CREATION MOMENTS: 10.29.16

FISH RECOGNIZE HUMAN FACES

Genesis 42:8

"And Joseph knew his brethren, but they knew not him."
On a previous broadcast, we told you about the archerfish and its ability to shoot well-aimed squirts of water through the air at bugs. That's not all these amazing fish can do. Scientists have recently learned that they can distinguish one human face from another. Even more surprising is that the team of researchers from the University of Oxford admitted that "fish are unlikely to have evolved the ability to distinguish between human faces."

The article goes on to note that "human facial recognition has previously been demonstrated in birds. However, unlike fish, they are now known to possess neocortex-like structures." Now, why is this important? As researcher Dr. Cait Newport points out, "Fish have a simpler brain than humans and entirely lack the section of the brain that humans use for recognizing faces."

Dr. Newport added, facial recognition was once thought to be so difficult, it could only be accomplished by primates with large and complex brains. To see if a fish was up to the task, they tested archerfish because of their smaller and simpler brain and because these fish – and I quote – had "no evolutionary need to recognize human faces."

Yes, indeed, evolution had absolutely nothing to do with a species of tropical fish being able to tell one human from another. And, we might add, molecules-to-man evolution had absolutely nothing whatsoever to do with anything we see in God's creation.

Today's "Creation Moment" is one of almost 300 you'll find in "Letting God Create Your Day, Volume 8" - the biggest collection of scripts we've ever published.

Oh Lord, like the number of stars in space and the grains of sand on all the world's beaches, Your creation is filled with far too many wonders to count. I praise You for them all! Amen.

"Fish can recognize human faces, new study shows," Phys.Org, 6/7/16. Illustration: Archerfish shooting water at a bug on a tree branch. (PD)

 

OUR AMAZINGLY RESILIENT PLANET

2 Peter 3:13

"Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness."
Many environmentalists would have us all believe that the Earth is as fragile as a raw egg. While creationists agree that we must be good stewards of the planet God has put us on, we believe He created our planet to be amazingly resilient. Even when we do something that some people consider to be feel harmful to our planet, the natural processes that God has put into place – combined with man's own creativity – will keep our world from self-destructing.

As you know, carbon dioxide is now mistakenly considered to be a pollutant. Environmentalists are saying that the carbon dioxide being produced by mankind is putting our planet in jeopardy, so they've concentrated their efforts on reducing carbon emissions.

But now, scientists in Iceland have discovered a way to quickly turn carbon emissions quite literally into stone. According to Science News, researchers have found that "95 percent of the carbon dioxide injected into basaltic lava rocks mineralized into solid rock within two years." One of the study's co-authors noted, "It's working, it's feasible and it's fast enough to be a permanent solution for storing CO2 emissions." He also said, "We have enough basalt globally to take care of all anthropogenic CO2 emissions, theoretically."

How ironic that volcanoes – which add so much carbon dioxide to our atmosphere with each eruption – might just turn out to provide the solution to so-called carbon pollution!

Today's "Creation Moment" is one of almost 300 you'll find in "Letting God Create Your Day, Volume 8" - the biggest collection of scripts we've ever published.

Oh Lord, I know I can rest assured that the planet You placed me on will not be destroyed until the day that You create new heavens and a new earth! Amen.

Thomas Sumner, "Volcanic rock can quickly store CO2," Science News, 7/9/16, p. 14. Photo: The plant in Iceland where the discovery was made. Credit: Juerg Matter/Science. (Fair Use)

 

EYE SHADOW

Psalm 17:8-9

"Keep me as the apple of the eye, hide me under the shadow of thy wings, from the wicked that oppress me, from my deadly enemies, who compass me about."
Glass squid are amazingly good at not being seen by creatures who desire to eat them because, as their name makes clear, their bodies are transparent. In fact, as an article in Science News tells us, "Marine predators often scan the waters above them for the silhouettes of prey blocking sunlight, but there's little to betray a glass squid." There's just one problem, however. The squid's eyes are not transparent, exposing the creature's whereabouts.

Now, this would be a disaster for the squid if it weren't for the fact that their Creator provided some species of glass squid with silvery patches of cells called photophores. These cells are found only by their eyes, acting "as undersurface bioluminescence" and making "the shadows under their eyes less conspicuous to hunters below."

Evolutionists try to account for this by saying that the light-carrying photophores operate inefficiently, leaking light. This has caused one researcher to say that the cells were "really bad at being fiber-optic cables."

In other words, ask an evolutionist and they will tell you that natural selection gets the credit whether it does its job well or poorly. Sorry, but this is not science. It is a weak attempt to rationalize what can only be described as a product of ingenious design! As Creation Moments see it, these photophores leak light for a reason … and they were placed exactly where their Designer knew they would be of greatest benefit.

Today's "Creation Moment" is one of almost 300 you'll find in "Letting God Create Your Day, Volume 8" - the biggest collection of scripts we've ever published.

