Evidence for God in Life Design Archives

April 27, 2026April 27, 2026

Underground Bees in a Cemetery

A cemetery in Ithaca, New York, not only has a large number of graves but also an even greater number of bees. Researchers estimate there are perhaps 5.6 million underground bees in that plot of land. It is the largest known aggregation of ground-nesting solitary bees, known as miner bees or mining bees, in the family Andrenidae.

The Andrenidae family of bees consists of more than 1300 species. They don’t build hives, and they don’t swarm. They are solitary bees that live out their lives, build their nests, and raise their young underground. The species of bees that have found a home in the Ithaca cemetery is Andrena regularis. This particular species pollinates crops such as apples and blueberries.

Bees in the Andrenidae family of underground bees are designed to carry pollen on their legs. Various species within this family tend to pollinate specific plant species. We often think of honeybees as essential pollinators, but we tend not to think about or even know about the bees that don’t make honey but are still important pollinators

These underground bees emerge for a short period in the spring and do their pollination work. As temperatures get warmer, they go back underground. Because of the pollen-carrying features of these solitary bees, they can deposit more pollen than individual honey bees. This cemetery discovery is unusual because of how many of them are concentrated in one area. Researchers estimate that there are more than 800 bees per square meter.

God’s amazing web of life is often overlooked because many creatures are largely out of sight and therefore out of mind. These underground bees remind us that there is a lot of life underground, even in a cemetery.

Reference: Discovermagazine.com

April 24, 2026April 23, 2026

The Smartest Nonhuman Animals

What are the smartest nonhuman animals? You might immediately think of chimpanzees. Why not? Chimps are widely thought to be closest to humans on the evolutionary ladder. However, as we’ve noted before, the similarity between chimps and humans has been highly exaggerated, and it’s becoming clearer that there are more genetic differences between us and chimps.

It may seem surprising, but repeated studies have shown that the smartest nonhuman animals are New Caledonian crows and ravens, meaning they are closest to humans in intellectual ability. Nobody puts crows and ravens in an evolutionary line with human beings, but they have demonstrated their ability to outperform monkeys by retrieving food from a tube accessible from only one end. They can also work out a plan to use one tool to obtain a second tool, which they can use to retrieve food. That’s something monkeys and apes have difficulty doing. There is a YouTube video showing a crow going through eight individual steps to obtain the food it wants.

The ability of New Caledonian crows and ravens to manufacture and use tools and to solve problems with tools greatly exceeds that of chimpanzees, orangutans, and gorillas. What do these birds have that the apes don’t have? The birds have larger forebrains, cerebrums, perineuronal glial clusters, and hippocampi relative to their body size, as humans do. Unlike humans and the great apes, crows and ravens lack a cerebral cortex.

In trying to establish an evolutionary line leading to human beings, we must consider why these birds have brain features humans have, even though the creatures supposedly closest to humans on the evolutionary ladder don’t have them. Perhaps the story is not a common ancestry but a common Designer. When we try to determine the smartest nonhuman animals, maybe we need to consider whether humans are smart enough to realize that evolution doesn’t tell the whole story.

April 22, 2026April 21, 2026

The Strongest Evidence for an Intelligent Creator

What is the strongest evidence for an intelligent Creator? That is an interesting question. Sarah Salviander, an astrophysicist, suggests that biology offers more convincing evidence than her field of astrophysics. She said, “The incredible machinery of a living cell is far more complex than the structure of an entire Galaxy of stars.” On the other hand, the late atheist critic Christopher Hitchens once said that atheists find the “fine-tuning” of the universe to be “one of the most intriguing” arguments for intelligent design. I think that biology and cosmology together make a strong case for God’s existence.

We have discussed the evidence for a Creator based on the fine-tuning of the universe. Many scientists believe the fine-tuning argument is very strong, as it seems to be the primary basis for postulating multiple universes. We must acknowledge that the evidence shows this universe has been fine-tuned from the very beginning to make it possible for life, including human life, to exist and prosper. Is that fine-tuning the strongest evidence for an intelligent Creator? Since scientists have not been able to explain it, unbelievers advance the unproven and unprovable idea that there are countless universes, and we just happen to live in the one that’s fine-tuned for life.

However, when we look at the evidence for design in living things, especially in the human body, we are in awe. As Dr. Salviander said, the incredible machinery of a living cell is far more complex than an entire Galaxy of stars. Another advantage that biology has over cosmology as the strongest evidence for an intelligent Creator is that we can see it in real time. To see the evidence for design in the fine-tuning of the universe, we must look back in time, but evidence for design in life is all around us right now. The information in DNA shows that life could not have happened by chance, since information comes only from an intelligent source.

