Great debate: Science v the Bible

HE'S a Daniel who today stepped into the US bible-belt's Lion's den in order to tackle the rise of Creationism. Who is this scientist and why did he stick his neck out in a live-TV debate?

In one coer was Bill Nye \"the Science Guy\". In the other was Ken Ham - Creationist advocate and curator of a $40m Christian \"museum\".

The debate, which happened earlier today, focused on one of humanity's oldest questions. \"How did we get here?\"

Nye is the former host of US TV's \"Bill Nye The Science Guy,\" a 1990s science education program that is still played in some classrooms.

WATCH THE DEBATE ABOVE

The science community is not impressed. They say the high-profile US science educator was letting the team down by giving the Creationist movement the \"oxygen\" of credibility through agreeing to debate them.

The Creationists - who argue their factual interpretation of the Bible is enough to explain the workings of the universe - saw it as an opportunity to gain even more credibility after its recent successes in introducing the anti-evolution concept into US school curriculums under its \"Teach the Controversy\" campaign.

Ken Ham believes the Earth was created 6000 years ago by the Christian god and is described strictly through the Bible.

But Creationists argue that the US constitutional ban on religious instruction in state school does not apply to them as their argument do not represent any one religion. Rather, they say the evidence of divine intervention is self-evident.

The resulting debate was a clash of dogma versus data; evolution versus epistles; evidence versus assertion - and faith versus figures.

There was already bad blood between the pair. Nye waded into the evolution debate with an online video in 2012 that urged parents not to pass their religious-based doubts about evolution on to their children. Ham rebutted Nye's statements with his own online video with com

It's a clash unlikely to have any impact on the participants. But any outcome may influence those who know the little about the subject beyond it is being a growing element in their children's schooling.

The venue for the debate is the holy heart of the Creationist movement - which denies it is a religious advocate. Rather, they say, their argument is based on the \"factual\" detail of creation contained within the bible.

The Creation Museum near Cincinnati, sold out its 800 seats within two minutes of putting them up for sale, thanks in part to Nye's celebrity.

The museum itself tells the history of the world through Judaeo-Christian biblical stories. It's halls are filled with scenes such as children playing alongside dinosaurs as well as depictions of Noah and his ark. It does not promote the creation teachings of other religions.

Many in the science community say any attempt to debate religious dogma is a lost cause, and may - in fact - be assisting the creationists' efforts. The museum will, for example, be using money from ticket and DVD sales of the debate to build a new Noah's ark theme park promoting its particular views.

Jerry Coyne, a professor of ecology and evolution at the University of Chicago, wrote on his blog that \"Nye's appearance will be giving money to organisations who try to subvert the mission Nye has had all his life: science education, particularly of kids.\"