December 2021 - Page 3 of 4 - DOES GOD EXIST? TODAY

December 11, 2021December 10, 2021

Elephant Trunks as a Model for Robots

New research shows that using elephant trunks as a model for robots, engineer-designers may soon create machines capable of doing things that no current robot can do. For example, the elephant trunk has 40,000 muscles that work together to allow the animal to pick up a single leaf or lift and move a large log easily.

Researchers used motion capture technology similar to that used to create movies where the movement of animated characters is mapped to the motions of real actors in a studio. Studying elephant trunk movements by this method allowed the researchers to carefully examine the myriad ways an elephant uses its trunk.

The elephant’s trunk has an infinite number of degrees of freedom. We can see a similar property in a limited way in the human tongue. Like the elephant’s trunk, our tongues have no bones, and some of us can curl, twist, and contort them in various ways. The ability to speak requires complex tongue movements.

Using elephant trunks as a model for robots is a real challenge to engineers. Designing a robotic arm with complex movements and strength is an important goal. Looking at the elephant’s trunk design, it does not seem possible that this could be a product of chance. Yet, the elephant’s survival is only possible because of this highly complex appendage.

Some animals have tongues that can do interesting things, but the elephant trunk is unique. By using elephant trunks as a model for robots, we can gain some essential insight into making a robot that can do the things we can do with our hands. It becomes clear that all of nature shows God’s handiwork and teaches us important lessons.

References: Scientific American, December 2021 (page 18), and the journal Current Biology.

December 10, 2021December 9, 2021

Egg Shape and the “Egg-quation”

When you look at the eggs of different birds, you will notice that they have different shapes. Some are round like the eggs of most owls, and some are elliptical like the eggs of an emu. Others are oval, such as chicken eggs, or pear-shaped like the eggs of a penguin. Why is egg shape important? There has been a need to know how to pack eggs to support them to prevent cracking. This is not just important for people who raise chickens and sell eggs at your local grocery store but also for conservationists protecting birds in the wild.

This need to understand egg shapes led to studies by scientists at Kent University in England. They came up with a mathematical formula with four essential inputs: 1-egg length, 2-maximum breadth, 3-diameter where the pointed end terminates, and 4-location of the egg’s maximum diameter in relation to the midpoint of its length. The problem was that the earlier mathematical analysis didn’t work on pear-shaped eggs, but the formula works for any egg shape by adding the fourth variable.

This is a classic example of two things. One is that research that may seem pointless to a casual observer frequently provides needed information. So, for example, people wanting to transport eggs, incubate eggs efficiently, and restore bird populations in areas where they have become extinct will use this equation.

A second thing this research shows is the incredible design of the egg. An engineering equation allows the design of precise egg shape construction to fit all environments. This is a complex engineering problem with practical applications, and it shows that even the ordinary egg speaks of the Creator’s wisdom and skill in providing for His creatures.

References: Science News 12/4/21 page 11. Scientific report in the Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences.

December 9, 2021December 8, 2021

Study Challenges a Basic Assumption of Neo-Darwinism

A long-term study of 27,224 mice over 26 years challenges a basic assumption of Neo-Darwinism. The assumption is that natural selection guides evolution by removing “unfit” individuals. Therefore individuals that are more fit survive to pass on their genes. The study involved white-footed mice (Peromyscus leucopus) in the wild.

Researchers identified mice with broken, missing, or deformed limbs, missing eyes, cataracts, and missing or mutilated tails. Evolution predicts that these unfit mice would be removed from a population, and the researchers set out to see how quickly that would happen. The data shows that the survival rate of the impaired mice was no different from that of mice who had no physical impairments.

For humans, this observation would be even more dramatic. That is because humans crippled for many years have lived long lives, supported by family members or group associates. That kind of support has never been observed in mice. Moreover, human history is full of terrible acts by racists and political leaders, such as Hitler, who viewed minor physical characteristics as justification for persecution and even execution of other humans.

The evidence is that physical impairments in the animal kingdom do not necessarily cause the demise of an individual. This challenges a basic assumption of Neo-Darwinism which, like uniformitarianism, is not supported by the evidence.

