Transcript Evolution and Controversy

Evolution and Controversy
Evolution and Health
The virus
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If a person is infected and
survives, they will have life-long
immunity.
They can steal genetic code
from other viruses
Always seem to be at least one
step ahead of everything
The Flu
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Influenza (flu) is a respiratory
infection in mammals and birds.
Rapid evolution of the influenza
virus
A zoonosis is an infection or
infectious disease that is
transmissible from vertebrate
animals to people.
The Swine Flu
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It appears the H1N1 swine flu may
be a reassortment of the H
(hemagglutinin) gene from typical
North American pigs with the N
(neuraminidase) and M (matrix)
genes from European pigs
If so, this new virus is an example of
the importance of recombination in
evolution.
Human Immunodeficiency
Virus (HIV)
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HIV-1 originated in non-human
primates
Through blood contact that
occurred during hunting and
field dressing of the animals.
HIV
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Destroys certain white blood
cells called CD4+ T cells
Retrovirus
RNA
 Uses RNA to synthesize DNA
 Prone to mutation
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Evolution’s Critics
Fundamentalist Movement
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Saw evolution as a threat to
Christian beliefs.
John Scopes trial in Tennessee
 Susan Epperson in Arkansas
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Russian advances in space
helped reintroduce evolution in
American textbooks.
Scientific Creationism
Movement
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“Creationism is just as much a
science as evolution and
evolution is just as much a
religion as is creation.”
“Equal-time” bill
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Struck down by the Supreme
Court
Intelligent design
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Alternative to evolution.
Life is too complex for natural
selection and must reflect
intelligent design.
Why ID and CS are not in
science class
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Explanations that cannot be
tested and potentially rejected
are not science.
If someone invokes a nonnatrual
cause in their research, and you
decided to test it, can you think
of any way to do so such that it
could be falsified.
What do you think?
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About creation science and
intelligent design being taught in
science class?