Down the Wormhole
Exploring the relationship between science and religion
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Episodes
Wednesday Feb 12, 2020
Wednesday Feb 12, 2020
Episode 25
If you could save the world simply by changing the way you eat, would you do it? Is fake meat the future of food or is it a fad for rich people? Why are we so afraid of eating bugs? Why are we so bad at living out our values unless they are convenient? All these questions and more as Zack introduces part 1 of our Climate Connections miniseries in which each host takes a week to explain their own personal connection to the climate crisis.
Support this podcast on Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/DowntheWormholepodcast
More information at https://www.downthewormhole.com/
produced by Zack Jacksonmusic by Zack Jackson and Barton Willis
Show Notes
Comfort foods
Zack: TastyKake: https://www.tastykake.com/
Kendra: Reese puffs cereal: https://cereals.generalmills.com/products/reeses-puffs/
Ian: milk chocolate, especially milka: https://germandelistore.com/milka/?p=1
Adam: mashed potatoes: (best mashed potatoes, but also comes with meatloaf recipe) https://smittenkitchen.com/2017/02/tomato-glazed-meatloaves-with-brown-butter-mashed-potatoes/
Rachael: brownies: https://smittenkitchen.com/2012/08/my-favorite-brownies/
History
Last name “Jackson”
https://www.facinghistory.org/reconstruction-era/changing-names
https://www.nytimes.com/1998/02/19/news/among-blacks-washington-ranks-as-the-top-surname.html
https://www.amazon.com/Slaves-Family-Edward-Ball/dp/0374534454/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&keywords=slaves+in+the+family&qid=1513302146&s=books&sr=1-1
Jefferson quote, hold a wolf’s ears https://www.monticello.org/site/research-and-collections/famous-jefferson-quotes
Quakers and abolition: https://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=17843552
Industry (cotton) and the continuation of southern slavery: https://www.ushistory.org/us/22b.asp
1 Tim 1:15, explanation of “chief of all sinners” https://doctrine.org/paul-chief-of-sinners
“Historical roots of our ecological crisis” By Lynn White 1967: https://science.sciencemag.org/content/155/3767/1203
Edible insects and Human Evolution by Dr. Julie Lesnik: https://upf.com/book.asp?id=9780813056999
Food
Impossible food: https://impossiblefoods.com/
Vox article criticizing meatless-meat trend:
https://www.vox.com/future-perfect/2019/10/7/20880318/meatless-meat-mainstream-backlash-impossible-burger
Patrick Brown TEDmed Talk (2015): https://www.tedmed.com/talks/show?id=529958
New Yorker article: https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2019/09/30/can-a-burger-help-solve-climate-change
Grass-fed vs. grain fed for environmentalism: https://www.npr.org/sections/thesalt/2019/08/13/746576239/is-grass-fed-beef-really-better-for-the-planet-heres-the-science?fbclid=IwAR2Mgkudmkq9mH5RfqhsnhjP-qG1h-N3vbDGuanT2472FLB4VP9-dC8gRvY
Farming in America stats: https://www.fb.org/newsroom/fast-facts
How many farms are there: https://www.statista.com/statistics/196114/top-10-us-states-by-number-of-farms/
*note: considered a farm if sells >$1,000 in agriculture in 1yr.
General other food articles:
https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2019/04/30/dining/climate-change-food-eating-habits.html
https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1088/1748-9326/aa7541
https://theconversation.com/five-ways-the-meat-on-your-plate-is-killing-the-planet-76128
http://css.umich.edu/publication/beyond-meats-beyond-burger-life-cycle-assessment-detailed-comparison-between-plant-based
https://www.fcrn.org.uk/projects/grazed-and-confused
Entomophagy!
https://medium.com/cleantech-rising/the-future-of-insect-based-protein-82b92ddb2057
https://massivesci.com/articles/eating-bugs-insect-protein-entomophagy-food-agriculture/
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2018/oct/15/edible-insect-save-planet-global-warming-tasty-trendy
Wednesday Feb 05, 2020
Wednesday Feb 05, 2020
Episode 24
We finish up our series on human origins by asking "Who are my people?"
