Today's New Reason To Believe Archives
August 2005
Today’s New Reason To Believe-Wednesday, August 31, 2005
Refutation of Young-Earth Geomagnetic Models
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A team of Swiss and American paleoclimatologists and particle physicists have
developed a powerful refutation of young-earth creationist models for the past
history of Earth’s magnetic field. The higher the intensity of Earth’s
magnetic field, the stronger the deflection of primary cosmic rays and,
consequently, the fewer cosmogenic radionuclides that are produced. Using
measures of the cosmogenic radionuclides beryllium-10, chlorine-36, and
carbon-14 determined from the GRIP Greenland ice core, the team established
that the intensity of Earth’s magnetic field reached maxima at 2,000, 8,500,
22,000, 30,000, and 48,000 years ago. Their results show that over the past
35,000 years Earth’s magnetic field intensity has stayed within the range of
one-half to twice its present value. Such results refute young-earth
creationist claims that the presently precipitous decay of Earth’s magnetic
field strength proves that Earth must be younger than 20,000 years or that
Earth’s magnetic field intensity experienced dramatic oscillations during the
flood of Noah.
- Raimund Muscheler et al., "Geomagnetic Field Intensity During the Last 60,000 Years Based on 10Be, and 36Cl from the Summit Ice Cores and 14C," Quaternary Science Reviews (2005), in press.
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- Hugh Ross, "Missing Solar Neutrinos Found"
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- A Matter of Days, by Hugh Ross
Today’s New Reason To Believe-Tuesday, August 30, 2005
Complexity of Earth’s First Life
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A new study bolsters RTB’s biblical creation model by providing evidence for
life’s sudden and early appearance on Earth. Scientists have understood
Earth’s first life to be morphologically simple, yet metabolically complex.
For example, sulfide deposits in rocks that date between 3.3--3.5 billion
years in age indicate that chemoautotrophic sulfate-reducing bacteria were
present on early Earth. New research provides insight into the extensive
complexity of Earth’s first life. Researchers sequenced the genome of a
thermoacidophilic archeabacterium, Sulfolobus acidocaldarius, a
single-celled organism thought to be representative of some of Earth’s first
life forms. They discovered that approximately 2,292 genes make up its
genome-quite complex for a single-celled microbe. The rapid appearance of such
complex metabolic forms of life so rapidly after the Earth became suitable for
life defies a naturalistic explanation. However, a biblical creation model
explains such data as the work of a Creator who supernaturally intervened to
make the first life forms on Earth.
- Lanming Chen et al., "The Genome of Sulfolobus acidocaldarius, A Model Organism of the Crenarchaeota," Journal of Bacteriology 187 (2004): 4992-99.
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- Fazale Rana, "Telltale Rocks"
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- Origins of Life, by Fazale Rana and Hugh Ross
Today’s New Reason To Believe-Monday, August 29, 2005
Rarity of Planets in Open Star Clusters
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Astronomers from Harvard and Purdue Universities have found more evidence that
points to the supernatural design of the solar system for the support of life.
They performed the most sensitive survey to date for transiting planets in an
open star cluster. The star cluster they searched, NGC 6791, is heavily
populated with stars and is very metal-rich (more than twice the density of
metals manifested in the sun). The team’s survey should have produced 1.5
unambiguous detections of planets if indeed NGC 6791 is as planet-rich as the
metal-rich stars within 100 light years of Earth. Their survey produced zero
detections. Thus, there may be more factors besides metallicity that determine
whether or not a star possesses planets. And astronomers’ current estimate
that 2% of all Milky Way Galaxy stars possess planets may need to be adjusted
downward.
- K. Z. Stanek et al., "Planets in Stellar Clusters Extensive Search. III. A Search for Transiting Planets in the Metal-Rich Open Cluster NGC 6791," Astronomical Journal 129 (2005): 2856-68.
