science Archives

November 12, 2025November 11, 2025

Paranthropus boisei – The Media’s Man

A Reuters article by Will Dunham claims that bones linked to an extinct human relative have been discovered in Kenya. Soon after this article was published, we received emails asking if this supposedly disproves the biblical account of Adam and Eve. Paranthropus boisei is another example of the media seizing an opportunity to undermine the Bible. Let’s examine the evidence:

1) The fossils have been assigned to the species Paranthropus boisei. The first discovery of this species was made in 1959 by Mary and Louis Leakey, who described the specimen as “gorilla-like.” The brain volume is 450 to 550 cubic centimeters, which is chimp-sized. By comparison, the average human brain is 1,300 to 1,400 cc. In 1959, the media nicknamed Paranthropus boisei “Nutcracker man” because of its large teeth and powerful chewing muscles.

2) Hand bones of the specimen indicate it could make and use stone tools. Today, we know that tool use does not necessarily demonstrate a direct connection to humans. Even birds use tools to extract insects from holes, and monkeys break open coconuts with large rocks.

3) The fossils show that Paranthropus boisei could walk upright on two legs. Many animals can walk on two legs, including birds, kangaroos, some monkeys, and some dinosaurs. An erect posture has nothing to do with whether a fossil is from a human ancestor.

The biblical definition of a human is a life form created in the image of God. This is a spiritual likeness, not a physical one. In Genesis 2:7, we read, “And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground.” The Hebrew word translated “formed” is “yatsar,” meaning to shape or mold, as an artist shapes a statue. If God used physical prototypes to house His spiritual creation, that is not a problem.

Paranthropus boisei has no bearing on the biblical account or the human spiritual nature in God’s image. This is simply another desperate attempt by the media to discredit the Bible.

Reference: reuters.com

November 11, 2025November 10, 2025

Apex Scavengers Have a Purpose

People often react with disgust when they see videos of hyenas eating decaying remains of a dead cow or deer. Vultures have long been viewed negatively because people associate them with feeding on the carcasses of dead animals. However, these apex scavengers have a purpose in the natural world. They help control diseases that could otherwise spread uncontrollably.

The list of diseases that apex scavengers help prevent is extensive. Diseases like anthrax, botulism, salmonella, E. coli, and rabies are just some of the illnesses that could be avoided if healthy populations of apex scavengers were maintained. Between 1992 and 2006, the use of a veterinary drug caused India’s vulture populations to crash. This led to an increase in feral dogs consuming carrion, resulting in over 48,000 rabies deaths from dog bites.

Humans generally see apex scavengers as evil and have often destroyed them. The Red List of Threatened Species, published by the International Union for Conservation of Nature, states that 36% of apex scavengers are threatened or declining. Without their presence, smaller scavengers like rats thrive and spread zoonotic diseases that apex scavengers could help prevent.

Millions of people die each year from zoonotic diseases, and that number will rise if apex scavengers are eliminated. God created everything for a reason, and apex scavengers have a purpose. Their intentional destruction of scavengers (and predators) is a classic example of how human ignorance has caused human misery. When we look at the problems facing humanity today, many stem from the violation and misuse of the good things God created.

Reference: Discover magazine, November/December 2025, page 10, and discovermagazine.com.

November 10, 2025November 9, 2025

Human Hibernation Research

One of the most fascinating aspects of the natural world is how different animals survive the winter. Hibernation allows various animals to enter a state for weeks or even months in which their body functions slow down, and they return to normal when warm weather arrives. Researchers in medical science are exploring ways to induce human hibernation. Besides enabling long space journeys, it could also be very useful in treating heart attacks and strokes.

Among the animals being studied are Arctic ground squirrels and grizzly bears. Arctic ground squirrels have a body temperature of 99 degrees F (37 °C) from April to October. From October to April, their body temperature drops to 27 degrees F (-3 °C), and their heart rate can drop as low as one beat per minute. A hibernating brown bear doesn’t experience such drastic temperature changes. The bear’s temperature drops to around 90 degrees and stays at that level from November to March, then rises back to summer levels. The bear undergoes a 5-month period of torpor that conserves energy and supports normal functions. For female bears, this includes giving birth and nursing cubs.

