Evidence for God in Life Design Archives - Page 4 of 128

September 30, 2024September 29, 2024

Caterpillars Appear to Be Defenseless

Most of us know that caterpillars are a significant part of life on our planet. They are a stage in many insects’ lives and a substantial food for many other life forms. Most caterpillars appear defenseless, so you might assume they are in danger of being wiped out, meaning there would be no more butterflies and moths.

Some caterpillars, such as those for monarch butterflies, have a poison defense. However, recent research has shown that caterpillars are not as helpless as we might think. They are designed with a defense mechanism called “electroreception,” which allows them to avoid being eaten by predator wasps.

The caterpillar can use the bristles that cover its body to detect the faint electric field generated by the wasp’s wing beats. Once it detects the presence of a wasp, the caterpillar assumes a defensive mode. It may remain coiled up with the bristles facing outward or even enter a biting defense.

Electroreception is common in aquatic animals, but this is the first time this predator-prey interaction has been recorded in land creatures. While most caterpillars appear to be defenseless, like all living things, they are carefully designed to have what they need to survive and prosper.

— John N. Clayton © 2024
Reference: “Warning Charge” in Scientific American, October 2024, pages 16-17

September 26, 2024September 24, 2024

Reproductive System of Victoria Waterlilies

Yesterday, we looked at the amazing design and structure of Victoria amazonica waterlilies. Named after Queen Victoria of England and the Amazon River where they grow, the huge leaves of these plants are amazing, and their flowers are beautiful. However, I think the most impressive is the reproductive system of Victoria waterlilies.

We have to call this a system because it involves a particular beetle species and several steps. The flowers of this plant last about 48 hours, changing from white to pink and from female to male.

On the first day, all the flowers of a single patch open at the same time. They are white female flowers that present a sweet, fruity fragrance that attracts scarab beetles of the genus Cyclocephala. When darkness falls, the flowers stop producing the scent and close, trapping the beetles inside. The beetles transfer pollen picked up from a previously visited flower.

On the second day, the flowers receive anthocyanins turning them pink to show that they have been pollinated. As the flowers remain closed, the beetles are treated to a starchy and spongy treat that nourishes them. The flowers then open to release the beetles, and the stamens of the now male flower deposit pollen on the beetle. The flower then closes and descends below the water while the beetle carries the pollen to a white flower in another location, where the process repeats.

This reproductive system of Victoria waterlilies cross-pollinates the plants while preventing self-pollination, as the flowers are female one day and male the next. The beetles are treated to nourishment as they carry out the pollination. The system depends on a plant species and a beetle species working together according to a timed sequence. Could this have happened by an accident of evolution, or does it show design? We think design is the best explanation, and design demands a Designer.

— Roland Earnst © 2024
References: worldatlas.com and wikipedia.org

September 25, 2024September 24, 2024

Design and Structure of Victoria Waterlilies

If you were going to build a barrier between the atmosphere and the water in a pond or lake, what material would you use, and how would you construct it? The construction industry would probably use concrete or iron. The problem with these materials is that they are vulnerable to chemical degradation and changes in temperature. In recent years, we have seen bridges collapse after relatively short periods of existence. Bridge design is difficult because the atmosphere presents a different set of problems than those encountered in the underwater world. God has an answer to this issue, which we can see in looking at the design and structure of Victoria waterlilies.

In the Amazon River, the leaves of the Victoria amazonica waterlily can grow to 10 feet in diameter. These lilies have very large, flat green leaves that grow on the surface of the water. The submerged stalk can grow to 26 feet long at an inch per hour. For protection from underwater herbivores, the salk and leaf bottoms are covered with numerous small spines.

The very large leaves have a network of veins underneath that some have compared to “transverse girders and supports.” This lattice-like structure under the leaves allows the plant to hold air, giving the leaf great strength and buoyancy. If the weight is evenly distributed across one leaf, it can support hundreds of pounds.

Many times, people have copied the amazing designs we see in the natural world, and Victoria water lilies may be one example. You can see them in many botanical gardens in the United States and other countries. Everywhere we look, we see the wisdom and design of God in His creation. However, the most amazing thing about the Victoria amazonica waterlily is the system it uses to reproduce. We will look at that tomorrow.