That simple question will lead us to question every facet of our lives and how we interact with life on Earth. It will force us to face our relationship with animals, our self-identity, our sense of purpose, and our various privileges. It will also lead us to ancient bathroom graffiti, songwriting whales, and a hope for humanity.
Support this podcast on Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/DowntheWormholepodcast
More information at https://www.downthewormhole.com/
produced by Zack Jacksonmusic by Zack Jackson and Barton Willis
Show Notes
Favorite table-top games
Kendra: Balderdash: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Balderdash
Zack: DixIt: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dixit_(card_game)
Ian: Cards Against Humanity: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cards_Against_Humanity
Rachael: Cribbage: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cribbage
“Game for Good Christians” : https://www.agameforgoodchristians.com/about/
General conversation points
Who is Lucy, the Australopithecus afarensis skeleton: https://iho.asu.edu/about/lucys-story and here: http://www.bbc.com/earth/story/20141127-lucy-fossil-revealed-our-origins
The Dimetrodon is NOT a dinosaur: https://www.thoughtco.com/things-to-know-dimetrodon-1093785
Elizabeth Warren and a DNA test: https://www.factcheck.org/2018/10/the-facts-on-elizabeth-warrens-dna-test/
How dairy farms work: https://modernfarmer.com/2014/03/real-talk-milk/
Orca-pod helping feed humans and other facts: https://www.pbs.org/wnet/nature/blog/killer-whale-avoids-eating-people-helped-19th-century-whalers-became-public-enemy-number-one/
Book, “When Elephants Weep” : https://www.amazon.com/When-Elephants-Weep-Emotional-Animals/dp/0385314280
Answers in Genesis, What it means to be human: https://answersingenesis.org/human-evolution/what-makes-us-human/what-does-it-mean-to-be-human/
Humpback whale cultural songs: https://medium.com/@dealville/whales-synchronize-their-songs-across-oceans-and-theres-sheet-music-to-prove-it-b1667f603844
3 pages-a-day journal : https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2014/oct/03/morning-pages-change-your-life-oliver-burkeman
Graffiti in Pompeii : https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roman_graffiti
and http://www.pompeiana.org/Resources/Ancient/Graffiti%20from%20Pompeii.htm
and https://kashgar.com.au/blogs/history/the-bawdy-graffiti-of-pompeii-and-herculaneu
Wednesday Jan 29, 2020
Wednesday Jan 29, 2020
Episode 23
We are joined by author, professor, and host of the podcast, "The Bible for Normal People", Dr Pete Enns as we ask the question, "If humans evolved, what do we do with Adam and Eve?"
For many people, this is the main reason why they cannot seriously entertain human evolution. To do so would seemingly fly in the face of the veracity of scripture. If Adam is just a myth, does the whole thing fall apart? Pete doesn't think so, and neither do we. Join us as we learn to think about the Bible like the people who wrote the Bible and discover that these archaic stories still have a lot to teach us.
Support this podcast on Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/DowntheWormholepodcast
More information at https://www.downthewormhole.com/
produced by Zack Jackson music by Zack Jackson and Barton Willis
Show Notes
Most interesting thing in your room:
Ian, wine tap:
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2018-03-08/your-next-hotel-room-might-have-wine-on-tap
Kendra’s vision board
Adam had bobble heads: martin luther: https://www.missionalwear.com/martin-luther-bobblehead and Katie von bora (Martin’s wife) https://oldlutheran.com/products/katie-luther-bobble-head-doll
Rachael, full talmud, and why (to study a page a day): https://www.myjewishlearning.com/article/9-things-to-know-about-the-daf-yomi-daily-page-of-talmud/
Zack, lime (orange?) tree, which as it turns out, can be hard to tell the difference: https://www.gardenguides.com/129997-difference-between-orange-lime-trees.html
Pete, House of Lannister scotch: https://www.thewhiskyexchange.com/p/47810/lagavulin-9-year-old-game-of-thrones-house-lannister
All about our guest, Pete Enns:
Podcast, the Bible for normal people: https://thebiblefornormalpeople.podbean.com/
Books including “Sin of Certainty” and “Evolution of Adam” : https://peteenns.com/books/books-for-normal-people/
Someone wrote a review of “Evolution of Adam” and this is Pete’s response: https://peteenns.com/spinning-our-wheels-a-response-to-a-review-of-the-evolution-of-adam-with-apologies-to-those-with-a-500-word-1-6-minute-internet-attention-span/
The challenges of reading the Bible: https://peteenns.com/11-recurring-mistake-evangelicals-make-evolution-debate/
Bible:
What was the Reformation? https://www.history.com/topics/reformation/reformation
What is the Shulchan Arukh? https://www.myjewishlearning.com/article/the-shulhan-arukh/
Romans 5 quote: https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Romans+5%3A12-21&version=NIV
Wednesday Jan 22, 2020
Wednesday Jan 22, 2020
Episode 22
Were the big, moralistic gods of most major religions created to control the people of the early cities? Did big gods enable the creation of big cities? Is religion just an artifact of the agricultural revolution? Which came first, and why is it so important?
