Down the Wormhole

Human Origins Part 3 (Did Big Cities Create Big Gods?)

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/ 
 

Human Origins Part 2 (Did Neanderthals Go to Heaven?)

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/

Human Origins Part 1 with Briana Pobiner (Big Questions and Little Bones)

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
 

Evolution Part 5 (Pie is the Answer)

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

Evolution Part 4 feat. Michael Zimmerman (We Don't Need No Education)

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 

Evolution Part 3 (In the Beginning)

Episode 17
Does accepting evolution mean that you can no longer believe in a personal God who is involved with the world? Are there ways to read evolution into the Bible? Did God really create everything? How do we even begin to have these conversations?
 
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:
Movies
[Ian] The Dark Knight : https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0468569/ 
[Zack] Toy Story 2 : https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0120363/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1 
[Adam] Star Trek Wrath of Khan: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0084726/
[Kendra] Lion King 2 simba’s pride : https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0120131/
[Rachael; broke the rules again] Raiders of the Ark : https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0082971/ 
 
Definitions/People
Spectrum of creationists: https://ncse.ngo/creationevolution-continuum 
Young Earth
https://answersingenesis.org/creationism/young-earth/young-earth-creationist-view-summarized-and-defended/ [pro]
https://biologos.org/personal-stories/confessions-of-a-failed-young-earth-creationist/ [someone’s personal account; anti]
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Young_Earth_creationism
Theistic evolution
https://biologos.org/articles/series/science-and-the-bible/theistic-evolution-history-and-beliefs 
Day-age creation
http://www.religionfacts.com/day-age-creationism 
Gap creationism
https://www.blueletterbible.org/faq/don_stewart/don_stewart_654.cfm
Teleology
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Teleological_argument   [definition]
https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/teleological-arguments/ [article describing various needs in the 
teleological argument for the existence of God]
Divine actions 
https://www.theopedia.com/divine-action [definition]
Ken Ham
https://answersingenesis.org/bios/ken-ham/ [in support of his ideologies]
https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/style/a-giant-ark-is-just-the-start-these-creationists-have-a-bigger-plan-for-recruiting-new-believers/2017/05/24/b497bd14-2920-11e7-be51-b3fc6ff7faee_story.html 
Heliocentric 
https://www.britannica.com/science/heliocentrism 
Stories
St. Agustine stealing pears
https://augustinianvocations.org/blog-archive/2017/1/19/st-augustine-and-the-pear-tree-a-lasting-story 
Luther quote of adam sinning
https://lutheranreformation.org/get-involved/bible-study-luther-genesis-37-15/ 
Story from Book of Joshua (sun held in sky)
https://www.sefaria.org/Joshua.10?lang=bi [Joshua 10:12 quote]
https://www.timesofisrael.com/3224-years-later-scientists-see-first-ever-recorded-eclipse-in-joshuas-battle/ [was it really an eclipse?]
Talmud matchmaking
https://www.sefaria.org/Bereishit_Rabbah.68.4?lang=en [Quote from Genesis midrash, 68:4]

Evolution Part 2 (Increasingly More Complicated Tubes)

Episode 16So what is evolution exactly? How would you explain it to someone who doesn't think they are "good at science"? Can we see evolution happening today? Should we be worried about mutant Vikings and hybrid coyotes?
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 
Kleptoplasty Sea Slug:  
https://manoa.hawaii.edu/exploringourfluidearth/biological/aquatic-plants-and-algae/structure-and-function/weird-science-kleptoplasty
 
Al regel achat: while standing on one foot--story explanation (and how it is used in modern Hebrew)
https://www.haaretz.com/word-of-the-day-al-regel-akhat-1.5318459 
 
Elephants adapting to be tuskless
https://www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/2018/11/wildlife-watch-news-tuskless-elephants-behavior-change/ 
 
Peppered Moths of London
http://www.mothscount.org/text/63/peppered_moth_and_natural_selection.html 
 