— John N. Clayton © 2024
References: worldatlas.com and wikipedia.org

September 18, 2024September 17, 2024

Effects of THC on the Human Brain

The human brain is the most complex computer in the world. In one study trying to understand brain health and disease, scientists identified 3,313 different types of neurons in the brain, but there is much more to learn. Other studies have examined the effects of THC on the human brain. THC is the primary psychoactive chemical in marijuana (cannabis) plants.

One study of teen health in Australia and New Zealand dealt with the effects of THC on the human brain regarding depression and suicide. It showed that adolescents using cannabis were 2.5 times as likely to have depression and three times as likely to have suicidal ideas than those who did not use cannabis.

A study of adults who used cannabis daily showed there was five times the risk of psychosis compared to non-users. A Canadian study has shown that emergency department visits for cannabis syndrome increased by a factor of 13 between 2014 and 2021. Despite today’s concentrated cannabis products, science does not fully understand the effects of THC on the human brain, so users have become the test subjects.

Humans have long used breeding to increase desirable features in animals, such as dogs, and plants, such as corn. They have used the same methods on marijuana plants to increase the content of THC. The result is that today’s marijuana has a much more potent effect on the human brain. In 1995, the total THC by weight of marijuana was around 4%. Today it is 20% or more. Concentrated cannabis products can have THC content as high as 95%. Teen exposure to THC can lead to long-lasting problems with memory and learning. Use by teens is more likely to lead to addiction than adult use, and cannabis addiction is linked to schizophrenia.

Recreational drug use has a long history, but there is very little research available on the long-term effects of cannabis and the effects of THC on the human brain. The Christian concept of the human body as the dwelling place for God’s Spirit (1 Corinthians 3:16) advises against activities that harm our health. God speaks to us in verse 17, saying that if anyone defiles the temple of God (our body), there will be severe consequences. We are seeing that promise carried out in the adverse effects of cannabis use.

— John N. Clayton © 2024
References: “Transcriptomic diversity of cell types across the adult human brain” in the journal Science, and “The teen brain is especially susceptible to the harms of THC” in Science News magazine

September 17, 2024September 16, 2024

History of Life on Earth

Those who advocate for naturalism assume uniformitarianism – that no process has ever occurred on Earth that is not happening today. When researchers find a fossil, they assume that the preservation of that fossil was accomplished by the same natural processes that are preserving biological material today. In the past, some in the scientific community have challenged the discovery of an asteroid strike, which apparently caused the extinction of the dinosaurs. They rejected it because it would violate uniformitarianism. However, some discoveries don’t fit uniformitarianism, and various theories of the history of life on Earth change with new evidence.

Reconstruction of the chromosomes of a woolly mammoth found in Siberian permafrost has given new information. This animal was quickly freeze-dried, preserving the 3-D structure of ancient chromosomes containing DNA. Dehydrated chromatin was preserved in a unique state resembling the molecules in glass.

This remarkable find allowed scientists to determine that the woolly mammoth had 28 pairs of chromosomes. Modern elephants also have 28 chromosome pairs, so researchers can discover which genes regulating hair follicle development were active in key positions, explaining why the mammoths were woolly and modern elephants are not. This 52,000 year old specimen opens a whole new area of study of the history of life on Earth.

Another message of the discovery of this specimen is that it re-opens the discussion of whether uniformitarianism is a valid assumption to understand the history of life on Earth.

In our personal trips to Alaska, we have seen other specimens of animals frozen in the permafrost. In the 1970s, gold miners discovered frozen bison, one called Blue Babe, because of its staining from minerals in the area. This specimen was put on display in the University of Alaska Museum in 1979. It had claw marks, which were believed to be from a lion. In 2012, another bison specimen named Bison Bob was discovered, and other animals were found frozen in the same layers of permafrost.

The Bible tells us that events have happened in the past that are not uniformitarian. They are rare, but those events are a clear indicator that naturalism and uniformitarianism are not good assumptions in building an understanding of Earth’s history.

— John N. Clayton © 2024
References: “Woolly mammoth chromosomes reconstructed using fossilized sample,” The National Science Foundation, nsf.gov for July 12, 2024, and wikipedia.org

September 16, 2024September 15, 2024

Why Doesn’t the Bible Mention Dinosaurs?

The fossil evidence for the existence of dinosaurs is undeniable. Thousands of fossil remains exist, and no human remains have ever been found together with dinosaur fossils. You can go to various museums and see these fossils for yourself or go to this article to see how people dig up and assemble them. Then, if they actually existed, why doesn’t the Bible mention dinosaurs?

