Earth Archives - DOES GOD EXIST? TODAY

October 8, 2024October 8, 2024

Life in Balance is Good

When God created and populated the Earth, he ensured everything was balanced. Genesis 1 describes the creation. After referencing the formation of life forms in verse 24, verse 25 concludes with “..and God saw that it was good.” Verses 26-31 describe the creation of humans and their relationship to vegetation and animal life. The chapter concludes by saying, “And God saw everything that He had made, and behold, it was VERY good.” God’s design in the natural world keeps life in balance.

Herbivores eat plants, keeping them in balance by spreading the seeds for more plants to grow. Carnivores keep the herbivore life in balance by feeding on the weak and old ones, preventing plants from being over-eaten. This simplified description of balance is evident in wild places worldwide. We have too often seen humans upset that balance. Selfishness, greed, ignorance, and power struggles have contaminated what was “very good” when God turned it over to humans to care for (Genesis 2:15).

Natural life in balance is excellent evidence of God’s design and wisdom in the creation. We can see what happens when humans upset that balance in these examples:

1) In the 1980s, Pablo Escobar, a Columbian drug lord, brought four hippos into the ecosystem. With no predators to control them, that number is 130 in 2024 and estimated to become 1400 by 2034. The estimated cost of removing the hippos is some 24 million dollars. With no natural enemies, the hippos have become a hazard to the people of Columbia.

2) In 1946, Argentina imported ten breeding pairs of beavers from North America, hoping to establish a fur industry. There are now roughly 100,000 beavers in Argentina, and they have decimated the native trees and built dams that have flooded forests and killed many native animal species.

3) In the 1970s, having a pet Burmese python was popular in Florida and became a raging business in Miami. When Hurricane Andrew ripped through Florida in 1992, hundreds of Burmese pythons escaped a reptile breeding facility. Today, tens of thousands of these snakes inhabit the Everglades. They can reach 20 feet long, weigh 200 pounds, eat just about anything, and spread parasites

These are just three examples of what happens when humans upset the balance that God built into the ecosystems of planet Earth. Finding a way to return the planet to life in balance as God made it is a massive challenge to biologists and wildlife managers. Human knowledge and understanding are very limited compared to God’s creative wisdom, which we see everywhere. To deny God’s existence and design requires more faith than any religious belief system.

— John N. Clayton © 2024
References: National Wildlife Federation, Fall 2024, pp 22-39, The Week, October 4, 2024, page 16, and Wikipedia.

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

July 31, 2024July 30, 2024

Volcanoes Are a Design Feature of Earth

Planet Earth has roughly 1350 volcanoes and is far and away the most geologically active planet in the solar system. The only astronomical body that is even close to Earth is Io, a moon of Jupiter with more than 400 volcanoes. Io’s volcanoes result from gravitational flexing because it is tidal-locked with Jupiter while being pulled by the gravity of Jupiter’s other moons. Earth, however, has volcanoes because of the movement of tectonic plates. These plates move very slowly and are related to the convection motions of materials from the core of the Earth to its surface. Volcanoes are a design feature of Earth.

The benefits of volcanoes are immense. They bring precious metals to the Earth’s surface from deep within, constantly create land masses in the ocean depths that are now teeming with life, and recycle materials to the Earth’s surface, enriching soils where plants thrive and providing food for animal life. The Hawaiian Islands stand as a classic example of land masses produced by volcanoes, showcasing the positive impact of these geological features on our planet.

The recent eruption of Villarrica in Chile reminds us that volcanoes can be very destructive. In 79 A.D., Mount Vesuvius erupted, producing 20 feet of ash. What skeptics miss is that people built these cities on lava plateaus, and there were constant warnings that an eruption would occur. Mount St Helens in the United States is an American example of how volcanoes function, and even today, there are warnings of eruptions in various places around the world.

The situation with volcanoes is akin to that of earthquakes. It’s a scientific fact that certain zones on Earth are prone to both volcanoes and earthquakes. Despite this, humans continue to build large structures and settle in areas at risk. Volcanoes, while offering many benefits, can also cause significant damage and even loss of life. We must recognize that volcanoes are a design feature of Earth as we exercise wisdom in choosing where we live and how we prepare for their potential activity.

Reference: apod.nasa.gov for 7/17/24

July 22, 2024September 5, 2024

Solar Storm Affected Mars

A massive solar storm affected Mars on May 20, 2024, shortly after it caused impressive auroras on Earth. This latest storm is part of the normal eleven-year cycle of solar maximums, but it is the first time such a storm has occurred while astronomers have the equipment to record its effect.

