CREATION MOMENTS: 5.29.16

MYSTERY MOUNTAINS DON'T HAVE TO BE A MYSTERY

Genesis 8:5

"And the waters decreased continually until the tenth month: in the tenth month, on the first day of the month, were the tops of the mountains seen."
There are three ways to make mountains. The movement of two crustal plates running into one another will push up mountains. Likewise, volcanic activity will produce mountains. Finally, massive erosion of soft strata from harder strata can also create mountains.

In the 1950s, Soviet researchers discovered a mountain range, named the Gamburtsev Mountains, in Antarctica. Since the mountain range lies under almost two-and-a-half miles of ice, they were discovered by seismic survey. There is one problem. There shouldn't be any mountains there, according to conventional science. That's because Antarctica is a single crustal plate colliding with nothing. Nor is there any evidence of volcanic activity there. As one scientist put it, finding these mountains is like opening an ancient pyramid and finding a living astronaut in it. However, there is another answer that uniformitarian geologists would never consider. We know that there was massive erosion as the flood waters drained from the earth, as evidenced by the Grand Canyon and the American Badlands. This would also seem to be the most likely explanation for the mystery mountains of Antarctica.

The Bible gives us the most accurate general history of the ancient Earth, actually filling in the gaps and contradictions that arise in modern long-age science approaches.

Father, You judged the whole world in the flood. Remind my faith that You have judged me on the cross of Christ. Amen.

Creation, 3-5/09, p. 11, "Mountains that 'shouldn't be there.'"

 

THE ADDER THAT TELLS TIME

Job 26:13

"By his spirit he hath garnished the heavens; his hand hath formed the crooked serpent."
Australia has many unique creatures that people find fascinating. One example is the floodplain death adder and its habit of eating dangerous frogs.

The marbled frog has a defense that could get the adder into trouble. It secretes an incredibly sticky mucus. If the adder gets some of this on himself, dirt, leaves and even sticks will begin to stick to him. When the adder strikes a marbled frog, he immediately drops the frog and waits. Studies show that two thirds of the stickiness of the mucus has degenerated by ten minutes after the frog dies. And that's how long the adder waits before he consumes the frog unharmed.

The Dahl's frog produces a powerful poison for its defense. The adder will quickly strike the frog and drop it so the adder's poison can kill it. Apparently, even this momentary contact is enough to deliver some poison to the adder. Scientists report that after such a strike the adder will writhe about. Eventually it recovers and continues to wait. After an average of 42 minutes, the adder eats the frog. Research shows that by this time the poison has degraded to nontoxic levels.

Researchers debate whether the adder's strategy of waiting different times for differing frog defenses is learned or inherited. We can be sure, however, that it was created.

Father, I thank You for rescuing us from that old serpent, the devil, through Your Son, Jesus Christ. Amen.

Science News, 10/12/07, p. 227, S. Milius, "Eat a Killer."

 

WHAT DID HISTORY DO WITH THE DINOSAURS?

Genesis 1:24

"And God said, Let the earth bring forth the living creature after his kind, cattle, and creeping thing, and beast of the earth after his kind: and it was so."
We are often asked why, if the Bible's account of creation is true, don't dinosaurs appear in any historical documentation. After all, according to the Bible, both the great land creatures and humans were created on day six of creation week.

The first thing to remember is that the term "dinosaur" is a modern term that has no historical usage. However, there are plenty of descriptions of dinosaur-like creatures throughout history. Virtually every culture has legends of dragons and other serpent-like creatures. The thunderbird of the America Indians sounds a lot like a flying reptile. This conclusion is supported by the fact that there are numerous rock carvings of what appears to be a flying reptile. Such carvings can be found in many places, including Arizona, Utah and Colorado.

Another rock carving in Utah resembles a long-necked dinosaur like an apatosaurus. It can be argued that Asia also had its share of dinosaurs. A carving found at an 800-year-old Cambodian monastery looks like a textbook depiction of a stegosaurus. But Central and South America seems to hold the record for dinosaur depictions. These include a man riding a dinosaur and a triceratops. Figurines have also been found in ancient graves that look like dinosaurs.

So history offers a good deal of witness to historical human contact with what we today call dinosaurs.

Father, frustrate the efforts of those who would obscure and censor Your Holy Word and the history it presents. Amen.

