Last year, a series of undercover videos exposed appeared to show Planned Parenthood executives negotiating the sale of fetal body parts from some of their abortion clinics. These videos triggered a Congressional investigation into the relationship between the abortion industry and “fetal procurement organizations” and whether or not there is any “buying and selling” or profit being made, which is … Read More
The Scientifically Progressive Catholic Church
During a recent appearance on Late Night with Stephen Colbert, talk show host and former news anchor Katie Couric made the following comment: “I was at a scientific conference at the Vatican a couple of weeks ago and I thought it was actually very progressive of the Catholic Church to want to understand science…” In a previous episode of BioTalk, … Read More
When Is Medicine No Longer Medicine?
Recently, Google launched a company that will be focused on finding the root cause of various diseases and conditions. But Calico has even greater ambitions than just treating human illnesses. The project also wants to address genetic causes of aging, and perhaps even “solve death.” CNN reports: Calico — or the California Life Company — has been set up to … Read More
Weekend Life Links
A few quick takes for your weekend: 1. The Church Is Not Backward, But Forward — my good friend Rebecca on the far-reaching wisdom of the Church. This article will also give you an idea of what’s coming up in our next episode of BioTalk! I’ll be editing that this weekend. 2. The Church and Science: The Right Place at … Read More
The Rise of the Planet of the Apes and Untethered Science
Fr. Robert Barron is a master movie reviewer. Here he comments on Rise of the Planet of the Apes, embryonic stem cell research and the danger of consequentialist reasoning:
This Woman is My Pro-Life Hero
Alright! I finally got around to reading this entire feature in Nature about cellular physiologist Theresa Deisher…and this woman is my new hero. She used to be “very left-wing,” especially when it came to life issues, but now Deisher is an “adamant right-to-lifer” fighting against embryonic stem cell research…in court! First, her mind was changed about the moral status of … Read More
The Religion of Scientism
Two of my very favorite bloggers, Rebecca Taylor and Wesley Smith, masterfully take on “scientism” and the claims of “atheist crusader” Sam Harris’s new book, The Moral Landscape: How Science Can Determine Human Values based on this early review from Kwame Anthony Appiah in the NY Times: Smith’s post: Science Cannot Teach Us Right From Wrong and Distinguish Good From … Read More
Kagan and the War on Science
Yuval Levin posted at the Corner: If you haven’t read Shannen Coffin’s piece on Elena Kagan and the partial-birth-abortion debate today, you really should. What he describes, based on newly released Clinton White House memos, is absolutely astonishing. … What’s described in these memos is easily the most serious and flagrant violation of the boundary between scientific expertise and politics … Read More
Is Artificial Life in Our Future? Is it Ethical?
Researchers at the J. Craig Venter Institute have developed the first living cell to be controlled entirely by synthetic DNA: The researchers copied an existing bacterial genome. They sequenced its genetic code and then used “synthesis machines” to chemically construct a copy. Dr. Venter told BBC News: “We’ve now been able to take our synthetic chromosome and transplant it into … Read More
Stem Cell Documentary and Panel Discussion Airs Tonight Online!
At 7 p.m. Central time tonight (Sept. 1) Total Living Network will air the stem cell documentary Lines That Divide with a stem cell discussion/debate to follow. Tune in at this link. h/t Wesley Smith