NASTY NANNIES
Romans 8:21
"Because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God."
There is a species of ant that, although quite small, makes slaves of yet smaller ants. This slave-making ant makes its nest inside acorns, and unlike the species they enslave, they have chemical weapons and powerful jaws.
While they enslave the smaller species, they don't seem to do much else, including caring for their own young. They get their captives by raiding the nests of the smaller species, stealing larvae and pupae. Once these ant babies mature in the acorn, they are expected to do all the work, including taking care of the slave-makers' eggs.
Evolutionary scientists have said that such ants could not evolve resistance against their enslavement. However, now they have learned that the slave ants do indeed resist. Once the slave-maker's eggs mature to the pupa stage, the slave-ants will neglect them or even eat them. This is behavior they do not do in their home colony. Researchers say the slave-maker ant queens lay enough eggs. However, between 60 and 80 percent never make it to maturity when cared for by captive slaves. Such population reductions help reduce future raids on their home colonies – home colonies they have never seen! Clearly, an altruistic objective.
But not all slavery is physical. God sent His Son, Jesus Christ, to be our Lord and Savior when we were enslaved by sin, death and the devil.
Thank You, Father, for sending Your Son, Jesus Christ, to free me from bondage to sin, death and the devil. Amen.
www.sciencenews.org/view/generic/id/35309/title/Slave_ants-rebel, Susan Milius, "Slave Ants Rebel." Photo: Queen and brood of the slave-maker Polyergus lucidus with Formica archboldi workers. Courtesy of Adrian A. Smith. (CC BY 2.5)
Romans 8:21
"Because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God."
There is a species of ant that, although quite small, makes slaves of yet smaller ants. This slave-making ant makes its nest inside acorns, and unlike the species they enslave, they have chemical weapons and powerful jaws.
While they enslave the smaller species, they don't seem to do much else, including caring for their own young. They get their captives by raiding the nests of the smaller species, stealing larvae and pupae. Once these ant babies mature in the acorn, they are expected to do all the work, including taking care of the slave-makers' eggs.
Evolutionary scientists have said that such ants could not evolve resistance against their enslavement. However, now they have learned that the slave ants do indeed resist. Once the slave-maker's eggs mature to the pupa stage, the slave-ants will neglect them or even eat them. This is behavior they do not do in their home colony. Researchers say the slave-maker ant queens lay enough eggs. However, between 60 and 80 percent never make it to maturity when cared for by captive slaves. Such population reductions help reduce future raids on their home colonies – home colonies they have never seen! Clearly, an altruistic objective.
But not all slavery is physical. God sent His Son, Jesus Christ, to be our Lord and Savior when we were enslaved by sin, death and the devil.
Thank You, Father, for sending Your Son, Jesus Christ, to free me from bondage to sin, death and the devil. Amen.
www.sciencenews.org/view/generic/id/35309/title/Slave_ants-rebel, Susan Milius, "Slave Ants Rebel." Photo: Queen and brood of the slave-maker Polyergus lucidus with Formica archboldi workers. Courtesy of Adrian A. Smith. (CC BY 2.5)
MAN IS NOT FIRST TO DO GENETIC ENGINEERING
Genesis 9:3
"Every moving thing that liveth shall be meat for you; even as the green herb have I given you all things."
"You are what you eat." We've all heard the saying. It doesn't mean that if you eat a lot of chicken, you'll literally become a chicken. But now science has discovered a creature for which the saying is literally true, in part, right down to the genetic level.
The green sea slug called Elysia chlorotica is more than just leaf-shaped. It eats algae and after a couple of weeks doesn't need to eat for the rest of its year-long life. It actually photosynthesizes its own food by stealing the genes for photosynthesis from the algae it ate. However, geneticists knew that the genetic information it steals from the algae only gives it one-tenth of the DNA it needs to code for the proteins needed to continue to be able to photosynthesize.
