NAS scientist, 'Renaissance man' of evolutionary biology wins coveted $1.5M Templeton Prize

[bananas]

I received a Breaking News email today from the National Academy of Science that one of their members won the Templeton prize, so I posted a couple of news articles into LBN:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x4320520

'Renaissance man' of evolutionary biology wins coveted $1.5M Templeton Prize

Source: Vancouver Sun

Known among scientists as the Renaissance man of evolutionary biology, Francisco J. Ayala has won this year's prestigious, and lucrative, Templeton Prize for his life's work trumpeting the notion that science and religion are compatible.

After being named the winner of the world's largest academic award at a news conference in Washington, D.C., Thursday, the California-based biologist and philosopher described the ever polarizing approaches to life as merely two windows into the same world.

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"It is only when assertions are made beyond their legitimate boundaries that religion and science, and evolutionary theory in particular, appear to be antithetical," he said.

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Ayala said he plans to donate the entire prize to charity. Part of it will most likely go to the University of California, Irvine where the evolutionary geneticist and molecular biologist has spent the last 23 years teaching and doing research. Noting both the National Academy of Sciences and the Center for Theology and Natural Science were behind his nomination, Ayala said he would likely give part of his windfall to those institutions as well.

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Read more: http://www.vancouversun.com/technology/Evolutionary+biologist+wins+Templeton+Prize/2725119/story.html

Last year that they awarded it to physicist Bernard d’Espagnat http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=228x50336