Phosphorus plays a crucial role in life chemistry. Phosphates serve as the backbone for all nucleic acids and are the major repository of chemical energy for metabolism. The human body contains about 11,000 parts per million of phosphorus by weight.
Life DesignA Medical Perspective on "The Passion of the Christ"
Mel Gibson’s movie The Passion of the Christ has generated more controversy in the media than any movie in recent memory. One of the main criticisms has been that the violence the movie depicts is excessive. The fact is that neither the flogging nor the crucifixion as shown was as bad or as violent as the actual event – as I will explain later. A Modern Jonah
By Edward B. Davis, Ph. A "A sailor swallowed by a whale," proclaimed the tract that fell out of Winona Echoes, an old volume on my shelf. The tract recounted the following remarkable story: A Second Opinion on the Giant Panda's Thumb
by Hugh Ross If you have encountered Stephen Gould’s famous critique of Christianity, you will be glad to know that it has been contradicted in recent months by the work of six Japanese biologists. Gould once argued that the giant panda’s thumb represents a clumsily adapted wrist bone, not the work of a divine Designer.3 A number of rebuttals to Gould’s assertion have been published since the mid-1980s when it appeared,4 but the most rigorous to date comes from a Japanese study published early in 1999. Aliens From Another World? Getting Here From There
4/1/2001 A rising challenge to Christianity, both within and beyond the borders of America, springs from the popular obsession with UFOs (unidentified flying objects) and ETI (extraterrestrial intelligent life). Ancient Tree Answers Challenge to Genesis One
by Hugh Ross assisted by Guillermo Gonzalez Secularists have openly and vociferously mocked the biblical creation account for placing the origin of "trees, seed, and fruit" as early as the third creation day. Biblical apologists point out that the ancient Hebrew words for "tree," "seed," and "fruit" are more broadly defined than we English readers assume as we study our translations.1 Anthropic Principle: A Precise Plan for Humanity
1/1/2002 Human beings climb. Always have, always will. First hills, then mountains, then pinnacles so high they're called "death zones." That's as high as legs could carry them, but not high enough. So people invented balloons, blimps, airplanes, and spacecraft, the higher the better—to a point. Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi Design
The mutual relationship between vascular plants (flowering plants) and arbuscular mycorrihizal... Ask the Animals and They Will Teach You
Editor’s note: Today we present an article by guest scholar Katie Galloway Geckos and Mussels Inspire New Wet/Dry Adhesive Bacteria Help Prepare Earth For Life
By Hugh Ross Sulfate-reducing bacteria are among the oldest life forms on Earth. They are dominant in the geologic record from 3.9 to 2.9 billion years ago, an era in which oxygen concentrations in Earth’s atmosphere were relatively low. Researchers discovered not long ago that sulfate-reducing bacteria play a critical role in Earth’s sulfur and carbon cycles, both of which are essential for life.1 More recent studies reveal bacteria’s additional contribution to life sustenance. Bacteria's Long Reign
By Hugh Ross Why do stars twinkle? Why does God sometimes seem silent? Some “why” questions are more elusive than others. When presented with RTB’s biblical creation model people often ask, “If God designed the Earth and its life to provide a home for humans, why did he waste so much time with bacteria?” This question arises from the new strong evidence that early bacteria, every bit as advanced as bacteria today, and dating back 3.5 – 3.9 billion years, remain the only detectable life forms on Earth until 2.3 billion years ago. Bergmann's Rule and the Optimization of Life Designs
Bergmann's Rule asserts that the body mass of warm-blooded animals... Big Bacteria Help Resolve Big Creation/Evolution Debates
By Hugh Ross For most jobs the size of the applicant does not matter. But, there are exceptions: basketball centers must be tall, offensive tackles in professional football must be heavy, and World War II submarine sailors had to be both short and lean. In biology size did not become a significant factor until the Cambrian explosion some 542 million years ago. At this event most of today’s main groups of animals, or animal phyla, suddenly appeared. Biospheres Deemed Failures
7/1/2001 Two tests of space travelers’ ability to support themselves independent of Earth have taken place in the Arizona desert (see www.bio2.edu). In 1991 a team of eight adults were sealed inside a 3.15-acre “capsule” for a two-year stint. Black Holes, Singularities, and Wormholes