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Related Resource
- Hugh Ross, "Anthropic Principle: A Precise Plan for Humanity"
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Product Spotlight
- Journey Toward Creation, 2nd ed., by Hugh Ross (DVD)
- The Creator and the Cosmos, 3rd ed., by Hugh Ross
Today’s New Reason To Believe-Sunday, August 28, 2005
More Evidence for Early Life on Earth
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New research has authenticated ancient fossils that provide evidence for
life’s sudden appearance early in Earth’s history. A host of disparate
evidences indicates that life appeared suddenly on Earth around 3.8 billion
years ago and that this first life was metabolically complex. Chief pieces of
evidence toward this end are the Apex fossils of cyanobacteria recovered in
rock formations that date to older than 3.5 billion years in age. Some
origin-of-life researchers have disputed the bioauthenticity of these fossils,
claiming that they are inorganic frauds. This new study provides additional
support for the biogenic origin of the Apex fossils and accounts for some of
the features that researchers had questioned. The rapid appearance of complex
metabolic forms of life so rapidly after the earth became suitable for life
defies a naturalistic explanation. However, this fact finds ready explanation
in a creation model that describes how a Creator supernaturally intervened to
make the first life forms on Earth.
- J. William Schopf et al., "Raman Imagery: A New Approach to Assess the Geochemical Maturity and Biogenicity of Permineralized Precambrian Fossils," Astrobiology 3 (2005): 333-71.
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- Origins of Life, by Fazale Rana and Hugh Ross
Today’s New Reason To Believe-Saturday, August 27, 2005
Climate to Orbital Eccentricity Variation Link
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A team of American and European geologists and geophysicists has uncovered
more evidence for the supernatural design of the masses and orbits of the
solar system planets and for the moon for the benefit of advanced life. The
team discovered that two of the most dramatic warming events during the past
100 million years correspond to maxima in the 405,000-year and 100,000-year
eccentricity (ellipticity) cycles in Earth’s orbit that follow right after the
prolonged minima in the 2.25-million-year eccentricity cycle. This discovery
demonstrates that even very tiny changes in the eccentricity of Earth’s orbit
can trigger dramatic events in deep-sea circulation, leading to
methane-hydrate release that causes a huge warming spike in Earth’s climate.
Thus, for advanced life to be possible on Earth the factors affecting changes
in Earth’s eccentricity must all be exquisitely fine-tuned. These include the
masses, orbital radii, orbital inclinations, and orbital eccentricities of the
eight other solar system planets and the moon, plus any variations in their
orbital inclinations and eccentricities. Even with such extraordinary
fine-tuning, the timing of humanity’s arrival must also be fine-tuned for the
human species to achieve a global high-technology civilization.
- Lucas J. Lourens et al., "Astronomical Pacing of Late Palaeocene to Early Eocene Global Warming Events," Nature 435 (2005): 1083-87.
- Aradhna Tripati and Henry Elderfield, "Deep-Sea Temperature and Circulation Changes at the Paleocene-Eocene Thermal Maximum," Science 308 (2005): 1894-98.
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- Hugh Ross, "Anthropic Principle: A Precise Plan for Humanity"
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- The Creator and the Cosmos, 3rd ed., by Hugh Ross
- Journey Toward Creation, 2nd ed., by Hugh Ross (DVD)
Today’s New Reason To Believe-Friday, August 26, 2005
Skeletal Differences Distinguish Neanderthals from Humans
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Another recent study confirms RTB’s creation model prediction that humans and
Neanderthals should be morphologically distinct from one another. Researchers
performed the first-ever total reconstruction of the Neanderthal skeleton.
This reconstruction indicates that the Neanderthal rib cage and pelvis were
dramatically different from those of modern humans. Also, Neanderthals were
much shorter in stature. Based on these anatomical differences, investigators
conclude once again that Neanderthals and ancient modern humans were
morphologically, and hence, evolutionarily distinct. The scientific evidence
continues to distinguish modern humans from Neanderthals, as RTB’s explanation
for the hominid fossil record predicts.