Reference: National Science Foundation Research News November 30, 2021.

December 8, 2021December 7, 2021

The Wall Hezekiah Built Is Uncovered

The winter 2021 issue of Biblical Archaeology Review contains an announcement by the Israel Antiquities Authority of what they call a “groundbreaking discovery.” Archaeologists have uncovered the wall Hezekiah built around 701 B.C. Isaiah 22:9-10 describes the wall’s construction, and 2 Kings 25:10 tells of its destruction during the Babylonian siege of Jerusalem about a century later. In addition to the wall itself, the archaeologists found various objects, including seals, along the wall’s base to confirm its date.

The archaeologists say that the wall was 10 feet (3 m) tall and more than 15 feet (4.5 m) wide. It was built along the slopes of the steep-sided Kidron Valley, making an imposing barrier on that side of Jerusalem. Researchers previously found other sections of the wall Hezekiah built, but this find connects those sections and provides more verification of the biblical account. The same issue carries a report of finding evidence of the powerful earthquake that occurred during the reign of King Uzziah and is described in Amos 1:1 and Zechariah 14:5.

Many people don’t realize that archaeological work in the Middle East is in its infancy. Hundreds of identified sites have not been excavated because of the expense involved. In addition, the field of archaeology is complicated by politics, nationalism, funding, and the prejudice of some of the people directing the digs and the museums displaying the artifacts.

To help people learn more about biblical archaeology, we have produced a video series titled “Beyond Reasonable Doubt” with John Cooper. The videos are available for free viewing on doesgodexist.tv, or you can purchase the series on DVDs. The series is an introductory presentation of positive evidence for the reliability of the Bible and is recommended for class use and individual viewing.

Reference: The magazine Biblical Archaeology Review has a section called “Strata” in which they announce new discoveries made in the field.

December 7, 2021December 6, 2021

Drug Safe-Havens Don’t Work

On December 1, 2021, the United States joined Canada, Australia, and Europe in allowing drug safe-havens for people who wish to use heroin and other narcotics. Mayor Bill de Blasio of New York City announced that having monitored facilities where someone watches for overdoses will save lives. The first facility in New York was set to open immediately.

Federal laws ban operating a place for narcotic use, but those laws have been poorly enforced. It is interesting that there is no evidence that these facilities provide help for those who are addicted. There have been negative results in other places where governments have tried legalization. Other moral issues such as prostitution and sexual abuse become part of the scene.

Setting up drug safe-havens, making it easier for people to use narcotics, is sanctioning people to harm themselves. Even though they may not die immediately from drug usage, the long-term result is not good. Should the government provide a way for people to become addicted? The news releases on the New York City plan do not say that drugs will be provided. If that is true, drug dealing and the problem of contaminated drugs will continue.

Licensing sin has never worked, and neither will drug safe-havens. Instead, the legalization of gambling has increased crime, prostitution, economic damage, and family breakdown. As the world turns away from God and denigrates the teachings of Jesus, we are not surprised that politicians will seek to condone the sin industries and tax them.

In 1 Thessalonians 5:21-22, Paul admonishes Christians to “Bring everything to the test and cling to that which is good and rejecting all that has a look of evil about it.” Therefore, let us oppose the movement of our nation toward embracing the sin industry as it offers an alternative to the teachings of Jesus Christ.

Reference: Associated Press for 12/1/21.

December 6, 2021December 5, 2021

Mother Birds Sing to their Eggs

Recent studies have shown that mother birds sing to their eggs while incubating them. Researchers found that bird embryos learn to identify the sounds of their species before they hatch from the eggs. They also found that the singing is deliberate and serves a purpose.

The reason mother birds sing to their eggs can’t be for their survival, because singing puts the mothers at risk from predators. Then what is the advantage of the singing? In addition to learning the songs of their species, the young birds learn to recognize unfamiliar songs produced by other bird species. The mother’s singing also affects the heart rate of the unhatched bird. All of the eggs in the study of unhatched baby birds showed a decrease in the babies’ heart rate when their mothers sang to them.