4/1/2001 Two tests of space travelers’ ability to support themselves independent of Earth have taken place in the Arizona desert (see www.bio2.edu). In 1991 a team of eight adults were sealed inside a 3.15-acre “capsule” for a two-year stint. Book Reviews: Speculations on Origins
Reviewed by Tony N. Rogers Were the universe and life purposely designed by an intelligent agent? Many say yes and are content to take the conclusion as reliable and build on it. But the sometimes dangerous, sometimes dreary, job of academics is to probe seemingly reliable truths, no matter how obvious, to see if they are solid or not. Continental Landmass Growth and the Genesis 1 Chronology
10/8/2007 Thanks to a spectacular new discovery concerning the geophysical history of the earth, one more detail in biblical author Moses’ chronology of Earth’s creation history has been scientifically verified. The breakthrough yields yet more evidence for the divine inspiration of the Bible’s words and message. First, let me offer some personal background for this discovery. Déjá vu—Again, Part 2 of 2
Posted by Fazale ‘Fuz’ Rana, Ph.D. Newly Discovered Example of Convergence Challenges Biological Evolution Design of Bird Brains for Long Migrations
Many migrating birds fly all night long. Some fly nonstop across huge ecological barriers like the Gulf of Mexico. For decades, biologists have wondered how these creatures can survive the severe sleep deprivation brought about by such migration habits. Designed to Live, Designed to Die
1/1/2008 "Why don't we see new species emerging now?" Charles Darwin faced this question nearly 150 years ago when he proposed the theory of evolution. His answer–all Earth's habitats are full. Do Animals Experience Sin and Guilt?
Some people believe that humans are simply highly evolved animals and, thus, possess... Do Animals Possess Foresight?
Many people believe that humans are just highly evolved animals. Thus, humans do not possess... Dogs Catch Human Yawns
by Hugh Ross The book of Job, especially chapter 39, implies that God created the nephesh creatures (“soulish” animals like birds and mammals) to serve and/or to please human beings. They are termed soulish because God has endowed each of them with a mind, a will, and the capacity to express and experience emotions. Equipped for High-Tech Society
by Hugh Ross, Ph.D. Human beings seem vastly "over-endowed" for hunter-gatherer or agrarian existence. For tens of thousands of years humanity carried intellectual capacities that offered no discernable advantage. From a Darwinian perspective, such capacities would be unlikely to arise and, even if they had randomly emerged, they would likely have been eliminated or minimized by natural selection. Exotic Life Sites: The Feasibility of Far-Out Habitats
10/1/2001 People often joke about the certainty of death and taxes. Astronomers can add another certainty to that short list: Sooner or later someone will ask, “What do you think about the possibility of life out there?” Extinction Risks For Birds
By Hugh Ross One of the complex challenges facing evolutionists can be described in simple terms. It is the problem of time. For naturalistic evolution to work, the rate of speciation (introduction of new species) must, by nature alone, exceed the rate of extinction. Observed reality says it does not. In fact, extinction is accelerating (for some obvious reasons) while speciation has virtually stalled. Feedback Control in Biology
by Keith McPherson Calcium levels of pregnant cows in Iowa may not be the first image that comes to mind when Christian apologists invoke supernatural design, but that appears to be the case based on a recent feedback control study. Flightless Birds Run Down Evolution
Posted by Fazale ‘Fuz’ Rana, Ph.D. Newly Discovered Example of Convergence Challenges Biological Evolution Follow the Water...to Life?
by Hugh Ross, Ph.D. Astrobiology, the search for life beyond Earth, is the fastest growing scientific discipline, at least in terms of increased government funding. However, despite a quadrupling of funds in just six years (compared to a vastly smaller increase for all the other sciences) and despite decades of diligent searching, no one has found any evidence for life beyond planet Earth. Yet scientists in the astrobiology community and the politicians who fund them remain convinced that life will inevitably be found. Gamma Rays Burst Biological Evolution
1/1/2003 The energy released during a gamma ray burst strains the imagination. With the power of 10 billion billion suns, gamma ray bursts are the most brilliant photon emitters in the universe. By comparison, supernovae emit (at peak) the energy equivalent of 100 billion suns. If such a gamma ray burst occurred closer than millions of light years away and lasted longer than a few minutes—or in some cases, milliseconds—humanity would be wiped out. Holy Fish Armor, Batman!
