Evidence for God in Life Design Archives - Page 12 of 127

November 22, 2023November 26, 2023

Biological Complexity in Living Organisms

Those who advocate for naturalistic evolution have a problem. Well, they have more than one, but this one is a math problem. In a publication on the National Institutes of Health’s Pub Med website, Alexei A. Sharov presents a dilemma for evolutionists. Simply stated, the size of the genome indicates biological complexity in living organisms, while macro-evolution requires exponential growth to achieve that biological complexity.

Perhaps this will be easier to understand if we relate it to Moore’s Law in semiconductor technology. In 1965, Gordon Moore of Fairchild Semiconductors and Intel projected that the number of components in each integrated circuit would double yearly. In 1975, the prediction was revised to every two years. It took on the quality of a “law” as the semiconductor industry used it as their target for planning production. Moore’s Law has led to technological changes that produced economic growth and social change. The point is that doubling the complexity of electronic technology means a logarithmic increase in versatility, as we have seen over the years.

Alexei Sharov applied that principle to evolution based on the exponential growth in biological complexity. Using the exponential increase in biological complexity in living organisms as a guide, it is possible to go backward in evolutionary time to see when life began. If the exponential hypothesis is true, tracing back in time, the origin of life would have been ten billion years ago. That is how long it would take for the genome to evolve to its present complexity in mammals. No evolutionist or other scientist believes our planet is that old. That presents a math problem for naturalistic evolution.

So, what do Sharov and others propose as the solution? They call it “panspermia,” meaning that life came to Earth from outer space. Nobel Prize winners Fred Hoyle and Francis Crick were advocates for panspermia. However, most evolutionary scientists reject it. Perhaps there is a better way to explain the fact that naturalistic evolution does not fit into Earth’s timeline. The solution, soundly rejected by Hoyle and Crick, is the idea of a Creator outside of time and space who designed the universe and life and put us on this planet for a purpose.

References: “Genome increase as a clock for the origin and evolution of life” on Pub Med, National Library of Medicine, National Center for Biotechnology Information, National Institutes of Health, and Wikipedia

November 21, 2023November 21, 2023

Afraid of the Facts

We should never be afraid of the facts when they are accurately presented. U.S. President John Adams said, “Facts are stubborn things; and whatever may be our wishes, our inclinations, or the dictates of our passion, they cannot alter the state of facts and evidence.”

Last week, we looked at James Tour’s challenge to the leading origin-of-life scientists. None of them were willing to address even one of the five roadblocks to abiogenesis that he presented. The fact is that the study of abiogenesis, the origin of life from non-living matter, has progressed very little in the last 70 years. Science has found many barriers to abiogenesis since the Miller-Urey experiment of the early 1950s.

Quora is a social media question-and-answer website where people post questions and others respond with answers. A recent questioner asked, “Are scientists terrified of abiogenesis?” A person who said he was “45 years a physician” answered that he was not afraid of abiogenesis. Part of the response from the “physician” was:

“Abiogenesis is a process that occurred at least once in the history of the earth, and that single event (or handful of events) may have left no traces at all. The steps in abiogenesis were probably a series of unknown physical and chemical steps. So, the process may never be known.”

Saying that “unknown physical and chemical steps” in a “process may never be known” is a vague answer. He seems to be saying, “I’m not going to worry about that because it scares me.” As I said, people should never be afraid of the facts.

Genesis chapter one uses the Hebrew word “bara,” which is always used to describe something that only God can do. Verse one describes God creating the heavens and Earth out of nothing. Verse 21 uses that word again to describe the creation of the first animal life. Between those verses, the term “made” (Hebrew “asah”) or the words “let there be” describe God’s work.

Science has made significant progress in understanding the processes described by “made” and “let there be.” In some cases, scientists have even duplicated those processes in laboratories or particle accelerators. However, understanding how God created everything from nothing or life from non-living matter is beyond what science has accomplished or perhaps will ever understand. Christians should never be afraid of the facts because they point to a creator God.

November 20, 2023November 20, 2023

World of Life Beneath the Soil

An unknown world of life lurks beneath our feet, and we should be thankful that it does. A research report in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS) says that approximately 59% of all living species on Earth live in the soil. Because there are so many organisms living there and they are generally out of sight, scientists don’t know how many species exist in the world of life beneath the soil.

