Representative Paul Broun of Georgia recently declared that evolution, embryology, and the Big Bang are “lies straight from the pit of Hell.” He believes the Earth is 9,000 years old and was created in six days. Representative Broun is a member of the House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology.

This is a disgrace. The House Science Committee makes crucial decisions regarding national priorities for scientific research. If the United States is to remain a world leader in science and technology, these decisions should not be made by people who do not understand basic principles of science or whose personal beliefs lead them to reject empirical evidence.

(image credit: Bill Lynch)