Reality Check: Science and the Election

Evolution At last, the presidential race is narrowed to two. But before the field was narrowed, three of the Republican presidential candidates openly stated that they didn’t believe in evolution, while the GOP nominee has supported teaching intelligent design in schools—which may be a foregone conclusion, given that between 12 and 16 percent of high school biology teachers currently consider themselves creationists. Stem Cell Research The current President's position on funding for stem cell research hasn't exactly been friendly. But hope glints on the horizon: Obama has vowed to overturn Bush's restrictions, and even McCain has announced he will support federal funding—though with strings attached. Biofuels Iowa's role in the presidential caucuses gave ethanol a boost, and McCain has stated that he "see[s] a bright future for ethanol"—though he's admittedly "wary" of government subsidies for the fuel, and his support has appeared to wane in the wake of rising food prices. Obama, meanwhile, has pledged to boost the renewable fuel standard to at least 60 billion gallons by 2030 and require that all new vehicles be "flexfuel" by 2012. Emissions While McCain is sticking by his 2007 bill to cut emissions 30 percent by 2050, Obama takes it up a notch, calling for an 80 percent slash of emissions below 1990 levels by 2050. Alaskan Drilling For once, they're all agreed: Both Obama and McCain are in support of leaving the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge alone.