This HOT TOPIC has been in the news quite a bit lately. Non-science groups are advocating the teaching of non-science theories in place of Evolution. Many states and science organizations have adopted “policies” or “statements” about evolution.
There seems to be a general misunderstanding about the difference between a “scientific theory” (based on data, evidence and verification by many scientists) and “theory” as used in everyday non-science language which just means a “guess or a hunch”. Perhaps science educators have not spend enough time helping students understand the difference.
Evolution Resources and Links:
Discussions about Evolution
HHMI Holiday Lectures 2005: EVOLUTION
Websites of Evidence of Evolution
The e-skeleton’s
Project
The eSkeletons Project website is devoted to the study of human and
primate comparative anatomy. It offers a unique set of digitized versions
of skeletons in 2-D and 3-D in full color, animations, and much supplemental
information.
Tree
of Life
The Tree of Life Web Project (ToL) is a collaborative effort of biologists
from around the world. On more than 4000 World Wide Web pages,
the project provides information about the diversity of organisms
on Earth, their evolutionary history (phylogeny),
and characteristics. Each page contains information about a particular
group of organisms (e.g., echinoderms, tyrannosaurs, phlox
flowers, cephalopods, club
fungi, or the salamanderfish
of Western Australia). ToL pages are linked one to another
hierarchically, in the form of the evolutionary tree of life.
Starting with the root
of all Life on Earth and moving out along diverging branches
to individual species, the structure
of the ToL project thus illustrates the genetic connections between
all living things.
Windows on the Universe
Windows to the Universe is a user-friendly learning system
covering the Earth and Space sciences for use by the general public. Windows
to the Universe has been in development since 1995. The internet
site includes a rich array of documents, including images, movies,
animations, and data sets, that explore the Earth and Space sciences
and the historical and cultural ties between science, exploration,
and the human experience. Students and teachers may find the site especially
helpful in their studying (and teaching!) Earth and Space sciences.
The site is written in three reading levels approximating elementary,
middle school and high school reading levels. These levels may be chosen
by using the upper button bar of each page of the main site.
Other Evolution Resources
Evolution position statement from the Utah State Board of Education (pdf)
