Today's New Reason To Believe Archives

September 2003

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Today’s New Reason To Believe – Tuesday, September 30

• Paley’s classic Watchmaker argument is thought by many atheists to have been discredited by the work of 18th century skeptic, David Hume. However, the eerie resemblance between biomolecular machines in the cell and man-made devices revitalizes this powerful argument for Intelligent Design. Adding to the growing list of literal machines inside the cell, researchers have just discovered the throttle for the molecular motor that propels the RecBCD enzyme along the DNA double helix. (This molecular machine unwinds the DNA double helix, the first step in DNA repair and replication, and transcription.) It turns out that a particular DNA sequence functions as a literal throttle by turning off one of the two molecular engines of the RecBCD enzyme. This cuts its speed in half as it travels along the DNA double helix. 
  • “DNA Throttle Controls Molecular Machine,” ScienceDaily.com.
• Related Resource: Protein Structures Reveal Even More Evidence for Design, by Fazale “Fuz” Rana
• Product Spotlight: Beyond Irreducible Complexity, by Fazale “Fuz” Rana

Today’s New Reason To Believe – Monday, September 29

• The evolutionary paradigm predicts gradual emergence of complex traits and continual change over time. This review summarizes recent work which indicates that army ants appeared earlier in Earth’s history than previously thought. Army ants seem to have originated with the first appearance of ants, around 125 million years ago. Since their appearance in the fossil record, no evolutionary change has been observed for their complex combination of morphological and behavioral characteristics.
  • Stefanie M. Berghoff, “Army Ants: An Evolutionary Bestseller?” Current Biology 13 (2003), R676-R677.
• Related Resource: Marine Body Sizes Add Weight to Creation Model, by Fazale “Fuz” Rana
• Product Spotlight: Evolution: A Theory in Crisis, Michael Denton

Today’s New Reason To Believe – Sunday, September 28

• A recent study reports that intronic DNA in animals, plants, fungi and protists is not distributed in ways that the evolutionary model predicts. Given the functional role that introns play in gene regulation, the results of this study are best interpreted from an Intelligent Design perspective, as a single Creator re-using the same design in unrelated organisms.
  • Igor B. Rogozin et al., “Remarkable Interkingdom Conservation of Intron Positions and Massive, Lineage-Specific Intron Loss and Gain in Eukaryotic Evolution,” Current Biology 13 (2003), 1512-17.
• Related Resource: Convergence: Evidence for a Single Creator, by Fazale “Fuz” Rana

Today’s New Reason To Believe – Saturday, September 27

• Evolutionary biologists maintain that “junk” DNA provides incontrovertible evidence for evolution. This study, however, adds to the growing body of evidence that noncoding DNA, in this case gypsy-Type LTR-Retrotransposon, does in fact have function and therefore is not the “junky” genetic leftovers of evolutionary ancestry.
  • Clare Lynch and Michael Tristem, “A Co-Opted gypsy-Type LTR-Retrotransposon Is Conserved in the Genomes of Humans, Sheep, Mice and Rats,” Current Biology 13 (2003), 1518-23.
• Related Resource: Yet Another Use for “Junk” DNA, by Fazale “Fuz” Rana
• Product Spotlight: Of Pandas and People: The Central Question of Biological Origins

Today’s New Reason To Believe – Friday, September 26

• This study shows that subtle changes in the cell’s biochemistry cause aging and suggests one way that the Creator could have worked to decrease human life spans as described in Genesis. During the aging process, oxidative damage to DNA in the nucleus and mitochondria takes place. This study demonstrates that when aging occurs, the enzymes that repair this damage in mitochondria become trapped in the mitochondrial membrane during transport into the mitochondria and are unavailable.
  • Bartosz Szczesny et al.,”Age-Dependent Deficiency in Import of Mitochondrial DNA Glycosylases Required for Repair of Oxidatively Damaged Bases,” PNAS, USA 100 (2003), 10670-75.
• Related Resource: Long Life Spans: Adam lived 930 years and then he died, by Fazale “Fuz” Rana, Hugh Ross and Richard Deem
• Product Spotlight: The Genesis Question, by Hugh Ross