Remember that the Bible also does not mention bacteria, platypuses, penguins, parasites, or many other living things. It does not attempt to explain the creation of the millions of species of every living thing on Earth, even though people today want to know about them. However, the Bible was not written just for people living today but also for people living thousands of years ago without microscopes or global travel.

The Bible’s message is spiritual, not a physical history of life on Earth. Why doesn’t the Bible mention dinosaurs? Some people try to say that it does. The Hebrew “behemoth” in Job describes an animal known to Job that ate grass, had a tail like a cedar, and lay under shady trees (Job 40:15-24). None of those things apply to dinosaurs. The description of the “leviathan” of Job 41, Psalms 74:14, and 104:26 has nothing in common with what we know about dinosaurs.

What we do know about dinosaurs is that they were part of a very different ecosystem than what we have today. The world of the dinosaurs was hotter and had a different atmosphere. The time of the dinosaurs was perfect for plant growth, resulting in massive amounts of vegetation. We see the remains of that vegetation in coal and peat.

It is essential to understand that God used two methods to give us the world with the resources we have today. One method was the production of things by a miraculous act. Time, space, and matter/energy were created out of nothing by this method. Today, quantum mechanics helps us verify that. The Hebrew word “bara” describes this method and is correctly translated as “created” in Genesis 1 only in verses 1, 21, and 27.

The second method is to change what God had previously created. The Bible uses the Hebrew “asah” for that. You will find it in verses 7, 16, 25, and 31 of Genesis 1. Humans can locate resources such as coal and oil because God used this method. At the conclusion of the creation account, Genesis 2:3 tells us that He “rested from all His work which God created (bara) and made (asah).” Then why doesn’t the Bible mention dinosaurs? The Bible contains the story of God’s spiritual relationship to humans, and dinosaurs were part of God’s method of preparing the Earth for humans.

— John N. Clayton © 2024
References: “God’s Revelation In His Rocks and His Word” by John N. Clayton and “How to bring a 75-foot-long dinosaur back to life” in National Geographic

September 13, 2024September 12, 2024

Kakarraturls Swimming Through the Sand

Life in the desert has unique problems, requiring special plant and animal designs. Life forms, including worms, trees, grass, and insects, work together in non-desert environments. Who keeps the sand clean and aerated in a desert, allowing desert life forms to survive? Blind moles, known as Kakarraturls, swimming through the sand, spend almost their entire life beneath the dunes of Australia’s northern deserts.

Kakarraturls are very small, about four inches long, and weigh about an ounce. Their flipper-like front feet allow them to “swim” through the sand. Their oxygen requirements are small, so they can breathe the limited amount of air flowing between sand grains. They have silky golden fur to survive the cold temperatures of the desert while handling very hot conditions. Because they live underground, they have few predators. Since they are marsupials, they care for their young in a pouch. However, the pouch opens at the rear so it will not become filled by the kakarraturls swimming through the sand.

Every environment on Earth has a keystone species that allows it to sustain life. The desert is a very challenging environment, but the kakarraturl is designed to survive and maintain the quality of the desert sand. Just as our moles eat grubs and maintain the balance between worms and healthy vegetation above the ground, the kakarraturl also controls ants, beetles, and other insects by eating their larvae and pupae under the sand.

As scientists expand their research into remote areas where little has been mapped, they find unusual forms of life, such as the kakarraturls swimming through the sand. The design of our planet is not an accident. It is the handiwork of an intelligence that put much care into the creation of living things and diverse environments. The Bible tells us we can know there is a God through the things He has made, and the kakarraturl is another example of that.

September 12, 2024September 11, 2024

How a Delicate Root Can Penetrate Hard Rock

We have all seen plants growing through cracks in concrete or bedrock and wondered how a delicate root can penetrate hard rock. Recent research has shown that the root jackhammer process is highly complex.

In a paper published in the journal Current Biology, a group of researchers discovered some of the secrets of how a delicate root can penetrate hard rock. For one thing, the optimum angle for the root tip to attack is 90 degrees. Striking the hard object at a different angle could cause the root to deflect. A protein called OsAUX1 keeps the root tip pointed down.

Another way that roots are similar to a jackhammer is that the root hairs provide an anchor for the root, and OsAUX1 causes more root hairs to grow. If you have ever seen a worker using a jackhammer, you know that someone has to hold it tight, or it will bounce on the material’s surface instead of penetrating.

