A Stitch in Haste

A "Teach the Controversy" Moment

Short version:

Microbiologist: I have published a paper documenting evidence of evolution in E. coli bacteria.

Creationist: I demand to see your data!

Microbiologist: Have you read the paper?

Creationist: Since you refuse to disclose your data, I am going to denounce you as an unethical fraud on Conservapedia!

The data were, of course, in the paper (and the evolved bacteria are, of course, still in the microbiologist’s lab).

“Teach the controversy” indeed…

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Long version here, or here, or here.

Filed under: Atheism, Education

2 Responses to “A "Teach the Controversy" Moment”

1. EclectEcon, on June 26th, 2008 at 9:05 am Said:

   Similar to, yet so different from, the Levitt-Liebowitz controversy at the JPE.

2. Martin, on June 26th, 2008 at 11:58 pm Said:

   I love how the talk page on it at Conservapedia has just been been nuked… :S

   On the subject of Conservapedia, I just posted an back-of-the-envelope “analysis” of their reach, and to be honest I don’t think it’s just Lenski that owns them – by my calculation the criticism in the science blogosphere will get a far bigger audience than their efforts. So much for Schlafly's PR attempts…

   See: Conservapedia’s Reach: A Back-of-the-Envelope Study