Evidence for God in Life Design Archives

July 2, 2025July 1, 2025

A Salamander’s Toes

A fascinating mystery in the natural world is how various forms of life can adhere to vertical or inverted surfaces. A recent report by researchers at Washington State University explains how a salamander’s toes allow it to climb, jump, and glide from limb to limb in the forests from California to British Columbia. The wandering salamander (Aneides vagrans) in this study can control the blood flow to its square-shaped toes.

The toes of these salamanders have blood vessels all the way to the tips. They can control the blood flow in the vessels to expand or contract the surface area of the toes. In this way, these salamanders can attach or detach from tree surfaces. They can release from one limb, glide to another, and instantly attach as they wander through the coastal redwood forests.

Everywhere we look in the natural world, we see that a wonder-working hand has gone before. Many special adaptations in living things enable them to live in challenging environments. God has endowed each living creature with the features necessary to survive and adapt to changing environments. This mechanism in a salamander’s toes could inspire human innovators in the areas of prosthetics and robotics.

References: Discover magazine for July 2025, page 10, and the Journal of Morphology for January 2025

July 1, 2025June 30, 2025

Evolution Nonsense and the Scopes Anniversary

A century ago, in July of 1925, John Scopes was tried in Dayton, Tennessee. He was accused of teaching human evolution in a public school in defiance of a Tennessee law. One hundred years later, there is still no intelligent approach to the issue of teaching evolution. Instead, skeptics and atheists have used evolution as a club against the Bible and Christianity in general. At the same time, poorly informed religious figures have said foolish things about evolution, leading many well-educated young people to assume that belief in God is a barbaric relic of the past. Both sides are guilty of spreading evolution nonsense.

The fact is that everyone believes in evolution. Evolution is defined as “change over time,” and God has built into all life the ability to change and adapt to environmental situations. With the intelligent guidance of horticulturalists, crop plants and farm animals have changed to provide food for humanity. Any farmer can tell you how selective breeding and hybridization provide improvements in corn, grain, or animals. Look at the many varieties of dogs or cattle. God’s design of living things allows changes in animals and plants, enabling them to survive while also providing food to sustain a growing population.

A careful reading of the Genesis account can eliminate the evolution nonsense that creates a conflict between science and faith in the Bible. What separates humans from all other forms of life on our planet is not our physical bodies. The Bible tells us that the human body came from the dust of the Earth. All life is chemically the same. What separates humans from animals is that we are created in the image of God. The Bible uses the Hebrew word “bara” (create), uniquely referring to what God can do. It is used only three times in Genesis chapter one. The first instance is in verse one, referring to the cosmos. It is used in verse 21 when God created the first life. The final time is in verse 27, where it describes the creation of man and woman in the image of God. It is the spiritual makeup of humans, not our physical body, that makes us unique.

As the 100th anniversary of the Scopes trial approaches this month, major newspapers and magazines will publish articles ridiculing the Bible. We will be addressing this subject further, and we urge our readers to be informed and proactive in helping others avoid evolution nonsense, whether it comes from skeptics or religious figures. God calls us to a faith that is intelligent and discerning.

June 25, 2025June 24, 2025

Ptarmigan Camouflage Design

One of the most remarkable birds on the planet is the ptarmigan. Along with the snowshoe hare and the Arctic fox, the ptarmigan is a master of disguise. What these animals do is change from dark colors in the summer to totally white in the winter. When I was in Alaska, I saw these animals in the snow. Their coloration was as white as the snow itself, and the only thing you could see was a pair of eyes.

What is unique about the ptarmigan is that they seem to be aware of the importance of their coloration. The changeover from winter plumage to summer is a difficult time for a bird because of the danger of predation if they lose their camouflage. However, if they dropped all of their feathers, they would be unable to fly. What the ptarmigan does is seek out patches of mud and dirt and bathe itself so that its camouflage remains effective.

The question is how the ptarmigan knows to do this. With a brain the size of a pea, this bird could not reason and plan this camouflage behavior. The three species of ptarmigan (rock, willow, and white-tailed) were designed to be aware of their environment and themselves. Joe Jackson wrote in Alaska magazine, “This is a bird that’s hyperaware of what’s around it, and, we now know, hyperaware of itself.”

Trying to explain this astonishing behavior by chance is creative but not logical. It appears that an intelligence has designed a system that enables this bird to survive in a complex environment. We truly can “know there is a God through the things He has made” (Romans 1:20).

Reference: Joe Jackson writing in the July/August 2025 issue of Alaska magazine, page 44

June 24, 2025June 23, 2025

Sperm Cell Design for Reproduction

With the number of children born every day on planet Earth, it is easy to miss the complexities of human reproduction. All animal life on our planet radiates this complexity, and the sperm cell is the most complex of all the cells in the body. Science is still struggling to understand sperm cell design, but we are learning more about how it functions as technology opens doors that were previously unavailable.