Xrays and gamma rays, which travel at the speed of light, reached Mars first and were followed minutes later by charged particles. According to NASA, the Curiosity rover at Gale Crater near the Martian equator took pictures showing white streaks resembling snow but were actually charged particles. The radiation from the solar particles was so intense that the star camera aboard the Mars Odyssey orbiter temporarily shut down.

Curiosity rover’s measurements of the radiation reaching Mars’ surface show that an astronaut standing next to the detector would get radiation equal to 30 chest X-rays. Earth has a strong magnetic field to shield it from energized solar particles, but Mars does not. At the same time, the thin Martian atmosphere could not give protection as the solar storm affected Mars.

Planets with a functional atmosphere and located in the Goldilocks Zone, where liquid water on the surface is possible, are rare. All stars go through cycles that pose threats to life on their orbital planets. Mars, a potential target for human visitation and a place where people speculated that life might exist, has received significant attention. This new data from a common solar event suggests that conditions for life to exist are even more challenging than previously thought.

The fact that a solar storm affected Mars is important. It tells us that Earth’s creation and the life on it are the product of intelligence and design, not opportunistic chance. They also tell us we must take care of the Earth because, in reality, there is no other place to go if we mess up this planet.

Reference: CNN Reports on Space Science for June 14, 2024.

July 8, 2024July 7, 2024

Just Right for Life to Exist

Since astronomers have discovered more than 5,000 exoplanets orbiting stars other than our Sun, many insist there must be life elsewhere in the cosmos. For those of us who believe in God, that isn’t really an issue. If there is life out there, God created it, but the Bible only speaks to our planet. However, the evidence is growing that our planet is more unique than most people realize. A “Goldilocks” planet is at the proper distance from its star so that the temperature is “just right” for liquid water to exist on the surface. Some exoplanets appear to be in the habitable zones of their stars, but many other factors must also be just right for life to exist there.

Most known exoplanets are like Jupiter, having no terrestrial surface. To support life, a planet must be the right size, have a stable orbit inside the habitable zone of a stable star, and have the right atmosphere. It must also have working plate tectonics and a large moon to maintain a stable axis tilt. To be just right for life to exist, a planet must also be in the habitable zone of its galaxy – not near the center, exposing it to lethal gamma-ray bursts.

Our Sun is a G spectral star, but only 9% of the stars in our galaxy are that type. M-class dwarf stars are the most common and long-lived stars, but they emit large amounts of radiation that would cook any life on their planets. Also, planets around such a star would become tidal-locked, with one side facing the star being excessively hot while the other remains cold.

Another star system requirement for life would be having outer planets large enough and in the correct position to sweep away asteroids and comets that would bombard an inner planet. To support life, a planet also needs a strong magnetic field to shield the surface from the star’s radiation and cosmic rays.

Our Earth is just right for life to exist. We are defining life as the biology books do: being able to move, breathe, respond to outside stimuli, and reproduce. Any conjecture about fire people or rock people is in science fiction – not scientific fact. The bottom line is that Earth is a special place created by God for a special purpose and is unique among all other objects in the cosmos.

Reference: “Is Earth the Only Goldilocks Panet?” in Discover magazine, July/August 2024, pages 54 -57.

June 26, 2024June 24, 2024

Astrolabe Shows Human Cooperation

The astrolabe, an astronomical instrument of ancient times, is a testament to human ingenuity and cooperation. It is a two-dimensional map of the universe, typically crafted from plates. Astrolabes, with their star charts and analog calculation capabilities, were not just tools but gateways to understanding the cosmos. In mosques, they were used to calculate the time of sunset or sunrise, thus the time of prayer. People also used them to calculate distances, the position of stars, and the location of latitudes and longitudes. With its intricate design and multifaceted functionality, the astrolabe shows human cooperation.

Federica Gigante, a historian at the University of Cambridge, found the plates of an eleventh-century astrolabe in the vaults of the Museum of the Miniscalchi-Erizzo Foundation in Verona, Italy. The astrolabe she discovered was made of brass and had Arabic engravings. It had a second plate, which meant it had been taken to a different latitude than its Spanish place of origin.

What is interesting about this astrolabe is that it also has Hebrew letters engraved on the plates, indicating their use by Jewish owners, and it was in the archives of a Christian museum. This astrolabe shows human cooperation. It means there was an era in which Muslims, Jews, and Christians built upon one another’s intellectual achievements. All cultures had people with incredible minds who contributed to human knowledge of what the cosmos is about and how we can observe it.

