"the foolishness of men...when they are learned they think they are wise!"

Here's the latest entries in the Things-That-Have-No-Scientific-Explanation-Even-Though-There-Is-Supposed-To-Be-A-Scientific-Explanation-For-Everything catagory: dark matter and dark energy.

If you're not up on the latest science, here's a quick summary.

Dark matter is matter that's invisible and can't be detected by any known scientific method. It was 'discovered' when scientists tried to calculate the total mass of galaxies based on their gravitational pull on other galaxies and found out that the number they reached was ten times higher than the total mass they could account for by adding up all the stars and other visible objects in the galaxy. Hence, the conclusion that not only must some new kind of matter that can't be detected exist, but that this new 'dark matter' in fact, composes 90% of the total mass in a galaxy. In other words, approximately 90% of the matter in the universe can't be located...

(For a summary of 'dark matter', see this article)

Related to dark matter (perhaps) is 'dark energy', which also cannot be detected, measured, or analyzed by any known scientific method. Under 'Big Bang' theory, the universe was formed by a large explosion of sorts in which matter expanded and radiated out from a single point and then formed into stars, galaxies, and other heavenly bodies. Under this theory the matter in the universe should have been sent sailing away from the starting point, projected by the forces from the Big Bang, but after this initial period was over, the forces of gravity should be pulling back on all the matter in the universe, and the rate of speed in which individual galaxies are moving away from each other and from the central starting point should be decreasing. But it's not. In fact, it's increasing...Galaxies are moving faster and faster away from each other, in direct contradiction to the force of gravity pulling them together. By the Force = Mass * Acceleration equation, this shows that there is some force or energy (stronger than and directly opposed to gravity) pushing the galaxies apart faster and faster, and it can't be explained through any force or energy known to man. Hence, 'dark energy'. (For a primer on dark energy, see here)

So, let's summarize...Science can't find 90% of the matter in the universe. Science also can't find one of the major sources of energy in the universe. Even though they know it has to be there, science has no way or method to detect or analyze either dark matter or dark energy.

What's the point? Read this article--a survery of scientists' belief in God (or lack of). Yes, even though science can't find or explain 90% of the matter and energy in the universe, over 70% of scientists KNOW without a doubt that there is no God, there is no 'spirit world' closely related to the physical world, and certainly no such thing as 'spirit', a more fine form of matter which composes part of our bodies. Why? Because, silly, 'spirit' can't be seen, detected, or analyzed by any scientific method known to man therefore it most certainly doesn't exist.

Um...hello? Does this attitude strike anyone as particularly audacious given the apparent lack of knowledge these same scientists have towards the known universe--from a scientific standpoint? Isn't it possible that 'spirit' and 'dark matter' could be just two words for the same thing? Isn't it possible that there are major workings of the universe which are currently beyond human eyes, but which might just possibly involve some form of higher, creative intelligence (you know...like some sort of God)?

I'll be exploring this topic: science vs. religion more in depth in a series of posts over the next few weeks... More specifically, discussing why in fact there is no conflict between science and religion--they are just looking at the same thing from opposite angles. Stay tuned...