According to the report by Diana Wall of Colorado State University, Fort Collins, soil organisms support life above the soil in many ways. They make it possible for us to grow food, and they break down organic waste. We often think of earthworms, but there are also many smaller worm species. We seldom see various insects that spend their lives in the soil. However, we do see insects that live much of their lives under the ground as well as above. Those include ants, springtails, woodlice, and millipedes. We often think of some animals that live in the soil as pests, such as termites and nematodes. However, they serve the purpose of breaking down organic materials, helping to keep the world from filling up with waste.

Plants also live in the world of life beneath the soil. For example, fungi do not use photosynthesis like green plants, so they can survive in the darkness. Subterranean life forms include the least familiar amphibians, the caecilians, whose name means “blind ones.” Naked mole-rats live underground, and many other mammals spend at least part of their lives in subterranean darkness.

According to the report in PNAS, “soil is the most biodiverse singular habitat.” We don’t often think of the world of life beneath the soil, but we should thank God that He thought of it. Subterranean life makes it possible for life above ground to thrive and prosper. We see this incredible web of life as evidence of design.

Reference: pnas.org

November 14, 2023November 13, 2023

James Tour Challenge

How did non-living chemicals become living plants and animals? Origin of life research has been the focus of countless hours and vast expenditures by expert scientists for the last 70-plus years. The results have been, well, unremarkable. Chemist Dr. James Tour of Rice University issued a 60-day challenge. The James Tour challenge to the leading origin-of-life researchers called for them to show what progress they have made in 70 years.

Dr. Tour points out that there are five major hurdles that the origin-of-life scientists must clear. They are the fundamental problems that stand in the way of life originating from non-life (abiogenesis). In simplified form, they are:

Linking amino acids into chains
Linking nucleotides into RNA molecules
Linking simple sugars into chains
The origin of biological information
The assembly of all components into a cell

YouTubers are claiming that scientists have completely solved these obstacles to abiogenesis. If that is true, Tour challenged the leading origin-of-life researchers to verify and explain it. The James Tour challenge gave them 60 days to put up their evidence. Dr. Tour said if they could show that they have solved even one of those problems, he would shut up about the issue.

The James Tour 60-day challenge expired at the end of October 2023. Not one scientist could meet his challenge. In other words, in 70 years of research, no progress has been made on any of the major roadblocks to non-living matter becoming a primitive living cell.

If brilliant scientists with the best equipment and modern laboratories ever manage to produce life from basic elements, what will they prove? They will not show that life can originate by unguided accidents. They will have demonstrated that an intelligent being can create life from non-living matter. That is what the Bible has said for thousands of years.

References:

Evolution News report on the James Tour challenge.

James Tour’s Put Up and I’ll Shut Up challenge.

James Tour debates a YouTuber who claims science has solved all origin-of-life problems.

James Tour mentioned in “Scientists and God” in our quarterly publication.

Creating life in the laboratory.

November 6, 2023November 5, 2023

Witch Hazel Howitzer

Plants use an incredible variety of methods to distribute their seeds. Witch hazel shrubs use one of the most impressive methods. Rather than relying on birds, animals, wind, or flowing water, witch hazels shoot their seeds. The system is so well-designed that in half a millisecond, the seeds shoot out of their pod at speeds up to 30 feet per second. This method had been described as a witch hazel howitzer.

The U.S. National Science Foundation supported researchers at Duke University in a study of the incredible method witch hazels use to scatter their seeds. The researchers studied various species of witch hazels, including those that have seeds lighter than a grain of rice and others ten times that weight. Their research shows that all species they studied sent seeds flying at the same velocities regardless of the seed’s mass.

The way this system works is that the woody seed pod dries out and deforms in a way that squeezes the seeds. The pressure builds until it pops, sending the seed flying. The director of the study, Justin Jorge, says it is like squeezing a watermelon seed between your fingers until it shoots out. The force built up by the witch hazel is enough to send seeds over large distances, allowing this plant to reproduce in a forest without the help of wind, birds, or running water.

We see design in the witch hazel’s seed dispersion method, and it reminds us of Romans 1:20, which says we can know there is a God by looking at the things He has made. We see that evidence in the vast variety of ways plants reproduce. We see plant seeds transported by wind. Some plants produce a fruit that birds or land animals eat, but the seeds pass unharmed through the animal’s digestive system. Some plants have seeds that stick to the fur of animals, and some animals intentionally bury seeds. Others attach a small nugget of nourishment for ants. The ants eat the food and discard the seeds far from where they found them. When none of these options are available, God has built plants that propel their seeds over a wide area, like a witch hazel howitzer.

References: The National Science Foundation Research News for October 10, 2023, and Journal of the Royal Society Interface August 23, 2023.

