Discovery Institute's Blog, page 463

"Monkeys Typing Shakespeare" Simulation Illustrates Combinatorial Inflation Problem

We've all heard the old line about how it would take a virtual eternity for monkeys sitting at typewriters to produce all the works of Shakespeare. Well, according to a BBC News article, someone is actually making the attempt -- not with real monkeys but with virtual ones. But there's a catch: the simulation isn't trying to produce all the works of Shakespeare in one fell swoop. It's cheating by only trying to generate small pieces of Shakespeare's writings, and then splicing them together...

The Enigma of Metamorphosis Is Hardly Limited to Butterflies

Before systematically demolishing the only Darwinian explanations on offer for butterfly metamorphosis, Paul Nelson (Biola University) and Ann Gauger (Biologic Institute) provide the fascinating background to this devilish problem for orthodox evolutionary theory. It's all in their essay "Stranger than Fiction: The Riddle of Metamorphosis" in Metamorphosis: The Case for Intelligent Design in a Chrysalis, the just published and FREE companion e-book to the new Illustra documentary

A Well-Worn Pseudo-Journalistic Template: "The Discovery of ET's Could Spell Doom for Christianity"

Here's another example of a bogus news story that seems to appear in one form or another, by what almost looks like a law of nature, every several months or so. The topic is always treated according to this template: "The Discovery of ET's Could Spell Doom for Christianity." Under the headline, "If intelligent extraterrestrials exist, what about God?," MSNBC has the non-story story:

The discovery of intelligent aliens would be mind-blowing in many respects, but it could present a special...

"Dazzling, Insightful" Metamorphosis Companion Book Takes Flight

Discovery Institute Press is excited to announce the launch of Metamorphosis: The Case for Intelligent Design in a Chrysalis, a free digital companion book to the gorgeous new film Metamorphosis from Illustra Media.

The book picks up where the film leaves off, with in-depth scientific essays exploring the riddle of butterfly metamorphosis including from contributors Dr. Ann Gauger of the Biologic Institute and Dr. Paul Nelson of Biola University.

"Metamorphosis is dazzling, insightful...

When Darwinism Goes Begging: Metamorphosis as "Evolution's Freak Factory"

The New Scientist carries an article, "Metamorphosis: Evolution's Freak Factory," by a fellow named Frank Ryan, the same gentleman who recently wrote a popular book titled The Mystery of Metamorphosis: A Scientific Detective Story. The theory he advances in the article and the book is Donald Williamson's notion that metamorphosis is the result of hybridization between animals of separate phyla. The theory is not mainstream, and has been ridiculed even by hardcore Darwinists. The publication i...

Movieguide: Metamorphosis is "Fascinating and Eye Opening"

Movieguide, the family guide to movies and entertainment, has just posted their review of the new Illustra Media film Metamorphosis.

"Metamorphosis: The Beauty and Design of Butterflies should open the mind of an uninformed and dismissive friend or family member who normally feels threatened by challenges to Darwinism. Experts give reasoned insights, including philosopher of biology Paul Nelson, Biologic Institute developmental biologist Ann Gauger, and University of Florida zoologist Thomas ...

Here's what to expect at upcoming screenings of Metamorphosis

The screening of Metamorphosis at Butterfly World on Oct. 17 in Ft. Lauderdale is sold out.

But, there are still seats available for the Oct 15 screening in Atlanta. You can reserve your seat by registering here.

Go here for a complete list of all screenings.

Critically Analyzing the Argument from Human/Chimpanzee Genetic Similarity

Intelligent Design and the Origin of Information: A Response to Dennis Venema

In this final article, Part 8, we:• Again discuss why evidence for common ancestry is not evidence for a Darwinian evolutionary pathway
• Falsify Dr. Venema's reasoning that a 5% DNA difference between humans and chimps tells us anything about whether random mutation and natural selection could produce both species from a common ancestor, or even whether they share a common ancestor
• Show that Dr. Venema is...

Confusing Evidence for Common Ancestry with Evidence for Random Mutation and Natural Selection

Intelligent Design and the Origin of Information: A Response to Dennis Venema

In this article, Part 7, we:• Explain why evidence for common ancestry is not evidence for a Darwinian evolutionary pathway
• Investigate Venema's citation of a paper that shows genomic similarity across many vertebrates, showing why this is at best evidence for common descent, not natural selection
• Discuss how common design could explain much of this data as well as common descent, if not better
Other Installments:•...

Darwin's Heretic Screens at University of Alabama Birmingham

Students and faculty at University of Alabama Birmingham were lucky to be the second audience to screen a short documentary about the intelligent design leanings of one of the most renowned biologists of the nineteenth century, Alfred Russel Wallace shares credit with Charles Darwin for developing the theory of evolution by natural selection. One part of Wallace's remarkable life and career has been completely ignored: His embrace of intelligent design. Darwin's Heretic is a 21-minute...