By Katie Galloway Ancient Armored Fish May Hold Clues to Lighter, Stronger Bioinspired Armor
How to Get a Grip and Not Get Stuck: A Gecko's story
By Katie Galloway Imagine putting tons of super glue on your hands and feet and trying to climb the Empire State Building like Spider-man. Your dynamic display of agility doesn’t get you too far. You’re stuck! That’s because the chemical bonds between the sticky glue and the building surface are stronger than the force of your weight. Humpback Whale Fins: Fresh Evidence for Design
Hugh Ross, Ph.D. Internet Too Slow? We’ll Get Some Bees Right on That!
Bee Foraging Provides Insight on Optimization of Server Allocation By Katie Galloway [Katie Galloway is an RTB volunteer apologist. She is completing her PhD at Caltech in Chemical Engineering with an emphasis in biological systems.] Long Noses Give Insight into Intelligence and Evolution
By Otis F. Graf, Jr., Ph.D Does biological evolution tend towards a direction? And does that direction lead to intelligence that enhances survivability? Many scientists have assumed that it does, particularly those involved in the Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence (SETI) Institute. However, a recent article casts doubt on the idea that smartness inevitably gives survival advantage. Mutations Exceed Expectations
by Hugh Ross assisted by Guillermo Gonzalez Ironically, modern "advances" could serve to hasten humanity's demise. For the first time, geneticists have measured the proportion of harmful mutations arising in one generation of advanced species. The numbers are staggering. 10,11 Natural Nucleobase Synthesis?
by Hugh Ross The replicating molecules of life (DNA and RNA) are composed of different nucleobase molecules linked together by phosphates and five-carbon sugars.
New Clues to a Genesis Mystery
1/1/2005 Medical doctors say if you live long enough you'll probably get cancer. Cancer is one reason why none of us can live much beyond 120 years.1 How is it possible, then, that humans (before Noah) could have lived 900 years or more, as the Bible says? Reduced exposure to cancer risk factors may provide at least a partial answer. Novel Nitrogen Uptake Design
Molecular nitrogen (N2) comprises about 79 percent of the atmosphere, making it... Now, Ear This! Technology Inspired by Hearing Organ
Cell phones. Internet. Television. These ubiquitous—and many would argue essential—technologies all rely on the... Ode to Oxygen
4/1/2007 My seventh-grade science teacher asked the class to list “the three most essential needs of human life.” The “correct” answer—water, food, and sleep—illustrates how easily people take for granted the air we breathe, specifically its oxygen content. Most humans can live a few days without water, food, and sleep, and yet we can’t go more than a few minutes without oxygen. I understood that much in junior high, but at the time I had no idea that Earth’s oxygen-rich atmosphere represents—and facilitates—a miracle. Optimal Memory Design and Benefits of Forgetting
During speaking events, I am frequently complimented for my "phenomenal... Origin of Soulish Animals
Ongoing debates over the origin of life have focused only on the origin of the physical attributes of life. The origins of the "soulish" and... Petroleum: God's Well-Timed Gift to Mankind
9/1/2004 I am old enough to remember the days when gasoline sold for $.26 a gallon. But, even at today's high prices, gasoline is a bargain compared to what it could cost if it were not so easily and abundantly accessible. Recent research by geologists and physicists reveals that humans are living at the best possible time in Earth's history for harvesting petroleum-a resource that helped launch and sustain advanced civilization. Petroleum: God's Well-Timed Gift to Mankind
7/1/2004 I am old enough to remember the days when gasoline sold for $.26 a gallon. But, even at today's high prices, gasoline is a bargain compared to what it could cost if it were not so easily and abundantly accessible. Recent research by geologists and physicists reveals that humans are living at the best possible time in Earth's history for harvesting petroleum-a resource that helped launch and sustain advanced civilization. Quantum Mechanics, a Modern Goliath
By Hugh Ross, Ph.D. A few years ago an alarm was sounded like the one that echoed through Israel's camp in the days of King Saul. The giant, this time, is quantum mechanics, heralded by theologians as "the greatest contemporary threat to Christianity."' Physicists have proliferated popular books exploiting the esoteric nature of quantum phenomena to undermine the Christian view of origins. Rare Earth Confirmed
David H. Rogstad, Ph.D. A couple of months ago I discussed an upgrade to the Arecibo Radio Telescope that would make it more effective for searching for intelligent life in outer space (SETI). That article included So Easy a Caveman Could Do It? Part 1 (of 2)
Editor's note: this week we present an article by guest scholar Dr. Stan Lennard. The slogan of the popular Geico commercials is now familiar to most television viewing people. It shows the frustration, resentment, and anger of cavemen toward certain twenty-first century corporate executives who portray their company’s product as being so easy to use that these mere cavemen can do it. It is a marvelously successful ad campaign. So Easy a Caveman Could Do It? Part 2 (of 2)
