Humans Archives

June 18, 2025June 17, 2025

Animal Pathogen Transmission to Humans

The World Organization for Animal Health and the World Health Organization released data on the number of illnesses and deaths caused by pathogens transmitted to humans from animals worldwide each year. They gathered data from 183 member states, showing that a billion illnesses and millions of deaths occur worldwide due to animal pathogen transmission to humans.

The recent data was triggered by the outbreak of bird flu known as H5N1. That virus has sickened millions of birds, dozens of mammalian species, and people worldwide. This strain of avian influenza has threatened food supplies and pressured governments to take a serious look at food security and public health.

When God created life on Earth, He planned it to meet the needs of humans. Long before modern science, God gave dietary instructions to the ancient Israelites. Skeptics today may consider those instructions archaic; however, they were far ahead of their time, and many of them remain applicable today. We see the consequences of not following wise dietary and health instructions.

Animal pathogen transmission to humans is not the only problem we face today. Every time humans have discarded the Bible as a guide for life, the consequences have been dire. We are seeing that again in the tragedies of humans suffering because of the rejection of God’s design for healthful and moral living.

Reference: WHO and WOAH public health assessment, April 2025

June 16, 2025June 15, 2025

The Value of Fathers

Father’s Day brings to mind the value of fathers. Scientific research recently verified something that should not have been a surprise. The study involved scholars from the University of Virginia, Hampton University, and others. The conclusion was that children who have “actively involved fathers” do significantly better academically, emotionally, and behaviorally.

What is an actively engaged father? According to the study, those fathers manage parenting obligations “very well” and regularly share meals with their families at least four times a week. The study found no difference between fathers of different races. It is not the skin color that matters, but rather how actively the father is involved with his children. The educational level also did not affect the value of fathers.

What difference does marriage make? The study revealed that 51% of children with married parents had fathers who were highly engaged. That was the case in only 15% of children who had cohabiting parents.

What is the value of fathers who are actively engaged? The difference they make is in three areas: grades, behavior, and depression. Girls with fathers who are involved in their lives were 8% more likely to have better grades and only one-tenth as likely to be diagnosed with depression. In other words, a supportive father has a profound effect on a girl’s emotional well-being.

For boys, the value of fathers relates more closely to behavioral support. Boys with engaged fathers were 13% less likely to have behavioral issues in school compared to those with non-engaged fathers.

This study analyzed data on children in Virginia; however, the same findings are likely to hold true in other states and even different countries. The family is God’s design, and the greatest success in life results when a married father and mother are wholly committed to each other and work together to support their children. (See Ephesians 6:4.)

References: Fox News and The National Marriage Project

June 13, 2025June 13, 2025

Fruit Flies and Humans

The genetic data contained in DNA is rich in information. The DNA in living cells contains molecular genes that direct the synthesis of proteins necessary for the development of an organism’s body during embryonic development . As we mentioned in a previous post, the DNA of a fruit fly is 60% similar to that of a human. How can we explain the significant difference between fruit flies and humans?

How can similarities exist in the DNA of organisms that look and function very differently? According to Stephen C. Meyer, “scientists have found that the larger informational context in which genes are expressed often determines the specific function of the proteins they produce.” For example, Meyer notes that a corresponding gene in insects and vertebrates regulates the production of appendages. However, in fruit flies, it regulates the development of compound limbs with exoskeletons and multiple joints. In sea urchins, it regulates the development of spines. In vertebrates, it regulates the development of limbs with internal bony skeletons and multiple joints.

Orthodox evolutionary theory suggests that since genes control the development of anatomical structures, the corresponding genes should produce corresponding structures in various organisms. That would eliminate the differences between fruit flies and humans. Clearly, genes perform different functions based on the larger context of information in the organism. The context contains specified information that is key to the differences.

You could compare this context variability to words in an English text. The same words used in a different context can convey a very different meaning. Words can convey their intended meaning when they are used in a systematic, organized structure composed by an intelligent mind. A hodgepodge of random words can result from non-intelligent actions, but only intelligence can create a meaningful paragraph. What does that tell us when we apply that principle to genetics? Only intelligence can create a meaningful paragraph, and only intelligence can create fruit flies and humans.

Reference: Signature in the Cell by Stephen C. Meyer, pages 471-472

June 4, 2025June 2, 2025

Genetic Difference Between Humans and Chimpanzees

The media has popularized the myth that the genetic difference between humans and chimpanzees is only 1%. Recent research shows that the variance is 15% or more. What we have here is the old graduate student mentality: “Make sure your data conforms to your conclusions.” If you are trying to prove that humans came from apes and that genetics supports that faith, you cannot accept the 15% data. The result is the popular 1% myth.

The Bible is silent on how God made the human body, stating only that He formed it “of the dust of the earth” (Genesis 2:7 and 3:19). These verses use the Hebrew word “yatsar,” meaning to form as a potter would shape a vase from clay. The Bible does not tell us how God formed the first human or how long He took to do it.