Support this podcast on Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/DowntheWormholepodcast
More information at https://www.downthewormhole.com/
produced by Zack Jackson music by Zack Jackson and Barton Willis
Show Notes
Dunbars number, 150, and where it came from: https://www.newyorker.com/science/maria-konnikova/social-media-affect-math-dunbar-number-friendships
And : https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20191001-dunbars-number-why-we-can-only-maintain-150-relationships
Books:
Kurt Vonnegut book, Galapagos: https://amzn.to/2tHuQWW
Book by Andrew Newberg “How God changes your brain”: https://amzn.to/36if6Hc
Early writing, in Egypt:
Extensive article: https://www.oxfordhandbooks.com/view/10.1093/oxfordhb/9780199935413.001.0001/oxfordhb-9780199935413-e-61
A bit more reader-friendly: https://www.reckon.com/reckon-blog/ancient-egyptians-the-original-bookkeepers1/
“Hidden Brain” episode of the origin of religion: https://www.npr.org/2019/05/06/720656274/where-does-religion-come-from-one-researcher-points-to-cultural-evolution
Short video on humans from 200,000 years ago to now and the population changes throughout the world: https://www.vice.com/en_us/article/aekazg/watching-humans-take-over-the-earth-in-200000-years-is-pretty-relaxing
BIblical references:
Gen 11: 1-9 and tower of Babel: https://www.sefaria.org/Genesis.11?lang=bi&aliyot=0
Gen 4:1-16 and Cain/Abel story: https://www.sefaria.org/Genesis.4?ven=Jewish_English_Torah&lang=bi&aliyot=0
Big Gods or Big Cities….and the problems with trying to find out:
https://www.patheos.com/blogs/scienceonreligion/2019/05/did-big-gods-come-before-or-after-big-societies/?utm_medium=social&utm_source=share_bar&fbclid=IwAR3lVLCmhHpZ1uXfDveYj2q3ppmT7CHiU3Q59Td6W6ntr45UQBSf9UBJcXw#pbXkMxz9qZkCbB8O.01
http://nautil.us/blog/which-comes-first-big-cities-or-big-gods
https://science.sciencemag.org/content/349/6251/918.full
https://theconversation.com/big-gods-came-after-the-rise-of-civilisations-not-before-finds-study-using-huge-historical-database-113801
https://www.livescience.com/65039-punishing-gods-rise-with-complex-societies.html
https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/big-religion-may-have-gotten-too-much-credit-for-the-evolution-of-modern-society/
Wednesday Jan 15, 2020
Wednesday Jan 15, 2020
Episode 21
Our Human Origins miniseries keeps rolling as we explore the implications of art, social structures, and burials among Neanderthals and early Homo Sapiens in the Stone Age (specifically about 65,000 BCE to 10,000 BCE). How much can we infer from the clues they left behind? What of the small idols that predate all known religions by 15,000 years? Was God speaking to early humans like God speaks today? Are we making too much out of too little? Why does spirituality always seem to pop up whenever humans are around?