In addition, we see beauty in living things and in the physical creation. Chance would create chaos rather than beauty. The psalmist David, who did not know about the fine-tuning of the universe, was in awe of the majesty and beauty in the night sky. (See Psalms 8 and 19:1-6.) The psalmist was also in awe of his own physical body, realizing that God had created him in his mother’s womb. He was awestruck by that, despite having no idea about DNA or the amazing structures within the cells of our bodies. (See Psalms 139:14-16.) Interestingly, Charles Darwin thought that cells were nothing but globs of protoplasm, and he had no idea of the remarkable machines working within every cell or of the DNA that gives instructions for the assembly of proteins to do those jobs.

The bottom line is that, regardless of what you think is the strongest evidence for an intelligent Creator, there is massive and growing evidence that we can’t ignore.

P.S. A new movie, “The Story of Everything,” is coming to select theaters around the country on April 30, 2026. In it, many experts examine two possible stories. Does the universe and life lack purpose and design, or do they show the purpose and intelligence of a divine Creator? I encourage our readers to see this film if it comes to your local theater. Does the fine-tuned cosmos or design and purpose in life provide the strongest evidence for an intelligent Creator? I encourage you to examine the evidence and decide for yourself.

April 21, 2026April 20, 2026

The Wood Wide Web

Hidden underground is a network that enables most green plants to survive. Without it, most green plants would be unable to survive. It’s a network of mycorrhizal fungi. In 1960, a Swedish botanist demonstrated that substances pass between plants through a fungal pathway. In the 1980s, it became clear that most plants form mycorrhizal associations. In a play on words from the “worldwide web,” English researcher David Reed called this underground network “the wood wide web.”

Through this network, plants exchange nitrogen, phosphorus, water, and carbon. These fungal networks collaborate by connecting with one another, forming a vast, complex mycorrhizal network. Although it is not worldwide, it can be wood wide.

An extreme example of a plant that depends on the wood wide web is Monotropa uniflora, also known as ghost pipes. They resemble white smoking pipes, with their stems stuck in the ground. They are white because they lack chlorophyll and therefore cannot use photosynthesis to produce the nutrients plants need. Since the fungal networks form physical connections between plants, allowing them to share nutrients, Monotropa plants freeload on other plants.

Although Monotropa is an extreme example of dependence on the wood wide web, most other plants depend on receiving and sharing the nutrients required for plant life. We normally think of plants as separate units, and we may even think of them as competing with one another, but that is not always the case. Sometimes tall plants, such as trees, compete with smaller plants by blocking sunlight. However, they may also share nutrients underground through the mycorrhizal network.

Only in recent years have scientists discovered the wood wide web, even though it has surely been around since God created plants. This fungal network is still not fully understood, but science is seeking to understand it. How many other things in God’s creation will we discover in the future? It is clear that we have much to learn about the vast web of life. “For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse” (Romans 1:20).

April 20, 2026April 19, 2026

The Acoustic Reflex

Human ears are amazing. They can distinguish half a million tones and detect sound levels from 0 to 135 decibels. Zero dB is a very faint sound, and 135 dB is extremely painful and damaging to hearing. Decibels are measured on a logarithmic scale, so 135 dB is 10 trillion times as loud as 0 dB. Anything over 85 dB can damage hearing with long exposure, but God has given us an automatic protection system that activates between 70 and 100 dB. It is called the acoustic reflex.

Here is how the human acoustic reflex (also known as the stapedius reflex or auditory reflex) works. High-intensity sounds trigger an involuntary muscle contraction in the middle ear. Tiny muscles in the middle ear, primarily the stapedius and tensor tympani muscles, contract to dampen the movement of the ossicles or stapes (the small bones in the middle ear). Because of this reflex, chain saws, loud engines, or hair dryers can make it difficult to hear conversations, which are typically not more than 60 dB, but it helps protect the inner ear from damage caused by loud noises.

When the acoustic reflex activates, the stapedius muscle pulls the ossicles (stapes) of the middle ear away from the cochlear window, and the tensor tympani muscle stiffens the stapes by pulling on the eardrum and malleus (hammer bone). This is essential to protect hearing in everyday environments. However, the acoustic reflex is not fast enough to react to sudden loud noises, such as gunshots. Also, extremely loud noises or prolonged exposure to loud noises can still harm your hearing, and for that reason, wear ear protection when around loud noises. We should be thankful for God’s design of ears and for the automatic protection He provided as part of the amazing design of the human body.