Acts & Facts, 6/08, p. 13, John D. Morris, "The Dinosaur Next Door."

 

BARRELEYES

Jeremiah 32:27

"Behold, I am the LORD, the God of all flesh: is there any thing too hard for me?"
Almost all sighted animals that aren't insects see with eyeballs. But that is not true of a fish named barreleyes, and that's for a good reason.

Barreleyes has that name because instead of eyeballs, the fish sees through tubes. The fish live a third of a mile below the surface, so studying them in detail was not possible until the last few decades. Barreleyes can move its eyetubes in different directions, depending on what it wants to look at. Even stranger, the eyetubes are inside the forehead and do not come into contact with the water at all. How can it see if its vision organs are inside its head? It has a transparent forehead filled with transparent liquid. What is the purpose of such a strange arrangement? Scientists believe that barreleyes eat siphonophores, which are jellyfish-like creatures that sting. The transparent forehead protects its eyes from getting stung.

Barreleyes' uniquely designed eyes are impossible to explain with gradual evolutionary modifications of regular fish eyes. Yet, they are well designed for barreleye's unusual way of making a living. As Scripture reminds us several times, nothing is too hard for God. As we read Scripture's record of what God has done in the past and what He has promised He still will do, especially for His people, this reminder is a comfort.

Father, when I read of what You have promised me, remind me that nothing is too hard for You. Amen.

http://www.sciencenews.org/view/generic/id/41732, Susan Millius, "Barreleye peers at the world like a fighter pilot does through a windshield."

CREATION MOMENTS: 5.23.16



THE REAL KING SOLOMON'S MINES

2 Samuel 8:14a

"And he put garrisons in Edom; throughout all Edom put he garrisons, and all they of Edom became David's servants."
There is a school of biblical interpretation that does not consider the Bible divinely inspired. For example, they say that the Bible's description of David's conquests and Solomon's wealth and greatness were written down many centuries after they lived. The stories had been verbally passed down, getting wildly exaggerated through the years. When they lived, Israel and Edom were little more than a few small, insignificant tribal villages.

Over the years, various archaeological finds have challenged this view in support of the biblical account. New findings have again supported the biblical history. Scripture describes David's conquests as having included Edom, which became a servant state to him. In the 1930s, the famous pioneer Holy Land archaeologist Nelson Glueck claimed to have discovered King Solomon's mines in what was the northern part of Edom. Now more complete excavations have been done in the northern part of Edom near the claimed mines and have revealed that there was extensive copper production taking place in the area. What's more, artifacts and several dating methods have left no doubt that copper production was taking place at the site during David's and Solomon's time.

As we've often said, we don't believe the Bible because of scientific proof of its truth, but we do expect it to be accurate.

Father, do not allow those who doubt Your Word to fool Your people. Convince them of the truth of Your Word. Amen.

Science News, 11/22/08, p. 10, Bruce Bower, "David, Solomon may have been kings of copper."

 

THE FASTEST JAWS IN THE WORLD

Psalm 46:7

"The LORD of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge."
If an octopus thinks you have found him in his lair, he will squirt ink in your face and hope, in your surprise, you don't see him fleeing. On the other hand, challenge a bull, and you will have more fight on your hands than you want. Other creatures will evaluate the situation to determine whether fight or flight is the best response.

The trap-jaw ant has a unique approach to this problem of fight or flight. He can fight, flee or do both at the same time with the same movement. The ant has a unique mandible. It is this jaw that is the secret of the ant's response to a challenge. If the ant faces a threat and decides to attack, it will strike at the threat with its mandibles and in the movement propel itself up to nine inches from the threat almost simultaneously. If the ant decides to flee, it simply does so by snapping its jaws shut against the ground on which it stands. Its jaw snaps closed at the speed of over 136 miles per hour.

While it is sometimes necessary to protect ourselves from earthly dangers through fight or flight, neither of these will work for the spiritual dangers we face. For those we must trust the strong arm of our risen Savior.

Lord, You are our protecting fortress when danger threatens. Help us to trust You in every situation. Amen.

Photonics Spectra, 12/06, p.154, Lauren I. Rugani, "Self-Propelling Picnic Pests."

 

CAN THERE BE DESIGN WITHOUT A DESIGNER?

