Genesis 2:10-14 indicates that the “Garden of Eden” was located where four rivers flowed—the Pishon, Gihon, Tigris, and Euphrates. This region is called the “Fertile Crescent” by modern mapmakers and gets its name because of the rich soil that once supported abundant plant life, as the Bible states. In recent years, some anthropologists have claimed that humans originated in Africa, and detailed “trees” of human evolution are included in anthropology textbooks. By asserting that humans were created in Africa rather than Asia, this theory conflicts with the biblical account, leading many people to doubt the Bible’s accuracy. So, what is the truth about Adam’s origin?
As technology advances, two ancient skulls discovered in China have been reclassified, once again altering the anthropological understanding of human history. The Yunxian skulls initially labeled as Homo erectus are now identified as Homo longi because modern technology reveals they lack the traits of Homo erectus. In addition to Homo sapiens, there are two racial groups for human-like fossils—Neanderthals and Denisovans. The Denisovans are the older race, and the skulls found in China exhibit their features.
The biblical account of Adam’s origin is not at odds with this new information since the Bible does not specify a date for Adam and Eve. We do know that DNA evidence shows we are all related. “God has made of one blood all the nations that they should inhabit the whole Earth” (Acts 17:26).
Ten species of hammer orchids (genus Drakaea) are found only in Western Australia, and each is pollinated by a specific wasp species in the Thynnid family. Each orchid has a fake model of the pollinating wasp carefully placed to attract the real wasps. It sounds like a clever practical joke, but the hammer orchid has a “dummy” labellum on a stem attached to a hinge that only bends toward the orchid’s flower.
Of course, the dummy on the stem resembles a female thynnid wasp in size, shape, and color. At the right time for fertilization, the hammer orchid releases a pheromone that mimics the female wasp’s scent. Thynnid wasps are unusual because the female is flightless and waits on a stem or grass blade for a male wasp to carry her away to a food source for mating. When a male thynnid wasp falls for the trick and tries to carry away the dummy, a hinge throws him backward into the orchid, dusting him with pollen.
The humiliated male wasp then leaves and might be fooled by another hammer orchid, where he deposits the pollen he collected from the first flower. The male wasp might repeat this process several times (assuming he’s a slow learner), which is the only way the orchid gets pollinated. If the trick didn’t work, the hammer orchid would become extinct.
Consider all the things that must go right for this trick to succeed:
1. The orchid must produce a labellum that resembles the female wasp in size, color, and shape.
2. The male wasp must be programmed to grab a flightless female and carry her away as part of the mating ritual.
3. The orchid must produce the right complex chemical pheromone to mimic the female wasp at just the right time to attract the male.
4. The hinge must move in the right direction and not be too weak or too stiff.
5. The stem from the hinge to the dummy wasp must be exactly the right length to coat the male wasp with pollen.
6. The male wasp must not be clever enough to learn from his mistakes.
Could the unique design of the hammer orchid have happened by chance, or is design a better explanation? Could it also be that the Designer has a sense of humor?
Researchers at the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute announced the discovery of a new deep-sea snailfish species called the bumpy snailfish (Careproctus colliculi). This fish lives over 10,000 feet below the ocean’s surface and exhibits traits never seen before in the snailfish family.
Other deep-ocean snailfish are sleek and dark-colored, which helps them catch prey and blend into the dark waters. The bumpy snailfish is pink, with a large head and a body covered in bumps. These bumps are gelatinous, watery tissue that may help keep the fish buoyant under the high pressures of the deep sea.
Evolutionary explanations for how the bumpy snailfish came to be are unclear because its traits do not seem to increase its chances of survival but may instead make it more vulnerable to predators. Like all living things, it occupies a specific niche in the ecosystem. Dr. Mackenzie Gerringer, who analyzed the species in detail, said the discovery of this and two other species “is a reminder of how much we have yet to learn about life on Earth.”
As scientists develop new tools for deep-sea exploration, they continue to find life forms in every environment on our planet. Everywhere we look, we see a design in life that hints at an intelligent Creator who made Earth a living, dynamic place for humans. The truth of Romans 1:20, which states that we can know there is a God through the things He has made, appears more obvious today than ever in human history.