Oh Lord, since You care so much about providing for the needs of even lowly creatures like the shrimp, I know that You must love me far more and will provide everything I need, both now and in eternity! Amen.

Susan Milius, "Squid stays hidden by leaking light," Science News, 7/9/16, pp. 12-13. Photo: A cranchiid (glass) squid, about 4 inches across. Courtesy of Edie Widder. From NOAA photo library. (PD)

 

SOMETHING'S FISHY ABOUT FISH EVOLUTION

Matthew 13:47-48

"Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a net, that was cast into the sea, and gathered of every kind: which, when it was full, they drew to shore, and sat down, and gathered the good into vessels, but cast the bad away."
Dr. John Long, Paleontologist and Head of Science at the Museum Victoria in Melbourne, Australia, should know a lot about fish … and he does. But even though he wrote a book about the evolution of fish, there are many things he readily admits remain shrouded in mystery.

Dr. Carl Werner, creationist filmmaker and author of Evolution: The Grand Experiment, interviewed Dr. Long about fish evolution. As you're about to find out, evolutionary paleontologists are still in the dark about the origin of fish despite their total confidence that evolution is true.

Here's one quote: "The transition from spineless invertebrates to the first backboned fishes is still shrouded in mystery, and many theories abound as to how the changes took place."

Here's another: "There's still a lot of debate over the origins and diversity of the first fishes. That's still one of the great mysteries and problems to be solved in vertebrate evolution." Dr. Long also said: "The mystery remains as to how sharks first evolved." And here's one more: "The origin of the bony fishes is also shrouded in mystery. So there's still mystery and some debate over where the true bony fishes came from."

Despite all these mysteries, Dr. Long is confident that many of them will be solved within the next ten years. Creation Moments predicts, however, that the mystery confronting evolutionists will only deepen. After all, fish didn't evolve; they were created by God!

Today's "Creation Moment" is one of almost 300 you'll find in "Letting God Create Your Day, Volume 8" - the biggest collection of scripts we've ever published.

Oh Lord, I pray that You will catch many evolutionists in Your net of salvation and reveal to them that You created fish … and them! Amen.

Dr. Carl Werner, Evolution: The Grand Experiment Volume 1, p. 98 (Third Edition, New Leaf Press, 2013). Quotes are from the video Evolution: The Grand Experiment DVD by Dr. Carl Werner and The Rise of Fishes: 500 Million Years of Evolution by Dr. John Long (Johns Hopkins University Press). Photo: Pixabay. (PD)

 

THE BLACKEST BLACK AND WHITEST WHITE

Psalm 51:7

"Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean: wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow."
Did you know that scientists are working to create new colors? Well, perhaps it's more accurate to say that they are working on new colorants that are being used to add color to other materials.

One such colorant is called YInMn blue – so named because it consists of the chemical elements ytrrium, indium and manganese. According to an article at the Co.Design website, YInMn blue "is the first blue pigment to be discovered since cobalt blue first entered manufacturing 200 years ago" and has the advantages of not being poisonous and not fading.

Another new pigment is called NTP yellow. Unlike YInMn blue, this stuff is very poisonous. Its technical name is lead chromate.

A third new pigment – called Vantablack – is particularly interesting because it really isn't a pigment at all. Vantablack is "essentially a specially applied coating that mimics a black hole, gobbling up light and causing it to bounce around endlessly in a forest of vertical carbon nanotubes." Created by NASA in 2011, Vantablack "was developed … to help absorb light and radiation before it could disrupt the sensors of deep space satellites."

While Vantablack is the blackest black ever, we find the whitest white in the Bible. Not only does it describe the appearance of Christ's clothing at the transfiguration, it describes those of us who have been washed in the blood of Jesus for the forgiveness of our sins.

Today's "Creation Moment" is one of almost 300 you'll find in "Letting God Create Your Day, Volume 8" - the biggest collection of scripts we've ever published.

Heavenly Father, thank You for cleansing me from the guilt of sin through the shed blood of Your Son. In Jesus' Name. Amen.

John Brownlee, "How Scientists Invented A New Blue (And Other Colors Created In A Lab)," Fast Company, Co.Design, 7/19/16. Photo: Portable icon with the Transfiguration of Christ, Byzantine artwork, circa 1200, depicting Elijah, Jesus and Moses with the three apostles. Courtesy of Marie-Lan Nguyen. (CC BY 2.5)

CREATION MOMENTS: 10.22.16

THE ANSWER IS BLOWING IN THE WIND

Psalm 92:4

"For thou, LORD, hast made me glad through thy work: I will triumph in the works of thy hands."
When you were a child, did you ever stick your arm out of the window of your car as it traveled at high speed? If so, you will remember how the fast-moving air currents would push your arm up, down, up, down and so forth.

As an article at the Engineering 360 website tells us, "Side forces come into play whenever wind flows across an elongated object – as when an arm is projected out the side of a moving car. As the air flows around the arm, it forms vortices that come off the top and bottom of the arm in an alternating fashion. This vortex shedding, as it is called, imparts periodic forces on the arm."