The effectiveness of these and other hibernation strategies is clear. Small animals like squirrels can’t store enough body fat to survive the winter, but bears can accumulate enough fat to sustain them for five months. Bears lose this weight so that when they emerge from the den at the end of winter, they are very lean and very hungry.

Medical scientists are investigating how to induce human hibernation because it could extend the window for critical care of stroke and heart attack patients. The research focuses on how humans might benefit from changes in body temperature to fight various diseases. Like everything else, we aim to develop medical treatments by learning from what God has already created.

References: nationalgeographic.com and wikipedia

November 6, 2025November 4, 2025

Hardwired for Moral Behavior

A question that evolutionists and naturalists cannot answer is why even atheists follow a moral code. I have seen this personally in my family. My father was an atheist, a philosophy professor, and a disciple of the philosopher John Dewey. He wrestled with the question of morality throughout his career. The truth is that my father was a very moral man. He never cheated anyone, taught his kids to be honest, never plagiarized or misrepresented a colleague’s or student’s work, never cheated on his taxes, and, as far as I know, was completely faithful to my mother. When I became a Christian, I asked him why he was so moral and honest, and he simply said, “I don’t know.” Is it possible that humans are hardwired for moral behavior?

An article in Scientific American by Elizabeth Svoboda titled “The Neuroscience of Morality” provides substantial evidence that morality is not learned or a product of evolution. Svoboda noted that physical disgust and moral disgust are “uniquely connected.” A key statement in the article is, “When we first become aware of an ethical violation, we’re hardwired to react much as we might to a steaming cow pie” (A cow pie is a pile of manure left by a cow). However, the article suggests there is a slippery slope: once you start acting immorally, such as by lying or cheating, it becomes easier to continue. Conversely, when people act morally in tempting situations, it becomes easier to have moral courage next time.

Titus 1:2 states that God cannot lie. Since we are created in the image of God, we are hardwired for moral behavior, including telling the truth. A child can learn to lie, but as a parent, I could look into my young child’s eyes and tell whether they were being honest. By the time kids become teenagers, they have learned to lie so convincingly that only a polygraph can reveal the truth. When adults are conditioned to lie, they often become unstable and may need psychological help.

The scientific evidence is clear. Humans are unique in many ways, but one key feature is that we are hardwired for moral behavior, which stems from being created in the image of God. Animals, however, do not have a moral code because they are not created in God’s image.

Reference: “The Neuroscience of Morality” by Elizabeth Svoboda in the November issue of Scientific American (pages 32-39

November 5, 2025November 4, 2025

Clarifying the Neanderthal Description

The first Neanderthal fossil was found in 1856. Later discoveries in Germany revealed complete skulls and specimens with a long, flat skull, a rounded brow ridge (supraorbital torus), large eye sockets (orbits), and brain sizes of 1640 cc in males, which is larger than most males today. The most influential specimen was La Chapelle–aux–Saints (the old man), discovered by French paleontologist Marcellin Boule, who described it as a hairy, slouching, ape-like creature. That description of Neanderthals endured for many years, but newer discoveries are clarifying the Neanderthal description.

Today, we know that Neanderthals were a distinct race of humans. An archaeologist named Lutz Kindler, from the MONREPOS Archaeological Research Center in Germany, reports that Neanderthals operated a “Fat Factory.” In what is now eastern Germany, Neanderthals broke and crushed the bones of large mammals to extract valuable bone marrow and fat, which they used as a food source.

Evidence indicates that Neanderthals planned hunts, transported carcasses, and rendered fat, understanding its nutritional value. On the site, researchers found more than 100,000 bone fragments from at least 172 large mammals, including deer and horses. Many of the bones show cut marks and signs of intentional breakage, indicating deliberate butchering rather than just leftovers from a hunt. Researchers also found evidence of tool use and fires in the area.

In the past, Neanderthals were thought to be a missing link in human evolution from monkeys. However, as new discoveries are clarifying the Neanderthal description, we see that they were a race of humans, not related to monkeys or apes. Fossil specimens with “pithicus” in their names form part of the evolutionary tree for monkeys and apes, but humans are separate and distinct.