- G. J. Sawyer and Blaine Maley, "Neanderthals Reconstructed," The Anatomical Record (Part B New Anatomist) 283B (2005): 23-31.
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- Fazale R. Rana, "Neanderthal-to-Human Link Severed"
Today’s New Reason To Believe-Thursday, August 25, 2005
Martian Water and the Possibility of Martian Life
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Three different international teams of astrobiologists have shed new light on
the possibility of extraterrestrial life through their analysis of data from
the Mars Exploration Rover missions. While finding some evidence for the
ephemeral existence of thin films of liquid water, they also noted that the
ubiquitous presence of olivine and wind-blown global dust establishes that
water has played a very limited role in the alteration of Martian rock and
dust. Such a conclusion is consistent with belief that the source of Martian
water is limited to cometary infall and the occasional radical tilting of
Mars’ rotation axis. Consequently, the lack of any significant long-lasting
body of liquid water on Mars, by itself, rules out Mars as a candidate for the
possible existence of indigenous extraterrestrial life. The team’s studies
also help demonstrate just how rare are the required conditions for enduring
viable life.
- Albert S. Yen et al., "An Integrated View of the Chemistry and Mineralogy of Martian Soils," Nature 436 (2005): 49-53.
- Walter Goetz et al., "Indication of Drier Periods on Mars from the Chemistry and Mineralogy of Atmospheric Dust," Nature 436 (2005): 62-65.
- Larry A. Haskin et al., "Water Alteration of Rocks and Soils on Mars at the Spirit Rover Site in Gusev Crater," Nature 436 (2005): 66-69.
- Related Resource
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- Origins of Life, by Fazale Rana and Hugh Ross
Today’s New Reason To Believe-Wednesday, August 24, 2005
More Chemical Problems for the Origin of Life
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New research highlights one of the myriad problems that face evolutionary
origin-of-life scenarios. For life to have arisen by naturalistic means,
researchers need to demonstrate that life’s building blocks can be produced
under conditions of early Earth. As a case in point, a chemical pathway to
generate the nucleobase, adenine, must effectively operate on the early Earth.
Earlier research had indicated that adenine can be produced by hydrolyzing the
polymers formed in concentrated ammonium cyanide solutions. However, new
research indicates that the adenine liberated from hydrogen cyanide (HCN)
polymers under acidic conditions is destroyed by the same conditions that
produce it! This work demonstrates that adenine liberated from HCN polymers is
stable only under highly specific pH conditions, and it is uncertain whether
these conditions existed on the early Earth. Thus, naturalistic origin-of-life
researchers struggle to demonstrate robust, relevant chemical pathways that
could produce life’s building blocks on early Earth.
- Eduardo Borquez et al., "An Investigation of Prebiotic Purine Synthesis from the Hydrolysis of HCN Polymers," Origins of Life and Evolution of Biospheres 35 (2005): 79-90.
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Today’s New Reason To Believe-Tuesday, August 23, 2005
Using Globular Clusters in M31 to Test Creation
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A team of American and Italian astronomers has buttressed several linchpins
for the biblically predicted big bang creation model and for several of the
cosmic features that give evidence for supernatural design. These linchpins
are the distances to both the Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC) and the Andromeda
Galaxy (M31) and the ages of the oldest globular clusters in M31. The team
performed the most extensive and precise photometric measurements to date on
10 different globular star clusters in M31. Their measurements are consistent
with a model of the universe continuously expanding from a cosmic creation
event about 13.7 billion years ago and a distance to the LMC of 167,300 light
years. These measures provide even more certainty that the big bang creation
model is correct and that a superintelligent, supernatural Creator designed
the universe for the benefit of life, and humans in particular.
- R. M. Rich et al., "Hubble Space Telescope WFPC2 Color-Magnitude Diagrams for Globular Clusters in M31," Astronomical Journal 129 (2005): 2670-91.