The article goes on to say that this phenomenon "affects any elongated structure caught in wind or water currents, such as lampposts, high rises and the long vertical pipes used for drilling oil at sea." It can even cause a bridge to collapse – like the Tacoma Narrows suspension bridge in the state of Washington.

This is why scientists are looking for ways to reduce these forces, and they think they may have found the solution in the shape of daffodil stems. Their twisting, lemon-shaped cross-section enables daffodils to turn away from wind and protect its petals – just like their Creator planned. By studying the unique geometry of daffodil stems, engineers hope to be able to design more stable structures in the future.

Today's "Creation Moment" is one of almost 300 you'll find in "Letting God Create Your Day, Volume 8" - the biggest collection of scripts we've ever published.

Oh Lord, thank You for Your ingenious designs that enable humans to live better and safer lives. I pray that scientists and engineers will recognize that such wonderful designs come directly from You! Amen.

"Daffodils Inspire Design of Stable Structures," Engineering 360, 5/24/16. Photo: In 1940, the Tacoma Narrows bridge collapsed during wind gusts of 42 miles per hour. (Fair Use)

 

LOOKING FOR LIFE ON ENCELADUS

John 5:39

"Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me."
In an article titled "Excitement Builds for the Possibility of Life on Enceladus," a Scientific American writer begins with these words, "Saturn's frozen moon Enceladus is a tantalizing world – many scientists are increasingly convinced it may be the best place in our solar system to search for life."

The writer adds, "Finding life there would be a profound revelation that we are not alone in the cosmos. Furthermore, the discovery of organisms – or the lack thereof – could answer the subtler mystery of how life started on Earth."

In other words, whether they find life there or not, scientists are not willing to accept what the Bible tells us about how life got started on Earth. And as this article points out, scientists have now lowered the bar of what they'll accept as evidence for life. As one researcher puts it, "If you went to Mars and found a dead rabbit on the ground, it's not alive, but it is compelling evidence of life. So we're not searching for something that's alive but searching for the molecules that life uses. In other words, we're looking for the body of the dead rabbit."

One type of molecule they're looking for are amino acids. Of course, even if they do find amino acids, this isn't even close to finding evidence of life. How much wiser it would be to search for the Creator of life in the pages of the Bible!

Today's "Creation Moment" is one of almost 300 you'll find in "Letting God Create Your Day, Volume 8" - the biggest collection of scripts we've ever published.

Heavenly Father, I pray that scientists involved in space exploration would give You glory for the universe that You created! In Jesus' Name. Amen.

Annie Sneed, "Excitement Builds for the Possibility of Life on Enceladus," Scientific American online, 6/28/16. Photo: Voyager 2 view of Enceladus in 1981. (PD)

 

 

ARCHAEOLOGISTS FIND GOLIATH

1 Samuel 17:4

"And there went out a champion out of the camp of the Philistines, named Goliath, of Gath, whose height was six cubits and a span."
Sometimes you just have to feel sorry for Bible skeptics who cast doubt on the historical accuracy of the Bible. With each passing year, archaeologists keep finding evidences that the Bible is thoroughly reliable!

Take, for instance, the story of David and Goliath. Bible skeptics insist that the biblical account has no connection to reality. But in 2005, archaeologists digging at the biblical home of Goliath unearthed a shard of pottery bearing an inscription of the Philistine's name.

While the discovery does not prove Goliath's existence, it does support the Bible's depiction of life at the time of the supposed battle, said excavation director Dr. Aren Maeir of Israel's Bar-Ilan University. "What this means is that at the time there were people there named Goliath," he said. "It shows us that David and Goliath's story reflects the cultural reality of the time."

Though many skeptics tell us that David slaying the giant Goliath is a myth written down hundreds of years later, Dr. Maeir said that finding the inscription gives credence to the biblical story. As reported in Great Britain's The Independent, "The shard dates to about 950 BC, within 70 years of when biblical chronology says David squared off against Goliath, making it the oldest Philistine inscription found. It was at Tel es-Safi in southern Israel, thought to be the site of the Philistine city of Gath."

Clearly, the Bible's account of David and Goliath is no tall tale!

Today's "Creation Moment" is one of almost 300 you'll find in "Letting God Create Your Day, Volume 8" - the biggest collection of scripts we've ever published.

Heavenly Father, thank You for leading archaeologists to more evidence supporting the historical accuracy of the Bible. In Jesus' Name. Amen.


Rachel Hoag, "Shard of pottery supports Bible account of David and Goliath," The Independent, 11/11/05. Lithograph: David and Goliath by Osmar Schindler (c. 1888). (PD)

 

NUCLEAR PHYSICIST BLASTS EVOLUTION

Psalm 55:5

"Fearfulness and trembling are come upon me, and horror hath overwhelmed me."
"The denial of the Genesis account is not a matter to be taken lightly by Christians," warns nuclear physicist Brandon van der Ventel. "If the biblical record is not true, then we are left with naturalism and atheism, of which the consequences are truly horrific."

