Imagine you’re a public high school biology teacher in a state where you are permitted to share objective scientific critiques of evolutionary theory in the classroom – the strengths and weaknesses of Darwinism. Where do you turn for a reliable, responsible resource to help you clarify the issues for your students?

Here’s a great idea: check out biologist Jonathan Wells’s new book, Zombie Science: More Icons of Evolution. Dr. Wells and fellow biologist Ray Bohlin talk about that in a new ID the Future podcast.

Listen to it here now, or download it here.

Dr. Bohlin was closely involved with recent revisions to science standards in Texas, and he describes what happened in his state. So let’s say you’re a 9th grade biology teacher there. You want to talk with students about the consistent pattern of abrupt appearance of species in the fossil record – an observation inconsistent with Darwinian predictions; about the mystery of where biological information in DNA comes from, or the puzzle of whale evolution.

Zombie Science covers all of these subjects. The idea, obviously, isn’t to use it as a textbook. It’s written (very accessibly) with the thoughtful adult in mind, not for a 9th grader. But teachers will find the book very useful for the background it provides.

Wells and Bohlin do note that in a public high school setting, it would be very ill advised to take the discussion some steps further to the question of design in life’s origins. If Darwinism is hobbled as an explanation for biology’s grandeur, however, what then? Dr. Bohlin admits that as a teacher, he’s uncomfortable saying “I don’t know.” But this is the wisest response.

For more on evolution instruction and public schools, see our Science Education Policy.

Photo: Jonathan Wells at the national book launch for Zombie Science, by Andrew McDiarmid.