Support this podcast on Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/DowntheWormholepodcast
More information at https://www.downthewormhole.com/
produced by Zack Jacksonmusic by Zack Jackson and Barton Willis
Show Notes
Cave Paintings
https://www.nationalgeographic.com/news/2018/02/neanderthals-cave-art-humans-evolution-science/
Cave Burials
https://www.nationalgeographic.com/news/2013/12/131216-la-chapelle-neanderthal-burials-graves/
Venus Figures
http://www.visual-arts-cork.com/prehistoric/venus-of-berekhat-ram.htm
https://www.ancient.eu/Venus_Figurine/
Honey Bee Dance “the Waggle”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LU_KD1enR3Q
Hominids
Overview of human evolution
http://humanorigins.si.edu/evidence/human-fossils/species
Neanderthals
https://www.nhm.ac.uk/discover/who-were-the-neanderthals.html
Denisovan
https://www.nationalgeographic.com/science/2018/08/news-denisovan-neanderthal-hominin-hybrid-ancient-human/ [first generation offspring of Denisovan and Neanderthal; tiny pinky bone fragment]
https://leakeyfoundation.org/origin-stories-the-denisovans/ [podcast which was referenced]
Homo Sapiens
http://humanorigins.si.edu/evidence/human-fossils/species/homo-sapiens
Giant fauna
Sloth for Kendra to curl up into : https://www.livescience.com/56762-giant-ground-sloth.html
Marsupials with large pouches :
http://www.bbc.com/earth/story/20160208-the-lost-giants-that-prowled-the-australian-wilderness
They went extinct :
https://daily.jstor.org/what-really-happened-to-the-megafauna/
https://www.theatlantic.com/science/archive/2018/04/in-a-few-centuries-cows-could-be-the-largest-land-animals-left/558323/
Read more : https://www.americanscientist.org/article/what-became-of-the-megafauna
Religious pieces
Rachel sitting on idols : https://www.sefaria.org/Genesis.31.34?lang=bi&with=all&lang2=en
What is religiousity : https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Religiosity
Spiritual / religious : https://chopra.com/articles/religion-vs-spirituality-what-is-the-difference
“Sapiens” by Yuval Harari book : https://www.ynharari.com/book/sapiens/
Wednesday Jan 08, 2020
Wednesday Jan 08, 2020
Episode 20
This week, we welcome paleoanthropologist Dr Briana Pobiner as we begin to explore our own evolution. Dr Pobiner is the head of education and outreach for the Smithsonian Natural History Museum's Human Origins Program. We talk about how we know what we know about early humans, where we came from, what caused us to advance so quickly, and what that means for our self-identity today. If you're into saber-tooth cats, pumpkin spice crickets, and hope for humanity, then make sure you listen to this one!
Support this podcast on Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/DowntheWormholepodcast
More information at https://www.downthewormhole.com/
produced by Zack Jacksonmusic by Zack Jackson
Show Notes
Dr Briana Pobiner's bio and publicationshttps://anthropology.columbian.gwu.edu/briana-l-pobiner
The "Teaching Evolution through Human Examples" (TEtHE) three-year exploratory research and development project was funded by National Science Foundation Discovery Research K-12 grant #1119468. The project has created four curriculum units for Advanced Placement (AP) Biology classes, aligned to the learning objectives, using human case studies to teach core evolutionary principles. The curriculum units are: (1) Adaptation to Altitude, (2) Malaria, (3) Evolution of Human Skin Color, and (4) What Does It Mean To Be Human?. The project has also created a CRS (Cultural and Religious Sensitivity) Teaching Strategies Resource to help teachers create a comfortable and supportive classroom environment for teaching evolution. http://humanorigins.si.edu/education/teaching-evolution-through-human-examples
The Expensive Tissue Hypothesishttps://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4312921/
Edible Insects and Human Evolution by Julie Lesnikhttps://amzn.to/2N4vN2k
Interview with Julie Lesnik on the amazing but somewhat NSFW podcast "Ologies"https://www.alieward.com/ologies/entomophagy-anthropology
If you're interested in trying some cricket protein bars or protein powder, click this link to get $5 your first order at Exo. I would recommend the variety pack, because they are so yummy and I promise there are no bug legs sticking out of it or anything. Save $5 and save the world! https://prz.io/BNJjPqCl
Wednesday Dec 11, 2019
Wednesday Dec 11, 2019
Episode 19
Aright. So you understand the basics of evolution and you've found ways to harmonize that with your own faith and understanding. That's wonderful. Now, how are you going to communicate that to someone with a fundamentally different worldview? What is the point of communication if we can't escape our own echo chambers? Has technology made our echo chambers more echo-y? What can YOU do right now to make the world a more harmonious place? What is the best pie and why is it pumpkin pie?