Previous research has shown that the heart rate of unborn humans also slows when the mother is in a stable situation and increases when the mother is under stress. Similarly, the researchers speculate that the singing of the mother bird aids the survival of the chick. The research co-author said, “Birds are like humans in that there is a mother- or father-offspring communication even before birth.”

The message is clear that the individual begins life and learning before being put into the world of self-preservation and survival. Mother birds sing to their eggs, and human mothers sing and talk to their babies before birth. In both cases, the offspring benefit. Whether a bird or a human, individual existence begins when life begins–not when the egg hatches or the baby is born.

— John N. Clayton ©

Reference: Science News, November 6 , 2021, page 4.

December 5, 2021December 3, 2021

Some Good News about Diseases

Recent data on disease brings some good news. Cancer has been a major challenge for medical science, but survival rates for cancer have been increasing. Between 1975 and 2016, the percentage of people living for five years after a cancer diagnosis has risen from 50% to 68%. In 1971. three million people in the United States had survived cancer, or 1.5% of the population. In 2019, that number was 16.9 million, 5% of the population. Human pollution and poor life choices cause many cancers, but God has given medical science the ability to combat this dreaded disease.

Also, some good news is what vaccines have done for survival. A better understanding of God’s design of the human body has allowed us to combat diseases with vaccines. Before the vaccine for smallpox, 48,164 people contracted the disease in the United States. Since the vaccine’s development, that number has dropped to zero as of 1998. Diphtheria brought severe illness and usually death to 175,885 people in the U.S. Since the vaccine, there has been one case. Polio affected 16,316 people in the U.S. before the vaccine. Since then, there have been no cases. Measles was a significant cause of birth defects and other health issues and affected 503,282 people in the U.S. After the vaccine, there have been 89 cases.

We thank God for some good news regarding these human afflictions. The more we learn about diseases, the more we understand that they are not “God caused” but often result from human actions and carelessness. It is a tragedy that some people refuse what God has given us to prevent illness and death.

References: Science News (page 22), November 6, 2021 and AARP Bulletin for November 2021 (pages 12-14).

December 4, 2021December 3, 2021

Corpse Plant Design and Pollination

The design of plants is so complex and precise that it speaks volumes about the design built into all of life. For example, on November 3, 2021, the San Diego Botanic Gardens in Encinitas had a public showing of the bloom of the Amorphophallus titanum plant, which attracted more than 5,000 people. This strange plant is called the corpse plant.

Amorphophallus titanum is an endangered plant endemic to Sumatra. People call it the corpse plant because the blossom smells like a rotting corpse. The plant requires growth for five to ten years before blooming for the first time. After that, it may bloom once every two to ten years. The bloom lasts for 24 to 48 hours in which it sends out the odor to attract carrion beetles and flesh flies as pollinators.

The flower, or spathe, of the corpse plant does more than just send out a smell to attract pollinators. The inside is a deep red color with furrows that give it the appearance of raw meat. Also, when blooming, it generates heat that brings it to human body temperature. As a result, the carrion beetles and flesh flies, which are programmed to be attracted to meat, find it irresistible.

Many insects and animals have a symbiotic relationship with certain plants. Sometimes a plant attracts an insect or animal for food or shelter, and the insect or animal provides pollination for the plant. Analysis of the powerful odor shows it involves at least seven chemicals that create foul smells we are familiar with, from rotting fish to feces. It is no accident that this plant has all of the right chemicals and physical features to attract the available pollinators in its native habitat.

The needs of every plant and animal are carefully provided for their survival. The evidence is apparent as Romans 1:20 tells us we can know there is a God through the things He has made. The corpse plant, carrion beetles, and flesh flies demonstrate the truth of that statement.

Reference: AP Release 11/3/21.

You can watch a time-lapse video of a corpse plant blooming at UC Botanical Garden in Berkeley HERE.

December 3, 2021December 2, 2021

King of the Serengeti is Not the Lion

In a December 2021 National Geographic article, Peter Gwin portrays the wildebeest as the “Unlikely King of the Serengeti.” That title suggests that the animal and its role are too complex for us to comprehend. In the case of the wildebeest, both their physical design and their incredible mass migrations of more than 1.3 million animals have drawn the attention of scientists.