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- Hugh Ross and John Rea, "Big Bang-The Bible Taught It First!"
- Hugh Ross, "Predictive Power: Affirming Cosmic Creation"
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- A Matter of Days, by Hugh Ross
- The Creator and the Cosmos, 3rd ed., by Hugh Ross
Today’s New Reason To Believe-Monday, August 22, 2005
Bone Marrow Stromal Cells Offer Hope
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Another alternative to embryonic stem cell research (ESCR) may help end the
often rancorous public debate over stem cells. New research indicates that
bone marrow stromal cells, which are easy to isolate and rapidly expand in
number, can be induced into skeletal muscle cells. These cells form muscle
fibers when implanted into degenerated muscles of rats and mice. Bone marrow
stromal cells are preferred to muscle-forming adult stem cells found in bone
marrow because they are much more abundant. This research is part of a growing
list of scientific advances that may provide the way out of the ethical
dilemma created by emerging biotechnologies.
- Mari Dezawa et al., "Bone Marrow Stromal Cells Generate Muscle Cells and Repair Muscle Degeneration," Science 309 (2005): 314-17.
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- Fazale R. Rana, "A New Direction for Stem Cell Research"
Today’s New Reason To Believe-Sunday, August 21, 2005
Climate Change Orbital Inclination Variation Link
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A team of European and American geochemists and geophysicists has found more
evidence for the supernatural design and timing of the solar system for the
benefit of advanced life. Using measures of oxygen-18 and deuterium from the
past 100,000 years that were recovered from the Greenland GRIP ice core, the
team showed that several rapid and dramatic changes in both temperature and
rainfall distribution had occurred in response to tiny changes in the
obliquity or tilt of Earth’s orbit. Their study implies that the value, the
range of variability, and the rates of variation in the obliquity of Earth’s
orbit must all be carefully fine-tuned for advanced life to be possible. Their
study also implies that the advent of global human civilization must have been
carefully timed to begin near the start of the one 12,000-year slice within
the past 100,000 years where relative climatic stability existed.
- V. Masson-Delmotte et al., "GRIP Deuterium Excess Reveals Rapid and Orbital-Scale Changes in Greenland Moisture Origin," Science 309 (2005): 118-21.
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Related Resource
- Hugh Ross, "Anthropic Principle: A Precise Plan for Humanity"
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- Journey Toward Creation, 2nd ed., by Hugh Ross (DVD)
- The Creator and the Cosmos, 3rd ed., by Hugh Ross
Today’s New Reason To Believe-Saturday, August 20, 2005
Biochemical Design: Localization of Soj Protein
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New understanding of a protein’s role in a specific bacterium provides
evidence for design. Not long ago, microbiologists viewed bacteria as
containers of haphazardly arranged molecules. Recent advances have overturned
that view. Microbiologists now understand that these simplest of life forms
possess a remarkable degree of internal organization at the molecular level.
New research expands upon this new paradigm by characterizing the dynamic
changes in localization of the Soj protein in the bacterium, Bacillus
subtilis. This protein plays a critical role in the cell division process.
The discovery of such internal organization of the simplest life forms serves
as a marker for biochemical design and points to the work of a Creator.
- Konstantin Doubrovinski and Martin Howard, "Stochastic Model for Soj Relocation Dynamics in Bacillus subtilis," Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, USA 102 (2005): 9808-13.
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Today’s New Reason To Believe-Friday, August 19, 2005
Design of Molecular Antennae for Photosynthesis
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A team of European and Chinese biophysicists has found more evidence for a
high level of design in the light-harvesting molecules that facilitate
photosynthesis in plants. Researchers had recently mapped and comprehended the
exquisite design structures in LHCII molecules that allow them to function as
high-gain antennae so that efficient photosynthesis can occur under shaded and
overcast conditions (Creation Update, 10/05/04
http://www.reasons.org/resources/multimedia/rtbradio/cu_archives/protected/200407-12archives.shtml).