In an August 2015 interview with the Christian News Network, van der Vental, who holds a Ph.D. from South Africa's Stellenbosch University, stressed the importance of having a biblical worldview while discussing the theory of evolution. "The final arbiter of any theory must be based on the strength of its description of physical reality. It is in this respect that the theory of evolution fails dismally."

He went on to say that physics can play a role when it comes to the sticky question of dating certain objects. "It is important to understand," he said, "that dinosaur bones, for example, are not found with a time stamp attached to them. Every publicized age is based on certain assumptions, and conflicting radioactive dates are commonplace."

According to The Christian Post, van der Ventel said that Christians "need to hold fast to the knowledge that God created the universe with a specific order." He argues that "if faith in the Genesis account is lost, the validity of the rest of the Bible can be questioned." He further contends that "the theory of evolution is the number-one reason why many Christians no longer believe in the creation account."

Today's "Creation Moment" is one of almost 300 you'll find in "Letting God Create Your Day, Volume 8." Click the box in the left column for more information.

Heavenly Father, thank You for scientists who aren't afraid to point out the weaknesses of evolution and speak out in defense of Your truth. In Jesus' Name. Amen.

Vincent Funaro, "Nuclear Physicist Insists Evolutionary Worldview 'Fails Dismally;' Says Denial of Genesis Account Should Not Be 'Taken Lightly' by Christians," The Christian Post, 8/4/15. Photo: Dr Brandon van der Ventel, courtesy of Creation Ministries International.

 

 

MOST AMERICANS ARE PRO-ACADEMIC FREEDOM

Acts 22:28

"And the chief captain answered, With a great sum obtained I this freedom. And Paul said, But I was free born."
According to a nationwide survey conducted in 2016 by the Discovery Institute, most American adults agree that "teachers and students should have the academic freedom to objectively discuss both the scientific strengths and weaknesses of the theory of evolution." In fact, 88% agree that "scientists who raise scientific criticisms of evolution should have the freedom to make their arguments without being subjected to censorship or discrimination."

Though most evolutionists in the public eye strongly oppose such academic freedom, Americans overwhelmingly agree that dissenting views in science are healthy. Just listen to these figures: 84% believe that "attempts to censor or punish scientists for holding dissenting views on issues such as evolution or climate change are not appropriate in a free society." 94% believe "it is important for policymakers and the public to hear from scientists with differing views." And 86% think that "disagreeing with the current majority view in science can be an important step in the development of new insights and discoveries in science."

According to molecular biologist Douglas Axe – who is quoted in the report – "Freedom of inquiry is a cornerstone of the scientific enterprise, but it's under increasing attack by some who claim to speak for science. So it's very good news that a large majority of Americans still believe in open and free discussion."

Unfortunately, prominent evolutionists do not agree. This makes them not only anti-academic freedom, it makes them anti-science as well.

Heavenly Father, I pray that You will help Your people fight for the right to oppose evolution without being silenced by those who oppose freedom of thought and expression. In Jesus' Name. Amen.

"Poll: Americans Overwhelmingly Support the Right of Students, Teachers, and Scientists to Discuss Dissenting Scientific Views on Evolution," Discovery Institute, 7/1/16. Photo: Hungarian scientist Polányi Mihály argued that a structure of liberty is essential for the advancement of science.

 

 

 

 

 

 

CREATION MOMENTS: 10.14.16

HOW DO YOUR OPALS GROW?

Proverbs 20:15

"There is gold, and a multitude of rubies: but the lips of knowledge are a precious jewel."
Opals are precious multicolored gemstones made primarily of silica. How do they form? Scientists admit that much of the chemistry is not well understood. However, according to the traditional explanation, their formation begins as water filters through silica-rich rock, dissolving some of the silica. When that water passes through a cavity in a suitable rock, the silica precipitates as a film on the wall of the cavity. After tens of millions of years, say the scientists, you will have an opal.

Now opals have been found along with fossilized soil bacteria, similar to typical soil bacteria you find today. With this finding, some scientists have suggested that the acids produced by the bacteria may have helped form the opals. They propose that the acids produced by the bacteria dissolved some of the minerals in nearby feldspar, forming the opals. Obviously, this process would not take as long as the purely natural process traditionally thought to form opals. Other geologists are reluctant to give bacteria any credit for opal formation. However, one opal expert, Dr. Len Cram, has been growing opals in a process that takes only a few months.

Creationists do not oppose real knowledge. We know that when truth is discovered it will never contradict Scripture. Actually demonstrating that opals can be produced in a matter of months is far better science than speculating about it taking millions of years.

Thank You, Lord, for revealing the truth of salvation in Jesus Christ to us in Your inerrant Word, the Bible. Amen.

