America’s Origins

The following is a description of my undergraduate thesis
documentary titled “America’s Origins: How Americans Believe Life Came to Be”
america's originsFeaturing interviews with:
Ken Miller, Professor of Biology at Brown University
Michael Behe, Professor of Biochemistry at Lehigh University
Carl Zimmer, Science Writer
Full video documentary available upon request at:
Stephanie.M.McPherson@gmail.com
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Life has existed on Earth for almost 4 billion years, working its way into every niche from the murkiest depths to the thirstiest deserts. Hundreds of thousands of species that walked, swam, and flew the planet have lived and died. Now, the Earth’s dominant animal is able to look back through time and piece together the story of how we got here.

But how did that story begin? How did it unfold? Did life evolve, step by Darwinian step to fill every role, or is the complexity of life the product of a grand plan orchestrated by a designer?

Since the day of Darwin 15 decades ago we’ve been asking these questions. People make up their minds in the comfort of their homes or churches or laboratories, and what they learn becomes part of who they are. The American debate between Darwinian theory and the theory of intelligent design is heated for reasons extending as far back and country’s origins.

The fight to claim understanding of the Earth has implications in every realm of life, from preventing disease to the question of an immortal soul. The debate is alive in this country, but many Americans have trouble explaining exactly what it is they believe, or what evolution or intelligent design really mean. And this lack of understanding only adds more fuel to the fire in the fight for truth.

*Videographer
*Editor/producer