Romans 1:20a

"For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead..."
A new science called biomimetics is making news. In the past we have talked about how some of man's designs are often similar to God's which do the same job. However, in biomimetics, researchers actively seek to study the creation to learn of designs that will solve engineering problems.

We are all familiar with the story of how thistle seeds inspired Velcro. Engineers have used the design of the owl's wing to make the structures that carry electrical current to trains. The result is a much quieter ride. The moth's eyes' ability not to reflect light helps make it harder to be spotted by birds. The same design has now been used to make a nonreflective film. The result is a film that can be used to help prevent windows from reflecting light. This film will soon be available commercially. Many dyes are toxic, yet many creatures manage to show off bright colors without using toxic substances. Materials engineers studied how the jewel beetle produces its color. The result is a film that seems to change color depending on the angle from which you view it.

No scientist can offer a rational explanation for how so many thoughtful and efficient designs could be generated in a mindless universe. These designs are fingerprints God left all over the creation so that man might seek Him out.

I thank and praise You, dear Father, for the excellence and wonder You have left as fingerprints in the creation. Amen.

Nikkei Weekly, 2/22/10, p. 17, "Biomimetics yields life-inspired products."

 

DARWIN AND HIS FOLLOWERS DRAW THE WRONG CONCLUSIONS

2 Peter 3:6

"Whereby the world that then was, being overflowed with water, perished..."
Charles Darwin once wrote of the fossil record, "No organism wholly soft can be preserved." That's because evolutionary orthodoxy says that fossils are buried and formed by slow, natural processes. In reality, there are many fossils of soft-bodied animals like jellyfish and squid. That is evidence, of course, of rapid, catastrophic burial at the time of the flood. Darwin rejected the flood and therefore got the science wrong.

It is not unusual to find deep sea creatures in the lowest levels of fossil-bearing rocks. This, too, would make sense in light of the flood. But it is clear that Darwin was wrong again. While living specimens of some of the fossilized squids have now been found, they also have all of the complete features of modern squids. They all have fully functional refracting-lens eyes and the well-known "jet propulsion" of modern squid. One fossilized squid, dated 150 million years old by evolutionists, was so perfectly preserved it looked like it could still have ink. Researchers even reconstituted real ink from its fossilized ink sac. The ink, which looks the same as modern squid ink, was even used to draw a picture of the fossil. There should have been no ink after all that time, so it looks like the Darwinists were wrong on the age, too.

In contrast, God's Word stands vindicated.

Father, lead me into all truth, and preserve me and Your church from being misled by falsehoods. Amen.

Acts & Facts, 8/10, p. 18, Brian Thomas, "Tentacular Squid, Re-writing Squid Stories Before the Ink Dries."

 

THE BUZZ ABOUT CHANCE

Acts 1:26

"And they gave forth their lots; and the lot fell upon Matthias; and he was numbered with the eleven apostles."
With the early morning dew on the leaves, a vegetable garden may seem a very peaceful place. Actually, though, it's a war zone.

If you know what they are, you don't want to see army worms in your garden. But when they hear a wasp fly by, they stop eating and sometimes even fall off the branch they are on. This is probably because a number of wasps eat caterpillars. Researchers realized that honeybees can produce the same result in caterpillars since they sound like wasps. They decided to find out what was really going on under controlled conditions. They set up two tents with various types of plants. In one of the tents, they also placed a beehive and then hung bottles of sugar water around the tent. Researchers then placed beet army worms into both tents. In the tent with no bees, the army worms munched away nonstop. But much less damage was done in the tent with bees because the worms stopped eating every time they heard a bee fly over.

The evolutionist researchers explained that this is simply a "happy side of the effect of pollination." In other words, chance. But the Bible teaches that there is no such thing as chance. God's always in charge. This is why you find them casting lots in the Bible to decide matters.

Father, I thank You that there is no such thing as chance and that You are always in charge. Amen.

http://www.sciencenews.org/view/generic/id/39514, 12/22/08, Susan Milius, "Buzzing Bees Protect Plant Leaves."

 

CHAMELEON CHANGES IN UNEXPECTED WAY

Psalm 7:1b

"O LORD my God, in thee do I put my trust: save me from all them that persecute me, and deliver me..."
Evolutionary naturalists have predicted that a given creature should have pretty much the same strategy for dealing with any of the predators that seek it out. As our knowledge of the animal world grows, they are beginning to realize that they may have to reexamine their prediction.