November 2, 2023October 31, 2023

The First Month of Human Development

When the sperm meets the egg, a human cell is produced. From this single cell, a human body is built, containing over 30 trillion cells. How does that happen? Science really has no answer to that question. Dr. Jacob Hanna at the Weizmann Institute of Science refers to this stage of human development as a “black box.” Most of the research on embryo development has been done on mice, rabbits, chickens, and frogs. What happens during the first month of human development remains largely unknown.

Understanding what goes on during the first month of human development would help in dealing with miscarriages, congenital birth defects, and the side effects of medications taken during pregnancy. Dr. Hanna and other researchers have built a group of cells that act like an embryo but can’t grow into a fetus. This group contains the cell types that are essential for an embryo’s development, including the placenta, yolk sac, and outer membrane. This is all before any organs are formed, and takes about eight days.

Dr. Hanna does his research without using fertilized eggs or anything derived from aborted babies. Scientists are already using these stem cell models taken from adult skin cells. This work could have addressed some problems of the past, such as the drug thalidomide, which was used as a treatment for morning sickness and was found to cause birth defects.

The complexity of the changes taking place during the first month of human development speaks of the wisdom and design that has produced all humans. We are very different from the animals that make up the world around us. The difference becomes evident as we study the development of a fetus from the single cell that started the process.

Many years ago, the writer of Psalms 139:13-14 reflected on this as he said, “For you created my inmost being: you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I will praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.”

Reference: CNN Wonder Theory Science Newsletter for October 26, 2023, by Katie Hunt.

October 31, 2023October 30, 2023

Neanderthals and the Bible

In 1856, workers in Neander Valley near Dusseldorf, Germany, discovered a cave containing human bones that were different from modern humans. Scientists gave those bones the name Neanderthal, which means “Valley of the New Man.” We have written about this before (such as HERE, HERE, and HERE), but how can we reconcile Neanderthals and the Bible?

Since that first discovery, anthropologists have found Neanderthal remains throughout Europe and elsewhere. Neanderthals had large brains, thick bones, and muscle attachments, indicating high strength. The age of these specimens is much greater than any written human communication. They lived a nomadic lifestyle and dwelled in caves and natural shelters. They did not have cities or build sophisticated structures, but recent studies show intelligent behavior, including mastering fire for cooking, controlling animals, and providing warmth.

Genetic studies show that modern humans had Neanderthal ancestors. Some writers claim that Neanderthals were humans physically but had no soul and, thus, no spiritual awareness. That raises the question of how Neanderthals connect with Adam in Genesis 1 and 2. Those who promote theistic evolution say that ape-like hominoids evolved. Then, when these individuals reached a certain level, God infused them with a soul and called them “Adam,” Hebrew for “of the ground.” Some claim that Cain encountered Neanderthals in the area that Cain was banished to in Genesis 4:14 and following.

The point is that rather than deny that Neanderthals existed, we need to realize that there are many possible ways to reconcile Neanderthals and the Bible account of Adam and Eve. As scientists make more discoveries, the picture may become more evident. Meanwhile, we know the biblical account is valid and not at odds with findings about human history.

References: The Naked Neanderthal by Ludovic Slimak and wikipedia.org

October 30, 2023December 28, 2023

Transplanting Animal Organs into Humans

On September 20, 2023, Lawrence Faucette had a pig’s heart transplanted into his body to replace his own heart, which was in total failure. Xenotransplants, transplanting animal organs into humans, have been tried in the past, but the patient’s immune system destroyed the transplanted organ. Faucette’s animal heart came from a pig that was genetically modified to make it more human-like. After a month, there has been no sign of rejection, and Faucette is in physical therapy. The medical science community is interested in xenotransplants because there is a massive shortage of human organs for transplantation. (Update: Unfortunately, Mr. Faucette passed away on October 30, 2023.)

Many people have questioned the religious implications of xenotransplants. Various Bible passages speak of the human heart but not the physical organ. The Old Testament uses the Hebrew word for “heart” 851 times, primarily referring to the mind of an individual. There are a few cases, like Absalom in 2 Samuel 18:14, Nabal in 1 Samuel 25:37, and Joram in 2 Kings 9:24, where the physical heart is intended. In the New Testament, when Jesus talks about the “pure in heart” in Mathew 5:8 or refers to hard hearts, as in Mark 3:5, these are clearly not references to the physical heart.

