ISEN-ASTC-L is a service of the Association of Science-Technology Centers
Incorporated, a worldwide network of science museums and related institutions.
*****************************************************************************

I like it, Robin. And I think it would get the attention of visitors. 
I couldn't think of a good title when I wrote my statement -- but I 
knew someone out there would be able to. :-)

Any other ideas? As Clifford said, the title is of utmost importance.

Kodi

>ISEN-ASTC-L is a service of the Association of Science-Technology Centers
>Incorporated, a worldwide network of science museums and related institutions.
>*****************************************************************************
>
>How about "The Science of Evolution"?
>
>Robin Frisch
>MindSplash
>
>>  ISEN-ASTC-L is a service of the Association of Science-Technology Centers
>>  Incorporated, a worldwide network of science museums and related 
>>institutions.
>> 
>>*****************************************************************************
>>
>>  Great job, Jeffrey.    The deadlines I imposed was pretty arbitrary, so
>>  none of us should sweat it in the short haul.  In the long haul we need
>>  to be clear to our public.   It's still worth doing a second round, if
>>  anyone has the energy and the writing skills, to take the best of the
>>  material presented so far and make an even better version.    Posting
>>  such a statement- level headed, TRUTHFUL, and informative is such an
>>  easy way for all science centers to deal with misconceptions of science
>>  and evolution without losing visitors that I suggest to everyone that
>>  this is a path of least resistance.  Make a good looking copy, put it
>>  on a kiosk, (no budget? Put it on a music stand!) and leave it in one
>>  of your halls even by itself.
>>
>>  What should the title be?  Evolution is Science?  Science and Evolution?
>>
>>  The title is important.
>>
>>  Clifford
>>
>>
>>  On Apr 9, 2005, at 7:58 PM, Kodi Jeffery wrote:
>>
>>>  ISEN-ASTC-L is a service of the Association of Science-Technology
>>>  Centers
>>>  Incorporated, a worldwide network of science museums and related
>>>  institutions.
>>>  ***********************************************************************
>>>  ******
>>>
>>>  I know I'm past the "official due date" for science centers'
>>>  statements regarding evolution, but I decided it was worth offering my
>>>  suggestion, regardless. It's longer than I'd like (373 words), but I'm
>>>  having trouble finding a place to shorten it -- unless it was to cut
>>>  one or both of the last two (very short) paragraphs. I think that
>>>  opinions might differ as to whether to keep them, so I'm offering the
>>>  whole thing, here. I'd love to hear suggestions on ways to better it
>>>  and hope people find it useful. (I admit to wondering whether visitors
>>>  might be willing to read a longer piece of text if it were regarding a
>>>  topic of concern to them -- and I think we'd all agree that evolution
>>>  is a topic of concern to many of our visitors).
>>>
>>>  Kodi Jeffery, Ph.D
>>>  Informal Science Educator
>>>  Currently seeking employment
>>>
>>>  Science is about testing ideas. In fact, if there's no way to test an
>>>  idea's validity, that idea can't be considered science. Some ideas can
>>>  be tested directly, such as whether a certain medicine can destroy
>>>  cancer cells. Others can't be controlled the same way, but as long as
>>>  there are ways to apply discriminating testing, the ideas can still be
>>>  scientific. Copernicus' idea of a sun-centered solar system was heresy
>>>  among people who considered Earth the center of the universe. But
>>>  despite being unable to control the planets for tests, scientists
>>>  could still make predictions based on this idea. They could predict
>>>  eclipses and explain phases of the moon and intricate planetary
>>>  motions. And the more people could explain and predict, the stronger
>>>  this idea became. Eventually, it became a theory, in the proper sense
>>>  of the word: the very highest "achievement" of any idea in science.
>>>
>>>  A valid theory explains huge amounts of data; it is then used to make
>>>  further predictions and design new tests. The more we study and learn,
>  >> the better we can refine and validate the theory. Evolutionary theory
>>>  has been used to synthesize data from geology to microbiology. It has
>>>  synthesized huge amounts of widely disparate data, and scientists use
>>>  it to make seemingly endless predictions and plans. For example,
>>>  evolution helps us understand why antibiotics stop working after a
>>>  period of time and helps us plan new strategies for future
>>>  medications. If this theory had failed in a prediction or explanation,
>>>  even once, scientists would have had to revise or even discard the
>>>  theory. But the idea has held strong, despite decades of rigorous
>>>  testing, so much so that it has become the unifying theory of biology.
>>>  Without it, nothing makes sense.
>>>
>>>  Contrary to popular conceptions, science takes no stand on religion.
>>>  People once believed a sun-centered solar system conflicted with their
>>>  religious beliefs, but they eventually realized that science was
>>>  merely explaining the natural processes that make our world work.
>>>
>>>  As a science center, we respect the most basic tenets of science,
>>>  namely that we must keep an open mind while we test our world, then
>>>  let those tests teach us what they will. Evolutionary theory continues
>>>  to teach us new things every day.
>  >>

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