What's New Friday May 9, 2008

WHAT’S NEW   Robert L. Park   Friday   09 May 08   Washington, DC

1.  COMPETES: BLOWN AWAY IN THE GATHERING STORM.  
In 2005 the National Academies rang the alarm: the United States was 
beginning to fall behind other nations in the physical sciences, even as 
the world faced new challenges.   The report of the Academies, "Rising 
Above the Gathering Storm" was just what the nation needed.  Washington 
science representatives began working together as never before.   Congress 
passed COMPETES, a $33 billion authorization bill.  The President signed 
it, and Congress left town for a vacation after its hard work.   The 
science policy wonks were throwing each other high fives celebrating the 
victory.  But when it came time to appropriate money, the White House sent 
Jack Marburger to Congress to make the case for science.  Congress just 
divided up the money into pork-barrel projects.  Who could be surprised?  
An editorial in this week’s Nature pointed out that constituents have many 
pressing issues.  Ultimately, science must persuade the public.

2.  THE PHOENIX:  RISING FROM THE ASHES OF THE POLAR LANDER.
It must be a special experience to be the second polar explorer on Mars 
when no trace has been found of the first.  Mars Polar Lander simply 
vanished.  No wonder excitement is high as Phoenix prepares to make the 
first soft landing on Mars in 30 years.  It will probe the rocky polar 
soil in a search for life to which we are not related.  For the first 
time, an Earth robot is expected to touch, and even taste and smell, extra-
terrestrial water.   "If Phoenix finds indications of life," I was 
asked, "would you then be less opposed to sending human explorers?"   "On 
the contrary," I growled, "had I the power, I would not allow a human near 
a planet that might harbor extraterrestrial life."  The first human 
visitors to Mars will have to remain for perhaps nine months until Earth 
gets into the right conjunction for a return trip.  During that time, 
human activity will have to be circumscribed to avoid the chance of 
illegal immigrants, in the form of lesser Earthlings (germs), that have 
stowed away in the human gut.  If human explorers do find life on Mars, it 
will likely look familiar.

3. INTELLIGENT DESIGN: ACADEMIC FREEDOM IS THE NEW STRATEGY.
Even before Darwinian evolution defeated intelligent design in Kitzmiller 
v. Dover School Board, it has been apparent that this would not be the end 
of it.  Who thought it would?  The creationists began casting about for a 
new strategy http://bobpark.physics.umd.edu/WN06/wn011306.html .   An 
article in today’s Science suggests they think they’ve found it: academic 
freedom.  I mean they’ve got Ben Stein, who in the movie Expelled seems to 
think Guillermo Gonzalez should be allowed to teach whatever astronomy 
agrees with his religion.  That’s going to be a hard sell.  Suppose, for 
example, I teach my students that pi equals three.  It makes a lot of 
sense.  Who ever thought up irrational numbers in the first place?  We’ve 
got plenty of numbers without them.  What’s more, it’s a matter of 
religious conviction.   I Kings 7:23-26 describes a round cauldron in the 
Temple of Solomon that’s ten cubits in diameter and 30 cubits in 
circumference.  If it’s good enough for Solomon it’s good enough for me.  
My guess, however, is that it’s going to get a few challenges.    You can 
believe anything you want, but you don’t get to pick the facts.  So what 
are these guys up to?  They must know that.  Maybe Ben Stein just likes 
being in the movies.

THE UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND.
Opinions are the author's and not necessarily shared by the
University of Maryland, but they should be.
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