WASHINGTON - The National Academy of Sciences on Thursday issued a spirited defense of evolution as the bedrock principle of modern biology, arguing that it, not creationism, must be taught in public school science classes.
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Creationism, based on the explanation offered in the Bible, and the related idea of "intelligent design" are not science and, as such, should not be taught in public school science classrooms, according to the report.
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A 2006 Gallup poll showed that almost half of Americans believe that humans did not evolve but were created by God in their present form within the last 10,000 years.
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Survey: 61 Percent Agree with Evolution
Americans would rather hear about evolution from scientists than from judges or celebrities, according to a new survey that finds a majority agree that evolution is at work among living things.
A coalition of 17 organizations reacted today to the survey by calling on the scientific community to become more involved in promoting evolution and other aspects of science education.
The coalition, including the National Academy of Sciences, the American Institute of Physics and the National Science Teachers Association, released this statement:
"The introduction of 'non-science,' such as creationism and intelligent design, into science education will undermine the fundamentals of science education. Some of these fundamentals include using the scientific method, understanding how to reach scientific consensus, and distinguishing between scientific and nonscientific explanations of natural phenomena."
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"The bottom line is that the world is round, humans evolved from an extinct species and Elvis is dead," Weissmann said.
Creationism dismissed by scientists
A revised version of a book supporting the theory of evolution as "the foundation of science" and discrediting theories of creationism and intelligent design will spark controversy but do little to change minds, proponents of both theories said Thursday.
The third version of "Science, Evolution and Creationism," released Thursday by The National Academies of Science, was revised by a committee chaired by Francisco Ayala, an award-winning UC Irvine evolutionary biologist.
Evolution Book Sees No Science-Religion Gap
The book also denounces the arguments for a form of creationism called intelligent design, calling them devoid of evidence, "disproven" or "simply false."
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