the like to another person for whom one has romantic feelings. I know, I know, a preposterous proposition, but sometimes an outlandish thought experiment can be helpful. And so on this holiday, you bring a gift of flowers and observe how happy they make your crush. The next year, you are late to the florist and cannot get flowers so you bring chocolate instead and notice an equally happy reaction. The following year you are extra … [Read more...] about Science Corner: When the Bloom is off the Rose
ESN Announces: American Scientific Association 2024 Winter Symposium
The Emerging Scholars Network has loved partnering with the American Scientific Affiliation for many years. Elaine Howard Ecklund is a friend and past ESN Conversation guest and so we were very excited to learn of her presentation this weekend at the ASA Winter Symposium. Here are the details! WHEN: Saturday, January 27, 2024, at 1:00 ETCOST: Free (a free-will donation is suggested)SPEAKER: Elaine Howard EcklundTITLE: Why Science and Faith Need Each Other REGISTER: Scan the … [Read more...] about ESN Announces: American Scientific Association 2024 Winter Symposium
Science Corner: I Wanna Live Forever … ?
Apparently, the Santa Fe Institute had a workshop on immortality last fall. There's no evidence of a theological or religious or even much of a philosophical component to the proceedings. That's maybe a little surprising, seeing as how SFI tends to be expansively interdisciplinary. But there's plenty to discuss on the scientific side of things, so fair enough. I learned about it via Sean Carroll's podcast (see below). In this special holiday episode, he shares a version of his contribution to the workshop and comments … [Read more...] about Science Corner: I Wanna Live Forever … ?