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A veterinary blog for pet lovers, vet voyeurs and the medically curious...
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Fifty-five years ago the now-ubiquitous double-helixed DNA molecule made its debut on the world stage. In 2003, a group of US scientists and educators declared April 25th National DNA Day by way of commemorating Watson and Crick’s discovery of the molecule and simultaneously uncorking the champagne after the success of the Human Genome Project.
We who love our pets and follow science should also take this time to reflect on the contributions of an Abyssinian cat named Cinnamon and a Boxer dog named Tasha. Their genomes were also fully sequenced so that our feline and canine companions can aid in our own human medical research while advancing theirs. Here's a fun statement on Tasha's evolution:
It’s also interesting to note that today, on National DNA Day 2008, some Florida lawmakers are still working hard on The Teaching of Chemical and Biological Evolution Act, a bill to grant Florida teachers the right to present Intelligent Design and the 10,000-year theory of humanity on par with Darwinism, Watson and Crick and the results of the Human Genome Project.
Now, we never play religion on Dolittler but I guess this post kills the “never” in that clause—if only because some have pitted religion against science in ways that may now affect the way my child is taught his scientific ABC’s.
Sure, I’m all for teaching my son about the full range of beliefs when it comes to religion, politics and culture. But when it comes to science I elected public school for him in part to avoid the religious education I was expected to swallow when I was a kid. Now, it seems as if my local parochial school might’ve been a better option. At least the Pope does Darwin. He's even apologized to Galileo!
Tasha and Cinnamon may never know how they’ve come to be mixed up in this game of molecular roulette and what their DNA means to all of us. But it’s another matter altogether if children of my son’s generation grow up similarly bemused by medicine and science on the power of those who would equate religious belief with the rigorous examination of nature.
PS: On a lighter note, you may choose to celebrate today by ordering one of these cute dog DNA toys:
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"The greatness of a nation can be judged by the way its animals are treated."
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- Mohandas Gandhi
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And mixing up religious beliefs and science opens the door to such drivel as this - which is from a "Christian" science journal, where the scientist authors won't reveal their names.
http://www.answersingenesis.org/articles/arj/v1/n1...
"Some microbes can form elaborate multicellular plant-like structures which include leaf, root, and stem-like structures. Perhaps microbes existed in these forms more commonly in the pre-Fall Garden than they do today. We certainly are not seeing the full picture, but we can observe remnants of the "very good" creation in the microbial world. In this model, pathogenic microbes are seen as a deviation from God's original plan, due to the Fall of man."-
The horrors.