Today’s New Reason To Believe – Thursday, September 25

• Increased understanding in the biology of aging makes the long life spans mentioned in Genesis increasingly plausible. This study identifies a key pathway that contributes to life-span extension in a nematode model for aging. Subtle biochemical changes have dramatic effects on life spans. It seems possible that the Creator could easily manipulate biochemical systems to alter and allow for long life spans.
  • Alicia Melendez et al., “Autophagy Genes are Essential for Dauer Development and Life-Span Extension in C. elegans,” Science 301 (2003), 1387-1391.
• Related Resource: Long Life Spans: Adam lived 930 years and then he died, by Fazale “Fuz” Rana, Hugh Ross and Richard Deem
• Product Spotlight: The Genesis Question, by Hugh Ross

Today’s New Reason To Believe – Wednesday, September 24

• The historical accuracy of the Bible provides a compelling reason to believe in its theological claims. According to 2 Kings 20: 20 and 2 Chronicles 32: 3-4, King Hezekiah built a tunnel (around 700 B.C.) to carry water from the Gihon Springs into the City of David. This was undertaken to protect the city’s water supply in the midst of an Assyrian invasion led by King Sennacherib. Recent radiometric analysis dates the tunnel’s age at 700 B.C. As James Jones, Bishop of Liverpool states, “This scientific verification of historical detail in the Bible challenges those who do not wish to take it seriously.”
  • Amos Frumkin et al., ”Radiometric Dating of the Siloam Tunnel, Jerusalem,” Nature 425 (2003), 169-71.
  • Helen R. Pilcher, “Radio-Dating Backs Up Biblical Text,” Nature Science Update.
• Related Resource: The Dynamics of Dating, Roger Wiens
• Product Spotlight: Archaeology and the Old Testament

Today’s New Reason To Believe – Tuesday, September 23

• Given the random nature of the evolutionary process, it should not repeatedly produce the same outcome. Yet, this study shows that speech and song development occurs by the same neurological mechanism in humans and birds, respectively. This remarkable example of physiological and behavioral convergence challenges a key prediction of biological evolution, but makes sense when it is viewed in light of a Creator who reuses optimal designs.
  • Michael H. Goldstein et al., “Social Interaction Shapes Babbling: Testing Parallels between Birdsong and Speech,” PNAS, USA 100 (2003), 8030-35.
  • Patricia K. Kuhl, “Human Speech and Birdsong: Communication and the Social Brain,” PNAS, USA 100 (2003), 9645-46.
• Related Resource: Convergence: Evidence for a Single Creator, by Fazale “Fuz” Rana

Today’s New Reason To Believe – Monday, September 22

• If the Creator described in the Bible actually exists, then we would expect to find elegant and innovative designs in nature to reflect His limitless knowledge. This report describes the insight gained by scientists at Tufts University regarding the remarkable strength of silk. Scientists have long known that silk is one of the strongest natural fibers, but have been unable to duplicate its properties in the laboratory. The new understanding that comes from this work now makes this possible and will provide broad application for fiber technology in general. Despite Herculean efforts, scientists have been unable to surpass this type of elegant design found in nature, the existence of which only seems to make sense if an omniscient Mind stands behind it all.
  • “Tufts University Bioengineers Discover Secret of Spider, Silkworm Fiber Strength,” ScienceDaily.com.
• Related Resource: Nanodevices Make Megascopic Statement, by Fazale “Fuz” Rana
• Product Spotlight: Travels to the Nanoworld

Today’s New Reason To Believe – Sunday, September 21

• This study adds new insight into the Native Americans (Amerindians) and supports the spread of humanity in a way consistent with the biblical account. This study also provides evidence against the Book of Mormon’s account for the origin of the Amerindians.
  • Rolando Gonzales-Jose et al., “Craniometric Evidence for Paleoamerican Survival in Baja California,” Nature 425 (2003), 62-65.
  • Tom D. Dillehay, “Tracking the First Americans,” Nature 425(2003), 23-24.
• Related Resource: Putting Mormonism to the Test, Creation Update (airdate12-17-2002)
• Product Spotlight: MP3 CD-ROM – Receive an entire quarter of Creation Update on one CD-ROM for only $24.95.