Creation, 12/00-2: 2001, p. 5, "Opals from Bacteria?" Photo: Multicolor rough crystal opal from Coober Pedy, South Australia. Courtesy of Dpulitzer. (CC-BY-SA 3.0)

 

DRINK YOUR ORANGE JUICE

Genesis 1:29

"And God said, Behold, I have given you every ... tree, in the which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed; to you it shall be for meat."
Presumably, before the fall into sin, we didn't have any bad cholesterol, or at least it didn't do any damage in our bloodstream. The so-called "bad cholesterol" is low-density-lipoprotein. It's called bad because it tends to cause our arteries to clog unless countered by the so-called "good cholesterol" or high-density-lipoprotein.

Based on earlier research, scientists wanted to test the idea that substances in orange juice could improve levels of good cholesterol. Volunteers had their cholesterol levels checked on a regular basis during the test period. After six weeks of a low cholesterol diet, they were to drink one glass of orange juice every day for four weeks. The result was a 5 percent increase in the good cholesterol. Then they drank two glasses of orange juice per day for four weeks. The result was another 7 percent increase in good cholesterol. Then they were directed to drink three glasses per day. The result was a 27 percent overall improvement. Surprisingly, researchers found that five weeks after they stopped the three glasses-a-day portion of the experiment, their good cholesterol remained high.

We can be thankful that, in His perfect foreknowledge, God created some foods that counter the effects of sin on us. We can be even more thankful that His plan to save us from our sins was in place even before there was sin.

Thank You, Father, for providing for all my needs, especially my need for a Savior. Amen.

Science News, 11/18: 2000, p. 327, J. Raloff, "Path to heart health is one with a peel." Photo: Orange juice. (PD)

 

MUSIC AND LANGUAGE ARE LINKED

Psalm 40:3

"And he hath put a new song in my mouth, even praise unto our God: many shall see it, and fear, and shall trust in the LORD."
Evolutionists often claim that language and music evolved independently of each other. However, new research along several lines is showing that there is a close connection between music and language.

Researchers have been studying the effect of music on verbal comprehension. Electrical activity within the brain was tracked, using electrodes attached to the scalps of volunteers. They found that those volunteers who had just heard the trilling of flutes, for example, identified the word "bird" a split second faster than those who had not heard the music. This effect is called priming. When volunteers heard a church anthem, they more quickly identified the word "devotion" than those who had not. The study showed that these effects were consistent, whether the words had concrete meanings, were cultural references or were abstract concepts. Other research has shown that when a region of the brain called Broca's area is damaged, both recognition of harmonic chords as well as language are impaired, also suggesting a connection between language and music.

Both music and language are gifts of God. As the Psalmist noted, the songs he sang were placed into his mouth by God. Genesis tells us that Adam and Eve could talk the day they were created. While music isn't mentioned, we see that within a couple of generations, they were making musical instruments and must therefore have played music.

Father, thank You for the gifts of music and language. Help me to use these to praise You. Amen.

Science News, 2/28: 2004, p. 133, B. Bower, "Song Sung Blue." Illustration: Approximate location of Broca's area highlighted in gray. (PD)

 

WHAT CORAL AND HUMANS SHARE

Psalm 95:6

"O come, let us worship and bow down: let us kneel before the LORD our maker."
According to the theory of evolution, all life is related. There is claimed to be a hierarchy of rising complexity from the earliest simple organisms to man. The earliest organisms are said to include corals, sea anemones and jellyfish that thrived 500 million years ago. These early creatures eventually led to the first creatures to move onto land, and worms were among them.

Based on this supposed evolutionary history, one would expect the DNA of humans to be closer to worms than to coral. However, recent mapping of the DNA of these creatures has produced some surprises. While corals have the simplest nervous system of any animal, their genetic sequences are similar to those in human nervous systems. Even more strange is that worms, which are supposed to stand between us and the corals, lack these sequences. These sequences are called ESTs. Researchers have found that, in general, coral ESTs tended to be closer to human ESTs than to worm ESTs. Baffled by this and still convinced that evolution is true, the scientists simply assumed that worms must have lost these DNA sequences. However, they stressed that more creatures need to be studied.

Would it not be simpler to conclude that corals, worms, people and everything else were made by the same Creator Who created specific DNA coding for each creature without concern for evolutionary history?

Father Who has wondrously made us, You are worthy of all honor and worship. Amen.

Science News, 1/24: 2004, p. 55, John Travis, "Reef Relations." Photo: Pillar coral. (PD)

 

 GOD'S ARCHITECTURE WINS AGAIN

Psalm 127:1

"Except the LORD build the house, they labour in vain that build it: except the LORD keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain."
If you live in a temperate climate, you have probably heard your home pop and crack on cold days. Those sounds are caused by the different materials that make up your house contracting at different rates as the temperature falls. At some point, the growing tensions are released and you hear the result. If you live in a warm climate that is subject to hurricanes, you know that a building is likely to fail at the point where different parts of the house, like the roof and wall, meet together.

Buildings are made up of a large number of things, each of which acts differently under the same conditions. That makes for weak points in any structure. British architects have looked at the structure of living things to find an answer to this problem. They noted that skeletons can work well under conditions that would cause many other building materials to fail. One researcher noted that a skeleton is more efficient than any man-made structure. One architect's suggestion was to build structures like walls and bridges out of artificial bone that is formed to the needs of the structure.