One thing is clear: both men and women are created in the image of God (Genesis 1:27). This refers to the human soul, not the physical body. God is a spiritual being, not a physical one. Humans are uniquely endowed with a soul, a spiritual component that distinguishes humanity from all other life on Earth. The human soul enables us to create music and art, to worship, and to develop the capacity for critical thinking. We are not driven by instinct as animals are.

Some physical components of the human body are similar to those of chimpanzees. Stereoscopic vision, an opposable thumb, and body hair are some genetic similarities. The fact that the genetic similarity between humans and chimpanzees is 85% should not be surprising, given that fruit flies share 60% of their genes with humans. God has used the best design in many features of all animal bodies.

What separates humans from animals is our spiritual makeup, not our genes. However, the 1% genetic difference between humans and chimpanzees is a myth.

References: Evolution News, the journal Nature, and wikipedia

May 26, 2025May 25, 2025

Microplastics and Dementia

You may have noticed that dementia is much worse today than it was in the past. Part of that is probably due to people living longer, but life expectancy has not increased enough to fully explain the growth rate of dementia. Perhaps there is a connection between microplastics and dementia.

Researchers from the University of New Mexico have found an amazing correlation between dementia and the concentration of microplastics in human brains. A study of specimens from autopsies found that the brains of people with dementia had as much as five times more microplastics than normal brains. Comparisons of brain tissues from 2016 and 2024 show 50% higher concentrations in the 2024 samples.

Global plastic production doubles every 10 to 15 years, so the problem is only going to get worse. The human brain is designed with a barrier between blood vessels and brain tissue, but some people have weak blood-brain barriers. Skeptics suggest there is a design failure in the human brain because it evolved by chance over time. A better explanation involves human failure to protect our health.

The fact is that pollution is apparently a significant cause of dementia. Like cancer, brain problems are linked to human greed and a failure to use what God has given us as a tool for successful living. Reducing the flow of microplastics into the environment is going to be an uphill battle because cheap alternatives to plastics are not available. Meanwhile, more studies are needed on the connection between microplastics and dementia.

Reference: Nature Medicine at nature.com

May 23, 2025May 23, 2025

Male and Female Bodies are Different

“Failure to protect the female category in sports is one of the most egregious forms of violence against women and girls.” Those are the words of Reem Alsalem, the United Nations special rapporteur on violence against women and girls, who reported that female athletes have lost nearly 900 medals to males competing in the female category. The scientific fact is that the male and female bodies are different by design.

This website deals with evidence and promotes the concept that science and faith are friends, not enemies. Stating that since Genesis 1 says God made Eve from Adam’s rib, men and women are the same is a misunderstanding of the biblical message. We are all one spiritually, not physically. In Galatians 3:28, we read, “There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.” Obviously, that is not true physically, but it is true spiritually, so those who quote this passage to say that there should be unity in all sports are not understanding the Bible.

The fact is that male and female bodies are different by design. Males and females have different-sized muscles, pelvises, and skeletal structures. You will never see a female fullback in the NFL or a female center in the NBA. You will never see a male giving birth to a child, even if an embryo was in some way placed in a male.

This issue has become a political manipulation. The tragic end of medical techniques used to control hormones and surgically alter genitalia will become clear. Those who have had transgender medical procedures as children will realize that their life expectancies have been drastically reduced and their relationships terminated by a decision made when they were too young to understand the consequences.

Genesis 2:24 says, “A man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and they will become one flesh.” In Genesis 2:18, we read, “It is not good for man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him.” God created woman to do what man could not do on his own. Trying to change what God created will not work because male and female bodies are different by design. God intended the sexes to work together, fulfilling the roles He gave them.

Data from: “Faith and Justice” newsletter of Alliance Defending Freedom, February 2025, page 3.

May 20, 2025May 19, 2025

Our Pets Don’t Have Souls

Domestic animals make our lives full and sometimes are our best friends. Some people ask whether animals go to heaven, or say they won’t be happy in heaven if their pet isn’t there. Saying that our pets don’t have souls is very emotionally loaded.

I am an animal lover and have had eight dogs and three cats, all of which I loved dearly. I know what wonderful companions animals can be and how much they can enrich our lives. I also know that for some people, animals have been their primary link to sanity. People have called dogs “man’s best friend” because they don’t have the limitations of many humans. Animals trust, obey, remain faithful, are always truthful, always positive, always loving, and are always there. Our human relationships are likely to fail all these tests. Animals frequently serve as the needed equilibrium for people who have been hurt in their human relationships.

Please think carefully about the previous paragraph. It is a severe indictment of the Church. When I hear someone say that their dog is the only friend they have in the world, I know the Church has failed them. God intended for the Church to be the one force in our lives that would never let us down, but that has rarely been the case due to human weakness.

With those things in mind, the fact is that animals are not humans. The Bible makes it clear that humans are uniquely created in the image of God, giving us characteristics that animals don’t have. Our pets don’t have souls and are not the final answer to the isolation some of us feel.