A fascinating question that marine scientists have explored is fish communication. Finding a mate, locating food sources, and defending territory are challenges all animals face. Terrestrial animals solve this problem by pushing air through their lungs, with different land animals having various designs to do this. Birds and lions produce sounds for communication differently, but both systems involve air in some form. So, the question is, how do fish communicate?
Researchers from Cornell University placed equipment in the ocean off Hawaii and Curacao to study this question and found that each fish species has its own method for communicating with others. Triggerfish slap their pectoral fins on specialized scales. Glasseye snappers rattle their swim bladders. Blackbar soldierfish use sonic muscles to vibrate their ribs. Aaron Rice, who was the project manager for Cornell, states that the “sounds lack the elegance of birdsong, but they are significantly more diverse.”
The more scientists learn about life on our planet, the more varieties of specialized designs they observe everywhere on Earth. Explaining the origin of things like fish communication as a chance occurrence in the distant past pushes credibility too far. Seeing these as outcomes of design is an example of intelligent purpose, allowing a vast diversity of life forms to exist.
Beginning in 1987, a new glass and metal structure began to rise in the desert near Oracle, Arizona. In 1991, it opened as the world’s largest closed ecological system. It was called “Biosphere 2” because planet Earth is “Biosphere 1.” The idea behind the project was to test whether a closed system could support human life on another planet. This marked the start of a two-year mission in which eight people were isolated inside this artificial biosphere to simulate life on a space colony.
The experiment in Biosphere 2 ran from 1991 to 1993 with only limited success. It was attempted again for six months in 1994. Both attempts encountered technical issues and the strain of human group dynamics. Additionally, during the second try, the company managing the experiment was dissolved, leaving the project in limbo. Initially, Columbia University took control of the facility and used it for scientific research until 2003. When it seemed Biosphere 2 might be demolished for urban development, the University of Arizona (UA) took over in 2007 and gained full ownership in 2011.
Today, about 100,000 tourists visit Biosphere 2 each year while UA continues to conduct experiments there. One of the experimental areas is the Landscape Evolution Observatory (LEO). It consists of three artificial landscapes, each measuring 30 by 11 meters with a 4-meter depth of crushed basalt rock from a volcanic crater in northern Arizona. The scientists aim to observe how these landscapes change “from purely mineral and abiotic substrate to living, breathing landscapes that will ultimately support microbial and vascular plant communities” (UA’s words).
I wonder how the researchers could be sure that the one million pounds of basalt from a volcanic crater could be “abiotic,” meaning free of any life forms. However, if microbes or seeds are present, I believe the landscapes will “evolve.” The key is that for any life to develop, it must already be there. Evolution is change over time, but the development of life requires initial life to exist.
The UA scientists explain that the evolution of cyanobacteria—the first microscopic organisms to use photosynthesis—pumped oxygen into the atmosphere, facilitating the development of aerobic life. This paved the way for multicellular life, an ozone layer to shield life from harmful ultraviolet radiation, and weathering to break down rocks into soil.
Considering the history of Biosphere 2, I doubt it will be around—or that the scientists will be—long enough to observe significant evolution. It takes time for rocks to break down into soil. They describe the “process of primary succession,” where simple microbes expand into organisms of increasing “complexity and biodiversity.” The researchers state that photosynthesizing cyanobacteria will capture nitrogen from the air, preparing the way for mosses to grow. The next step involves “colonization by larger plants with roots,” and the primary succession continues.
Long before Biosphere 2, Genesis 1:11-12 details the process of primary succession: “And God said, Let the earth bring forth grass” (Hebrew deshe, meaning tender grass such as lichen or algae), “the herb yielding seed” (Hebrew eseb, meaning naked seed or gymnosperm), “and the tree yielding fruit” (Hebrew ets, meaning tree, wood, or timber). The process of primary succession then continues. (For more on this, see John N. Clayton’s booklet “God’s Revelation in His Rocks and His Word.”)
As the UA scientists describe in their explanation of LEO, “The Earth system consisting of air, water, soil, plants, and microbes is a complex, interacting system.” And so it is, as God revealed to Moses thousands of years ago. Complex, interacting systems require an intelligent Designer.
