Thursday, May 13, 2010

And here's where we juxtapose ...


Sometimes, actually having a clue about science might have been useful:

Weed resistance could mean herbicide is futile

THE world's most popular herbicide is losing its knockout punch. More and more weeds are evolving resistance to glyphosate - originally marketed by Monsanto as Roundup - but the problem could have been forestalled by farming practices enriched by a better understanding of evolution...

The solution, as any evolutionary biologist will tell you, is for farmers to vary weed-control practices so that weeds face a number of evolutionary pressures instead of just one. Monsanto recommends precisely this in its instructions to farmers. But farmers have been reluctant to reduce their use of an effective herbicide for an intangible future benefit, especially when few have experienced glyphosate-resistant weeds.

Where diverse weed control is practiced, however, resistance has not yet developed. In most of Canada, for example, farmers grow glyphosate-resistant canola in rotation with wheat and barley. They vary the herbicides used depending on the crop grown, and glyphosate-resistant weeds are unknown.

By way of rebuttal, Canada's whingers retorted, "Evolution? Well, if evolution is true and we evolved from apes, how come apes are still around? Huh? Answer that! Can't answer it, can you? I didn't think so."

You only wish I was making that up.

6 comments:

Augray said...


By way of rebuttal, Canada's whingers retorted, "Evolution? Well, if evolution is true and we evolved from apes, how come apes are still around? Huh? Answer that! Can't answer it, can you? I didn't think so."

You only wish I was making that up.


Another favorite is "If evolution is true then there's no god, and if there's no god then why aren't evolutionists out raping and pillaging?"

CC said...

I would be, but my good raping and pillaging outfit is at the cleaners.

Unknown said...

Because we have a conscience and a sense of decency?

Oh, that's also the reason we don't need to believe in god.

That's not fair of me, by the by, I have a number of friends who are christian and do good/decent things because they believe that is what is expect of them, not because of some rewards/punishment system..

Moon Rattled said...

I think they mean apes like them. (Only some of us evolve.)

jkg said...

Since I work for a University Biology department, you would be amazed at just how annoyed some evolutionary biologists get when their lectures are hijacked by some weird anti-science brigade who 'are just legitimately asking questions.' Too bad that difference between the questions asked by biologists in the field and them can only be measure by worlds.

jkg said...

*measured