Researchers have now established that a dwarf chameleon native to Africa does indeed use very different strategies depending on the predator. The two main predators the chameleon faces are snakes and birds. After observation in the wild, naturalists decided to test the chameleons' reactions to these predators under controlled conditions. They captured some chameleons and then tested their reactions to a fake snake or a stuffed bird. When the snake was placed where the chameleons could see it, the chameleons turned pale and hugged the branch they were on. When the bird was introduced, the chameleons color-matched their branch much more closely while hugging its underside. Further study led the researchers to see the wisdom of these strategies. The snake looks up from the ground and sees the chameleon against the bright sky. The birds look down and see the darker branch.

Obviously, the chameleons didn't figure this out by themselves. God gave them these strategies for their protection.

Father, help me to trust more completely in Your protection, both in physical matters and in the spiritual. Amen.

http://www.sciencenews.org/view/generic/id/32396/titl/These_colors_dont_run, Susan Milius, "These Colors Don't Run."

CREATION MOMENTS: 5.13.16



MILLIONS OF YEARS OLD DNA?

1 Timothy 6:20

"O Timothy, keep that which is committed to thy trust, avoiding profane and vain babblings, and oppositions of science falsely so called..."
While even many Christians feel obligated to accept millions of evolutionary years, evidence continues to build for a young creation. The evidence has mounted to the point that even many evolutionists feel they must find some explanation for it.

In a previous Creation Moments program, we talked about DNA and other cell material found unfossilized in what was otherwise a fossilized T. rex. Since then, a hadrosaur leg bone with intact blood cells has also been found. Then there is the mummified hadrosaur that was the subject of a television special. Even its internal organs were intact. According to evolutionists, we are supposed to believe that this mummy had not crumbled to dust in 77 million years. That claim is not credible, given our experience with the best preserved Egyptian mummies that are only a few thousand years old. Segments of DNA have also been found from Neanderthals, supposedly prehistoric mammals, plants and even bacteria. According to evolutionary dating, these samples range in age from 40,000 to 250 million years. Yet, we know that DNA is totally decayed in 10,000 years. Enough color pigment cells remain in a fossilized feather that you can still see the color pattern. Yet, it is supposedly more than 100 million years old.

While evolutionists have tried some explanations for this evidence, the simplest explanation is that they are young.

Father, fill me with a greater hunger for Your Word so that, taught by You, I will not be misled by falsehood. Amen.

Acts & Facts, 6/09, p. 17, Brian Thomas, "Fossilized Biomaterials Must Be Young."

 

REALLY THE UNIVERSAL LANGUAGE

Luke 15:25

"Now his elder son was in the field: and as he came and drew nigh to the house, he heard musick and dancing."
It has often been said the music is the universal language. That now appears to be a scientific fact.

The Mafa farmers of Cameroon are almost completely insulated from Western culture, and that's fine with them. They don't know the Beatles from Beethoven. So scientists from the Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences in Leipzig, Germany thought that they would be perfect for their study of music. Scientists played select pieces of Western music to Mafa volunteers. The volunteers, who had never heard the music before, were asked to identify what they thought the mood of the music was. Most of them identified as "sad" passages that were intended to be sad. Faster music was understood to be happy. And even passages intended to be understood as "fearful" were correctly understood by the volunteers. They also correctly interpreted the meaning of pieces written in major and minor keys. Likewise, Mafa music was played for Western volunteers. They correctly identified the mood being conveyed by the music. The Mafa people typically produce joyful flute music for their rituals.

Apparently, music really is the universal language. And music is natural to man. Genesis tells us that by the third generation of humans, musical instruments were already being fashioned.

Thank You, Father, for the gift of music. Help me always to sing Your praises with joy in my heart. Amen.

Science News, 4/11/09, p.14. Bruce Bower, "Two Cultures Grasp Music's Universal Meaning."

 

EVOLUTIONISTS FIND THEIR CONCLUSIONS FLAWED

Genesis 8:17

"Bring forth with thee every living thing that is with thee, of all flesh ... that they may breed abundantly in the earth…"
A surprising number of living things mimic other living things. We have done a number of programs on these wonders of God's creativity. However, evolutionary biologists discount such mimicry as any sort of wonder because in many cases the mimicry is imperfect. The biological term is "flawed mimicry."

