Examines proposition that creationism is legitimate science, including philosophical basis of that claim and methods used to discredit contemporary scientific thought. Discusses creationist's arguments against scientific findings related to second law of thermodynamics, improbability of evolution, earth's age, geological record, fossil transitions…

Reviews historical background surrounding the origins of the Competitive Research Grants Office, established in 1978 to support basic research related to agriculture. Describes current controversy within the legislature which threatens its existence. (CS)

Discusses fundamental improvements with the new Soviet biology curriculum. Concludes that it is essential that the teacher have the correct ideological conviction and professional skills if the new curriculum is to work effectively. (RKM)

For colleges/universities, rapid instrument development poses a dilemma, since laboratory teaching instruments rapidly become obsolete and money available for replacing them is dwindling. Discusses role of sophisticated computer simulations, nontraditional educational materials, and part-time work-study opportunities as possible solutions to the…

The earth's oceanic crust is created and destroyed in a flow outward from midocean ridges to subduction zones, where it plunges back into the mantle. The nature and dynamics of the crust, instrumentation used in investigations of this earth feature, and research efforts/findings are discussed. (JN)

Discusses the earth's biosphere, considering how the microbial, animal and plant life (which make up the biosphere) are sustained by the earth's lithosphere, hydrosphere, and atmosphere. Also considers how these three earth features have powerfully shaped the evolution of these organisms. (JN)

Tandem electrostatic accelerators produce beams of positive ions which are used to penetrate atomic nuclei in a target, inducing nuclear reactions whose study elucidates varied properties of the nucleus. Uses of the system, which acts like a mass spectrometer, are discussed. These include radiocarbon dating measurements. (JN)

In addition to oceans, the earth is subjected to tidal stresses and undergoes tidal deformations. Discusses origin of tides, tidal stresses, and methods of determining tidal deformations (including gravity, tilt, and strain meters). (JN)

Presents abstracts of papers for the Seventh Annual Meeting of the Society for the Social Studies of Science. Topics include, among others, rhetoric of a scientific controversy; recombinant DNA; science and social justice; patent citation analysis; national need and peer-review process; and scientism, romanticism, and social realist images of…

Presents three science education notes for British science teachers and educators. These are (1) science in general studies; (2) the problem of primary science; and (3) the development of a grade 3 science course. (HM)

Fifteen National Science Foundation executives and managers met with Arnold Thackray to discuss the historian and the progress of science. Presented are comments by participants of this roundtable discussion (part of a series of roundtables which examined theoretical/practical aspects of how the nature of scientific progress is defined and…

Presented are statistical data from the National Science Foundation fall survey of Graduate Science Student Support. This survey included graduate schools with master's and doctoral programs in science, engineering, and medicine. (SA)

Describes the history of, and research activities and current problems at Tsukuba Science City, Japan's new municipal complex of research laboratories and educational facilities. About 30 percent of Japan's government research laboratories, as well as Tsukuba University, are located in the complex. (JN)

This document includes the strategies being used by the state of Maryland to reach five goals and six essential outcomes regarding science education for their students. Also included is a discussion of seven recommendations made by committee members and reviewers of this effort to improve the quality and use of science laboratories in Maryland.…

Provides a rationale for the Soviet chemistry curriculum and offers guidelines for teaching methodology. Details the goals and tasks for students in the Soviet chemistry curriculum for grades six through eleven. (RKM)