Committee for Skeptical Inquiry

[SkeptInq@aol.com]

 Visit the CSICOP and Skeptical Inquirer Magazine website at
 http://www.csicop.org. Receiving over 200,000 hits per year, the CSICOP site
 was rated one of the top ten science sites by HOMEPC magazine. Send comments
 regarding SI DIGEST to editors Matt Nisbet at mcn23@cornell.edu and Barry
 Karr at skeptinq@aol.com.

 --LA TIMES: Student Scores Stalled in Science During the 90's
 --NY TIMES BOOK REVIEW: The Book of Miracles
 --NY TIMES: Dolphins Show Language Like Learning
 --NY TIMES: New Study Links Biotech Corn to Butterfly Deaths

 --LA TIMES: STUDENT SCORES STALLED IN SCIENCE IN THE 90'S

 Aug. 25, 2000
 For the full text of the article, go to
 <http://www.latimes.com/news/science/science/20000825/t000079956.html>

 Student Scores Stalled in '90s in 2 Key Areas
 Despite years of intensive efforts to improve the performance of American
 students, scores in reading and science stagnated in the 1990s and the
 achievement gap between blacks and whites widened, according to the latest
 measure of long-term trends in the nation's classrooms.

 --NY TIMES BOOK REVIEW: THE BOOK OF MIRACLES

 For the full review go to
 <http://www.nytimes.com/books/00/08/27/reviews/000827.27zaleskt.html>

 The Book of Miracles: The Meaning of the Miracle Stories in Christianity,
 Judaism, Buddhism, Hinduism, Islam
 By KENNETH L. WOODWARD
 Reviewed by PHILIP ZALESKI
 "[Woodward] explores miracles from the inside, by assuming the point of view
 of the traditions that proclaim them . . . [an] extraordinary tableau of
 pan-religious signs and wonders . . ."

 Includes to link to the first chapter of 'The Book of Miracles'


 --NY TIMES: DOLPHINS SHOW LANGUAGE-LIKE LEARNING


 August 25, 2000
 For the full text of the article, go to
 <http://www.nytimes.com/library/national/science/082500sci-animal-dolphin.ht
 ml>

 Dolphins Show Language-Like Learning, Researchers Say
 By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

 WASHINGTON -- Researchers eavesdropping on the underwater signals between
 dolphins found that the mammals quickly learn and repeat intricate signals
 from their friends, an ability thought to be an important step toward
 evolving a language.


 --NY TIMES: NEW STUDY LINKS BIOTECH CORN TO BUTTERFLY DEATHS

 August 22, 2000
 For the full text of the article, go to
 <http://www.nytimes.com/library/national/science/082200sci-gm-butterfly.html
 >

 New Study Links Biotech Corn to Butterfly Deaths

 By CAROL KAESUK YOON

 Ever since scientists reported last year that pollen from genetically
 engineered corn could kill monarch butterfly caterpillars in the laboratory,
 scientists, industry representatives and activists opposed to genetic
 engineering have been battling over one central question: Are these
 butterflies being harmed by the millions of acres of biotech corn being
 planted across the country?

 --------------------------------


 SI Electronic Digest is the biweekly e-mail news update of the Committee for
 the Scientific Investigation of Claims of the Paranormal (CSICOP.)

 Visit http://www.csicop.org/. Rated one of the Top Ten Science sites on the
 Web by
 HOMEPC magazine.

 The Digest is written and edited by Matt Nisbet and Barry
 Karr. SI Digest is distributed directly via e-mail to over 4000 readers
 worldwide, and is sent from CSICOP headquarters at the Center for
 Inquiry-International, Amherst NY, USA.

 To subscribe for free to the SI DIGEST, go to: http://www.csicop.org/list/

 PERMISSION IS GRANTED TO REPRINT OR REPOST ON THE WEB. WE ENCOURAGE
 TRANSLATION INTO OTHER LANGUAGES. PLEASE FORWARD TO YOUR FRIENDS.

 Direct media inquiries regarding Skeptical Inquirer and CSICOP to Kevin
 Christopher at 716-636-1425 or SIKevinc@aol.com. CSICOP publishes the
 bimonthly SKEPTICAL INQUIRER, The Magazine for Science and Reason.

 To subscribe at the $18.95 introductory Internet price, go to:
 http://www.csicop.org/si/subscribe/

 --30--