Today’s New Reason To Believe – Saturday, September 20

• The steady stream of media hype that the basic chemical building blocks for life are readily found throughout the universe seem to strengthen the case that the genesis of life does not require any supernatural intervention. Recently, astronomers were thrilled to have made the first detection of an amino acid (the simplest one, glycine) in interstellar space. What astronomers found were tiny amounts—one part (or less) per billion parts hydrogen—in three of the densest (and hottest) molecular cores known to exist in our galaxy. This discovery offers no help to naturalistic life origins scenarios, however, since transporting even this tiny amount of amino acid material to the primordial earth would expose it to total destruction by ultraviolet radiation.
  • Yi-Jehng Kuan et al., “Interstellar Glycine,” Astrophysical Journal 593 (2003), 848-67.
• Related Resource: Origin of Life Predictions Face Off, by Dr. Fazale “Fuz” Rana
• Product Spotlight: Journey Toward Creation, 2nd edition (DVD)

Today’s New Reason To Believe – Friday, September 19

• The more scientists learn about the process of speciation, the more they understand its multifaceted complexity. This report highlights one species of “indigobird” which became ten distinct subspecies as a result of behavioral isolation. While this study demonstrates that advanced species are capable of rapid microevolution (the division of one species into subspecies that will not naturally cross breed), it presents a problem for macroevolution. The smaller populations, habitats, and gene pools that result from this microevolution significantly lower the possibilities for macroevolution.
  • Michael D. Sorenson, Kristine M. Sefc, and Robert B. Payne, “Speciation by Host Switch in Brood Parasitic Indigobirds,” Nature 424 (2003), 928-31.
• Related Resource: Marine Body Sizes Add Weight to Creation Model, by Fazale “Fuz” Rana
• Product Spotlight: The Genesis Question, by Hugh Ross

Today’s New Reason To Believe – Thursday, September 18

• Genesis 1 describes how the Sun and Moon will be used by life on Earth to mark days, seasons and years. Experiments on the African dung beetle, for example, show how it makes use of the polarization pattern of both the setting Sun’s light and the Moon’s light to find its direction at night. Its remarkably complex nocturnal compass requires highly sensitive receptors (located in the dorsal-most part of the beetle’s eye) for detection and analysis of polarized light. Such highly specialized features speak of divine design.
  • Marie Dacke, et al., “Insect Orientation to Polarized Moonlight,” Nature 424 (2003), 33.
• Product Spotlight: The Genesis Question, by Hugh Ross

Today’s New Reason To Believe – Wednesday, September 17

• Biochemists discovered new evidence of intricate design when they analyzed a high-resolution map of the troponin protein (which initiates, regulates, and terminates the flow and placement of ionized calcium—essential for skeletal and cardiac muscle contraction). These protein molecules manifest amazing flexibility and precision, exploiting an array of linked spanners to place calcium ions at specified positions at critical times. Such thoughtful pre-planning seems more indicative of Divine design than natural process evolution.
  • Soichi Takeda, et al., “Structure of the Core Domain of Human Cardiac Troponin in the Ca2+ -Saturated Form,” Nature 424 (2003), 35-41.
• Related Resource: Protein Structures Reveal Even More Evidence for Design, by Fazale “Fuz” Rana
• Product Spotlight: Unlocking the Mystery of Life (DVD)