In many regions, apple snails are considered an invasive species and pest. However, scientists are studying one freshwater species, the golden apple snail (Pomacea canaliculata), for its unique ability to regenerate a lost eye. Researchers hope to learn from the eyes of golden apple snails something that could have potential applications in preserving human vision.
Apple snails have eyes that resemble cameras, similar to human eyes. A golden apple snail’s eye can heal itself if damaged. If the eye is completely removed, a new eye will grow back in less than a month. Of course, human eyes cannot do that. Researchers studying the eyes of golden apple snails hope to find new ways to treat human eye injuries or diseases like macular degeneration.
By using the gene editing toolCRISPR/Cas9 to disable certain genes, scientists are searching for the genes responsible for the snail’s remarkable eye recovery. Disabling the snails’ PAX6 gene prevented them from developing eyes. That same gene is crucial for human eyes. Due to the similarity, further research may lead to new breakthroughs in treating eye diseases.
Humans cannot regrow damaged parts of the eye, and doctors have yet to perform an eye transplant that communicates with the brain. God has given humans curiosity and intelligence to explore life’s mysteries. In the eyes of golden apple snails, He has provided us with a model to study and potentially learn how to restore lost or damaged vision.
Biogenesis is the process of reproduction—life giving birth to new life through natural means. Abiogenesis is the origin of life from non-living matter, the concept that life originated from non-life. It’s an undisputed fact that life began to exist. Equally undeniable is the fact that the universe also began to exist. Therefore, we are presented with two scientifically accepted facts: 1-The non-living matter in the universe came into existence. 2-Life began to exist. Explaining the existence of life remains a challenge that science has yet to overcome.
Since we know the universe had a beginning, life on Earth cannot be explained simply by claiming it was seeded by aliens from another galaxy (panspermia). Their galaxy would have had a beginning too, so how did their life originate? The theory of panspermia merely pushes the question farther back.
The idea that non-living elements spontaneously combined into organic molecules, which then organized into living cells by random chance, is hard to believe and even harder to prove. Many brilliant minds have tried to explain life in this way. Evolution does not account for the origin of life; it only attempts to explain the development and diversity of life that already existed.
It is not a “god-of-the-gaps” argument when we suggest that the best explanation for abiogenesis is that an Intelligence acted upon non-living matter, imparting information (DNA) and organization beyond human understanding. This Intelligence would have to exist outside of the time dimension we live in—without beginning or end and without physical limitations—to explain the existence of life and the creation of time, space, matter, and energy. Such an intelligent Being could also take the form of a man to enter time and space and restore lost creatures to Himself. That is clearly what the Bible describes. (See John 1:1-17.)
Human engineers often draw inspiration from the natural world. When they adapt these designs for human use, it’s called biomimicry. Shark-skin biomimicry utilizes the design principles that enable sharks to move smoothly and quickly through water, applying them for industrial and practical purposes.
In addition to its body shape, a shark’s ability to swim swiftly and quietly through the water is largely due to the design of their skin. Shark skin has a textured pattern, known as riblets, that helps reduce water drag. Researchers at U.C. Berkeley and MIT explored ways to adapt this shark skin design to reduce the water’s drag on towed sonar arrays (TSAs) used by ships and submarines. They discovered that rectangular riblets could cut drag by 5% or more and reduce noise by 14%. Noise reduction is very important for sonar, which depends on detecting sound echoes. Less noise also benefits marine wildlife.
Another application of shark-skin design is in water distribution systems. Biomimetic riblets inside water pipes can lessen turbulence as water flows through. Reducing turbulence and drag decreases the energy needed to pump water to its destination. This means lower costs for supplying water to homes. Researchers found that, under ideal conditions, drag can be cut by up to 10%.
According to another study, shark-skin biomimicry can also improve the efficiency of microchannel heat sinks. Microelectronic components in computers and other devices can be damaged by heat. The researchers reported that “the shark-skin based bionic structure had higher heat transfer capacity and lower friction loss.”