Now evolutionary biologists admit that they may have to revisit their conclusions about flawed mimicry. Several species of orchid are known to mimic pollinators to attract their attention. An orchid called the ophreys orchid seeks to attract the males of several bee species by mimicking the scent of the female of the species. However, when scientists studied the exact composition of the pheromone mix used by the orchid, they found it wasn't quite the same as that used by the local female bees. So they labeled it flawed mimicry. However, as field scientists expanded their research, they made a surprising discovery. The orchids are able to change the pheromone mix of the scents they create to subtly change the scent they produce. In fact, the orchids were mimicking the scent of female bees some distance away. Why? Further research showed that male bees actually prefer so called out-of-town females to the local females.

What scientists thought was flawed mimicry is actually a fine-tuned design that can only be explained with intelligence.

Lord, do not allow Your people to be misled by the flawed conclusions of false science when it contradicts Your Word. Amen.

http://www.sciencenews.org/view/generic/id/32628/title/Better_than_a_local_lady, Rachel Ehrenberg, "Better than a local lady."

 

THE FASTEST FLOWER IN THE FOREST

Matthew 6:28

"And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin..."
The peace and serenity of North America's spruce forests is occasionally broken by little other than the rustle of a deer passing by. At least that's what most people think. In truth, there are things going on which would cause us profound wonder.

The bunchberry dogwood flower stands only about one-tenth of an inch tall. Scientists knew that the flowers opened explosively. The flowers do this to propel their pollen further. The scientists decided to find out precisely how fast the flowers really opened. So they decided to tape a flower opening with a high speed camera that is capable of taking 1,000 pictures a second. But the camera proved to be too slow. It was only with a camera that takes 10,000 pictures a second that they could clearly see what was going on. They saw that the petals opened, and in a separate action, the stamens unfold so fast that they catapult pollen into the air. All of this happens in four tenths of a thousandth of a second. That's more than a hundred times faster than a chameleon's tongue captures lunch. The stamens unfold so fast that they subject the pollen to 2,400 times the force of gravity.

There are no limits to the wonders God can conceive and create. His greatest wonder is His mercy which resulted in forgiveness and salvation.

Father, Your wonders are generously spread about the creation. Thank You for the wonder they inspire. Amen.

Creation, 3-5/09, pp. 32-34, David Catchpoole, "Bunchberry Bang!"

 

THE DESIGN OF SPEED AND PRECISION

Psalm 8:3

"When I consider thy heavens, the work of thy fingers, the moon and the stars, which thou hast ordained...."
Studies show that it takes about a second to decide whether a person will do A or B. That's much too slow to make a successful typist or pianist. Good typists execute one key stroke every 60 thousands of a second. A pianist can play 30 notes with each hand about every 40 thousands of a second. How do they do it?

Then there is the precision of the microsurgeon who repairs structures in the body so small he must peer at them through a microscope. Part of the secret of this design is the muscle structure of each finger and the hand. The basic finger design begins with seven muscles. Your thumb has five additional muscles. And, believe it or not, your humble pinky finger has three more muscles than the basic design. The muscles don't work alone. The tendons of the hand and fingers add elastic force to the operation of the hand. Essential to making these elements work together with precision is your sense of touch. Your fingerprints add the ability to sense texture and forces with more precision. All of these elements combine with the brain which automatically thinks several keystrokes ahead of the typist's and pianist's keystrokes, resulting in the seemingly impossible abilities of the hand.

The human hand is a unique precision design that could only have come from God's hand.

I rejoice, Father, in all that Your hands have made, including my hands, and in those Hands that were pierced for my salvation. Amen.

Acts & Facts, 10/09, pp. 10-11, Randy J. Guliuzza, "The Connecting Power of Hands."

 

 

CREATION MOMENTS: 5.6.16

 IN THE BLINK OF AN EYE

Psalm 6:6

"I am weary with my groaning; all the night make I my bed to swim; I water my couch with my tears."
The miracle takes place in the blink of an eye. Literally.

