Translation of a document in which the heads of all the academies of sciences in the world call to teach evolution without interruption in schools
Updated translation - Nitzan Freedom website. Based on a translation by Avi Blizovsky from 30/6/2006
The Interacademic Panel
for international issues
A global network of chaired academies of sciences
Chen Zhu
Eve happened
secretariat
twas
(Academy of Sciences of the Developing World)
Costiera Road 11
Trieste 34014, Italy
Tel: +39 040 2240 680
Fax: +39 040 2240 688
iap@twas.org
www.interacademies.net
IAP statement regarding the study of evolution (Hebrew translation)
We, the undersigned Academies of Sciences, have come to know that in various parts of the world, as part of science lessons taught in certain public education systems, scientific evidence, data and testable theories about the origin and evolutionary development of life on Earth are hidden, denied, or presented in a confusing manner with theories that cannot be scientifically tested. We urge decision makers, teachers and parents, to educate all children about the methods and discoveries of science, and to encourage an understanding of the natural sciences. Knowledge about the natural world in which they live allows people to meet human needs and protect the planet.
We agree that the facts below, which are based on evidence, regarding the origins and evolutionary development of the Earth and life on it, have been collected and proven with the help of countless observations and experimental results derived independently from a large number of scientific approaches. Even if there are still many open questions as to the exact details of the evolutionary changes, the scientific evidence has never contradicted these results:
1. In a universe that evolved toward its current configuration over about 11 to 15 billion years, our Earth was formed about 4.5 billion years ago.
2. Since its formation, the Earth - its geology and its environments - has changed under the influence of countless physical and chemical forces, and still continues to change.
3. Life appeared on Earth at least 2.5 billion years ago. The evolutionary development, immediately afterwards, of organisms that carried out photosynthesis, made possible, starting at least 2 billion years ago, the slow transformation of the atmosphere into one containing considerable amounts of oxygen. In addition to the creation of the oxygen we breathe, the process of photosynthesis is the ultimate source of constant energy and food, on which the life of the human species on Earth depends.
4. Since its first appearance on Earth, life has taken many forms, all of which continue to develop evolutionarily, in ways that the science of paleontology and the modern sciences of biology and biochemistry independently describe and verify with increasing precision. Shared similarities in the structure of the genetic code of all living beings today, including humans, clearly indicate their common ancestral origin.
We also sign the following statement regarding the nature of science in relation to the study of evolution, and more generally, to the study of any field of scientific knowledge:
Scientific knowledge is derived from the method of studying the nature of the universe, which was and still is successful and has great results. Science focuses on (a) observations of the natural world, (b) formulating testable and refutable hypotheses, in order to derive deeper explanations for observed phenomena. When the evidence is sufficiently convincing, scientific theories are developed that summarize and explain this evidence, and predict the possible structure or processes of phenomena that have not yet been observed.
The human understanding of values and goals is outside the scope of the natural sciences. However, several components - scientific, social, philosophical, religious, cultural and political - contribute to it. These different fields owe each other mutual consideration, while being fully aware of their scope of action and their limitations.
While acknowledging its current limitations, science is open and unlimited in advance, and subject to corrections and expansions as new understandings based on theories and experiments appear.
* * *
(in alphabetical order)
1. Albanian Academy of Sciences
2. National Academy of Exact Sciences, Physical Sciences and Natural Sciences, Argentina
3. Australian Academy of Science
4. Austrian Academy of Sciences
5. Bangladesh Academy of Sciences
6. The Royal Academies of Science and Arts of Belgium
7. Academy of Sciences and Arts of Bosnia and Herzegovina
8. Brazilian Academy of Sciences
9. Bulgarian Academy of Sciences
10. RSC: Academies of Arts, Social Sciences and Sciences of Canada
11. Chilean Academy of Sciences
12. Chinese Academy of Sciences
13. The Chinese Academy, Taiwan
14. The Colombian Academy of Exact Sciences, Physical Sciences and Natural Sciences
15. Croatian Academy of Arts and Sciences
16. Cuban Academy of Sciences
17. Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic
18. Royal Danish Academy of Sciences
19. Academy for Scientific Research and Technology, Egypt
20. Academy of Sciences, France
21. Association of German Academies of Sciences and Social Sciences
22. Academy of Athens, Greece
23. Hungarian Academy of Sciences
24. Indian National Science Academy
25. Indonesian Academy of Sciences
26. Academy of Sciences of the Islamic Republic of Iran
27. Royal Irish Academy
28. Israel National Academy of Sciences
29. National Academy Dai Linci, Italy
30. Science Council of Japan
31. Kenya National Academy of Sciences
32. National Academy of Sciences of the Kyrgyz Republic
33. Latvian Academy of Sciences
34. Lithuanian Academy of Sciences
35. Macedonian Academy of Sciences and Arts
36. Mexican Academy of Sciences
37. Mongolian Academy of Sciences
38. The Academy of the Kingdom of Morocco
39. Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences
40. Academic Council of the Royal Society of New Zealand
41. Nigerian Academy of Sciences
42. Pakistan Academy of Sciences
43. The Palestinian Academy of Science and Technology
44. National Academy of Sciences of Peru
45. National Academy of Science and Technology, Philippines
46. Polish Academy of Sciences
47. Senegal Academy of Sciences and Technology
48. Serbian Academy of Sciences and Arts
49. National Academy of Sciences of Singapore
50. Slovak Academy of Sciences
51. Slovenian Academy of Sciences and Arts
52. Academy of Science of South Africa
53. The Royal Academy of Exact Sciences, Physical Sciences and Natural Sciences of Spain
54. National Academy of Sciences, Sri Lanka
55. Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences
56. Council of the Swiss Scientific Academies
57. Academy of Sciences, Republic of Tajikistan
58. Caribbean Academy of Sciences
59. Turkish Academy of Sciences
60. Uganda National Academy of Sciences
61. British Royal Society
62. US National Academy of Sciences
63. Academy of Sciences of Uzbekistan
64. Academy of Physics, Mathematics and Natural Sciences of Venezuela
65. Zimbabwe Academy of Sciences
66. African Academy of Sciences
67. Developing World Academy of Sciences (TWAS)
68. Board of Directors of the International Council for Science (ICSU)