Today’s New Reason To Believe – Tuesday, September 16

• A growing body of evidence reveals the limitations of both therapeutic and reproductive cloning. Therapeutic human cloning involves the generation of embryos that can serve as a source of embryonic stems cells. The first commentary points out that the efficiency of generating embryonic stem cells via cloning is so low that it’s not practical. The second report points out the severe health problems experienced by clones.
  • Peter Mombaerts, “Therapeutic Cloning in the Mouse,” PNAS, USA 100 (2003), early edition.
  • Helen Pearson, “Adult Clones in Sudden Death Shock,” Nature Science Update.
• Related Resource: A New Direction for Stem Cell Research, by Fazale “Fuz” Rana
• Product Spotlight: A Christian Perspective on Biotechnology, by Dr. Fazale “Fuz” Rana

Today’s New Reason To Believe – Monday, September 15

• Evidence continues to mount that life, even in its simplest form, is way too complex to accommodate the timeline of natural process evolution. This study reports on the genome sequence of two Prochlorococcus strains and confirms that the minimum genome size for photosynthetic bacteria is about 1800 gene products. Photosynthetic microbes like these appeared quite early in Earth’s history.
  • Gabrielle Rocap et al., “Genome Divergence in two Prochlorococcus Ecotypes Reflects Oceanic Niche Differentiation,” Nature (2003), Advanced online publication.
• Related Resource: Discussion of the minimum gene size for photosynthetic bacteria on Creation Update (airdate 08-19-2003).
• Product Spotlight: Sign up for our auto-delivery program and a cassette of each week’s edition of Creation Update will be shipped directly to your door in quarterly installments. Call 800-482-7836 for details.

Today’s New Reason To Believe – Sunday, September 14

• Increased understanding of genomic structure and dynamics is progressively undermining the use of so-called “junk” or noncoding DNA as evidence for Darwinian evolution. This study demonstrates that microRNAs, produced from noncoding DNA, actually play a key role in plant development.
  • Javier F. Palatnik et al., “Control of Leaf Morphogenesis by MicroRNAs,” Nature (2003), Advanced online publication.
  • “‘MicroRNAs’ Control Plant Shape and Structure,” Science Daily.com.
• Related Resource: Discussion of small RNA on Creation Update (airdate 01-07-2003).
• Related Resource: Yet Another Use for “Junk” DNA, by Fazale “Fuz” Rana

Today’s New Reason To Believe – Saturday, September 13

• Paley’s classic Watchmaker argument is thought by many atheists to have been discredited by the work of 18th century skeptic, David Hume. However, the eerie resemblance between biomolecular motors like this one and manmade rotary motors revitalizes this powerful argument for Intelligent Design. This review summarizes new insight into the structure and dynamics of literal rotary motor that is powered by “electrical current” (proton translocation) in the cell.
  • Joachim Weber and Alan E. Senior, “ATP Synthesis Driven by Proton Transport in F1F0 ATP Synthase,” FEBS Letters 545 (2003), 61-70.
• Related Resource: Protein Structures Reveal Even More Evidence for Design, by Fazale “Fuz” Rana
• Product Spotlight: Beyond Irreducible Complexity, by Fazale “Fuz” Rana

Today’s New Reason To Believe – Friday, September 12, 2003

• The most cited evidence for Darwinian evolution involves so-called “speciation” events. However, evolutionary biologists struggle to adequately define what a species actually is. These studies highlight this difficulty and illustrate the fact that most “speciation” events really involve microevolutionary changes among poorly delineated species.
  • N. J. Besansky et al., “Semipermeable Species Boundaries between Anopheles gambiae and Anopheles arabiensis:  Evidence from Multilocus DNA Sequence Variation,” PNAS, USA 100 (2003), 10818-23.
  • Loren H. Rieseberg et al., “Major Ecological Transitions in Wild Sunflowers Facilitated by Hydridization,” Science 301 (2003), 1211-16.
  • Richard J. Abbott, “Sex, Sunflowers, and Speciation,” Science 301 (2003), 1189-90.
• Related Resource: Discussion of sea snake speciation on Creation Update (airdate 11-19-2002).
• Product Spotlight: Sign up for our auto-delivery program and a cassette of each week’s edition of Creation Update will be shipped directly to your door in quarterly installments. Call 800-482-7836 for details.