In search of the answer to this mystery, scientists closely studied the slug's DNA. They discovered that the missing genetic information was indeed to be found in the slug. What's more, this information was identical to the algae's genetic information. In other words, the slug steals all of the genetic information necessary for photosynthesis. Scientists are mystified as to how the slug accomplishes this wonder!
Of course, it's no mystery when you know that the same Creator Who designed DNA also designed the sea slug who can selectively steal it.
Father, I thank You for all the wonders You have created, but the greatest wonder is Your love toward me. Amen.
www.newscientist.com/article/dn16124-solarpowered-sea-slug-harnesses-stolen-plant-genes.html, 11/24/08, Catherine Brahic, "Solar-powered sea slug harnesses stolen plant genes." Photo: Elysia chlorotica green sea slug. Courtesy of Karen N. Pelletreau. (CC BY 4.0)
Genesis 9:3
"Every moving thing that liveth shall be meat for you; even as the green herb have I given you all things."
"You are what you eat." We've all heard the saying. It doesn't mean that if you eat a lot of chicken, you'll literally become a chicken. But now science has discovered a creature for which the saying is literally true, in part, right down to the genetic level.
The green sea slug called Elysia chlorotica is more than just leaf-shaped. It eats algae and after a couple of weeks doesn't need to eat for the rest of its year-long life. It actually photosynthesizes its own food by stealing the genes for photosynthesis from the algae it ate. However, geneticists knew that the genetic information it steals from the algae only gives it one-tenth of the DNA it needs to code for the proteins needed to continue to be able to photosynthesize.
In search of the answer to this mystery, scientists closely studied the slug's DNA. They discovered that the missing genetic information was indeed to be found in the slug. What's more, this information was identical to the algae's genetic information. In other words, the slug steals all of the genetic information necessary for photosynthesis. Scientists are mystified as to how the slug accomplishes this wonder!
Of course, it's no mystery when you know that the same Creator Who designed DNA also designed the sea slug who can selectively steal it.
Father, I thank You for all the wonders You have created, but the greatest wonder is Your love toward me. Amen.
www.newscientist.com/article/dn16124-solarpowered-sea-slug-harnesses-stolen-plant-genes.html, 11/24/08, Catherine Brahic, "Solar-powered sea slug harnesses stolen plant genes." Photo: Elysia chlorotica green sea slug. Courtesy of Karen N. Pelletreau. (CC BY 4.0)
MOTHS FOOL BATS
2 Corinthians 11:14
"And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light."
When one thinks of clever creatures, moths are probably not the first creature that come to mind – in fact, they probably don't come to mind at all!
Researchers at Wake Forest University raised some bats from infanthood in large cages. Their purpose was to carefully control the growing bats' diets and study their responses to various prey. Among the prey offered were Tiger moths. In the caterpillar stage they eat plants which make them unpalatable even as moths. As moths, when a bat is near, they emit a series of clicks. A bat will try to eat the moths only once, spitting out the foul-tasting insect almost immediately after biting it. When the bats were offered a different but equally foul-tasting species of Tiger moth, a few of the bats tried the new species despite their "don't eat me" clicking sounds. They quickly learned to avoid the new species as well.
Researchers also offered the bats tasty Milkweed Tussock moths. While tasty, these moths click like the tiger moths when approached by a bat. Three of ten bats tried these moths, but the other seven wouldn't touch them. These tasty moths managed to fool most of the bats into thinking that they were the unpalatable Tiger moths.
Good doesn't usually mimic evil, but Scripture warns us that evil will mimic good.
Father, thank You for Your Word which teaches me the truth of salvation and warns me against evil mimicking good. Amen.
Science News, 6/23/07, p. 397. S.M., "Moths mimic 'Don't eat me' sounds." Photo: Tiger moth. Courtesy of Bruce Marlin. (CC BY-SA 3.0)
2 Corinthians 11:14
"And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light."
When one thinks of clever creatures, moths are probably not the first creature that come to mind – in fact, they probably don't come to mind at all!