In our day of religious wars between these same groups, it is incredible that humans don’t have the sense to realize the importance of understanding each other and working together to discover Truth. Jesus gave a great answer to this conflict in John 14 when He said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No man comes to the Father but by me… If you love me, keep my commandments… even the Spirit of truth whom the world cannot receive because it has not seen Him and does not know Him, for He dwells in you and shall be in you.” Think of the progress the world could make if we could work together and follow the commandments of Jesus given so clearly in Matthew 5:21-25 and 38-48.

Reference: Verona astrolabe on wikipedia.org

June 20, 2024June 18, 2024

Media Hype About Exoplanets

The media continue to make scientifically inaccurate claims to an unsuspecting public. Media hype about exoplanets suggests that life on Earth is not unique, and many habitable planets exist throughout the cosmos. A USA Today article on May 31, 2024, refers to exoplanet Gliese 12 b as a “super-Earth.” It quotes Dr. Masayuki Kuzuhara, assistant professor at the Astrobiology Center in Tokyo, saying, “Although we don’t know whether it possesses an atmosphere, we’ve been thinking of it as an exo-Venus with similar size and energy received from its star as our planetary neighbor in the solar system.” So, what are the facts about Gliese 12 b?

Gliese 12 b is very close to the star Gliese – just 7% of the distance between the Earth and the Sun. That means the radiation from the parent star is sweeping across the planet, and because it orbits once every 12.8 days, any activity on the star will dramatically affect the planet. Gliese is a red dwarf star, not a star like our Sun. It is only 27% of the size of our Sun, with about 60% of the Sun’s surface temperature. Red dwarf stars do not emit wavelengths of light needed for life forms like us. Understand that life cannot exist when the only light reaching the planet is Xrays, UV, Infrared, and radio waves.

Considering all these factors, it is highly improbable that Gliese 12 b has an atmosphere, and the presence of water, oxygen, hydrogen, or ammonia has not been detected and is unlikely to be found. Despite the media hype about exoplanets, there is no scientific evidence to support the existence of life without these elements.

Critics will say, “Maybe the life forms out there are not like us and can survive under different kinds of radiation.” Life is defined as that which can move, breathe, respond to outside stimuli, and reproduce. If you want to speculate that life can be fire people or stone people, you can do so, but scientifically, such hypothetical forms do not qualify as “life.” There is no evidence anywhere that such forms exist.

When you know the facts of what life requires, you cannot logically believe that life forms different from ours can exist in the physical creation. Media hype about exoplanets suggests alternatives that have no scientific support. Science supports Genesis 1:1: “In the beginning, God created the heaven (space) and the Earth.”

Reference: sci.news and iopscience.iop.org

June 19, 2024June 18, 2024

Earth Is a Very Special Place

As of May 9, 2024, astronomers have discovered 5,616 planets orbiting other stars. Of that number, 1794 are “gas giants” like Jupiter, 1,920 are Neptune-like planets, and 1,695 are “Super-Earths,” solid planets like Earth, but much larger. That means they will have denser atmospheres of gases that are inhospitable to life. That leaves 207 terrestrial planets, of which seven have unknown features. As the James Webb telescope gathers data, these numbers will change, but the message is already clear. Earth is a very special place, and most of the exoplanets we see are unsuitable for life of any kind. By life, we mean the usual biological definition – that which can move, breathe, respond to outside stimuli, and reproduce.

Hollywood, TV, and books have given us some creative fantasies about space travel, but there are specific limitations on where humans can go. The closest star to Earth is 4.3 light years away, meaning that if you could travel at the speed of light, which is impossible, it would take 4.3 years to reach that star. The closest major galaxy to our Milky Way is Andromeda, 2,480,000 light years from Earth. That means the light coming to us from Andromeda left there 2,480,000 years ago. Humans traveling to Andromeda at the speed of light would need that long to get there. The return to Earth would take just as long, and the Earth would have aged 4,960,000 years while they were gone, even though time would have slowed for the travelers.

All of this is to say that traveling to another galaxy and back is pure fantasy and not an option for any of us. It also says that alien visits to the Earth are another fantasy that may make good movies but are not supported by evidence or common sense. Some people suggest that we are not alone and that aliens are affecting human activities, but that is a fantasy we cannot seriously consider.

The ancient psalmist wrote, “When I consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers, the moon and the stars, which You have ordained, what is man that You are mindful of him, and the son of man that You visit him?” (Psalms 8:3-4). Another Psalm says, “The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of His hands” (Psalms 19:1). The ancients wrote about what they could see, but now we can see so much more. We are blessed with a whole different picture of the size, power, and wisdom of God’s creation as we realize that Earth is a very special place.