Today’s New Reason To Believe – Thursday, September 11, 2003

• This study suggests that the long life spans mentioned in the early chapters of Genesis could be facilitated by modulating enzyme activity or through altered diet. This research shows that compounds found in red wine can increase life span in yeast by 70% via stabilization of DNA. The enzymes affected by resveratrol are also found in humans.
  • Konrad T. Howitz et al., “Small Molecule Activators of Sirtuins Extend Saccharomyces cerevisiae Lifespan,” Nature (2003), Advanced On-line Publication.
  • “Molecules Discovered that Extend Life in Yeast; Group of Compounds Found in Red Wine, Vegetables Simulate Benefit of Low-Calorie Diet,” Science Daily.com.
• Related Resource: Long Life Spans: Adam lived 930 years and then he died, by Fazale “Fuz” Rana, Hugh Ross, and Richard Deem
• Product Spotlight: The Genesis Question, by Hugh Ross

Today’s New Reason To Believe – Wednesday, September 10, 2003

• The biomedical community routinely assumes the use of stem cells will automatically result in the restoration of damaged and diseased tissues. But a growing body of research indicates that this is not necessarily the case. This report describes the failure of tissue replacement therapy (based on current technology) as a treatment for Parkinson’s disease. These types of failures call into question the legitimacy of pursuing embryonic stem cell research, which is a major source of stem cells used for tissue replacement therapies.
  • Erika Check, “Parkinson’s Transplant Therapy Faces Setback,” Nature Science Update.
• Related Resource: A New Direction for Stem Cell Research, by Fazale “Fuz” Rana
• Product Spotlight: A Christian Perspective on Biotechnology, by Fazale “Fuz” Rana

Today’s New Reason To Believe – Tuesday, September 9, 2003

• This letter exchange illustrates the confusion that exists among paleoanthropologists with respect to the hominid fossil record. The uncertainty that surrounds the numbers and types of species and the inability of paleoanthropologists to establish clearly delineated evolutionary pathways makes the notion of human evolution untenable, at least formally.
  • Jeffrey H. Schwartz, “Another Perspective on Hominid Diversity,” and Tim D. White, “Response: Another Perspective on Hominid Diversity,” Science 301 (2003), 763-65.
• Related Resource: The Unreliability of Hominid Phylogenetic Analysis Challenges The Human Evolutionary Paradigm, by Fazale “Fuz” Rana

Today’s New Reason To Believe – Monday, September 8, 2003

• The number of possible planets with life-support capability shrinks again. In observing a certain class of star clusters, astronomers noted that the younger the cluster the bluer and more variable the medium and small-sized stars (the only candidates for life support). Their studies have shown that the extra “blueness” and variability result from large star spots (indicating major magnetic activity) and rapid rotation. The bottom line is that life is impossible on planets orbiting young stars (stars younger than a half billion years).
  • John R. Stauffer et al, “Why Are the K Dwarfs in the Pleiades So Blue?” Astronomical Journal 126 (2003), 833-47.
• Related Resource: The Faint Sun Paradox, by Hugh Ross
• Product Spotlight: The Creator and the Cosmos, by Hugh Ross

[No weekend discoveries this week.]

