Tag: science

Who needs science? We have the Bible and Republicans.

Who needs science? We have the Bible and Republicans.

Posted on by Jack

Our U.S. House of Representatives has “The Committee on Science, Space, and Technology” to help our lawmakers sort through some of the difficult scientific issues. As a scientist, I know some of these issues can be extremely complex.

One member of that committee [Rep. Paul C. Broun (R., Ga.)] has stated:

“God’s word is true. I’ve come to understand that. All that stuff I was taught about evolution and embryology and the big bang theory, all that is lies straight from the pit of Hell. And it’s lies to try to keep me and all the folks who were taught that from understanding that they need a savior. You see, there are a lot of scientific data that I’ve found out as a scientist that actually show that this is really a young Earth. I don’t believe that the earth’s but about 9,000 years old. I believe it was created in six days as we know them. That’s what the Bible says.

“And what I’ve come to learn is that it’s the manufacturer’s handbook, is what I call it. It teaches us how to run our lives individually, how to run our families, how to run our churches. But it teaches us how to run all of public policy and everything in society. And that’s the reason as your congressman I hold the Holy Bible as being the major directions to me of how I vote in Washington, D.C., and I’ll continue to do that.”

The quote is taken from http://www.dailykos.com/story/2012/10/06/1140947/-Rep-Broun-R-Evolution-is-from-Pit-of-Hell which has not only the quote but a link to the YouTube video of these remarks.

I don’t have a problem with someone holding these views. I believe they are wrong but if someone wants to believe them we do have that freedom as Americans. I would not elect someone like that but apparently the voters in his district are OK with those beliefs. Broun is apparently not clarifying or commenting on his remarks.

But I do not understand how the House leadership can appoint someone with those beliefs to The Committee on Science, Space, and Technology. This is not the only odd appointment to that committee. Todd Akin (R-MO) is also on that committee.

Todd Akin has taken back the “legitimate rape” comment he made back in August but still maintains many of his beliefs and is still in the Senate race with GOP backing.

But there are differences between Broun and Akin. Akin seems to think the world is about 6000 years old while Broun favors a number around 9,000. One the other hand, most who follow science suggest the numbers is billions.

Those with an interest in these two might enjoy the writings of a science teacher on Todd Akin and Paul Broun.

So how powerful is a committee in its area? According to the House of Representatives website :

“Laws begin as ideas. First, a representative sponsors a bill. The bill is then assigned to a committee for study. If released by the committee, the bill is put on a calendar to be voted on, debated or amended.”

So if a bill is assigned to The Committee on Science, Space, and Technology, it seems it is only considered by the whole House if and when it is released by that committee. So these committee members are more than an advisory board, they are gatekeepers of sorts and nothing gets to the House without going through them. So it is frightening that the Republican leadership would appoint people who don’t seem to understand science to this job.

But who needs science? We have the Bible and Republicans.

Henrietta Lacks and immortal HeLa cells: a legal but not moral tale

Henrietta Lacks and immortal HeLa cells: a legal but not moral tale

Posted on by Jack

I just finished The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot.

OK, I am not your typical reader. I am a scientist and have done quite a bit of cell culture. (I am retired now and read a lot.) I knew something about Henrietta Lacks and HeLa cells and thought the book would be only somewhat interesting and really not worth the time. But I was wrong. The reviews have all been so positive, I figured I should give this book a try. The story here is well-told and adds much detail that I thought I wouldn’t care about. (Did I mention that I was wrong?).

The doctors treating her cancer took her cells without informed consent. (But that was accepted practice until fairly recently.) This was the first immortal human cell line and was extremely important to medical science. There were medical advances and money was made. Yet the Lacks family got nothing. It was all legal but I doubt many would consider it moral.

There are several stories: Henrietta, her immediate family, the extended Lacks family, and the injustices done to them. And these are important stories. The book would be worthwhile if all it did was tell these stories. But it also puts these stories into the larger contexts of ethics, science, medical research, race, class, journalism, poverty, and education. So it is very complex and somehow Ms. Skloot manages to weave all of these facets into a fascinating and educational book in much less than 400 pages.

The reviews have been great and the book has become a best seller. And there is a simple reason for this. Rebecca Skloot has transformed an interesting story of an injustice into a fascinating book.

And unlike many of those who benefited from these cells and this family, Rebecca Skloot did something very strange. She actually tried to help this family. She has established The Henrietta Lacks Foundation to help Henrietta Lacks’ family. She is donating a potion of the book’s proceeds to the foundation and all visitors to the site may donate as well.

This story is really well-told. And different readers may enjoy one aspect more than another. But all aspects are well done and I think fairly covered.