Sooner hoops to ‘Pack the Place Pink’ for No. 3 UConn (page 3) The University of Oklahoma’s independent student voice since 1916
M O N DAY, F E B RUA R Y 13 , 2 012
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2 011 G OL D C ROW N F I N A L I S T
LectUre
impact of Darwin’s theory examined Professor defends natural selection’s connection to ethics
the nature of humans was the focus of an OU professor’s lecture Sunday night in the Sam Noble Museum of Natural History’s Kerr ARIANNA PICKARD Auditorium. campus Reporter Nearly 200 people Charles Darwin’s theory squeezed into the auditoof natural selection and what rium to listen to Piers Hale, evolution has to say about history of modern science
professor, celebrate Darwin’s 203rd birthday with a lecture entitled “Reconsidering Darwinian Ethics : From the ‘Origin of Species’ to the ‘Descent of Man.’” The lecture was a part of Darwin Day, an event held to commemorate Darwin’s insight and contributions to
natural history, Hale said. Hale said many people have debated how Darwin’s theory of natural selection applies to human morality. Some people say if natural selection works to preserve the human race, then humans are essentially self-interested and selfish, he said.
People have said these traits make natural selection something that shouldn’t be taught to children because it can lead to competitive individualism, Hale said. But he disagrees. In his book, “Descent of Man,” this was not Darwin’s interpretation — he wrote
that natural selection encourages the obligation to help and serve others, Hale said. Hale was the recipient of the 2010 General Education Award from OU and was recently elected as a Fellow of the Linnean Society of London, the world’s oldest active biological society.
arcHaeOLOgy
fUnDraiser
Bones found near river Mammoth tooth, jaw discovered on Oklahoma land PAIGHTEN HARKINS campus Reporter
meLodie LettKemAn/tHe dAiLy
Jordan Voth, left, eyes Boomer as evan troka jumps in the air near the finish line of the dance marathon doubles dash 5k on Saturday. Voth and troka, wearing their chiquita Banana costumes from halloween, won second place in the costume contest, judged by a family affiliated with children’s miracle Network.
Costumed race collects money for children $3,000 in funds raised by Doubles Dash to be donated to research JAKE MORGAN
campus Reporter
As a numbing north wind rolled along the Oklahoma Memorial Union, runners approached the starting line and braced themselves against the wind’s icy grasp. Dispersed among a sea of hoodies and beanies, members of the group outside the Union also were wearing tutus, Mario and snowmen costumes. In the cruel temperatures before the Doubles Dash 5K, noses were running long before the race began. Over the weekend, 98 students and Norman residents braved the below-freezing temperatures and participated in the inaugural event, hosted by the Campus Activity Council and benefiting the Oklahoma Children’s Hospital Foundation and the Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals in Oklahoma. Through registration fees gathered before event, approximately $3,000 will be donated through Dance Marathon, and
At A glANce Doubles Dash 5K • 98 participants • More than $3,000 raised for the oklahoma children’s hospital foundation
Source: Nick Aguilera
the Oklahoma Children’s Hospital Foundation will match every dollar of the donation. The donation will help fund research and support families that can’t afford treatment. Nick Aguilera, programming director for CAC Dance Marathon, said the initial goal for the fundraising event was to break even, but registration for the event unexpectedly soared. “The real reason we wanted to do the 5K is to lay a foundation to become better and better in the following years,” Aguilera said. The race also was meant to raise awareness for the upcoming Dance Marathon on March 3, Aguilera said. “We were thinking of a unique event that could help us reach the greater Norman community and raise proper awareness for CAC Dance Marathon,” Aguilera said.
meLodie LettKemAn/tHe dAiLy
harmony hughes, left, and Sarah Romans skip across the finish line at the dance marathon doubles dash 5k benefiting children’s miracle Network on Saturday on elm Street. hughes and Romans won first place in the costume contest.
Although the Doubles Dash is a 5-kilometer race, it added an aesthetic element by encouraging participants to pair up and dress in accordance with a theme, Aguilera said. “We feel like we’re adding a fun twist to the usual 5K, and we hope it adds a lot more participation and excitement,” Aguilera said. “We’re also having a costume contest to
an incentive to encourage people to participate.” Sporting the characteristic blue hair and red attire of Thing One and Thing Two from the world of Dr. Seuss, University College freshmen Harmony Hughes and Sarah Romans said they quickly assembled their costumes in less than 10
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see ENERGY pAGe 2
An OU archaeological team is working with a Carnegie, Okla., land owner to locate and identify extinct mammoth remains. After the man located mammoth bones in a gravel bar near a river on his property, he contacted several agencies before eventually getting into contact with the Oklahoma Archaeological Survey and archaeologist Leland Bement. The property owner had discovered a partial mammoth jaw and tooth, Bement said. Bement probed the site to check for more remains, but none were found. Incomplete findings aren’t uncommon, said Nicholas Czaplewski, curator of vertebrate paleontology at the Sam Noble Oklahoma Museum of Natural History. “You don’t find the entire skeleton or something like that — you usually get a piece,” he said. Partial findings are especially common in and around river systems because the water is constantly moving and changing directions, Czaplewski said. “They meander back and forth … They kind of scatter [the bones],” he said. The survey responds to about 10 to 12 calls per month to assist the public by identifying bones and other artifacts, Bement said. Most of the survey’s calls for assistance come during rainy seasons, when rivers and high streams wash the remains from their banks, he said. see ARTIFACTS pAGe 2
The Daily’s open record requests
Okla. House to consider pro-transparency bills
Requested document and purpose
Date requested
the bills would make it easier for the public to access state information — and ou needs to do the same. (Page 4)
spending records for UOsa, campus activities council, graduate student senate and student congress for the past three academic years —to monitor purchases and allocations made by four branches of uoSA.
Wednesday
nOW OnLine at
Life & arts
Wednesday
OU Paintball club headed to nationals
‘the Vow’ could be good or bad depending on you
cleveland county Health Department inspection reports of private food service groups that serve the 22 OU greek houses — to ensure private food service contractors are complying with state food service codes.
the club, founded in April by ou students, beat Baylor, 3-1, at a tournament Saturday in San Antonio. (campus)
two columnists debate whether ‘the Vow’ is up to par with other romantic comedies and worth seeing. (Page 7)
current contracts between OU and all food franchises on campus — to learn more about the terms and conditions of those contracts.
friday
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miriAm meZZetti/tHe dAiLy
Students do the macarena at the pink and Black Ball on Saturday at the Sam Noble museum of Natural history. it was the eighth annual fundraiser, sponsored by the ou Women’s outreach center. (Page 6)