We should not be surprised that, once again, man is looking to the living world for solutions to his problems. The living world, like everything else, was designed by our all-wise God Who does all things well.

Father, I thank You that I am wonderfully made. Now help me to build my life on Your Word. Amen.

New Scientist, 9/16: 2000, p. 7. Illustration: Cross-section of bone. (PD)

CREATION MOMENTS: 10.8.16

GENETIC MONKEY BUSINESS

Genesis 1:27

"So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them."
One commonly heralded claim to the evolution of man from the animal kingdom is the statement that humans and chimpanzees are more than 98 percent genetically identical. Many people think this claim has been proven, but it has always been an assumption made by believers in evolution.

Now geneticists have begun to examine this claim. Researchers recently completed the first detailed map of one chimpanzee chromosome. That alone should tell us that the claim of genetic similarity between humans and chimps has never been proven. They then compared this with the corresponding human chromosome. In a detailed examination they found 68,000 small differences in the DNA between the two genes. An analysis of the 231 genes of this chromosome showed that 83 percent of them would make proteins that differed from one another. They noted that if this pattern held for all the comparisons between human and chimpanzee genes, they would expect thousands of differences. In other words, rather than humans and chimps being more than 98 percent genetically identical, so far they have proven to be 83 percent genetically different!

There are, of course, more differences between humans and chimps than genetics. Humans were created in God's image and therefore are morally responsible to God. And most importantly, humans have been redeemed by God's Son, Jesus Christ, on the cross of Calvary.

Lord, I thank You that You have made me and redeemed me. Amen.

Discover, 1: 2005, p. 30, Chris Jozefowicz, "Proteins Make the Primate." Photo: Chimpanzee in the Leipzig Zoo. Courtesy of Thomas Lersch. (CC-BY-SA 3.0)

 

THE SOCIAL LIVES OF BACTERIA

Genesis 11:6a

"And the LORD said, Behold, the people is one, and they have all one language; and this they begin to do..."
About 300 years after the Genesis Flood, when all people spoke the same language, they decided to work together to build a great city. Working together for a common goal is called "social intelligence." Do animals practice social intelligence? Of course, there are the bees, the ants and the beavers, but even bacteria – among the lowliest of all creatures – also show social intelligence!

Several types of common bacteria have shown evidence of social intelligence. Contrary to expectation, sometimes this cooperation takes place between unrelated types at the expense of genetically related individuals. Bacterial colonies where cooperation is taking place always attract freeloaders. Such colonies often find ways to discourage or even kill the freeloaders. One such cooperative community is a common soil bacterium. When they locate prey, they swarm over the prey like a pack of wolves. Many species of bacteria remain relatively singular until they sense that they have enough to form a community. Then, they communicate to each other by releasing certain molecules which the others sense, and they form slime mold colonies, or a biofilm.

Cooperation and a result of social intelligence can be used to do good or evil. But it doesn't matter where they are on the imagined evolutionary tree. God has given social abilities to many of His creatures as a means of helping their kind to survive.

Lord, I thank You for the ability to cooperate with others to do good. Help me to better cooperate for the good of all. Amen.

Science News, 11/20: 2004, pp. 330-332, Bruce Bower, "One-Celled Socialites." Photo: An iridescent biofilm on the surface of a fish tank. Courtesy of Zaereth. (CC-BY-PDD 1.0)

 

 

THE MOST INTERESTING SOUNDS YOU'VE NEVER HEARD

Psalm 77:17

"The clouds poured out water: the skies sent out a sound: thine arrows also went abroad."
We are surrounded by sounds, some of which can be louder than an airliner taking off. Yet, we never hear these sounds. It's called infrasound. It's real sound that can be recorded if you have the right equipment.

Infrasound waves are below 20 hertz, the lowest frequency we can hear. Because the sound waves are long, they can travel hundreds or even thousands of miles. Volcanic eruptions regularly generate infrasound and so does the wind. But, perhaps most interestingly, those beautiful Northern Lights that often color the night sky also generate infrasound. The sound is produced when the incoming solar particles push the air outward. While we are not able to hear infrasound, it does influence us. Researchers in England placed an infrasound generator in a concert hall and, during the performance, infrasound was added at selected points. After the concert, the audience was asked about their emotions during certain passages of music, or if they had had experienced any strange feelings during the concert. Researchers concluded that infrasound intensified whatever emotional state the music had produced in people. So, if you have ever watched the Northern Lights and thought you were almost hearing something, it was likely the infrasound you were sensing.

The more we learn about the creation God has given us, the more we find to marvel at how excellent is His workmanship.

Father, You have been so generous to us, not only in the creation You have given us, but also in Your love in Christ.

