This Is Nashville

The Scopes Trial at 100


Listen Later

Science and religion are in a constant state of friction. But 100 years ago, that friction flared into a firestorm in Tennessee.

In 1925, John Scopes, a 24-year-old high school science teacher in Dayton, decided to teach human evolution to his students even though the state had just outlawed it. He was put on trial, and Dayton was the center of international attention. Today, the impacts of what became known as the “Monkey Trial” are still rippling 100 years later. Plus, were you taught evolution in high school? Do you believe in creationism or evolution? Or both? The phone lines are open to take your calls.

This episode was produced by Mary Mancini.

Guests

  • Wesley Roberts, retired Metro Nashville Public School teacher, native Nashvillian.
  • Dr. Antonis Rokas, Cornelius Vanderbilt Chair of Biological Science and the Founding Director of the Evolutionary Studies Initiative at Vanderbilt University.
  • Sophie Badgett, former biology student at Hume Fogg

    Links

    • Scopes 100, Scopes Centennial Celebration, Dayton, TN
    • Scopes “Monkey” Trial Centennial Symposium, Vanderbilt University
      ...more
      View all episodesView all episodes
      Download on the App Store

      This Is NashvilleBy WPLN News - Nashville Public Radio

      • 4.7
      • 4.7
      • 4.7
      • 4.7
      • 4.7

      4.7

      58 ratings


      More shows like This Is Nashville

      View all
      Fresh Air by NPR

      Fresh Air

      38,470 Listeners

      The New Yorker Radio Hour by WNYC Studios and The New Yorker

      The New Yorker Radio Hour

      6,688 Listeners

      Hidden Brain by Hidden Brain, Shankar Vedantam

      Hidden Brain

      43,660 Listeners

      The Book Review by The New York Times

      The Book Review

      3,881 Listeners

      On Point with Meghna Chakrabarti by WBUR

      On Point with Meghna Chakrabarti

      3,939 Listeners

      Travel with Rick Steves by Rick Steves

      Travel with Rick Steves

      2,498 Listeners

      The Daily by The New York Times

      The Daily

      112,362 Listeners

      It's Been a Minute by NPR

      It's Been a Minute

      8,993 Listeners

      Clear+Vivid with Alan Alda by Alan Alda

      Clear+Vivid with Alan Alda

      3,736 Listeners

      Throughline by NPR

      Throughline

      16,232 Listeners

      The Ezra Klein Show by New York Times Opinion

      The Ezra Klein Show

      16,145 Listeners

      The Interview by The New York Times

      The Interview

      1,551 Listeners

      NashVillager by WPLN - Nashville Public Radio

      NashVillager

      35 Listeners

      This Old House Radio Hour by American Public Media

      This Old House Radio Hour

      89 Listeners

      Sources & Methods by NPR

      Sources & Methods

      573 Listeners