All About Science FAQ


		All About Science FAQ


		Frequently Asked Questions on Science Abiogenesis Abiogenesis – What about enzymes? - Enzymes dramatically increase the rate of biological reactions. How long would the reactions necessary for life take in the absence of enzymes? Abiogenesis – What is directed panspermia? - Is there an extraterrestrial alternative to the theory of abiogenesis? What is directed Panspermia? Is it a viable alternative to spontaneous generation? Abiogenesis – What is the chicken and egg paradox? - DNA houses the information necessary for folding proteins into the shape critical to their function. Proteins facilitate the process by which DNA replicates. Does this cause problems for evolution? Life and Abiogenesis – How simple can life be? - What is the minimum life-permitting complexity of a cell’s genome? How does this line up with Darwin’s theory? Abiogenesis Video Anatomical Homology What is biochemical homology? - Biochemical homology is often hailed as decisive evidence for the common ancestry of all life. What is biochemical homology? Does biochemical homology support evolution? Ape to Man Archaeopteryx Big Bang Theory Big Bang Theory Video Charles Darwin Charles Darwin Video Chirality Chirality – What is the Murchinson meteorite? - Could the fragments of the 1969 Murchison meteorite provide vital clues regarding the origin of homochirality? Co-option Co-option – Are constructive mutations possible? - Co-option requires an abundance of constructive mutations in order to facilitate the development of novel functionality from previously existing macromolecules. Do such mutations exist? Co-option Video Cosmic Fine Tuning Cosmic Fine Tuning -- Mass of the cosmos - How does the cosmic mass density exhibit fine-tuning and the activity of an intelligent agent? Must the density of protons and neutrons be finely-tuned to permit life? Cosmic Fine Tuning and Life - There exist many physical factors which must be precisely set for any planet to be hospitable to life. What are they? Cosmic fine-tuning – Is the universe designed for discovery? - Was the universe created with us in mind? Was the universe finely-tuned to permit scientific discovery? Dark Energy Darwin Day Darwin Theory of Evolution Video Darwin Video Darwin's Theory Of Evolution How did Sir Charles Lyell influence Charles Darwin? - Renowned geologist of the mid-nineteenth century who popularized uniformitarianism, the geological foundation for Darwin's biological theory of gradual evolution. How did Thomas Malthus influence Charles Darwin? - Population growth overpowers food supply growth, creating perpetual states of hunger, disease, and struggle. This sociological premise grounded Darwin's biological theory. What is evolution? - The process by which an organism becomes more sophisticated over time and in response to its environment. Are there gaps? What is Social Darwinism? - A social theory with nagging issues. Those with economic, physical, and/or technological power flourish, while others are destined for extinction. Why was Thomas Huxley nicknamed "Darwin's Bulldog"? - A scientist and philosopher of the 19th century, Huxley was most famous for his vehement defense of Darwin and evolution. Darwin's Theory Video Dawkins and Religion Video Dawkins: The Greatest Show on Earth Richard Dawkins: The Greatest Show on Earth – Do Dawkins’ claims regarding the fossil record follow logically? - Do Dawkins’ claims regarding the fossil record follow logically? What can we learn from his book? The Greatest Show on Earth by Dawkins – What about the Missing Link? - How did Dawkins define the concept of the missing link? What does he say about Lucy? The Greatest Show on Earth – What about bad design? - Design in Nature DNA Double Helix DNA Double Helix Video DNA Replication DNA Structure Endoplasmic Reticulum Endoplasmic reticulum and proteins – What is the unfolded protein response? - Can the ER's machinery become overwhelmed with unfolded proteins? What is the result? Evolution Evolution Of Man Have we found the missing link? - Has the missing link been finally located? What about discoveries like Piltdown Man, Neanderthal Man, Nebraska Man, and Lucy? How do scientists explain the evolution of the human brain? - Learn how scientists defend the evolution of the human brain. Is natural selection the best method? Understand the challenges. How Does Isolation Affect the Theory of Evolution? - Does the isolation concept make the theory of evolution more viable? How does the concept of Punctuated Equilibrium affect it? Evolution of Man Video Evolution of Sex Evolution of Gender/Sex – Why is gender a problem for evolution? - Is gender a problem for evolutionists? Why? Does sexual reproduction conflict with the standard Darwinian paradigm? Evolution of Sex and the DNA repair hypothesis - What is the DNA repair hypothesis? Does it explain the origin of sex, or