What scientists lacked was any understanding of how these molecules functioned
to protect plants from photo-damage bleaching under full sunlight conditions.
The team discovered that LHCII contain nano-switches that involve changes in
pigment configuration brought about by protein conformational change. These
changes regulate how much incoming light is transferred to the photosynthetic
molecular structure and how much is dissipated as heat. As the team points
out, the "molecular design" of these nano-switches operates so that no matter
what the incident light intensity is, the photosynthetic structures receive
close to the ideal quantities of light. As the editors of Nature point
out (v436, n7047, p. ix), the elegance of the design of LHCII has implications
"for design of novel nano-optical devices."
- Andrew A. Pascal et al., "Molecular Basis of Photoprotection and Control of Photosynthetic Light-Harvesting," Nature 436 (2005): 134-37.
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- Fazale R. Rana, "Protein Structures Reveal Even More Evidence for Design"
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- The Genesis Question, 2nd ed., by Hugh Ross
- Origins of Life, by Fazale Rana and Hugh Ross
Today’s New Reason To Believe-Thursday, August 18, 2005
Biochemical Design: Cellular Organization of MreB
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Microbiologists have discovered more evidence for internal molecular
organization in bacteria that also indicates purposeful design. New research
characterizes the role of MreB, a protein involved in organizing the bacterial
chromosome. MreB specifically segregates the replication origin region of the
bacterial chromosome. This protein also plays a critical role in the cell
division process. Such internal organization of the simplest life forms serves
as a marker for biochemical design and suggests the work of a Divine Designer.
- William Margolin, "Bacterial Mitosis: Actin in a New Role at the Origin," Current Biology 15 (2005): R259-R261.
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Today’s New Reason To Believe-Wednesday, August 17, 2005
Design of Newly Discovered Earth Interior Layer
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A team of American geophysicists has found more evidence for the fine-tuned
design of planet Earth for the benefit of advanced life. Using high-pressure
laboratory experiments and theoretical calculations, they showed that the
archives of seismic data could only be explained if a thin, specially composed
layer existed between the lower mantle and the outer liquid core of the earth.
This newly identified layer would be made up of iron-rich silicate as much as
20% denser than normal lower mantle material. Evidently, physical/chemical
reactions at the core-mantle boundary are responsible for the formation of
this enigmatic layer. Several physical characteristics of this layer,
including its magnetism, diffusivity, elasticity, and anisotropy, would need
to be fine-tuned to sustain the kind of dynamo and plate tectonics at the
level and duration that advanced life on Earth demands.
- Wendy L. Mao et al., "Iron-Rich Silicates in the Earth’s ‘D’ Layer," Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, USA 102 (2005): 9751-53.
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- Hugh Ross, "Anthropic Principle: A Precise Plan for Humanity"
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- The Creator and the Cosmos, 3rd ed., by Hugh Ross
Today’s New Reason To Believe-Tuesday, August 16, 2005
Human Engineers Fail to Match "Nature’s Ingenuity"
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Recent research in nanotechnology highlights the elegance and sophistication
of the biochemical systems that constitute life. The goal of nanotechnology is
to construct man-made molecular-level machines. Toward this end researchers
have synthesized the first-ever reversible molecular valve. This valve can
open and close in response to chemical signals. Although the valve represents
science at its very best, it is still crude and cumbersome in comparison to
the molecular systems found inside the cell. These molecular systems, which
function as molecular-level machines, are remarkably complex, and
characteristically sophisticated, elegant, and efficient in their operation.
In fact, they are far superior to anything yet produced by nanoscientists and
nanoengineers. Nature’s superior designs point to the work of a Superior
Designer.
- Thoi D. Nguyen et al., "A Reversible Molecular Valve," Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, USA 102 (2005): 10029-34.