Reference: Science News June 1, 2024, page 21.

May 18, 2024May 20, 2024

We Look Up and See a Blue Sky

Most of us underestimate the design of planet Earth. We look up and see a blue sky and take it for granted, but having a blue sky is unique to our planet and tells us much about its design.

We must first understand that a change in electric charge produces light. The amount varies depending on the amount of change. Small changes produce light that is low in energy and may not be visible to human eyes. Radio waves are light we cannot see. Infrared waves are light humans can’t see, but numerous animals can. For example, a rattlesnake can see infrared light coming from a mouse even though human eyes would say there is no light. The mouse gives off infrared due to its biological processes, and the snake can see it in the dark. We call infrared light radiant heat.

A large change in an electric charge produces light that is too energetic for our eyes to see. Xrays, ultraviolet, and gamma rays are the words we use to describe these high-energy forms of light. They can expose a photographic plate and penetrate most organic tissue, possibly causing damage. The light our eyes are designed to see has lower energy than Xrays and higher than radio waves. This beautiful design of our eyes means we cannot see through most solid materials like wood, metal, or human flesh.

Light from the Sun arrives on Earth with all of these energies present. The Earth’s atmosphere is dense enough to prevent the high-energy forms of light from reaching the surface. That means we are not fried by the X-rays, gamma rays, or even excessive ultraviolet light coming from the Sun. The highest visible light that our eyes can see is blue. As blue light enters our atmosphere, it is scattered and refracted away by atmospheric materials. We look up and see a blue sky.

Green is the next highest energy reaching the surface. Plants are protected from damage because their chlorophyll reflects green light. When tree leaves lose their chlorophyll in autumn, the green disappears, replaced by other colors hidden within the leaf structure. Then, the leaves fall off to prepare the tree for winter. Annual plants shrivel and die while perennials retain their root structures to bring color back in the spring.

So we look up and see a blue sky. On the Moon, we would see a black sky. On Jupiter, it would be red. The atmosphere on all the other planets gives a color other than blue. Astronauts face huge dangers when leaving Earth’s atmosphere with its well-engineered light-handling design. To live on the Moon or Mars, human engineers must build elaborate designs to imitate what God created to allow us to live on Earth. That is the greatest challenge to space travel and a great demonstration of God’s wisdom.

Why Is the Sky Blue, Why Are the Trees Green? is a children’s book available from the Does God Exist? ministry. Contact jncdge@aol.com or purchase the complete set of 16 children’s books at powervine.store.

May 2, 2024May 1, 2024

Fungi Are All Around Us and Even Inside Us

The cover of the April 2024 issue of National Geographic and its first article are dedicated to what the editors call “Fabulous Fungi.” The articles deal with “The Wondrous World of Fungi” with incredible pictures and a narrative that exposes what the authors call “The Hidden Kingdom.” Most of us probably don’t realize that fungi are all around us and even inside us.

Various fungus species have a symbiotic relationship with many plants and animals, including humans. Most plants today depend on mycorrhizal fungi living in their root systems to metabolize sugar from photosynthesis while bringing nutrients and water to the plant.

Fungi are heterotrophs, organisms that take nutrition from other organic sources such as plant or animal matter. They can break down wood and dead plant material by releasing and reabsorbing enzymes. Without fungi, dead plants and animals would pile up on forest floors, and plants would be unable to take in needed nutrients.

Fungi are all around us and even inside us. They work in our digestive system, and scientists are still studying what they do. Cancer research has found that fungi in the colon, breast, and lungs are related to the metastatic spread of cancer and can be used to predict the presence of cancer and perhaps even treat it.

Scientists estimate that there are around five million species of fungi, and they are more diverse than plants or vertebrates. In 2015, our program released a children’s book titled “The Friendly Fungus Among Us,” written by Charlsey Ford and John Clayton. This little 16-page booklet, written for children, points out a few benefits and uses of fungi, including food, medicines, insecticides, and detergents. It also introduces children to the role of yeast and truffles in food.

God’s design is so incredible that science is just scratching the surface of the things that enable human life to exist on Earth. Trying to explain it by undirected evolution is impossible. “We can know there is a God through the things He has made” (Romans 1:20) is true. We see evidence everywhere, even in the fact that fungi are all around us and even inside us, and life would not be possible without them.

Reference: National Geographic, April 2024

The Friendly Fungus Among Us children’s book is available from the Does God Exist? ministry by contacting jncdge@aol.com or in the set of 16 children’s books at powervine.store.