Researchers at Wake Forest University raised some bats from infanthood in large cages. Their purpose was to carefully control the growing bats' diets and study their responses to various prey. Among the prey offered were Tiger moths. In the caterpillar stage they eat plants which make them unpalatable even as moths. As moths, when a bat is near, they emit a series of clicks. A bat will try to eat the moths only once, spitting out the foul-tasting insect almost immediately after biting it. When the bats were offered a different but equally foul-tasting species of Tiger moth, a few of the bats tried the new species despite their "don't eat me" clicking sounds. They quickly learned to avoid the new species as well.
Researchers also offered the bats tasty Milkweed Tussock moths. While tasty, these moths click like the tiger moths when approached by a bat. Three of ten bats tried these moths, but the other seven wouldn't touch them. These tasty moths managed to fool most of the bats into thinking that they were the unpalatable Tiger moths.
Good doesn't usually mimic evil, but Scripture warns us that evil will mimic good.
Father, thank You for Your Word which teaches me the truth of salvation and warns me against evil mimicking good. Amen.
Science News, 6/23/07, p. 397. S.M., "Moths mimic 'Don't eat me' sounds." Photo: Tiger moth. Courtesy of Bruce Marlin. (CC BY-SA 3.0)
CAPUCHINS DON'T MONKEY AROUND
Genesis 3:15
"And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel."
We were once told that tool use is what separates man from the animals. Then it was discovered that some animals use tools. Now scientists have learned that these animals do more than just grab something from their surroundings; they look for something that would be needed to do the job.
Primatologists studied tool use and selection among wild capuchin monkeys in Brazil. First, they observed natural tool use among the monkeys. They noticed that when monkeys wanted to crack open a nut they examined several types of stones. When they had a choice between a hard rock or a softer sandstone, which would be likely to break, they preferred the harder stone after examining both rocks.
One monkey was observed examining two stones of the same hardness and then selecting the larger one. Then he placed a palm nut on a fallen log and cracked the nut open with a rock. Stone selection also varied depending on what type of nut was being cracked open.
Man isn't separated from animals by tool use or making. Rather, he is separated from animals because he was made to have a personal relationship with God. He is also responsible to God for his actions. This is why, when man first sinned, God promised us a Savior Who would show us the way to salvation.
I thank You, Father, that through Your Son, Jesus Christ, I have the forgiveness of sins and salvation. Amen.
www.science news.org/view/generic/id/39930, 1/15/09, Bruce Bower, "Capuchin Monkeys Choose The Right Tool For The Nut." Photo: Wild capuchin monkey in Costa Rica. Courtesy of David M. Jensen. (CC BY-SA 3.0)
Genesis 3:15
"And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel."
We were once told that tool use is what separates man from the animals. Then it was discovered that some animals use tools. Now scientists have learned that these animals do more than just grab something from their surroundings; they look for something that would be needed to do the job.
Primatologists studied tool use and selection among wild capuchin monkeys in Brazil. First, they observed natural tool use among the monkeys. They noticed that when monkeys wanted to crack open a nut they examined several types of stones. When they had a choice between a hard rock or a softer sandstone, which would be likely to break, they preferred the harder stone after examining both rocks.
One monkey was observed examining two stones of the same hardness and then selecting the larger one. Then he placed a palm nut on a fallen log and cracked the nut open with a rock. Stone selection also varied depending on what type of nut was being cracked open.
Man isn't separated from animals by tool use or making. Rather, he is separated from animals because he was made to have a personal relationship with God. He is also responsible to God for his actions. This is why, when man first sinned, God promised us a Savior Who would show us the way to salvation.
I thank You, Father, that through Your Son, Jesus Christ, I have the forgiveness of sins and salvation. Amen.
www.science news.org/view/generic/id/39930, 1/15/09, Bruce Bower, "Capuchin Monkeys Choose The Right Tool For The Nut." Photo: Wild capuchin monkey in Costa Rica. Courtesy of David M. Jensen. (CC BY-SA 3.0)