April 13, 2026April 11, 2026

Purpose in Life and Euthanasia

One of the greatest challenges in life is to know why we exist. For Christians, our existence has a clear purpose. The book of Job offers a clear picture of the war between good and evil, and Jesus Christ taught His followers that they would be active soldiers in that war. Ephesians 6:12 tells Christians, “We do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.” Ephesians 3:10 tells us that championing this struggle is the Church’s purpose. As a Christian, I can tell you that I have a purpose in life, and that makes my life full of meaning.

So, how do atheists explain their purpose for existing? For the young college student who is at the top of their game, the answer may be to enjoy the “survival of the fittest.” What is the answer for those who are not the “fittest”?

Noelia Castillo was a 25-year-old woman who ended her life against the wishes of her family, the Catholic Church, and the Spanish government. She spent her teenage years in a state-run foster care facility. She was sexually assaulted multiple times, including a gang rape, after which she jumped from a 5th-floor window, leaving her a paraplegic. She ended her life under a Spanish law that was intended for the elderly. Intellectuals are now debating what purpose in life she could have had.

Philosophers and psychologists can argue all they want, but the fact is, as a Christian, Noelia COULD have had a great purpose in life. How many young women in Spain have been raped or gang raped, and need to know that they can recover from that horror by someone who has been there? What influence could she have had on the Catholic Church?

In America, the debate is centered on “death with dignity.” Unless we present a purpose for living in the debate, we will never reach a real consensus. Your author is 88 years old and has his share of pain. To end my life prematurely would destroy a time in my life when I can uniquely speak to younger people about why their lives can be full of meaning. The key is to use the tools God has given all humans to make this world a better place in which to live.

Reference: The Week magazine, April 10, 2026, page 15.

March 23, 2026March 22, 2026

Knee Joint Design in Humans

One common criticism used by atheists against the existence of God is the so-called “poor design” of the human body. They criticize many areas, with the knee joint often being a focal point. In reality, a healthy knee joint has an impressive range of motion and can last for decades without significant wear. No human-engineered prosthetic knee can match this longevity. Even with the best available materials, all prosthetic knees tend to show signs of wear after just a few years.

One of the leading critics of the human body’s design is Nathan H. Lents, a scientist, author, and professor affiliated with the City University of New York (CUNY). He is especially critical of the knee joint. As an advocate for human evolution, he claims, “The problem is due to incomplete adaptation.” He states, “The anatomical adaptation to upright walking never quite finished in humans. We have several defects that are the result of the failure to complete the process… The ACL is vulnerable to tearing in humans because our upright bipedal posture forces it to endure much more strain than it is designed to.” It’s interesting that he used the word “designed,” even though he does not believe it was designed. He believes it simply evolved through natural selection acting on random mutations.

The truth is, the human knee functions as what engineers call a floating joint because it has no fixed center of rotation — it is free to rotate and roll. It is stabilized by ligaments, including the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) and the posterior cruciate ligament (PCL). These ligaments work together with the femur and tibia to form a four-bar linkage mechanism. Professor Lents refers to people tearing the ACLs. However, the ACL is not a bad design. Injuries to it are uncommon in everyday life but are more frequent in high-impact sports such as soccer and ski jumping. Sports like tennis or skating generally do not pose a significant risk to the ACL.

Being overweight is another common factor contributing to knee problems. In the United States, more than two-thirds of adults are overweight, and one in three is obese. Just ten extra pounds of weight can add approximately sixty pounds of force to each knee during running. Obese individuals are twenty times more likely to require a knee replacement than those who are not overweight.

In reality, the knee joint is an ingenious design, as you can see in the illustration. Engineer Stuart Burgess explores this in detail in his excellent book, Ultimate Engineering. Many who view the human body as a product of evolution assume it is poorly designed without understanding the facts. God has created the human body with many remarkable engineering features, including our knee joints. Truly, ultimate engineering requires an Ultimate Engineer.

March 18, 2026March 17, 2026

Manufacturing Spider Silk

While working to create strong materials, human engineers haven’t come close to matching what spiders can produce. Spider silk is five times stronger than steel by weight. Besides its strength, spider silk is elastic, and because it is organic, it can be disposed of easily without harming the environment. Years of research have brought scientists closer to their goal of manufacturing spider silk.

The secret to spider silk’s strength lies in special proteins called spidroins and how they are spun into fibers. National Geographic magazine explored ways that spidroins might be used, including medical applications. Since spider silk is organic, it can be used for wound dressings, and spidroin nanocapsules could carry molecules that stimulate the immune system into the body and release them gradually. Gels based on spidroins could coat catheters and surgical meshes to reduce infections and blood clots.