Chicken or Egg…first the egg!
https://www.science.org.au/curious/earth-environment/which-came-first-chicken-or-egg 
 
We don’t understand big numbers
https://waitbutwhy.com/2014/11/1000000-grahams-number.html 
 
Coywolf (or wolfoyte if preferred)
https://www.earthtouchnews.com/natural-world/animal-behaviour/is-this-coyote-wolf-hybrid-taking-over-north-america/ 
 
Worm composting
http://www.franklincountywastedistrict.org/vermicomposting.html 
Zack's Worm Bin
https://amzn.to/330caxl
 
Lactose tolerance or intolerance, who’s the mutant now?
https://www.npr.org/sections/thesalt/2012/12/27/168144785/an-evolutionary-whodunit-how-did-humans-develop-lactose-tolerance 
And this one has a map: https://www.newscientist.com/article/dn27938-everything-you-need-to-know-about-lactose-intolerance/
 
Reading up on evolution
https://evolution.berkeley.edu/evolibrary/resourcelibrary.php 
https://www.yourgenome.org/facts/what-is-evolution 
 
Video on natural selection (Crash Course): 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aTftyFboC_M&list=PL3EED4C1D684D3ADF&index=14
 
Video on evolution (Crash Course) 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P3GagfbA2vo&list=PL3EED4C1D684D3ADF&index=20 
 
History of language evolution
http://www.historyworld.net/wrldhis/PlainTextHistories.asp?ParagraphID=axx 
Or a TED-ed short video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iWDKsHm6gTA 
 
Word by Word: The Secret Life of Dictionaries by Kory Stamper (Kindle Edition)
https://amzn.to/2O4ekYo
Because Internet: Understanding the New Rules of Language by Gretchen McCulloch (Kindle Edition)
https://amzn.to/33YQN0G
 
A forest of language trees, showing their relationships: 
https://eurotalk.com/blog/2015/06/03/the-language-forest-how-are-world-languages-related/ 
 
Darwin
https://www.britannica.com/biography/Charles-Darwin 
  

Evolution Part 1 (The Dogs They Are a-Changin')

Episode 15
As we begin our first evolution miniseries, our hosts take some time to discuss why this topic has become so central to the "religion vs science" conflict and why it matters to us. How do we reconcile a sovereign God with the randomness of natural selection? Can we find meaning through science or only facts? Who ever thought that breeding pugs was a good idea?
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 fruits
Kiwiberries
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Actinidia_arguta 
Watermelon [and how they’ve changed in the last few centuries]
https://www.vox.com /2015/7/28/9050469/watermelon-breeding-paintings 
Banana [other fruits talked about too]
https://www.sciencealert.com/fruits-vegetables-before-domestication-photos-genetically-modified-food-natural 
Threat to the cavendish: https://www.cnn.com/2015/07/22/africa/banana-panama-disease/index.html 
Strawberries [a brief history]
https://www.uvm.edu/vtvegandberry/factsheets/strawberryhistory.html 
 
Dogs
Labradoodle Regrets:  
https://www.nytimes.com/2019/09/25/us/labradoodle-creator-regret.html 
French Bulldog insemination
https://www.frenchie.shop/blogs/frenchie-shop-blog/do-french-bulldogs-have-to-be-artificially-inseminated [pro-Frenchie site]
https://www.thestranger.com/slog/2018/03/30/25974515/your-french-bulldog-is-an-abomination [biased against them]
Pugs
https://www.petmd.com/dog/breeds/c_dg_pug [Note the medical issues associated with them]
 
Theistic evolution
https://biologos.org/articles/theistic-evolution-history-and-beliefs 
Theodicy
In-depth philosophy article
https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/evil/ 
General definitions
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Theodicy 
https://www.britannica.com/topic/theodicy-theology 
Pardes
An explanation and experience: https://onbeing.org/blog/the-spaces-between-the-consonants/