Science News, 1/10: 2004, pp. 26-28, Kate Ramsayer, "Infrasonic Symphony." Photo: Pillow lava formed by submarine volcano. (PD)

 

BRIGHT CAMOUFLAGE

Psalm 146:6

"Which made heaven, and earth, the sea, and all that therein is: which keepeth truth for ever..."
Most people have seen the beautiful colors of reef fish. However, all those bright colors would be expected to make them attractive to predators.

Researchers have learned that while we appreciate all the bright colors, when we see fish as other fish see them, most of these fish are perfectly camouflaged. Almost fifty percent of the fish so far studied can see ultraviolet light. Further, fish such as the damselfish, have markings that can only be seen in the ultraviolet range. Researchers studying the effect of water depth on light color and the pigments in various fish's eyes have concluded that fish cannot see, for example, the subtleties of all the shade of yellows around them. What appears to us as a bright yellow trumpet fish is seen by fish eyes to be the same color as a coral reef ten feet away. What appears to us as a bright yellow and blue striped angel fish appears to fish eyes several feet away like the reef itself. Several species of cleaner fish sport a similar shade of blue even though they may not be related. Perhaps this color is a code to other species that need cleaning.

God has here designed a color scheme that brings delight to the eye, and yet offers his creatures protection so that they can continue from generation to generation.

Thank You, Father, for the beauty You have built into the creation even as You protect Your creatures. Amen.

Science News, 11/6: 2004, pp. 296-297, 300, Susan Milius, "Hide and See." Photo: Trumpet fish. (PD)

 

THE DEAD-HORSE ARUM

Isaiah 40:8

"The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: but the word of our God shall stand for ever."
A flower called the dead-horse arum has a problem. The individual flowers are able to receive pollen for only one day. To make matters worse, its male parts are not mature that day. The next day, the male parts of the flower produce pollen, but the female parts of the flower have shriveled up and cannot receive it.

The dead-horse arum, which grows on islands in the Mediterranean, has a unique solution to this problem. When it's ready to pollinate, the flower begins to generate heat and scent. The scent smells like rotting flesh, which attracts blow-flies. The flies, looking for a place to lay their eggs, crawl into a pocket around the base of the flower stalk. There, the blow-flies are trapped by spines and filaments. If these flies had previously visited another dead-horse arum, they transfer the pollen they picked up there to the female parts of the plant. The next day, when the male parts of the flower are producing pollen, the flies, now coated with this pollen, are released to pollinate another arum.

The complex dependence of the arum on the blow-flies – with its custom-designed features to lure and hold the flies just long enough to ensure pollination – had to come into existence all at the same time and in perfected form, making it a testimony to the genius of our Creator.

Father, I thank You that the entire creation glorifies You. Help me to glorify You with my life. Amen.

Science News, 12/13: 2003, pp. 379-381, Susan Milius, "Warm-Blooded Plants?" Illustration: Dead horse arum lily. (PD)

 

 

OLD MACDONALD HAS A SHELL

Genesis 4:2b

"And Abel was a keeper of sheep, but Cain was a tiller of the ground."
Until recently, it was thought that, excluding mankind, only a few insects, beetles, ants and termites actually farmed crops for their food supply. Then an amazing snail was found.

The snail lives on the leaves of plants growing in East Coast salt marshes. This amazing snail cuts long gashes down the leaves of cord-grass. It doesn't eat the cord-grass. Rather, it waits. Before long, a fungus begins to grow on the gash, aided by the snail's own droppings. Moreover, without the fungus, the snails do not thrive, hardly even grow, and almost half of their young die. However, when the fungus is available, they thrive and grow, losing almost none of their young.

Now the question must be asked: How could this arrangement evolve? How did these snails exist before they discovered that they needed this fungus? How did they learn to grow the fungus? If they evolved from snails that didn't need the fungus, how did they discover that they all-of-a-sudden needed the fungus? The most straightforward answer is that the same Creator Who taught us to farm also taught these snails to farm when He made them and the fungus they need to survive. He knows all of our needs before we do and provides what we need, including the forgiveness of sins, eternal life and salvation through His Son, Jesus Christ.

Father, thank You for the productivity of the earth. I pray that You would continue to provide for our needs. Amen.

Science News, 12/6: 2003, p. 358, S. Milius, "New Farmers." Photo: Salt marsh in Connecticut, US. Courtesy of Alex756. (CC-BY-SA 3.0)

 

SEISMIC SAYINGS

James 2:19

"Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble."
Speaking, singing, writing and body language are all familiar ways of communicating. Science has now learned of another means of communication that has been going on all around us, yet we are not even aware of it.

A vast range of creatures communicate through vibration. This vibratory communication goes on at frequencies beyond human hearing. Researchers have learned that a number of insects communicate with other members of their species on the same plant by quivering the plant. A tree hopper will call its friends with a specific type of vibration when it finds a good place to feed. The cape mole rat spends nearly its entire life underground. When a solitary male is ready to mate, he thumps against the side of his burrow and then listens for a female's response. The female's burrow may be nine feet away, but she'll sense the vibration.