The Bible describes humans as created in the image of God (Genesis 1: 26- 27), referring to our spiritual nature—our soul. Acts 17: 26 tells us we are all of one blood, and Galatians 3: 28 states that when we are in Christ, we are all one. The evidence contradicts attempts to portray humans as “naked apes.”

References: Science Alert for July 6, 2025 and Wikipedia.

November 3, 2025November 2, 2025

The Unique Design of Hammerhead Sharks

Many forms of life are so unique that no other living or fossil species could have evolved into them. A prime example is the hammerhead shark. Most sharks have a similar body shape with a pointed or bullet-shaped head, but the unique design of hammerhead sharks is a radical departure from this norm.

All sharks share a common feature: the ampullae of Lorenzini. These are jelly-filled sensory pores that detect electric fields generated by ocean creatures. In most sharks, these organs are located in the snout. However, in hammerhead sharks, they are spread across both ends of the head. This gives them greater resolution and helps locate prey more accurately.

The unique design of hammerhead sharks enables them to make quick, sharp turns to ambush prey effectively. The shape also provides a binocular field of vision of 48 degrees, compared to about 15 degrees in normal sharks.

Attempting to find an evolutionary explanation for the hammerhead’s distinctive design is nearly impossible. There is no fossil evidence showing gradual changes in the heads of ancient sharks. This remarkable design is the work of an exceptionally skilled engineer. We believe that engineer is God.

Reference: The 2025 BBC series on unique life forms and the BBC Learning Hub

October 31, 2025October 28, 2025

Earth Needs Jupiter

Jupiter is by far the largest planet in the solar system. Its mass is 2.5 times greater than the combined mass of all other planets in the solar system. It divides the planets of the inner solar system (Mercury, Venus, Earth, and Mars) from the outer planets (Saturn, Uranus, Neptune). We have previously mentioned that the gravity created by Jupiter’s mass acts as a shield to protect our planet from comets coming from outside the solar system. Additionally, Jupiter influences Earth’s climate cycle. More than that, Earth needs Jupiter for its very existence.

As the solar system was formed, Jupiter’s massive gravity prevented gas and dust in the inner solar system from being pulled into the Sun. These materials coalesced into the inner planets, including Earth. As the planets formed, Jupiter’s gravity helped stabilize the orbits. A recent study co-led by Andre Izidoro of Rice University in Houston demonstrated that Jupiter shaped the structure of the solar system. Earth needs Jupiter today, just as it needed it at the beginning.

According to Izidoro, “Jupiter didn’t just become the biggest planet—it set the architecture for the whole inner solar system. Without it, we might not have Earth as we know it.” As gas and dust swirled around the newly formed Sun, Jupiter’s massive gravity created ripples that formed rings of material which clumped together by gravity to form the inner planets. Earth needs Jupiter because, without it, the material that formed the planet would have spiraled into the Sun.

Genesis 1:1 tells us, “In the beginning, God created the heavens and the Earth,” but it doesn’t specify the process God used or how long it took. If the Bible included every detail, it would be an enormous book. But the Bible is not a science book, and scientists are still exploring the processes God used in creation. It is fascinating to consider how complex the creation process must have been, yet the first verse of the Bible contains the essential facts. There was a beginning. God did it. The creation of a functioning universe, a solar system, and a planet for human habitation is summarized in five Hebrew words—“reshith elohim bara shamayim erets.”

References: space.com and science.org

October 30, 2025October 28, 2025

Weaver Ants Work as a Team

One of the most remarkable creatures in the biological world is the weaver ant. With their sticky feet and strength, weaver ants working together can suspend objects much heavier than themselves. Researchers found that an individual weaver ant could pull 59 times its own body weight, but when ants work in a group of 15, each can pull 103 times its own weight. When humans form a physical team, such as in a tug-of-war, each individual exerts less energy. In contrast, when weaver ants work as a team, each ant exerts more energy.