Another protein that helps explain how a delicate root can penetrate hard rock is PIEZO1. If the root continued to grow quickly when it contacts a rigid material, it would likely bend or break. PIEZO1 signals the root to slow down when it encounters a hard barrier. This “touch-sensitive” protein shows more engineering involved in root growth. In all, 14 proteins, plus genes, promoters, hormones, and tissues enable roots to perform their amazing stunts.

The importance of this design is Earth-shattering, or should we say rock-shattering. It explains how soil is produced in an area where rock dominates Earth’s surface, as in a lava flow or an intrusive rock like granite. The process is like a jackhammer in which root caps use weaknesses in the host rock to penetrate and break the rock into smaller pieces so plants can secure the nutrients they need.

Some plants in unusual environments don’t use roots in the same way. Plants living in ocean environments or along sand bars, such as mangroves, have a different process to sustain themselves. Air ferns and epiphytes don’t have the same kind of root system as a maple tree. The diversity of plant life and how each type of plant handles its environment is a great testimony to design and the wisdom of the Creator.

September 11, 2024September 10, 2024

The Green Darner Dragonfly Is a Mosquito Hawk

The green darner dragonfly (Anax junius) is common across North America and is the state insect of Washington. It is one of 5,000 dragonfly species but has some unique properties that make it a “mosquito hawk.”

The green darner dragonfly gets its name from its long, thin, needle-like body that resembles a darning needle. These dragonflies begin life as eggs in quiet, fresh water. The female attaches the eggs to plants underwater. She will drop them into shallow water if there are no plants available. Eventually, the eggs hatch into a nymph stage.

The green darner dragonfly can stay in the nymph stage for a few days or as long as four years until it attaches itself to a plant above water. Then, an adult dragonfly will emerge in a few days and leave behind the nymph skin, called the exuvia.

The adult dragonfly’s primary food is mosquitos, devouring vast numbers of them. The design of the green darner dragonfly’s two huge compound eyes consists of thousands of telescopic lenses, giving it a 360-degree field of view. It also has three simple eyes, which all work together. The individually powered wings are two inches long, allowing the insect to hover or travel in a straight line at roughly 10 miles per hour.

If weather becomes an issue, green darner dragonflies will migrate south, as monarch butterflies do, producing offspring in Mexico, the Caribbean, or the southern United States. Like monarch butterflies, the offspring of the green darner dragonflies will fly back to the north, but unlike monarchs, they eat vast numbers of mosquitoes as they travel.

These multi-generational insect migrations show system design. One generation does not live long enough to complete the migration, and the insects can’t teach their eggs and larvae what to do and where to go. The migrations benefit the balance of nature in the various ecosystems more than the insects themselves. Mere chance is not an adequate explanation. We suggest that the green darner dragonfly is another evidence of a Creator.

September 10, 2024September 9, 2024

Protecting Parasites from Extinction

We tend to view parasites as destructive, even repulsive, unwanted nuisances. However, scientists are finding that parasites often perform beneficial roles in the ecosystem. Some scientists think we should be protecting parasites from extinction.

Scientists are concerned that we have not studied the roles of parasites in maintaining a balanced ecosystem. For example, a parasite known as Toxoplasma gondii infects mice, causing them to lose their fear of cats. Cats have an acid in their gut that Toxoplasma gondii needs to reproduce, so the mouse is an intermediate host for the parasite to get into the cat. This appears to be a highly designed system in which a parasite controls the mouse population through cats.

Kayce Bell of the Los Angeles County Natural History Museum said, “If you remove something from an ecosystem, we cannot foresee what the consequences will be.” That is true of familiar plants and animals but may also be true of parasites. Moreover, it seems that some parasites keep other parasites under control. In 2020, scientists who study parasites published a paper in the journal Biological Conservation calling for protecting parasites from extinction, beginning with a study of what parasites exist.

Scientists estimate that 40% of all known animal species on Earth are parasites. The bottom line is that we don’t understand the role parasites play in the natural world. The fact that we don’t know what beneficial things parasites do is a challenge as we struggle to conserve ecosystems worldwide. Everywhere we look, we see a system design that testifies to a Designer.

— John N. Clayton © 2024
Reference: “The Problem with Parasites” in Discover magazine for September/October 2024, pages 21-28