When we are in heaven and no longer bound by time, will we be able to go back and revisit the animals that blessed our lives? I have no idea, but I believe our priorities and relationships will be different then. The Church often fails to support people who are hurt, isolated, lonely, and unfulfilled. I hope we will begin to do a better job of healing them with our love, compassion, and fellowship.

May 16, 2025May 13, 2025

Take It Easy and Live Longer

It’s an animal that can live for 500 years. The ocean quahog (Arctica islandica) is a clam native to the North Atlantic. They exemplify the slogan “Take it easy and live longer.”

The ocean quahogs living in deep, cold waters farther north live the longest. Those in the southern areas tend to have much shorter lives. Since these mollusks add one growth line to their shells each year, it’s possible to determine the age by counting the lines. The oldest reported specimen found in 2006 was 507 years old. That means this clam began its life shortly after Columbus discovered the Americas. Who knows how much longer it might have lived if it had escaped capture.

Ocean quahogs and a few other animals, such as tortoises, have a quality that scientists call “negligible senescence.” What that means is they don’t show signs of aging. Scientists are still trying to discover the factors that allow some animals to live long lives without apparent aging.

We suggest that one factor is obvious. “Take it easy and live longer” is demonstrated by the long-lived creatures with an unhurried and unstressed lifestyle. Perhaps we can learn something from that. The Creator had a reason for setting aside a time of rest.

May 13, 2025May 12, 2025

Questions About Life in Three Categories

Everyone is curious about the things we see in nature. Our posts here and on Facebook often concern animals, plants, and ecosystems. Most people looking at living creatures believe they see design and have questions about life in three categories.

The first category of questions, asked primarily by scientists or the scientifically minded, is, “How does it work?” We want to know how DNA determines the various traits of living things. We are curious about how green plants convert sunlight and carbon dioxide into energy to power their cells. How does a bat find its prey in the dark? How can an octopus control eight arms independently? The questions are numerous.

The second category is, “What is the purpose?” Atheist scientist Richard Dawkins stops after the “how” question to say, “Biology is the study of things that give the appearance of having been designed for a purpose.” But then he makes it very clear that he believes they are not designed and have no purpose. On the other hand, theologians look for a purpose. Since God created the world, He must have a purpose in mind.

Both scientists and theologians ask questions in the third category. They want to know, “How and when did this originate? How did the universe come into being? How did life come from non-living chemicals? When did the first human life originate, and how?” For believers, the Bible gives us basic answers to those questions. However, since the Bible is not a science textbook, it leaves many questions unanswered. That is where science can find answers.

Looking at questions about life in three categories, the third category is very contentious because scientists and believers disagree. I mean that unbelieving scientists disagree with believers and vice versa. But also, scientists disagree with other scientists, and believers disagree with other believers. The curious thing is that in recent years, scientists have resolved some of their disagreements. Those who once insisted that the universe was eternal have been forced to accept the evidence of a cosmic beginning about 13.8 billion years ago.

Believers, however, continue to argue about young-earth and old-earth theology. All believers need to accept the fact that the Bible does not tell us when the universe began or when Adam and Eve lived. As Christians, we must let the Bible speak where it speaks and allow science to speak where it speaks. Of the questions about life in three categories, the most important for believers to examine falls into the second category. “What is the purpose of life?” That is a question the Bible clearly answers. For example, read Romans 12:1-2, Romans 6:22, and Ephesians 3:10-12.

May 7, 2025May 28, 2025

Evidence for Design in Nature

On our websites, we often talk about evidence for design in nature. When average people see the amazingly organized structures in living organisms, they can’t help but feel that they must be designed. Even Richard Dawkins, the evolutionist best known for his worldwide atheism campaign, said that living systems “give the appearance of having been designed for a purpose” (The Blind Watchmaker, page 1). Of course, he adds that it is only an illusion. Atheist Francis Crick, who with James Watson, discovered the helical structure of DNA, warned biologists that they must “constantly keep in mind that what they see was not designed, but rather evolved” (What Mad Pursuit, page 138).

The intuition of design is nothing new. Plato and Aristotle saw evidence for design in nature and thought there must be a mind behind it. Of course, they could not know about the information-rich DNA molecule and the intricate structures within every living cell. They didn’t even know about cells. Even Charles Darwin thought that cells were just jelly-like protoplasm. He had no idea that there are machines, transportation vehicles, gates, duplicators, inspectors, and trash collectors within the cell wall in a city-like structure.

The more we learn about the inner workings of living things, the more we see design evidence not even imagined in previous years. Every living cell has a DNA molecule containing the instructions for building the proteins and structures required for that living creature. Computer pioneer Bill Gates wrote, “DNA is like a computer program, but far, far more advanced than any software ever created” (The Road Ahead, page 188). Even Richard Dawkins wrote, “The machine code in the genes is uncannily computer-like” (River Out of Eden, page 17).

Is there evidence for design in nature? Let me ask another question. Has any computer program ever created itself by chance, or did an intelligent mind write it? Apply that thought to the living things you see every day.