Stop me if you've heard this one: a biophysicist, a writer, a theologian walk into a bar. OK, so that's not actually how Dawn was written, but the diverse backgrounds of the three co-writers--Cees Dekker, Corien Oranje, and Gijsbert van den Brink respectively--do sound more like résumés for the cast of a niche joke than for collaborators on a novel. And not just any novel, but one that spans 14 billion years--from the instants after the Big Bang until the moment the manuscript was sent to the printers (or so it seems, … [Read more...] about Science Corner: Dawn – A Proton’s Tale of All that Came to Be
BioLogos
Science Corner: Bug-Eat-Bug World
It has been said that it's a bug-eat-bug world. Although in the circle of life, it's probably more accurate to say that it's a bird-eat-bug world. No matter how you phrase it, nature is full of heterotrophic organisms that need to consume other organisms in order to survive. Being eaten can have a significant negative impact on your fitness (your reproductive success, not your ability to climb Mt Everest or run a marathon). At the end of the day, the organisms/species that have the largest number of healthy offspring … [Read more...] about Science Corner: Bug-Eat-Bug World
Science Corner: Congratulations, Templeton Prize Winner Francis Collins
Last week, the Templeton Foundation announced that Francis Collins was the 2020 winner of their annual prize recognizing contributions to the dialogue between science and the deep questions our world and ourselves. Collins has made substantial contributions to biomedical science, helping to identify genes for conditions like cystic fibrosis and Huntington's disease before going on to lead the Human Genome Project. He is also a notable participant in the dialogue between science and Christian religion, most prominently … [Read more...] about Science Corner: Congratulations, Templeton Prize Winner Francis Collins
Science Corner: 2019 BioLogos Conference Recap
Last week I had the opportunity to attend the BioLogos conference in Baltimore, MD. Although there is a healthy dose of science, their conferences have a different feel than American Scientific Affiliation meetings, or at least the one I attended. ASA is primarily focused on scientists and students in the sciences, while BioLogos positions itself to address a broader audience. As a result, their conference attracts pastors, middle and high school teachers and interested members of the public in addition to an assortment … [Read more...] about Science Corner: 2019 BioLogos Conference Recap
How should Christians in the sciences choose an epistemology? (STEAM Grant Series)
ESN is currently creating a Faith/Science curriculum for young adult small groups. We've partnered with InterVarsity graduate student discussion groups to identify faith/science questions that are important to emerging scholars, and we're commissioning thoughtful Christians in science or theology/philosophy to explore those questions in this series at the ESN blog. We will publish these posts as a booklet curriculum for campus groups. Today, we're delighted to welcome Jim Stump on the topic of epistemology. This … [Read more...] about How should Christians in the sciences choose an epistemology? (STEAM Grant Series)