Every time you blink, you bathe the surface of your eye with a miraculous fluid called tears. Tears are not simply a salty water solution. They are made of water, but also have oils, electrolytes and sticky carbohydrates called mucins. In addition, they contain antibacterial and antiviral substances. One of these substances is called lysozyme. Any bacteria or virus that finds itself in tear fluid has a 95 percent chance of being dead within ten minutes. That blink of an eye keeps the surface of the eye properly moisturized so that our vision remains clear. Without this moisturization, your eyes would become red and painful, and, if untreated, you would probably go blind. Tear fluid also provides needed oxygen to the surface of your eyes.

But perhaps the most amazing property of tears is even more unexpected. Humans are the only creatures that cry emotional tears. Studies have shown that the ability to produce tears and cry actually helps us cope with emotional situations. There are some inherited diseases which make people unable to cry tears. Studies have shown that people with this disease cannot deal well with stress.

Tears are a blessing in many ways. But we also remember that God has promised to wipe away all our tears when we reach heaven.

Father, I thank You for the gift of crying tears, and I thank You that You have promised to wipe away our tears in heaven. Amen.

Creation in the Crossfire, 8/02, pp. 3-4, Jerry Bergman, "Design of tears: an example of irreducible complexity."

 

NEW SCIENCE BASED ON AN OLD TRUTH

Job 36:22

"Behold, God exalteth by his power: who teacheth like him?"
While the development of a new science is helping mankind, it says something that many scientists did not intend to say. The science is called biomimetics. As the name suggests, biomimetics is based on the idea that if we copy designs found in nature, we can often improve our own technology.

For example, a Japanese company developed special swimsuit material for the Beijing Olympics that provides less resistance in the water. Taking a cue from the swift marlin, the company developed material with imbedded polymers so that it mimics the marlin's skin's absorption of water. Schools of fish swim in a beautiful unison ballet without ever running into each other. Nissan Motor Company is studying fish schools to discover what it might do to build cars with better anti-collision equipment. Solar cells and light-emitting diodes certainly could be more efficient. Engineers learned that moths see so well in the dark because their eyes have special convex-concave design. That design means that the moth's eye surface reflects two to three-tenths of a percent of the light that hits it. Standard plastic film reflects four to five percent of the light hitting it, making the moth's eye much less reflective.

Whether biomimetics intends it or not, in looking to the creation to improve our designs, it recognizes the Creator as the Source of all knowledge.

Father, the Source of all knowledge, we thank You for sharing Your knowledge with us. Help us to use it well. Amen.

The Nikkei Weekly, 5/31/10, p. 17, "Preserving biodiversity benefits society, business, helps secure future."

 

DINOS ON ICE?

Job 38:29

"Out of whose womb came the ice? and the hoary frost of heaven, who hath gendered it?"
The fact that dinosaur fossils are found in the Arctic suggests that there have been catastrophic changes on this Earth since those dinosaurs lived. Some of the changes, like the worldwide flood, are even described in the Bible.

More evidence of these cataclysmic changes are being found in Antarctica. Today, Antarctica is the coldest, driest place on Earth. Winds can rage at 200 miles per hour. Yet, under the ice, scientists are finding fossilized plants like ferns, pine trees and even ginkgoes. These finds provide evidence of a much warmer climate. But the fossilized remains of animals provide evidence of a considerably warmer climate. Fossils of three species of dinosaur have also been found. One has been named Cryolophosaurus or "cold-crested lizard," and was about 23 feet long. Another, Glacialisaurus, or "frozen lizard," was also about 23 feet long. A smaller dinosaur with spikes – named Antarctopelta or "Antarctic shield" – was about 13 feet long. These fossils were found in the same sedimentary flood layers as dinosaurs around the world. These fossils and the record of magnetization of various layers of rock provide evidence that Antarctica moved south to its present South Pole location during the year that it was covered with flood waters.

Even though God has allowed great cataclysms to strike the Earth, He has never left His own without His love and care.

Father, in the face of dire predictions about catastrophe, teach me to take comfort in Your fatherly care. Amen.

Answers, 7-9/10, pp. 46-51, Buddy Davis, "Dinosaurs on Ice."

 

THE LONELY, BOLD TRAVELER

Psalm 107:8

"Oh that men would praise the LORD for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men!"
Even life that exists where sunlight never reaches nevertheless gets its nutrients as a result of photosynthesis. Furthermore, no matter what the organism, it always lives in some sort of community with other organisms.

