Angry Astronomer has a good critique of Sam Brownback’s op-ed piece on evolution in the NY Times. If you didn’t watch the Republican presidential debates, Brownback is one of the three who said they did not believe in evolution. From the critique:

He [Brownback] states, “we cannot drive a wedge between faith and reason. I believe wholeheartedly that there cannot be any contradiction between the two.”

That’s a cute, rosy little picture. Too bad it’s quite divorced from reality. While the two need not be completely at odds, it’s inevitable that one of the two will occasionally get things wrong, and upon discovery, can and should be expected to yield. With the matter of evolution, it is well supported. Yet the faithful refuse to yield.

Things like evolution and climate change don’t really care whether or not you believe in them.