just why sex exists now? Evolution of Sex and the Lottery Principle - What is the Lottery Principle? Did sex evolve to increase variability and hence increase the likelihood of survival? Evolution of Sex and the Red Queen Hypothesis - What is the Red Queen Hypothesis? How does it relate to survival-of-the-fittest? Does it account for the evolution of sex? Evolution of Sex and the Tangled Bank Hypothesis - What is the Tangled Bank Hypothesis? What are the difficulties it faces in trying to account for the evolution of sex? Evolution Video Intelligent Design Are there any intelligent design peer-reviewed publications? - Real science? Objective studies supporting design theory are now more common, appearing more frequently in respected journals and publications. How and when did the intelligent design movement begin? - The compelling case for design, and the background of this scientific and logical approach to origins and the development of life. Why is there such resistance to teaching intelligent design in the public schools? - Science or superstition? The evidence points to the deliberate influence of a self-aware creator in many aspects of the universe. Intelligent Design Video Junk DNA Large Hadron Collider Experiment Large Hadron Collider Experiment Video Many Worlds Hypothesis Mind Over Matter Video Multiverse Origin Of Life What are the different theories on the origin of life? - Learn about the theories: random and natural unguided forces, created and designed by a designer, and self generation. What is the truth? What is spontaneous generation? - Learn the history. Can life generate itself from non-living matter? What are the explanations? Examine the evidence and decide. What is the theory of the extraterrestrial origin of life? - Study the theories and weigh the evidence. What studies are being done to find the truth regarding the origin of extraterrestrials? Who was Louis Pasteur? - Learn the history of this man and his greatest accomplishments, including pasteurization. What else did he research and discover? Origin of Life Video Origin Of Species How does Darwin's theory of natural selection explain the origin of species? - A process of adaptation, where the strong survive in certain environments and change the balance of populations within a species. The Origin of Species and Common Descent - Darwin proposed that all forms of life as observed today can be traced back to a single universal common ancestor. Is this conclusion justified? Who is Thomas Malthus? - A British scholar and minister, he influenced Darwin's theory by proposing a population-food imbalance that creates a struggle to survive. Origin of Species Video Origin of the Cosmos Video Richard Dawkins RNA World RNA world and Beta-D-ribonucleotides? - What are Beta-D-ribonucleotides? Was there really a prebiotic pool of these molecules as the RNA world model necessitates? RNA world – What is Ribozyme Engineering? - What is Ribozyme Engineering? Do the procedures used in research on RNA catalyses support the concept of naturalism, or of intelligent design? Schrodinger Science Scientific Method Second Law of Thermodynamics What is the First Law of Thermodynamics? - Neither matter nor energy can be created or destroyed. An observable law of nature that begs the question of origins. What is the third law of thermodynamics? - Refers to a state known as "absolute zero," which relates the entropy (randomness) of matter to its absolute temperature. When were the laws of thermodynamics first described? - As science advanced, researchers developed coherent theories about the workings of matter and energy. A look at Joule, Clausius, and Nernst. Why are the three laws of thermodynamics so important? - Rules of the observable universe -- no exceptions. Ideas that don't follow these laws are either wrong or caused by supernatural influence. Second Law of Thermodynamics Video Symbiosis The Cambrian Explosion The Cambrian Explosion Video Theory Of Relativity What are some accomplishments of Albert Einstein? - Relatively Speaking! His theoretical concepts in physics formed the basis for technologies and philosophies that have a profound effect today. What can we infer from relativity about the character of God? - What can we infer from relativity about the character of God? Learn more here. What is General Relativity? - What does the General Theory of Relativity tell us about space, time, and existence? The profound effects of this revolutionary theory! What is Special Relativity? - Understand the basics of special relativity and how it was discovered. Learn about the Michelson-Morley experiments and Lorenz transform equations. Why was Einstein's theory of relativity such a monumental discovery? - Learn why this was a monumental discovery in science. Why did it completely change what we intuitively believed about physics?



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