Golden moles are completely blind, but they hunt for live prey. Further, they live in a desert environment where there are only small stands of grass. They hunt by sensing ground vibrations generated when the wind blows through a stand of grass, where the next meal is likely to be found.

Communication is God's gift. However, we want to be clear in our communication of our faith. To do that, our communication of our faith needs to center on Jesus Christ.

Thank You, Father, for communicating Your love for me in a way I can understand – in Jesus Christ. Amen.

Science News, 3/24: 2001, pp. 190-191, Susan Milius, "Things that Go Thump." Photo: Tree hopper. Courtesy of Bruce Marlin. (CC-BY-ATTRIB 3.0)

 

BABY MAY BE IN CHARGE OF HIS OWN BIRTH

Galatians 4:19

"My little children, of whom I travail in birth again until Christ be formed in you..."

Does the mother's body or the unborn baby's body trigger the birth process? Those who advise that the baby will come when it's ready may be correct.

Researchers studying mice have found that a protein called SP-A, which coats the inside of a newborn's lungs, begins to rise in concentration in the amniotic fluid shortly before birth. Normally, the protein is used by the newborn to fend off lung infections. SP-A causes the release of the unborn child's immune cells, called macrophages. These macrophages leave the amniotic fluid and go to the uterus. Once there, they produce inflammation that eventually causes the cervix to open and contractions to begin. It seems that this entire sequence of events that leads to a successful birth is controlled by the unborn infant's own body. If the researchers' findings with mice also apply to humans, many premature births might be prevented by manipulating levels of SP-A in the mother's amniotic fluid.

Every step of this system must be in place and work if there is to be a next generation. This fact in itself argues against this carefully tuned system having evolved through trial and error. Rather, it is the gift of our loving God, Who also gave us the new birth into His kingdom by calling us through the Gospel of the forgiveness of sins in His Son, Jesus Christ.

Lord, I thank You for my birth into this world, and I thank You for my new birth into Your kingdom. Amen.

Science News, 3/27: 2004, p. 198, J. Travis, "It's Time!" Photo: 3D ultrasound, taken at 20 weeks. (PD)

 

BIRDS WITH A MEMORY TO ENVY

Job 38:41

"Who provideth for the raven his food? when his young ones cry unto God, they wander for lack of meat."
The shy bird called Clark's nutcracker collects food during the growing season and stores it for the cold winter months. In one year, a bird will store between 22,000 and 33,000 seeds in as many as 2,500 locations, which can be more than ten miles apart. But does the little bird remember where he put all those seeds?

Biologists tracked the activity of Clark's nutcrackers in the San Francisco Peaks in northern Arizona. A small army of researchers tracked the birds' seed gathering and storing activities. One of the first things they discovered was that the birds quickly figured out that they were being observed. Some refused to store food when researchers were watching them. Others faked storing seeds when they were watched. Back in the lab, researchers studied the storing activity of Eurasian nutcrackers. After the birds stored seeds in a large sand floor, the birds were removed. Then the seeds they stored were dug up. When the birds were allowed to return, they quickly discovered that their seeds had been stolen, so they refused to store any more seeds. In the end, researchers concluded that the nutcrackers recover as many as two-thirds of their stored seeds within 13 months.

The remarkable memory of these little birds is their gift from God that enables them to be fed all year around.

Father, I thank You because You are gracious and generous, not just to the birds, but also to me. Amen.

Science News, 2/14: 2004, pp. 103-105, Susan Milius, "Where'd I Put That?" Photo: Clark's nutcracker. (PD)

 

PLANTS HAVE IMMUNE SYSTEMS

Malachi 4:2a

"But unto you that fear my name shall the Sun of righteousness arise with healing in his wings..."
People and mammals have a multi-pronged immune system. When a bacterial infection is detected, cells begin to release nitric oxide, which kills bacteria, and they begin a cascade of other defense strategies. Ultimately, antibodies that directly attack any invader are produced.

In recent years, scientists have discovered that even in certain plants there are immune systems that respond to infectious agents. These researchers, working with mustard plants, subjected them to 15 proteins unique to infectious microbes. In response, the plants began producing nitric oxide. Measurable increases of this gas were noted within two minutes of exposure. And, just as in people and mammals, the nitric oxide began to kill real microbes. It also begins a chain of other strategies that would enable the plant to fight infection. In some cases, the entire plant – and not just the plant cells exposed to the infectious agents – also joined in fighting the "infection." Further research has shown that a number of genes in the mustard plant are involved in defense against infectious agents.

While no plants have yet been found to produce antibodies, it appears that many plants have immune systems similar to our own. At creation God said everything was "very good" so there were no diseases, but He gave us immune systems anyway because He knew we would fall, just as He already had our salvation worked out.

I thank You, Lord, for the spiritual healing You have given to me through the forgiveness of sins. Amen.

Science News, 10/23: 2004, p. 260, S. Milius, "Green Red-Alert." Photo: Bangladeshi mustard plants. Courtesy of Hopeoflight. (CC-BY-SA 3.0)