Forging the Erudition of the Foibles of Fission

And other scientific inquiries.

Today on CNN.com, a featured article discussed advances being made in the field of cancer eradication, namely, in creating a "smart-bomb for cancer" (a phrase which caught my eye in part because it was used on The West Wing about four years ago). Though still in it's early stages, and not wholly successful, a promising new study has found that the human immune system can be genetically enhanced to target cancer cells, something it doesn't normally do. Not only is that bad-ass in a science-fiction sort of way, it's also incredibly inspiring and a little terrifying. Essentially, what they do is extract some white blood cells. Then they genetically engineer them by mixing them with a lab-created virus which seeks out and attaches itself to cancer cells. Then, with traditional chemotherapy, they wipe out the person's existing immune system, and then re-introduce the new Jack Bauer immune cells, which then go about eradicating the cancer. In the study it only worked in 2 out of 17 subjects, but in those subjects it worked completely. Tell me science isn't amazing.

And this very week the new Pope is meeting with some former theology students to discuss that. They will be meeting for a three-day discussion/debate on the subjects of evolution and creationism. Of course, they won't be coming to any definitive answers or making any proclamations of one over the other, but it will be a discussion which is refreshing given the climate here in the United States where it seems people have no room for concession or understanding. Even the last Pope gave some credence to Darwin's assertions. I think everyone on both sides of the aisle could learn a lesson from these Popes, that religion and reason are not mutually exclusive, and that discussion and investigation do not denote a lack of faith. Obviously, Pope Benedict doesn't believe that evolution is an entirely random process, and he certainly believes that God created everything, but all the same, any discussion on the merits of both evolution and creationism (or its modern guise of intelligent design) concedes that there is a possibility for truth and faith in evolution. My point: science is a great thing. Also, breaking news: Ice cream is delicious.