Now a bacteria has been discovered that breaks both of these rules. The organism, nicknamed "the bold traveler," was discovered living in water-filled cracks in a South African gold mine. It lives nearly two miles below the surface. And it shares its habitat with no other species. Since there's no other life down there, and they are totally cut off from the surface, scientists wondered how they managed to get energy to carry on life. Further study showed that the creatures are able to get energy directly from the radioactive decay of the uranium that is found in the rock into which the mine is cut. They are also able to extract carbon, which is essential to life, directly from carbon dioxide. They can also secure nitrogen, also essential for life, and which it extracts from surrounding rocks. Scientists also say that the creature cannot handle oxygen.

This discovery again illustrates the limitless creativity of God. We rejoice as we see that He is not limited to creating life that lives in what we call the "normal" way.

Father, we rejoice and marvel at the wonders You have brought into being, the greatest of which is our salvation. Amen.

New Scientist, 10/9/08, Catherine Brahic, "Goldmine bug DNA may be key to alien life," http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn14906-goldmine-bug-dna-may-be-key-to-alien-life.html

CREATION MOMENTS: 5.2.16

 LOBSTERS CAN AFFECT OUR THINKING

Jeremiah 5:26

"For among my people are found wicked men: they lay wait, as he that setteth snares; they set a trap, they catch men."
With no backbone and not much of a brain, the lobster is usually depicted as pretty low on the evolutionary scale. It follows that lobsters are also intellectually pretty dim.

Populations of many sought-after species in North American fisheries have been dropping, as indicated by the numbers caught. The same appeared to be happening with lobsters. However, divers surveying lobster populations in lobster fisheries reported that there were plenty of lobsters. Why, then, were the catches going down? Zoologists curious about what was going on mounted video cameras on some of the lobster traps. The video showed that lobsters were entering the trap to eat the bait through the funnel-shaped opening, and when they were done they casually left through the same opening. The dimwitted lobsters were not supposed to be able to get out of the trap. Our so-called traps are, in reality, nothing more than lobster luncheonettes. Researchers concluded that the only lobsters that get caught are the lobsters who happen to be eating in the trap when it is pulled up.

The fact that lobsters are far more intelligent than worldly appearances would suggest means that we need to look at the world around us far differently than the people of the world. That's exactly what we are doing when we believe in creation as well as trust in Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of our sins.

Father, deliver us from the traps of the devil – that we may rest in safety and peace under Your protective hand. Amen.

Creation, 3-5/09, pp. 38-39, David Catchpoole, "Lowly Lobster Surprise."

 

WORM'S GLUE MAY FIX YOU

Job 12:7

"But ask now the beasts, and they shall teach thee; and the fowls of the air, and they shall tell thee...."
While materials scientists are always interested in super-strong glues, they are especially interested in super-strong glues that harden under water. It turns out that a small marine worm called the Sandcastle Worm has a few things to teach them.

The Sandcastle Worm builds itself a tube-like shell by gluing together sand particles and bits of shell. It is the glue it uses that is of interest to scientists. This amazing glue not only hardens under water, it hardens in 30 seconds. The glue comes from a special gland in the Sandcastle Worm. While it hardens quickly, after several hours it becomes like leather.

After analyzing it, scientists identified several of the proteins that are responsible for its properties. They also found that half those proteins are either very negatively or very positively charged. Attempting to mimic the glue, scientists mixed together some of the same charged proteins to see if they would bond broken bone together in a wet environment. Their glue not only bonded the bone together, but remained neither acid nor alkaline, which is crucial for materials used in living bodies. Scientists also report that the glue is not poisonous.

As we study how God created things, we are learning better ways to do things. This is surely evidence that an intelligent Creator is responsible for the creation.

Father, prosper all good learning and knowledge. Keep us from falling into false knowledge. Amen.

Science News Online, http://www.sciencenews.org/index/activity/view/id/46544/title/
worm-inspired_superglue, Rachel Ehrenbergm, "Worm-Inspired Superglue." Photo: Colony of Sandcastle Worm tubes removed from the beach. Courtesy of Fred Hayes for the University of Utah. (CC BY-SA 3.0)

 

NEW AVIAN SPEED CHAMPION DISCOVERED

Job 9:10

"Which doeth great things past finding out; yea, and wonders without number."
A peregrine falcon diving toward its prey reaches a relative speed of 200 body- lengths per second. This is close to the 207 body-lengths that the space shuttle travels as it enters our atmosphere. Thus, the peregrine falcon was thought to easily be the fastest dare-devil bird on Earth.

