Kangaroos in the Middle East

On Tuesday there was a debate between Bill Nye the Science Guy and Ken Ham, the CEO of Answers in Genesis and founder of the Creation Museum, which hosted the event. This museum pushes the idea that the universe was created only 6000 years ago, meaning it is the most Fundie of the creationist positions. The debate was nearly three hours, so I haven't watched it (and won't).

The debate was very well attended, both in person and online. Both men are accomplished speakers and kept the tone polite. Neither side conceded defeat -- in Ham's case it could well be conceding that if creation as described in the bible (and his museum) is not true he would lose his job and his place in heaven. But most outsiders said Nye easily won.

Some of the debate centered on Noah and the Ark. Nye asks how did kangaroos get on board an ark built in the Middle East and how did they get back to Australia afterward without leaving any record in between? How did we get 16 million species today from 7000 species on the ark? How were Noah and three sons able to build a boat big enough to hold that many animals, defying the engineering known in his day? How can there be a tree in Sweden with 9550 annual rings if the world is only 6000 years old or if the flood was 4000 years ago?

An aspect of the debate centered on what we know and how we know it. Can we know something if we didn't witness it? If we witness something now must we infer that it happened the same way in the past? Arguments like that allow Ham to be an environmental biologist and still insist that the earth is only 6000 years old.

William Saletan of Slate says that in one way Nye lost. Nye wanted to show that creationism is "a threat to science, technology, and prosperity." In that he failed. It is possible to believe in creation and still be a working scientist today. Creation myths are easily compartmentalized away from modern things such as paying attention to a doctor who says your sinus infection is more severe because germs evolved resistance to many antibiotics.

Phil Plait, also of Slate, takes on the idea that Nye legitimized the creation theory simply by showing up. On the contrary, he says, with half of the country believing in some form of creationism science can't ignore it. We've been ceding the debate by not showing up. It elevates creationism to a debatable topic, which gets the public talking.

Pat Robertson of The 700 Club is known for making stupid and disgusting statements about gays. But for once he said something sensible. To Ken Ham he said, "To say that it all came about in 6,000 years is just nonsense and I think it’s time we come off of that stuff and say this isn’t possible." And… "Let’s be real, let’s not make a joke of ourselves."