1. Richard Dawkins' US Tour begins this week

Comment #138290 by theatom82 on March 4, 2008 at 6:42 am

I was hoping to see a Florida date on the list when I clicked the link. I think Florida needs a dose of RD. But.... on a positive note I was in Tallahassee on saturday volunteering for a high school scholarship type competition called Best and Brightest and it left me rather optimistic. I had the opportunity to sit in and watch the science panel interview the finalists for the scholarship. Some of these kids (high school seniors) just blew me away. A clear passion for science and the things they have accomplished already was inspiring. You could actually see a glimmer in their eyes when they spoke about science much like a young child on Christmas morning. I also was fortunate to talk with the judges a little bit. A physicist, Dragana Popavich who works at the Magnet Lab at FSU and an organic chemist professor from FSU, but his name escapes me at the moment.

2. Revealed: Secrets of the Camouflage Masters

Comment #131584 by theatom82 on February 22, 2008 at 4:02 pm

I saw this video on ted.com (linked above by Rational G). I'm relatively new to Dawkins.net, so I apologize if this is old news, but Ted.com is a great website. Tons of videos covering almost every topic.

3. What would Darwin have made of the Human Genome Project?

Comment #125530 by theatom82 on February 11, 2008 at 2:31 pm

I think the following article fits with this topic nicely.

http://www.livescience.com/history/080204-hs-hyoid-bone.html

One of the contributors in our ability to speak as humans has to do with this little bone in our neck... which is only in a slightly different place than it is in chimps.

4. Scientists want rewrite of Earth's time line

Comment #117595 by theatom82 on January 29, 2008 at 7:53 am

"Which one are you thinking of ? The crossing of the Bering Strait and migration into the Americas around the end of the last ice age ? The founding of Vinland by the Vikings. Or that spanish guy -- what was his name ? :-)"

Wait wait wait... I thought Mormons discovered the New World... :-)

5. Ore. Court: Boy Has Say in Circumcision

Comment #116481 by theatom82 on January 26, 2008 at 3:20 pm

"The father, James Boldt, converted to Judaism in 2004 and wants the boy to be circumcised as part of the faith."

I think that is where the key issue is. The father has converted to Judiasm.... what does that have to do with his son? I wonder if the father got a circumcision after he converted.