The wildebeest is an animal that seems to have been fashioned from the parts of other animals. They have a head like a warthog, a neck that looks like an American buffalo, stripes like a zebra, and the tail of a giraffe. Wildebeest are members of the antelope family, but they have small horns, shaggy beards, big humps, and small legs. Their three-week birthing period in January allows them to produce 500,000 calves at the rate of about 24,000 per day. Despite their clumsy appearance, a wildebeest can run 50 miles (80 km) per hour and annually migrate 1,750 miles (2,816 km). They are the largest animals to engage in such a long migratory journey.

In their migration, wildebeest cross rivers in massive numbers. Tourists come to watch these crossings where crocodiles feed on many of the animals. The king of the Serengeti is also a food source for lions, hyenas, cheetahs, and leopards. New studies of the wildebeest and the Serengeti show the complex design of these animals and their environment.

Wildebeest migration follows the rain. As they travel through Kenya and Tanzania, wildebeest can sense where it is raining, and they follow the precipitation. By eating the new grass that the rain produces, wildebeest prevent the grass from growing tall enough for wildfires to develop. The lack of fires allows forests to grow, thus allowing more insects for birds to eat and more leaves to feed the herbivores. That sustains the elephant, giraffe, zebra populations.

It’s easy to see why the king of the Serengeti is not the lion but the wildebeest. It is a keystone species that, by its design, feeds many life forms and, by mass migrations, allows a stable ecology in the Serengeti. This is an example of God’s design of an animal that is only now being understood and appreciated. Everywhere we look, we see that a wonder-working hand has gone before.

References: The National Geographic issue for December of 2021 is one of the most interesting issues that popular magazine has produced. It is connected to a Disney program that will be streamed starting on December 8. The program titled “Welcome to Earth” will be hosted by actor Will Smith and feature many different animals and plants, including the wildebeest.

December 2, 2021December 2, 2021

Inconsistent Fetal Laws

Yesterday, the United States Supreme Court heard arguments on a Mississippi law prohibiting most abortions after 15 weeks. Protestors on both sides of the abortion issue were active outside of the Supreme Court building. Many abortion advocates, including politicians, have threatened violence if the court strikes Roe v. Wade. Unfortunately, there are no easy answers as people argue about women’s rights and unborn babies’ rights. While research continues to show the humanity of the unborn child, we see inconsistent fetal laws.

More than 38 states in America have “fetal assault laws” on the books. In the past 15 years, about 1200 American women were criminally charged for taking illegal recreational drugs resulting in a miscarriage. If someone assaults a pregnant woman, killing the baby, that person is guilty of murder in most states. This was true in Old Testament times as well (See Exodus 21:22-23).

Researchers at the University of Oxford had the rare opportunity to study gastrulation of a human embryo from an abortion16 to 19 days after fertilization. Lead researcher Shankar Srinivas, an expert in developmental biology, explained that gastrulation is a process that begins about 14 days after fertilization. At that time, different cells emerge and arrange themselves to form various organs in the human body. The new research into gastrulation has the potential to open ways to prevent congenital abnormalities.

The research by Dr. Srinivas gives a glimpse into early human development. When fertilization occurs, we are dealing with a human, not a blob of chance cellular accumulation. The complexity of this system speaks of God’s design and is precious and unique. A news report quoted Dr. Daniel Sulmasy, the director of the Kennedy Institute of Ethics at Georgetown University, saying that this research shows “recognition of the humanness of the embryo.”

It is within our grasp to prevent conception and avoid the destructive actions of an abortion that can also cause physical and mental harm to a woman. It starts with understanding that sex is not a meaningless physical act but a joining of two people in a deeply personal relationship. That was God’s plan from the beginning. We understand more and more about how this design works, and a consistent approach to the facts can lead us toward an end to inconsistent fetal laws.

References: South Bend Tribune 11/20/21, page 4C and The Week 11/26/21. Here is a link to an APNews article, and you can find the research article at Nature.com.