Today’s New Reason To Believe – Friday, September 5, 2003

• This study examines the patterns of genetic variation in African-American and European-American populations (by monitoring combinations of SNPs or haplotypes) and demonstrates that the observed genetic variation is a small proportion of that possible. This result indicates that humanity had a recent origin from a small population, in harmony with the biblical account of human origins.
  • Paola Sebastiani et al., “Minimum Haplotype Tagging,” PNAS USA 100 (2003), 9900-05.
• Related Resource: New Y Chromosome Studies Continue to Support a Recent Origin and Spread of Humanity, by Fazale “Fuz” Rana

Today’s New Reason To Believe – Thursday, September 4, 2003

• Four different sets of observations (on positions of blue-shifted light relative to matter-dense regions) independently confirm that “dark” energy plays a major role in governing the expansion dynamics of the universe. These confirmations strengthen the evidence for dark energy’s pervasive influence. This evidence, in turn, strengthens the case for extreme fine-tuning of the cosmos for the possibility of life's existence.
  • R. Scranton et al., “Physical Evidence for Dark Energy,” submitted July 20, 2003 to Physical Review Letters.
  • Pablo Fosalba, Enrique Gaztanaga, and Francisco Castander, “Detection of ISW an SZ Effects from the CMB-Galaxy Correlation,” submitted July 18, 2003 to Astrophysical Journal Letters.
  • M. R. Nolta et al., “First Year Wilkinson Anisotropy Probe (WMAP) Observations: Dark Energy Induced Correlation with Radio Sources,” submitted May 7, 2003 to Astrophysical Journal.
  • Stephen Boughn and Robert Crittenden, “A Correlation of the Cosmic Microwave Sky with Large Scale Structure,” preprint, April 30, 2003.
• Related Resource: WMAP Offers Spectacular Proof of Creation Event, by Hugh Ross
• Product Spotlight: Journey Toward Creation, 2nd edition (DVD)

Today’s New Reason To Believe – Wednesday, September 3, 2003

• This study dates the origin of human clothing use by tracking the emergence of body lice from head lice (thought to result from a micro-evolutionary change) through the use of mitochondrial DNA. Body lice originated about 70,000 years ago in a single location, and currently bears a genetic fingerprint that indicates its spread around the world in a manner that matches human migration patterns. According to this work, clothing use began around the time that modern humans appeared—in accord with the Bible’s account of humanity’s creation. From an evolutionary perspective, this study implies that none of the hominids found in Africa used clothing.
  • Ralf Kittler et al., “Molecular Evolution of Pediculus humanus and the Origin of Clothing,” Current Biology 13 (2003), 1414-17.
• Related Resource: Diseases Follow Human Origin and Spread, by Fazale “Fuz” Rana

Today’s New Reason To Believe – Tuesday, September 2, 2003

• With the help of the Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph astronomers have shown how “just right” and rare our Milky Way galaxy must be in order to support life. Black holes in the nuclei of elliptical galaxies are much more massive (life thwarting) than those in spirals, such as the Milky Way. But, even in a spiral galaxy, other specific features of the galaxy influence the mass of its central black hole—a sensitive characteristic for life support.
  • M. A. Hughes et al., “An Atlas of Hubble Space Telescope Spectra and Images of Nearby Spiral Galaxies,” Astronomical Journal 126 (2003), 742-61.
• Related Resource: A Precise Plan for Humanity, by Hugh Ross
• Product Spotlight: Journey Toward Creation, 2nd edition (DVD)

Today’s New Reason To Believe – Monday, September 1, 2003

• This study demonstrates that LTRs, a class of noncoding DNA, play a role in regulating gene expression, and therefore are not “junk” DNA. Studies on noncoding DNA increasingly highlight the genome’s complex and elegant organization. Instead of serving as evidence for evolution, functional noncoding DNA evinces biochemical, and hence, divine design.
  • Vera Schramke and Robin Allshire, “Hairpin RNAs and Retrotransposon LTRs Effect RNAi and Chromatin-Based Gene Silencing,” Science 301 (2003), 1069-74.
  • Majori Matzke and Antonius J. M. Matzke, “RNAi Extends Its Reach,” Science 301 (2003), 1060-61.
• Related Resource: Yet Another Use for “Junk” DNA, by Fazale “Fuz” Rana
• Product Spotlight: Evolution: A Theory in Crisis, by Michael Denton