Support this podcast on Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/DowntheWormholepodcast
More information at https://www.downthewormhole.com/
produced by Zack Jacksonmusic by Zack Jackson and Barton Willis
Show Notes
Astrophysics for Babies and others:
https://www.amazon.com/Astrophysics-Babies-University-Chris-Ferrie/dp/1492671134/ref=sr_1_3?keywords=astrophysics+for+babies&qid=1574362920&s=books&sr=1-3
Chris Ferrie (author of above) speaks at Google
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zVomLTqOZYI
Echo Chambers and their issues
https://www.theguardian.com/science/blog/2017/dec/04/echo-chambers-are-dangerous-we-must-try-to-break-free-of-our-online-bubbles
http://theconversation.com/the-problem-of-living-inside-echo-chambers-110486
Nalini Nadkarni
https://www.aaas.org/membership/member-spotlight/doser-supports-scientists-who-connect-religious-communities
Wednesday Dec 04, 2019
Wednesday Dec 04, 2019
Episode 18
Dr Michael Zimmerman sits down with us to discuss some of the work he has been doing around religion and evolution for the past several decades as we look at some of the cases being decided today. how do we reclaim the authority of experts? Can/should we teach some form of intelligent design in public schools? What is at stake in this discussion?
Support this podcast on Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/DowntheWormholepodcast
More information at https://www.downthewormhole.com/
produced by Zack Jacksonmusic by Zack Jackson and Barton Willis
Show Notes
Clergy letter project, founded by Michael Zimmerman
https://www.theclergyletterproject.org/
Court Cases / Board of Education rules
1981 Arkansas: McLean vs. Board of Education
https://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=4726786
http://www.talkorigins.org/faqs/mclean-v-arkansas.html
2004 Wisconsin, Grantsburg
https://ncse.ngo/grantsburgs-third-try
2005 Pennsylvania, Dover vs Kitzmiller [teaching intelligent design as alternative]
https://www.nytimes.com/2005/12/21/education/judge-rejects-teaching-intelligent-design.html
1987 Louisiana; Edwards v. Aguillard [do not have to teach creationism in parallel to evolution]
https://www.britannica.com/topic/Edwards-v-Aguilard
2008 Louisiana; “Science education act”
http://www.legis.la.gov/Legis/ViewDocument.aspx?d=503483&n=SB733%20Act%20473
2019 Ohio Science bill
https://www.cleveland.com/open/2019/11/ohio-lawmakers-clear-bill-allowing-students-to-turn-in-inaccurate-work-in-name-of-religion-second-anti-science-bill-in-a-week.html
https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/ohio-school-religion-answers/
Various states/years
https://www.pewforum.org/2009/02/04/fighting-over-darwin-state-by-state/
Definitions/People
Stephen Jay Gould
https://www.nytimes.com/2002/05/21/us/stephen-jay-gould-60-is-dead-enlivened-evolutionary-theory.html
Intelligent Design
https://intelligentdesign.org/whatisid/ [pro]
https://web.archive.org/web/20021113213410/http://www.aaas.org/news/releases/2002/1106id2.shtml [against]
Irreducible Complexity
https://www.asa3.org/ASA/education/origins/ic-cr.htm [pro]
http://www.talkreason.org/articles/Suboptimal.cfm [against]
https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2005/05/30/devolution-2 [against]
http://www.millerandlevine.com/km/evol/design2/article.html [invoking the flagellum]
God of the gaps
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/God_of_the_gaps
Ship of Theseus
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ship_of_Theseus