Defending the Theory of Evolution Still Seems Needed

捍卫进化理论似乎仍然需要

Judith S. Weis, a biology professor who serves as president of the American Instiute of Biological Sciences (AIBS) is leading a nationwide effort to “defend” the theory of evolution. Weis leads the effort in the face of what the institute views as opposition and indifference from school boards and government entities.

朱迪思·魏丝，一位生物学教授担任主席的美国生物科学研究所（一）领导一个全国性的努力，“保护”理论的演变。魏丝领导的努力在面对什么研究所看到反对和冷漠的学校董事会和政府实体。

The Institute believes that the teaching of evolution in America is being diminished by the teaching of creationism as well as by an overall lack of teaching Darwin’s theory in high school. “There’s nothing that requires schools to teach evolution. Sometimes teachers in high schools just leave it out. However, from the point of view of biologists, evolution is the central theory of biology upon which everything is based,” said Weis. “Unfortunately, teaching evolution has become a political issue in many parts of the country and AIBS, as a representative of biologists, wanted to be a major force speaking out in favor of its teaching.”

本所认为进化论的教学在美国正在减少教学创以及总体上缺乏教学达尔文的理论在高中。“没有什么要求学校教授进化论。有时老师在高中就离开了。然而，从的角度生物学家，进化是中央生物学理论上都是，”魏丝说。“不幸的是，进化论已经成为一个政治问题，在许多国家和地区为代表，作为一个生物学家，想成为一个主要发言支持其教学。”

Weis said the institute is working to together with the American Geological Institute and the National Association of Biology Teachers and its 80-plus member organizations to address the political and legislative threats to teaching evolution. In states challenging its teaching, the institute responds by sending letters to school boards and state legislatures, by providing testimony at public meetings and by notifying members and affiliated organizations.AIBS,with more than 80 member societies and 250,000 members, has established an e-mail system enabling scientists and teachers in each state, and member societies, to keep each other informed about threats to the teaching of evolution.

魏丝说，研究所正在与美国地质研究所和全国生物教师协会及其成员组织的八十多解决政治和立法威胁教学的演变。在美国有挑战性的教学，所应寄信给学校董事会和国家立法机关提供证言，在公众集会和通知成员和附属组织。一，与80多个社团成员和250000个成员，已经建立了一个电子邮件系统，使各州的科学家和成员，社会，保持彼此了解进化论教育面临的威胁。

Darwin's theory of evolution holds that living things change and adapt to their environment and that present-day species (including human beings) are descended from earlier species through modification by natural selection. The theory has been accepted by scientists for nearly 100 years, Weis said, and has been refined, extended and strengthened over th years by findings in paleontology and developmental biology.

达尔文的进化论认为，生物变化以适应它们的环境和现在物种（包括人类）的后裔早期物种经过修改的自然选择。这个理论已经被接受的科学家近100年来，魏丝说，并已完善，扩大和加强了年的结果在古生物学和发育生物学。

Discoveries in genetics, molecular biology and genomics - all of which provide significant benefits for human health - would not be possible without the underlying knoledge of evolution. And, Weis adds, "modern molecular biology and genomics have increased our understanding of how evolution works." Nonetheless, evolution remains a politically, if not scientifically, controversial issue.

发现在遗传学，分子生物学和基因组学-所有这些都提供了重要的利益对人类健康-不可能没有基本知识的演变。而且，魏丝补充说，“现代分子生物学和基因组学已增加了我们理解如何演变。”然而，进化仍然是一个政治上，如果没有科学的，有争议的问题。

Weis said that this year alone, seven states have had either local or statewide efforts to water down the teaching of evolution, or "balance" it with the teaching of creationism - a religious belief that different species were created separately by a higher power, such as God. "Rarely does anyone now use the word 'creationism,' because that's too obvious," Weid. "The current terminology is 'intelligent design.'"

魏丝说，仅在今年，已有七个国家或者地方或州的努力下，讲授进化论，或“平衡”，它与教学创-一个宗教信仰不同的物种建立了分别由一个更高的力量，如上帝。”很少有人使用这个词'神创论，因为它太明显了，“怪”。目前的术语是“智能设计。”