Scientists have now discovered that a little pink male hummingbird called Anna's Hummingbird is the real Top Gun among the birds. As part of its mating ritual, a male hummingbird will try to impress a female with his speed and acrobatics. First, the male will fly up to about 90 feet above the ground. Then, he begins a power dive. As he nears the female, he pulls up, ascending again. During that near-miss pull-up he experiences more than nine times the force of gravity. His relative speed during descent is 385 body-lengths per second. That's almost twice the peregrine falcon's relative speed. It's faster than the space shuttle entering the Earth's atmosphere and is more than twice the relative speed of a jet fighter running with afterburners!

The wonders of God's creation are still being discovered, and Creation Moments still loves to make them known to our listeners. But God's greatest wonder is His love for us though His Son, Jesus Christ. We are thankful that this wonder is revealed to us in the Bible.

Father, I give You thanks for the wonders You create, but I especially give You thanks for the wonder of salvation. Amen.

Science News, 7/4/09, p. 7, Susan Millius, "Hummingbird pulls Top Gun stunts." Photo: Male Anna's hummingbird. Courtesy of Kevin Cole. (CC BY 2.0)

 

MONKEYING WITH GENETICS

Psalm 7:17

"What is man, that thou shouldest magnify him? and that thou shouldest set thine heart upon him?"
We have all heard the claims – and school textbooks love to include it – that humans and chimpanzees are about 99 percent genetically identical. However, that claim evaporates when the details of what is being compared are examined.

First of all, the DNA sequences that were compared were cherry-picked. Similar sequences in both humans and chimps were compared, while non-similar sequences were ignored. In addition, comparisons were made using only the DNA that codes for making protein. This ignores most of the human and chimp genome. When the DNA that regulates cell operation are included in the comparison, the degree of similarity drops considerably.

Important parts of certain chromosomes, like the Y chromosome, are very different. Research has also found that there are major differences between how certain genes express themselves within cells. In addition, the chimpanzee genome is 10 to 12 percent larger than man's, which is quite a difference in itself.

The truth is the entire human and chimp genome has never been properly compared, while if it has, it has never been reported. However, when the spiritual differences are considered, there is an unbridgeable gulf between humans and chimps. Man was made in the image of God, to be responsible before Him and to have a relationship with Him. Jesus Christ died for the salvation of mankind, not for chimps.

Thank You, Father, for sending Your Son for our redemption and seeking us out with Your gracious Word. Amen.

Acts & Facts, 6/09, pp. 12-13, Jeffery Tomkins, Human-Chimp Similarities, "Common Ancestry or Flawed Research?"

 

BIRDS' UNIQUE LEG STRUCTURE SAYS NO EVOLUTION

Genesis 1:21

"And God created ... every winged fowl after his kind: and God saw that it was good."
Countless television programs, museums, textbooks, and popular articles tell us that the birds evolved from dinosaurs. It now appears that this claim is even less credible!

Researchers at Oregon State University have made a fundamental discovery about how birds breathe. Unlike land animals, birds have immovable thigh bones, and they walk and run by bending their knees. All land creatures can move both their thigh bone as well as bend their knees to walk and run. This included the dinosaurs and other theropods from which birds supposedly evolved.

Birds need twenty times as much oxygen as cold-blooded animals. To supply this need, birds are designed with unique lungs and supporting musculature. Researchers found that if birds had the usual muscle structures and could move their thighs, their high-performance lungs would collapse. Even the evolutionists at Oregon State University said that this makes it unlikely that birds evolved from dinosaurs, and they added that birds appear earlier in the fossil record than the theropods from which they supposedly evolved!

There are other transition problems associated with bird evolution that are seldom mentioned. For example, reptiles are cold-blooded and birds are warm blooded; yet, this major transition has seemingly been overlooked.

Of course, the Bible has always taught that birds were specially made by God and did not evolve from any other creature.

Lord, You have designed all things well. Do not let Your people be fooled by those who deny Your works. Amen.

Oregon State University (2009, June 9), "Discovery Raises New Doubts About Dinosaur -Bird Links." Science Daily. Retrieved June 16, 2009 from http://www.sciencedaily.com/ releases/2009/06/090609092055.htm.