Editor's note: this week we present part 2 of an article by guest scholar Dr. Stan Lennard. Last week we explored one aspect of human nature—language—that sets humans apart from animals and we proposed the neural synapse as a mechanism by which a Creator could communicate with humans. In the second part of this article we will consider mind and matter interaction documented by the clinical studies of patients with obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD). Symbiosis- More Complex Than We Knew
by Hugh Ross assisted by Guillermo Gonzalez Biological symbiosis, the mutual dependence of two species on each other (such as bees and flowers) for survival, has often been cited as evidence supporting divine design. Symbiosis demands that two different but uniquely compatible species arise at the same time and in the same place with the morphological structures in place to support the interdependence. Task Partitioning in Ant Colonies
by Hugh Ross The capacity of individuals within an insect colony to divide their labor for the overall benefit of the whole group highlights an outstanding design feature seen in all species of social insects (such as ants and bees). The Creation of Minerals
In this year that marks Charles Darwin's 200th birthday and the 150th anniversary of the publication of his book, On the Origin of Species,1 the debate over creation and evolution has taken a significant evolutionary leap. The Dark and Bright Sides of Cosmology
10/1/2007 Astrophysics has its ironies. Here’s one: Studies of the brightest galaxies in the universe led to the discovery that 99 percent of all matter is "dark matter".1 But matter is only part of the universe (about a fourth). The rest is energy. Adding irony to irony, research focusing on the brightest stars in the universe shows that "dark energy" is far more abundant than dark matter, making up most of the rest of the universe. Despite its often negative connotation, this "darkness" is not a bad thing. Timely Appearance of Land Life Benefits Humans
By Hugh Ross Two more pieces of evidence strengthen the case for the early appearance of land life. The significance of such findings is two-fold. First, it demonstrates the accuracy of the Genesis 1 record, which says that God created land life early, very early, in the creation week. Second, it demonstrates God’s planning and provision for the needs of advanced life, especially of humans in the development of their civilization. Too Much Sulfur
10/6/2008 Recent studies conducted on Venus and Mars illustrate just how carefully fine-tuned a planet’s abundance of sulfur must be for life to be possible. Sulfur plays a crucial role in life chemistry. This fact became personal for me a year ago when I was diagnosed as sulfur deficient. Many protein functions crucially depend on sulfur. Fortunately, most agricultural soils contain plenty of sulfur that vegetables, like onions and garlic, readily absorb. Vital Poisons
by Hugh Ross Perhaps you have noticed the addition of Food and Drug Administration warnings to packages of dietary supplements sold in drug and health food stores. If not, please do. These warning labels subtly announce dramatic new evidence for the divine design of life—and of the earth for sustaining life.
Whale Ankles- No Support for Neodarwinism
By Hugh Ross Proponents of gradualism often trot out so-called “transitional” whale fossils as evidence supporting their view.1, 2 In my book, The Genesis Question, I explain why no other animal has a higher risk of rapid extinction and a lower chance of natural advancement than the whale.3 Why Shorter Life Spans?
By Hugh Ross None of the explanations offered in the accompanying article imply that God randomly selected the life span of early humans or that He simply reacted to natural disasters in shortening human life. Why We Need to Return to the Moon
5/28/2007 I vividly recall sitting up all night with a dozen other astronomy students as we watched live on television the first men walk on the moon. The Apollo missions were more than just television spectaculars, however. The Apollo program helped us solve the mystery of the moon’s origin and helped establish how amazingly designed the moon is for the support of advanced life on Earth. Our books The Creator and the Cosmos and Origins of Life tell the story. Why Would a Good God Create Parasites?
by Hugh Ross, Ph.D. Some skeptics base their rejection of the Christian faith on bugs-specifically parasites. They argue that the existence of parasites is incompatible with belief in the all-loving, all-powerful God of Christianity. While human beings will never know all God's reasons for creating parasites, the following true story1 illustrates how their existence may be considered a good thing, rather than an excuse for rejecting God. Life DesignLife DesignWhy The Universe Is The Way It Is
RTB's newest author, Jeff Zweerink, explores multiverse theory and its implications for biblical creation models in the booklet Who's Afraid of the Multiverse? |