The bottom line is that God is not primarily concerned with the physical organ but with our thinking, attitude, compassion, and capacity to love and serve. What happens to a person’s body is that it will eventually return to the Earth from which it came. Abraham said in Genesis 18:27, “I am but dust and ashes.” Solomon wrote in Ecclesiastes 12:7, “Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was: and the spirit shall return to God who gave it.” The psalmist wrote, “we are dust” (Psalms 103:14), and we “die and return to the dust “(Psalms 104:29).

Doctors have used valves from pig hearts for a long time, with great benefits for those who receive them. Understanding God’s design and creative wisdom opens the door for transplanting animal organs into humans, providing ways to make a human’s short tenure on Earth more pleasant. However, it is ultimately our soul and relationship with God that is of primary concern. Jesus made that abundantly clear when He said, “Do not fear those who kill the body but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both body and soul in hell” (Matthew 10:28).

References: USA Today and scientificamerican.com

October 26, 2023October 25, 2023

Is Moderate Drinking Good for You?

Have you seen media reports claiming that alcohol is good for you? It turns out that the studies that led to those headlines were severely distorted by poor sampling. Those studies linked all nondrinkers together and called them all “abstainers.” Some of them were recovered alcoholics who had quit drinking. Others were non-drinking substance abusers or those suffering from chronic illnesses. Meanwhile, the “moderate drinkers” in the study could include those who ate healthy and exercised. More balanced modern studies answer “Is moderate drinking good for you?” with a “NO!”

Based on more non-biased studies, by 2022, the World Heart Federation stated that alcohol did not protect people from cardiovascular diseases. The World Health Organization (WHO) has now stated that any amount of alcohol is dangerous. U.S. and Canadian authorities have lowered their definitions of “moderate-risk drinking.” A growing body of research says that any amount of alcohol raises the chance of premature death from various causes. Here is what is now known:

Half of all cases of liver disease are attributed to drinking.

Alcohol is a potent carcinogen because it breaks down in the body to form a compound called acetaldehyde, which damages DNA.

Fifteen percent of breast cancers are linked to alcohol.

In Europe, 50% of all cancers linked to alcohol are caused by “light” or “moderate” consumption.

The distressing thing about this is that young people are bombarded with messages and music glamorizing drinking. Television shows encourage drinking by showing a glamorous picture of people drinking alcohol. The health damage and risks from alcohol consumption are not presented to young people in any educationally sound manner.

Biblical teaching tells us that the body is the temple of God’s Spirit and must be cared for and protected (1 Corinthians 3:16). The Church should lead in education, especially with teens and young adults. So far, that has not happened, and the whole basis for not drinking is frequently lost in discussions about “moderation.” Is moderate drinking good for you? No, and beyond that, “There is no safe amount that does not affect health” (WHO).

Reference: Scientific American for October 2023

October 23, 2023October 22, 2023

Incredible Color in Birds and Trees

One of the great mysteries of living things is the presence of beauty. If your faith is “survival of the fittest,” you have no explanation for beauty. Things in the natural world often radiate incredible beauty that has no survival benefit or even threatens survival. The incredible color in birds and trees provides a classic example. Some birds have gorgeous colors that can make them vulnerable to predators.

Here in Michigan, we are witnessing another example of beauty with no survival value but seems designed for humans to enjoy. The green color we see in plants is due to chlorophyll, which allows plants to use photosynthesis. There are two kinds of chlorophyll molecules called chlorophyll A and chlorophyll B. Chlorophyll A absorbs blue light, and chlorophyll B absorbs red light. Green light is the highest energy of sunlight reaching Earth’s surface. Plants are green because the green light radiation is reflected away to protect the plants. In the fall of the year, the chlorophyll in the leaves is removed, and we see the remaining colors.

These facts explain why trees are green and the wisdom in the green color of chlorophyll. But why do the leaves have different colors when the chlorophyll is removed? In our area, the first fall colors that appear are the reds of sumac and poison ivy. Depending on the variety, maple trees have various colors of red, orange, and yellow. We also have multiple birch tree varieties, each with different fall colors.

Why should there be different colors we can’t see until the chlorophyll is gone? The chemistry that creates these colors is very complex. From an evolutionary view, all trees would have the one pigment that advances survival, but that is not the case. The picture gets even more complicated when we consider plants that never see sunlight, such as ferns and various grasses.

As we enjoy the incredible color in birds and trees, we can see beauty for the spiritual value it offers and the joy it brings. That is because we are created in the image of God, the creator of beauty.

For a detailed discussion of chlorophyll, see Wikipedia.