To complete their work, weaver ants form chains of two to four, with one behind the other. When working on a leaf, the front ants bend their legs to pull the leaf tip with their mandibles, while the rear ants hold the leaf to prevent it from flipping back. This chain of ants functions like a force ratchet, with the front ants actively pulling and the rear ants passively resisting. The rear ants grasp the bodies of the front ants, plant their sticky feet firmly on the leaf, and store the forces generated by the front ants.

For weaver ants to do their work, their feet must have enough stickiness to withstand the forces involved. Their legs need to be strong and rigid enough to twist a stiff leaf. The way weaver ants work as a team is just one example of the wisdom and design built into creation that allows life to thrive on our planet. Such examples are not accidents but carefully engineered according to forces that science is only beginning to understand. Everywhere we look, we see God’s wisdom and design.

Reference: Scientific American, November 2025, page 15.

October 29, 2025October 28, 2025

Female Moths Listen to Plants

For years, scientists have known that plants vibrate at ultrasonic frequencies when their internal water pressure changes. Recently, they learned that drought-stressed plants or plants that have been cut produce ultrasonic sounds loud enough to be detected by a moth’s ultrasonic hearing. Dr. Yossi Yovel and a team of researchers at Tel Aviv University took this a step further to see whether female moths listen to plants and avoid laying their eggs on those that are distressed.

The researchers found that female Egyptian cotton leafworm moths avoided laying eggs on tomato plants that made distress-related sounds. Unhealthy plants do not allow the moth larvae to thrive. The sounds plants make when they are distressed or unhealthy are outside of the range of human hearing, but insects, bats, and even some small mammals can hear them.

Learning that female moths listen to plants, Professor Yovel speculates on whether “all sorts of animals will make decisions based on the sounds they hear from plants, such as whether to pollinate or hide inside them, or eat the plant.” Taking this even further, Dr. Lilach Hadany, also of Tel Aviv University, speculates on whether plants can pass information to each other through sounds and act on those sounds. “This is an exciting question,” she told BBC News. Previously, researchers learned that plants can communicate with each other through their roots.

The researchers, however, emphasize that plants are not sentient and that this interaction cannot be considered “communication” in the “conservative definition of the term.” Nonetheless, we can look at our own bodies and recall the statement of David in Psalms 139:14, “I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.” Likewise, we see that other forms of life are “fearfully and wonderfully made” as well. Everywhere we look in the natural world, we see evidence of a wonder-working hand that has gone before.

References: bbc.com and elifesciences.org

October 28, 2025October 27, 2025

Desertas Petrels Flying Into Hurricanes

Most sea birds stay ashore when they sense a storm is approaching. Frigate birds ascend to very high altitudes to avoid the strong winds of hurricanes. Albatrosses find calm in the eye of a hurricane. But not all birds see hurricanes as threats. For Desertas petrels, flying into hurricanes is a feast.

These small, agile seabirds with long, slender wings dive straight into the spinning air bands, reaching areas 124 miles (200 km) from the hurricane’s eye. In one study, a Desertas petrel was seen flying into winds over 60 mph and ocean waves taller than 26 feet. As a hurricane moves, these birds travel with it. Researchers have tracked Desertas petrels flying from Africa to the New England coast, over 7,000 miles.

This unusual behavior creates a feast for the Desertas petrels, key predators in the ocean. Hurricanes stir up life forms from depths as great as 3,280 feet. They also bring zooplankton and larger swimming prey up from the deep, allowing the Desertas petrels to feed and help maintain balance among different ocean life forms.

It’s easy for humans to misunderstand the careful design of ocean food chains. Without balance, a species could become overly numerous, consume all available food, and face extinction. Desertas petrels help maintain the balance of squid, octopus, cuttlefish, hatchetfish, and lanternfish. Francesco Ventura, a researcher at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, has studied these birds in detail and has shown how they not only survive hurricanes but thrive in them.

We can learn many lessons from studying God’s creatures. We see how crucial it is for humans to care for ocean life without disrupting the balance, which ultimately affects our own food supply. Understanding how all life forms survive provides powerful evidence of God’s wisdom and design of our planet. We are not here by chance.

Reference: sciencedirect.com