Looking at nature’s designs reveals wisdom at work. Shark-skin biomimicry offers benefits in aviation, marine transportation, water systems, and the cooling of microelectronics. What other new applications of biomimicry are still to be discovered? God’s wisdom shows in what He has made. Humans have no excuse for failing to recognize His eternal power and divine nature (Romans 1:20).
Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) can grow up to 30 inches (76 cm) and weigh about 12 pounds (5.5 kg) after spending two years at sea. In four or more years, they can grow much larger, with a record caught in 1960 weighing 109 pounds (49.44 kg). Atlantic salmon migration is an impressive life story.
For four years or more, juvenile Atlantic salmon live in freshwater rivers or streams where they hatched. When the time is right, they undergo a process called smoltification, a complex series of physiological changes that prepare them for life in saltwater. During smoltification, their skin turns silvery and reflective, and their body shape changes. Their gills produce an enzyme that removes sodium from their cells, and various mechanisms are activated to regulate body fluids in the seawater environment.
The first stage of Atlantic salmon migration begins with their journey to the Atlantic Ocean. In the ocean, their diet shifts from primarily insects to larger foods, such as shrimp, eels, squid, and small fish. While in the ocean, they grow faster than in freshwater. After two, four, or more years at sea, something triggers the fish to return to the river where they hatched.
When the salmon reach the river’s mouth, they stop eating and swim upstream. Their primary goal at this point is to return to where their life began. There, they spawn, reproducing to pass on their genes to the next generation. Unlike Pacific salmon, which die after spawning, Atlantic salmon can sometimes recondition themselves to return to the sea and repeat this cycle of migration and spawning. The fact that Atlantic salmon stay in the ocean for varying lengths of time means that a drought in their native river or stream for a year may not halt the reproduction of that year’s salmon.
This impressive life story prompts several questions. How does the Atlantic salmon return to the stream where it hatched? Apparently, they can detect the precise chemical signature of their stream by odor. Another question is why this fish undergoes such a demanding process. Many other creatures in the ecosystems benefit from the salmon’s migration. As predators, Atlantic salmon help control populations of insects in the rivers and smaller fish and other creatures in the ocean. As prey, they serve as food for larger fish, seals, and sharks. They are also valued as a delicious and nutritious food source for humans.
A more challenging question is, how could the impressive life story of the Atlantic salmon migration have happened by chance? We believe it is not by chance. This is more than survival of the fittest; it is a complex system where one animal benefits many others, including humans. Once again, we observe the Creator’s design at work.
Those who reject belief in God assume that humans evolved mechanically and that there was no need for a creator. Unfortunately, the media promotes stories that cater to those who dismiss faith in God, making it easier for them to identify as “none” when asked about their religious beliefs. A recent article is an example of not fully explaining the design required to enable walking upright.
A Reuters News Agency article by Mike Blake titled “How Humans Evolved to Walk Upright” fails to mention a critical design feature for walking upright. The article discusses a study of pelvis designs in primates by Harvard University evolution biologist Terence Capellini. It suggests that the shape of the human pelvis explains how humans walk upright. However, upright posture involves more than just the pelvis.
The opening into the skull that connects the spinal cord to the brain is called the foramen magnum (Latin for “great hole”). It is positioned at the center of the human skull but located towards the rear in other primates. Besides the pelvis, the foramen magnum’s position is an essential part of the design that supports bipedalism, or walking upright on two legs. The human pelvis also plays a crucial role in forming the birth canal that allows the passage of babies with larger brains. The position of the foramen magnum is an essential component of the design that enables bipedalism, or walking upright on two legs.
The Reuters article mentions that researchers identified over 300 genes involved in the design that enables walking upright. The lead author of the study stated that it is not just a single gene but many DNA regulatory elements that must work together to accomplish what seems so simple to humans. Chimpanzees sometimes walk on two legs, but it requires more effort because they lack the unique human design features. Birds, kangaroos, and a few other animals walk on two legs, but they do so because of anatomically different designs.
Bipedalism grants humans the ability to use our hands for carrying objects, using tools, creating art, raising and cooking food, while also allowing us to observe our surroundings from a higher vantage point. We can walk and run long distances because of our distinctive body design. Was this unique design merely an accident of natural selection, or the work of an intelligent Creator?
