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New Theory on Water Strider Propulsion
capt.Hij writes "There is an interesting
article at the Christian Science Monitor about how water skimmers are able to move the way they do. This new theory debunks the previously accepted theory and answers why smaller, younger water skimmers are also able to move the same way as their elders: 'As he looked into the question, he adds, he learned that the reigning explanation leaves an unsolved puzzle: If these tiny insects propel themselves in the way many researchers think they do, then baby water striders should go nowhere fast.'" There's also a BBC story with pictures.
Heh. Acutally, that was pretty funny. Alas, I have no mod points. Nor could I mod, since I'm a poster in this thread.
I'm a staffer on the norwegian site. I don't know how many norwegian readers Slashdot has, but seeing as norwegian are a pretty connected linuxloving slashdotting kind of bunch, I figured they'd appreciate a link. If you don't find it interesting, move on. I had already dug up that beaut of a pictures link posted on nature.com yesterday so I thought I'd include it as well. It's better than the two-three snaps on bbc.co.uk, and direct from the source.
Finally, the blurb essentially explains nothing, so since I had the info at hand, I wrote a short summary to explain the new findings.
If all that makes me a karma whore, so be it. I don't care.
That's because scientists who are Christians do not rely on "poof". And, Christians who are scientists usually DO believe in evolution. Only a few don't.
You do realise there are plenty of Christian scientists, right? And that the overwhelming majority would have no problem with natural selection, which very obviously happens, but instead differ over whether or not we are the result of random genetic mutations, which quite a few non-Christian scientists are sceptical of as well.
Now, as for stem cell research and cloning, what do you mean by 'don't believe in'? They accept the scientific theories concerning them, but think they are morally wrong. A different stance on morality doesn't mean they can't be good scientists or report objectively.
On a final note, most Christians I know are medics, sceintists or mathematicians, particularly in my church in Oxford. I can't get away from physicists and mathematicians. It's kinda creepy sometimes.
And you do realise that Christian Science has nothing to do with scientists who are Christian but refers to a sect founded in Boston in the 19th century, right? That Christian Scientists believe that the key to all health problems can be found in the Bible, and that therefore they refuse any medical treatment - and indeed are happy to let their children die of perfectly treatable diseases. If you don't believe me, read this.
It seems to me that this is about as far from believing in stem cell research and cloning as being effective, let alone moral, as you can get.
The author of this post asserts his moral rights.