The sperm cell has three parts: (1) The head, which contains a haploid nucleus carrying half the normal number of chromosomes. It also has an acrosome, which contains enzymes that enable it to penetrate the egg. (2) The middle, which is packed with mitochondria to provide energy for the sperm’s movement. (3) The tail (Flagellum), which allows the sperm to swim through the female reproductive system.

Sperm cells are also biconcave or disk-shaped, allowing them to absorb oxygen more quickly and rounded to flow easily through the tiny capillaries. Sperm cells can swim fast thanks to a tail, a streamlined shape, and a high concentration of energy-transferring mitochondria.

The sperm cell design is just half the story. The egg becomes concave at one spot, allowing a single sperm cell to complete fertilization. All animal life depends on this design. The mechanism by which this happens is not understood and is the subject of modern research. We take for granted the fact that animal life can reproduce, but the design that makes it possible speaks eloquently about the existence of God.

Reference: Wikipedia and Michigan State Genetics Course Notes.

June 23, 2025June 22, 2025

A Partial Solution for Invasive Species

The California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) has suggested a partial solution for invasive species: eat ‘em. Erin Huggins of the CDFW wrote, “Eating invasive species can help protect native wildlife by reducing their numbers and limiting the damage they cause to ecosystems.”

The nutria is an invasive species causing problems in 18 states, particularly in California. These rodents are native to South America but were initially introduced into the United States for the fur trade. Officials thought they had eradicated them from California in the 1970s, but they began to reappear in 2017. Nutrias cause significant problems for farmers and livestock owners, as they eat vegetation right down to the root. Nutrias are even more omnivorous than goats, so they are more destructive.

This is not the first time an invasive species has become an issue. In the 1970s, Asian Carp were introduced into ponds to control the growth of aquatic plants. Four East Asian species were introduced: silver carp, bighead carp, grass carp, and black carp. Some of these species would jump high out of the water when disturbed, creating a hazard for recreational boaters, and elaborate measures have been taken to keep them out of the Great Lakes.

Fish and wildlife officials are now advancing a partial solution for invasive species — making them a food source for humans. Even high-end restaurants now offer nutria and carp meat on their menu. Selling the public on this will take time. Consider that there was a time when Europeans shunned tomatoes, considering them to be poisonous.

The Bible has a good record of banning meat that would be hazardous for human consumption. A familiar prohibition of the Old Testament was against the eating of pork (Deuteronomy 14:8). The Israelites were also told not to eat anything that had already died or any bird or fish that could have eaten contaminated meat, such as vultures, owls, and falcons.

Strong evidence for the inspiration of the Bible is its accuracy in giving the ancient Israelites health guidelines that were far ahead of their time. We rely on science today to provide us with guidelines for healthy eating. A partial solution for invasive species might be to eat them, but a better solution is for humans to avoid upsetting the natural balance in God’s well-designed world.

Reference: “Rodent for Dinner” in The Guardian, March 6, 2025

June 20, 2025June 20, 2025

Bogong Moths and Stellar Migration

Since ancient times, humans have used the stars for navigation. So have various animals and migratory birds. Even some insects use the stars to guide their flights at night. For the first time, researchers have discovered that insects use the stars to guide their long-distance migrations. The insects are Bogong moths, native to Australia.

Researchers spent years studying the migration of Bogong moths. They wanted to know how a moth flying at night could journey 620 miles (1000 km) to a place it had never been before. After spending their summer in the cool, dark caves of the Australian Alps, every autumn, they travel to their breeding grounds in the Australian bush.

Since Bogong moths travel at night, they can’t navigate by the Sun. Past research has shown that birds, as well as some insects such as dung beetles, use Earth’s magnetic field to guide their flight. However, dung beetles travel only a few meters, not 1000 kilometers. Researchers sought to understand how Bogong moths navigate their way.

Researchers captured some Bogong moths and placed them in a planetarium-like flight simulator that blocked Earth’s magnetic field, allowing the moths to navigate by eyesight alone. The research concludes that the moths use the stars to guide them.

These moths aestivate (remain dormant) during the hot summer, huddling tightly together on cave walls or dark crevices, and migrate in the cooler weather to eat and reproduce. What is the purpose of these moths and their stellar migration? They nourish various predators in Australia. Many birds rely on them for food. Additionally, mammals, particularly pygmy possums, depend on them. Even Australian aborigines have feasted on Bogong moths.

We have described long migrations by butterflies, including monarchs and painted ladies. However, butterflies are active during the day, but moths fly at night. Bogong moths are the first insects known to migrate long distances at night using the stars for guidance. Is the remarkable migration of the Bogong moths merely an accident, or is it another essential part of an incredibly complex, designed system of life?

References: space.com, the journal Nature, and Wikipedia

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