LabEx 2008 Day 1 Focus, Truth and Purity

So it starts, everybody pretty much showed up on time and submitted their registrations. Someone actually paid extra! Thanks for showing up we hope you enjoy your time with us.

Anna chose her prize to be the iridescent green beetle keychain, wear it with pride Anna!

In the Biology lab the focus (ha!) was on microscopy and observations on some of the smallest organisms in Creation. Reports indicate that for the first time in LabEx history sitings of actual LIVING paramecia, euglena and amoebae were made by the students (normally at least one or all of them would die during shipping.

In the afternoon Chemistry lab we started with the scripture themes for the week:

LabEx Science and Scripture

Purity

25 I will turn my hand against you; I will thoroughly purge away your dross and remove all your impurities.

Isaiah 1 (NIV)

Truth

1 The LORD abhors dishonest scales, but accurate weights are his delight.

Proverbs 11 (NIV)

Stewardship

7 "But ask the animals, and they will teach you, or the birds of the air, and they will tell you; 8 or speak to the earth, and it will teach you, or let the fish of the sea inform you. 9 Which of all these does not know that the hand of the LORD has done this? 10 In his hand is the life of every creature and the breath of all mankind. 11 Does not the ear test words as the tongue tastes food? 12 Is not wisdom found among the aged? Does not long life bring understanding? 13 "To God belong wisdom and power; counsel and understanding are his. Job 12 (NIV)

We talked a bit about how important purity and truth are to both Science and Faith. If we think about it in terms of Venn diagrams some people think that there is simply no overlap at all between the two areas ...

While some people think that in fact Science is simply a part of Faith ...

Then there is a compromise position that allows everyone to talk to each other that starts with the position that there are at least some things that are important to both ... like purity, truth and stewardship ...

We then talked about safety and worked our way through the crystal growing competition and moved on to the use of data and density leading towards a discovery that the Canadian penny has been made from three different metals in the past twelve years even though they all look like copper. This has happened because of the cost of making the coins It was interesting that an article came out on the very first day of LabEx that showed this point exactly ...

Link to CNN Article on American Penny Costs