Because of its strength, spider silk could be used to produce bulletproof vests and durable fabrics. The challenge is producing spider silk on a commercial scale because spiders that are kept together tend to be cannibalistic. The solution is to genetically modify silkworms to produce spider silk. China has large mulberry plantations where silkworms feed on mulberry leaves and spin cocoons. Using the CRISPR-Cas9 gene editing tool, silkworm eggs can be altered to produce much stronger spider silk. Research by a Michigan-based company is nearing the point of manufacturing spider silk, or “supersilk.”

Producing spider silk biologically requires a complex molecular structure and a spider’s intricate spinning process. This exemplifies how the natural world reflects wisdom and intelligence, not an accidental creation. Technicians at Kraig Biocraft Laboratories in Lansing, Michigan, have spent 20 years trying to engineer silkworms to spin spider silk. Human engineers aim to develop new products by copying some of what God has created.

The story of the “Tower of Babel” in Genesis 11:1-14 shows that human pride has a long history, yet many still fail to see evidence for God in His creation (Romans 1:20). Throughout the natural world, God’s intelligence is displayed openly, and spider silk is just one example.

Reference: The March 2026 issue of National Geographic magazine, pages 23-41, and nationalgeographic.com.

March 12, 2026March 11, 2026

Honeybee Pollination

We recently discussed that honeybees can make on-the-fly decisions individually and that they can also make group decisions by communicating with one another. Another important aspect of these remarkable insects is their role in honeybee pollination.

The flowers of various types of plants produce nectar. What is the purpose of nectar? Nectar is actually made up of two substances that are essential for plants—sugar and water. Flowers that produce nectar do so not for their direct benefit but to attract pollinators. Many plants depend on the wind to carry their pollen from one flower to another. However, this method is not very efficient because it requires a lot of pollen to fill the air, causing problems for allergy sufferers, while only a small amount will reach the intended target. A more efficient way to pollinate flowers is to attract pollinators, such as honeybees, to visit and collect pollen, either intentionally or accidentally.

Honeybees have pollen baskets on their legs to collect pollen for their use. Pollen contains protein, vitamins, minerals, and even fat, which benefits honeybees. But even more important is the nectar that honeybees use to produce honey. They accidentally collect pollen because their fuzzy bodies brush against the flower’s stamens. Honeybees even attract pollen without touching the stamens. The motion of the bees makes them positively charged, while the flowers have a negative charge, and static electricity pulls grains of pollen onto the bees’ fuzzy bodies. Honeybee pollination takes place when the bees visit another flower and deposit pollen on the sticky stamen. Ninety percent of the time, a honeybee will visit the same species of flower, which is helpful because pollen from one species would not aid a flower of a different species.

The bottom line is that 80% of the world’s most important crop plants are pollinated by insects. Two-thirds of North American crops depend on insects for pollination, and honeybees are the most vital pollinators for crops in North America. Honeybees are another part of the beautifully designed system that makes life possible in the world God created.

March 10, 2026March 8, 2026

Waggle Dance Communication

Karl von Frisch, an Austrian scientist working in Germany during the 1940s, analyzed the movement of bees that became known as the ‘waggle dance.” The bees move in a figure-eight pattern, with each waggle occurring at the crossover point. The length of their dance indicates the distance to a nectar source, and the angle of the waggle shows the direction to find it.

A few years later, in 1949, Martin Lindauer discovered another use of the bee waggle dance. When a bee colony outgrows its hive, it must find a new home. The colony sends out scouts to search for potential sites. Choosing a suitable location involves considering various factors. The space must be large enough to support the colony but not so large that the bees cannot survive the cold winter months. Honeybees must keep their bodies above 50 degrees Fahrenheit, or they will die. They survive the cold by huddling in the hive and slowly vibrating their wings in sync. Their wing muscles produce enough heat to keep the hive warm, as long as the hive isn’t too large. They also prefer a hive entrance facing south to let in heat from the Sun and located about 15 feet above ground to keep out intruders.

The task of finding a new hive is given to worker bees that act as scouts. These scouts visit potential sites around the area and then report their findings to the colony using a waggle dance. Hundreds of scouts may go out in different directions, discovering various locations. So, how does the colony choose the best spot for their new home?

When each scout returns, the other scouts interpret the dance by feeling it with their antennae. The length and vigor of a scout’s dance reflect that bee’s opinion of the site’s quality. The dance also indicates the direction and distance to the location, enabling others to investigate. If another scout agrees that it’s a great place, it will return and join in the waggle dance. As more scouts visit and approve of the site, they join in, and consensus is reached. Then the entire colony flies together to the new location.

This is another remarkable way that bees cooperate and communicate to make decisions that benefit the entire colony. Just as bees make independent decisions about which flowers to visit and share that information with others in the colony, they can also reach group decisions through cooperative scouting and information sharing. Once again, we see evidence of design that cannot be explained by mere chance.