Please stimulate my research!

The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, otherwise known as the Economic Stimulus bill, includes 2.5 billion in additional funds for the National Science Foundation (NSF) specifically for "research and related activities". To help build scientific infrastructure 300 million of these funds are reserved for the NSF's Major Research Instrumentation program. An additional 502 million, of which 400 million will go to research equipment and facilities and 100 million to education and human resources, will go to other NSF activities. Incidentally NSF's Major Research Instrumentation program provided funds for Cincinnati Museum Center's (CMC) new Molecular Ecology and Systematics Laboratory. Hopes are this will push the US towards increased innovation in basic science. New proposals to the NSF, if funded, will help CMC grow as a research institution, spread scientific literacy and train students at every level in the high tech skills required for a modern economy. Wish me luck!

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Happy Birthday Chuck!

Today is the 200th anniversary of Charles Darwin's birth. The notion that life changes over time and the idea that species share a common ancestry both predate Darwin, but, Darwin was the first to provide a viable mechanism by which biological evolution occurs, namely evolution by natural selection. Darwin solidified the idea of evolution and this idea rapidly spread in acceptance among scientists after the publication of Origin of Species.

Evolution's importance can not be overstated. Today evolution is the central organizing principle in the life sciences. To date, it is our only viable explanation for the diversity of life on earth. Data from paleontology, ecology, anatomy and most recently, modern molecular genetics and comparative genomics continue to support the conclusion that life shares a common genetic heritage.

Darwin is a model of how science should work and how scientists should conduct themselves. He was careful, thorough, curious, and dedicated to the details and all the while humble and considerate of his colleagues. Darwin did not have the computational mind of a Newton nor was he capable of the abstraction of an Einstein. Darwin's genius was simply as a clear thinker, ever mindful of the evidence and ready to follow that evidence where it leads. At the center of Darwin's ideas was a broad knowledge of natural history all to be brought to bear on big questions in science.

Darwin and Abraham Lincoln were born on exactly the same day. Both played key roles in building the world we live in today. The bicentenial of their births should be a time to reflect on their accomplishments and follow their example to move society forward.

Happy birthday Chuck!

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Origins blog at Science website

With 2009 as the 200th anniversary of Darwin's birth and the 150th anniversary the publication of the Origin of Species evolution is spreading across the web faster than a large bill in a drought-ridden finch population. The American Association for the Advancement of Science's Science Magazine has a new blog all about origins. Inspired by Darwin, AAAS will spread news on all things evolution from anthropology to genomics to the origin of life. So check in regularly as part of Darwin year 2009!

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