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Guest commentary
By Dr. Susan Behrens
Evolution should be taught in Beloit
I read the letter from Mr. Pickering, and it contains information which should be corrected. He stated that evolution does not occur, DNA is too complex for people to evaluate, and fossils are of no use in studying evolution. His opinion is that evolution should not be taught in schools.
I firmly believe that God created us and our universe. For me, evolution strengthens my faith. It confirms that plants and animals developed in an orderly, logical and understandable way. God not only established life on earth, He also realized that our world would change over time. His magnificent plan includes a way for plants and animals to be able to adapt to their changing needs and environment. The way He provided is evolution.
WE ARE doing a grave injustice to our children if we do not give them a solid understanding of evolution. Evolution is fact. Scientists recognize and have proof that evolution is involved with everything from global warming to human diseases. Our children will live in a future where they will need to understand evolution in order to understand their world.
There is a huge amount of evidence confirming that evolution definitely occurs, and that evidence also explains how evolution works. In this letter, I cannot possibly give details on all that is known about evolution. Let me touch on a just a few parts of this scientific information.
DNA
DNA is complex, but scientists have identified the DNA structure in many plants and animals. DNA contains four different molecules linked together in long chains. These chains join together to form “genes”. Genes regulate all body functions.
In the Human Genome Project, scientists were able to identify 25,000 human genes and determine their DNA structure. There is an abundance of information which can be found on the internet. Google “Human Genome Project”. The links take you to the exact structure of human genes and DNA and much more.
There are many ways that DNA information will help people today and in future generations. The genes controlling colon cancer and breast cancer are two of those identified. With this information scientists hope to stop these diseases. Police can use DNA to solve crimes because some areas of DNA are different in each person. Scientists compare the genes and DNA of today's animals to determine how they have adapted and changed from generation to generation.
Knowledge about DNA is extensive and is appropriately used to document evolution. DNA evidence is definite, scientifically proven, accurate and accepted fact.
Fossils
For many years, fossils have been available for study. Now DNA evidence and other techniques join fossils to confirm the facts of evolution.
When plants and animals die, they can leave their imprint in soft mud. The soft ground and imprint harden into rock to become fossils. Bones are part of the fossil record also.
All living things contain carbon. After death the carbon changes its form at a specific rate. By testing for the amount and type of carbon present, scientists determine when the animal lived. When fossils are found in rock, geologists determine the age of the rock and this tells us when the animal or plant lived.
Scientists study animals alive today to determine their characteristics and then use this information to evaluate fossils and bones. For example, scientists can determine if an animal walked upright or on all fours by studying how the skull attaches to the spine. They can tell if an animal ate meat or ate plants by looking at the jaw or teeth.
Evolution is fact
Scientists usually start with a theory. For example, it was a theory that the earth circled the sun - which went against common belief at the time it was proposed. Evidence was gathered during years of studying the sky, and it was confirmed to be true. However some people refused to believe this. In fact, the Catholic Church did not formally acknowledge the concept of the earth orbiting the sun for hundreds of years after it was proven fact.
That is what has occurred with evolution. Theories of brilliant people, including Darwin and Mendel, were based on observation and deduction. Over the years, bit by bit, evidence has been collected which confirms their theories and evolution as fact. Evolution has been occurring since the beginning of life on earth, and evolution continues today.
MOST EVOLUTIONARY changes occur at a slow rate over many generations. So, we seldom recognize evolution occurring around us. Climate changes will probably force some obvious evolutionary events during our life time. As one example, polar bears evolved from grizzly bears during the hundreds of thousands of years of the ice ages. Their habitat started warming slowly over the past 10,000 years or so, and now the change is rapid. Polar bears may not be able to evolve fast enough to adapt to temperature changes. An unrelated example is the fact that our many dog breeds started to evolve from wolves about 10,000 years ago. We have pictures of some breeds showing what they looked like 100 years ago and can compare that to what they look like today. Two examples are pictures of the bull dog and the greyhound.
In conclusion, we must teach evolution to our students in Beloit schools. They need to be taught about evolution in order to prepare them for the science, the medical advances and the global changes they will deal with during their life times.
God made us. Evolution tells us how God did it. And it is important for the students of Beloit to understand these processes.
Dr. Behrens is a retired surgeon, who practiced at both Beloit Clinic and Beloit Memorial Hospital, where she served as chief of staff. She traces her interest in evolution to a course she took at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Since that time she has continued to read and study the subject, following advances in understanding evolution and learning about related discoveries.
