News to Note, February 20, 2010

1. Perspective of New Book on “Design Flaws”

Evolutionists often point to apparent flaws in human design to ridicule the notion of “intelligent design.” Now, the author of a new book on “design flaws” in humans offers his perspective.

2. Life on Earth Seeded from Space?

A meteorite said to be billions of years old contains molecules that include carbon atoms. Is it therefore proof that life on earth could have been seeded from space?

3. Similarities Between Humans and Plants Result of Evolution?

Creationists argue that similarities between humans and apes aren’t due to evolution. What about similarities between humans and plants?

4. Elephant Intelligence

In previous editions of News to Note, we’ve frequently reported on the high intelligence of crows. Now, it’s elephants’ turn again.

5. Creationists and Microbial Resistance to Antibiotics

New research into how microbial resistance to antibiotics comes about sheds light on the process that is frequently called “evolution.” Will creationists have to change their tune?

6. And Don’t Miss . . .

• Although we prefer reporting on the successes and advantages of non-embryonic stem cells, recent research reveals one way in which non-embryonic stem cells are more difficult to work with than embryonic stem cells. But what’s encouraging is the researchers’ attitude toward improving inferior aspects of generating non-embryonic stem cells, which offer proven medical benefits that don’t require discarding unborn human lives.
• Tigers and snow leopards are more closely related to each other than to other big cats, a recent genetic study suggests. Although the scientists’ old-earth timeline is off, the genetic similarities may indeed suggest that snow leopards and tigers diverged earlier from the post-Ark big cat population, leaving jaguars, lions, and leopards to speciate later.
• The politics of school financing isn’t a topic Answers in Genesis would normally comment on, but apparently it’s now grounds for attacking creation. BBC News quotes British politician Michael Gove, who attempted to anticipate criticism of his school-funding plan by insisting that “you cannot have a school which teaches creationism and one thing that we will make absolutely clear is that you cannot have schools which are set up, which teach people things which are clearly at variance with what we know to be scientific fact.” Perhaps that’s no surprise in itself, but creation education was apparently lumped with “extremist organisations, or people who have a dark agenda,” along with teaching that “undermines our democratic values.”
• Are coral reefs like time capsules, dating back tens or hundreds of thousands of years? It all depends on the rate of reef growth, of course.
• Last weekend was yet another “Evolution Weekend,” described by The Age as a day when “Darwin will share the praise with the Almighty.” The minister in one of the eight Australian churches that hosted the event claimed, “Darwin and the biblical accounts are in no way incompatible”—may we emend that to “in every way”?
• OneNewsNow reports on the evangelistic team Answers in Genesis is fielding at the Winter Olympics in Vancouver.
• If you didn’t enjoy the mocking Vanity Fair article on our Creation Museum last month (read our brief response), chances are you won’t enjoy Creation Museum coverage with a similar tone from the website companion to Intelligent Life magazine. Despite the magazine’s name, though, the article gets tripped up on several basic points (not to mention the substantive issues)—for example, the author mistakenly lists Answers in Genesis astronomer Dr. Jason Lisle as “Jim Lisle,” for instance.

Remember, if you see a news story that might merit some attention, let us know about it! (Note: if the story originates from the Associated Press, Fox News, MSNBC, New York Times or another major national media outlet, we will most likely have already heard about it.) And thanks to all of our readers who have submitted great news tips to us. If you didn’t catch last week’s News to Note, why not take a look at it now? See you next week!

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