Alliance For Science

Check out the HMS Beagle Project site for a description of an exciting project commemorating Darwin's original voyage on the HMS Beagle. In 2009, the group will launch a sailing replica of HMS Beagle to circumnavigate the globe in Darwin's wake, crewed by aspiring scientists and researchers. They will carry out original research both at sea and on land, updating Darwin's observations, breaking new scientific ground and relating the adventure of science to enthuse a new generation of young students.

The site has details about the ship itself, the type of science experiments they will conduct, and the voyage itself.

The Northern Viriginia Ethical Society (NoVES) holds weekly "platform meetings" on various topics, and there is one coming up soon that may be of particular interest to Alliance for Science members and friends. The title is "The Evolution of Creationism" and it's coming up just before Darwin's birthday (Happy 199th, Chuck!). Jone Johnson Lewis, Leader of the NoVES will be the speaker. The following description was supplied by NoVES:

Each time creationism is defeated in its attempts to keep young students from learning about evolution, creationists figure out a new way of presenting or advocating for their position.

In honor of Darwin Day, Jone will take us on a quick tour of creationist thinking and how it has evolved. We tend to think of the disagreement as between a new theory (evolution) and the age-old, Biblically-grounded theory of special creation -- yet the latter theory continues to grow and evolve, and its advocates adopt tactics in response to the successes of science.

Directions and other information available at the Northern Virginia Ethical Society website.

The Alliance for Science recognizes that high schools teachers have a heavy workload and that helping students participate in our essay contest is a significant burden. We are therefore showing our appreciation of teachers. In addition to the prizes listed on the main essay contest page, the Alliance is in the process of collecting contributions of books from scientists and science writers. We presently have seven books collected, several of which are signed by the author. Among the featured titles are Creationism's Trojan Horse: The Wedge of Intelligent Design by Barbara Forrest and Paul R. Gross, and Not in Our Classrooms: Why Intelligent Design Is Wrong for Our Schoolsby Eugenie Scott and Glenn Branch.

The full list of books will be distributed to the teachers of the winning students. Teachers will get to pick from the list in order of finish of the students they have been advising.

On Monday, February 12, in honor of International Darwin Day, the Marian Koshland Science Museum of the National Academy of Sciences and the National Association of Biology Teachers is sponsoring a forum on Teaching Evolution in the Classroom. The event will be held at the Koshland Science Museum, 6th & E Streets, NW.

Alliance for Science Supports Darwin Day

The Alliance for Science is pleased to add its voice to a growing international
list of organizations and individuals participating in a major celebration of the 200th
anniversary of the birth of Charles Darwin. Although Alliance efforts are still largely
in the planning stage at this point, we are coordinating closely with the
Dawin Day Celebration to help make this a grand event.

Darwin Day celebrates much more than the life, virtues, and singular accomplishment