I read the letter from Mr. Pickering, and it contains information which should be corrected. He stated that evolution does not occur, DNA is too complex for people to evaluate, and fossils are of no use in studying evolution. His opinion is that evolution should not be taught in schools.
I firmly believe that God created us and our universe. For me, evolution strengthens my faith. It confirms that plants and animals developed in an orderly, logical and understandable way. God not only established life on earth, He also realized that our world would change over time. His magnificent plan includes a way for plants and animals to be able to adapt to their changing needs and environment. The way He provided is evolution.
WE ARE doing a grave injustice to our children if we do not give them a solid understanding of evolution. Evolution is fact. Scientists recognize and have proof that evolution is involved with everything from global warming to human diseases. Our children will live in a future where they will need to understand evolution in order to understand their world.
There is a huge amount of evidence confirming that evolution definitely occurs, and that evidence also explains how evolution works. In this letter, I cannot possibly give details on all that is known about evolution. Let me touch on a just a few parts of this scientific information.
DNA
DNA is complex, but scientists have identified the DNA structure in many plants and animals. DNA contains four different molecules linked together in long chains. These chains join together to form “genes”. Genes regulate all body functions.
In the Human Genome Project, scientists were able to identify 25,000 human genes and determine their DNA structure. There is an abundance of information which can be found on the internet. Google “Human Genome Project”. The links take you to the exact structure of human genes and DNA and much more.
There are many ways that DNA information will help people today and in future generations. The genes controlling colon cancer and breast cancer are two of those identified. With this information scientists hope to stop these diseases. Police can use DNA to solve crimes because some areas of DNA are different in each person. Scientists compare the genes and DNA of today's animals to determine how they have adapted and changed from generation to generation.
Knowledge about DNA is extensive and is appropriately used to document evolution. DNA evidence is definite, scientifically proven, accurate and accepted fact.
Fossils
For many years, fossils have been available for study. Now DNA evidence and other techniques join fossils to confirm the facts of evolution.
When plants and animals die, they can leave their imprint in soft mud. The soft ground and imprint harden into rock to become fossils. Bones are part of the fossil record also.
All living things contain carbon. After death the carbon changes its form at a specific rate. By testing for the amount and type of carbon present, scientists determine when the animal lived. When fossils are found in rock, geologists determine the age of the rock and this tells us when the animal or plant lived.
Scientists study animals alive today to determine their characteristics and then use this information to evaluate fossils and bones. For example, scientists can determine if an animal walked upright or on all fours by studying how the skull attaches to the spine. They can tell if an animal ate meat or ate plants by looking at the jaw or teeth.
Evolution is fact
Scientists usually start with a theory. For example, it was a theory that the earth circled the sun - which went against common belief at the time it was proposed. Evidence was gathered during years of studying the sky, and it was confirmed to be true. However some people refused to believe this. In fact, the Catholic Church did not formally acknowledge the concept of the earth orbiting the sun for hundreds of years after it was proven fact.
That is what has occurred with evolution. Theories of brilliant people, including Darwin and Mendel, were based on observation and deduction. Over the years, bit by bit, evidence has been collected which confirms their theories and evolution as fact. Evolution has been occurring since the beginning of life on earth, and evolution continues today.
MOST EVOLUTIONARY changes occur at a slow rate over many generations. So, we seldom recognize evolution occurring around us. Climate changes will probably force some obvious evolutionary events during our life time. As one example, polar bears evolved from grizzly bears during the hundreds of thousands of years of the ice ages. Their habitat started warming slowly over the past 10,000 years or so, and now the change is rapid. Polar bears may not be able to evolve fast enough to adapt to temperature changes. An unrelated example is the fact that our many dog breeds started to evolve from wolves about 10,000 years ago. We have pictures of some breeds showing what they looked like 100 years ago and can compare that to what they look like today. Two examples are pictures of the bull dog and the greyhound.
In conclusion, we must teach evolution to our students in Beloit schools. They need to be taught about evolution in order to prepare them for the science, the medical advances and the global changes they will deal with during their life times.
God made us. Evolution tells us how God did it. And it is important for the students of Beloit to understand these processes.
Dr. Behrens is a retired surgeon, who practiced at both Beloit Clinic and Beloit Memorial Hospital, where she served as chief of staff. She traces her interest in evolution to a course she took at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Since that time she has continued to read and study the subject, following advances in understanding evolution and learning about related discoveries.
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