iBiome

doonesbury on creationism in the classroom

Richard Dawkins celebrates a victory over creationists

Leading scientists and naturalists, including Professor Richard Dawkins and Sir David Attenborough, are claiming a victory over the creationist movement after the government ratified measures that will bar anti-evolution groups from teaching creationism in science classes.

The Department for Education has revised its model funding agreement, allowing the education secretary to withdraw cash from schools that fail to meet strict criteria relating to what they teach. Under the new agreement, funding will be withdrawn for any free school that teaches what it claims are "evidence-based views or theories" that run "contrary to established scientific and/or historical evidence and explanations".

The British Humanist Association (BHA), which has led a campaign against creationism – the movement that denies Darwinian evolution and claims that the Earth and all its life was created by God – described the move as "highly significant" and predicted that it would have implications for other faith groups looking to run schools.

via www.guardian.co.uk

rocks of ages

The Royal Tyrrell Museum, in dry proximity to Drumheller, Alberta, was an unexpected and welcome treat, appealling to every geekly layer right back to my tender childhood.  One of my earliest memories of "what I want to be when I grow up" was a burning desire to be a paleontologist, stoked by books introducing me to Tyrannosaurus (six inch teeth!), Diplodocus, and Stegosaurus (it could fit in my classroom!).  This museum ties the Vancouver Aquarium for my affections. The exhibits were well turned out and rich in information, and the kids programs brought us back for a second day, searching for fossils in the eroded runoff among the crumbling badlands. 
This image is Black Beauty, a rare mineral-blackened Tyrannosaurus rex fossil found in the Crowsnest pass, Alberta.  I want to go back.

New Money for Genomics in Ontario

Ontario to award $100M for genomics research.

Minister of Research and Innovation John Wilkinson announced the new $100 million Global Leadership Round in Genomics and Life Sciences will support "globally significant, collaborative research projects" headquartered in Ontario. Scientists who work in either genomics, gene-related research, or research into stem cells or proteins will be eligible to compete for the new funds.

Great news for genomics research in Ontario.  I assume this will go through OGI. This will hopefully lessen the temptation for Canadian based scientists to head south to a US that is once again science friendly. I think Canada and other countries have benefited scientifically from the Bush years, and we need to work to keep our best and brightest, as well as the 'exiles', in place.

genomics for 1st graders - II

I didn't bomb. In fact my presentation went fairly well, once I got the kids going on constructing  a double helix from Twizzlers and mini-marshmallows.  The marshmallows come in 4 colours, ideal for teaching about base pairing.  T he most common question?  " Can I eat my DNA now?"

POTty-mouthed teen busted for not being a dope

A kid in Saskatchewan gets in trouble for talking about marijuana in a school hallway.  From the description I am almost certain he was discussing this study on drugs and alcohol toxicity. 

Link: School suspends teen after drug-linked protest.

Kieran shared the information he found with classmates around the lunch table, mentioning studies that suggest marijuana kills fewer people than tobacco or alcohol. He also opined that marijuana use should be legal in Canada. "I wasn't selling any drugs, I was just giving out statistics," Kieran said.

One of his fellow students complained to Susan Wilson, the principal at Wawota Parkland School, who in turn called Keiran's mother on May 29. During the phone conversation, Kieran said he was accused of "soliciting the sale of drugs to minors and others within the school."...

And get this quote from the Director of Education for the school division:

..."Public schools are not public places like shopping malls where students can gather and talk about any issue that they wish," he said. "We have teachers and principals who have expectations for student conduct in a safe and orderly climate."

What makes this newsworthy of course is not that a teen might be talking about pot (oh my stars and garters, what a shocker!!) or an interesting bit of research, but the school's overreaction.  We are in the unfortunate season of graduation-linked teen deaths, usually from drunk driving or other alcohol related misadventure.  In that context, I wonder if the officials at this school think marijuana is the drug they need to worry about?   

genomics for 1st graders

A week from tomorrow I face my daughter's grade 1 class to talk about my job so if anyone has any nifty ideas for communicating DNA to 6 year olds I am all ears.  I have used the IKEA parts-list analogy for other lay audiences, and one of my coworkers who works in public education has forwarded some kick-ass ideas, but if anyone else happens along this post with some ideas I would be grateful.  My wife thinks I'm going to bomb.