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- Fazale R. Rana, "Nanodevices Make Megascopic Statement"
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- Travels to the Nanoworld, by Michael Gross
Today’s New Reason To Believe-Monday, August 15, 2005
Design of Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Symbiosis
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Two teams of chemists and biologists, one American the other Japanese, have
uncovered more evidence for the supernatural design of the symbiotic
relationship that exists between fungi and over 80% of all land plants. The
arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi, which grow on plant roots, transform inorganic
nitrogen into critical amino acids that land plants cannot produce for
themselves. In exchange for these nutrients plants provide the fungi with
carbohydrates, the fuel of life. Without this symbiotic relationship plants
would not be able to colonize the vast majority of the continental land
masses, and the extent and diversity of land animals would be severely
limited. The Japanese team discovered that the symbiotic relationship is made
optimally efficient by the plants releasing into the soil specialized
signaling molecules (strigolactone, 5-deoxy-strigol) that communicate to the
fungi the best locations for them to branch so that the best possible contact
between the fungi and the plant’s roots takes place. The American team
discovered the means by which specific chemical pathways and the genes
controlling these pathways direct the amino acids produced by the fungi to the
correct locations within the plant’s root system. In both cases the level of
design ingenuity and optimization is spectacular and points to a Creator who
had intended long ago that Earth’s continents would be filled with advanced
plants and animals.
- Kohki Akiyama, Ken-ichi Matsuzaki, and Hideo Hayashi, "Plant Sesquiterpenes Induce Hyphal Branching in Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi," Nature 435 (2005): 824-27.
- Manjula Govindarajulu et al., "Nitrogen Transfer in the Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Symbiosis," Nature 435 (2005): 819-23.
- Martin Parniske, "Cue for the Branching Connection," Nature 435 (2005): 750-51.
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- Fazale R. Rana, "Protein Structures Reveal Even More Evidence for Design"
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Today’s New Reason To Believe-Sunday, August 14, 2005
Life’s Minimal Complexity
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New research highlights the extensive complexity of life even in its most
minimal form. Researchers probing the minimal requirements for life and
searching for an explanation for life’s origin have attempted a new approach:
the creation of artificial life. In an effort to build life from the ground
up, researchers have encountered the complexity of even the simplest life
form. The list of necessary operations for life to be possible is staggering.
Although researchers have succeeded in developing a number of individual
systems that crudely mimic some of the operations on the list, they have been
unable to produce the most important feature of living systems: a
self-replicating molecule that can direct its own production and the
production of other necessary components needed for life. Whether the defining
features of life are viewed from the top down or bottom up, the irreducible
complexity of life is readily apparent.
- David Deamer, "A Giant Step Towards Artificial Life?" TRENDS in Biotechnology 23 (2005): 336-38.
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Today’s New Reason To Believe-Saturday, August 13, 2005
Carbon Dioxide Abundance Climate Change Link
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Researchers have uncovered more evidence for the supernatural timing of
humanity’s arrival in Earth’s history. Their work shows that the abundance of
carbon dioxide in the atmosphere must be carefully fine-tuned to provide a
climate suitable for global human civilization. Using cores from several deep
sea drilling sites, the team established a record for the abundance of carbon
dioxide over the past 45 million years. This record showed that the transition
from a warm, ice-free Earth to a cooler Earth (with vast ice sheets covering
Antarctica) correlated with a drop in atmospheric carbon dioxide from
1000-1500 parts per million down to the present 300 parts per million. This
result demonstrates that carbon dioxide abundance must be carefully fine-tuned
to provide a climate and sea level suitable for global human civilization and
that the origin of humanity was timed for the perfect climatic moment in
Earth’s history. The team’s study also shows that plant species using C4
photosynthesis suddenly arose to replace those using C3
photosynthesis when carbon dioxide levels rapidly dropped, suggesting the
intervention of a supernatural Creator.
- Mark Pagani et al., "Marked Decline in Atmospheric Carbon Dioxide Concentrations During the Paleogene," Science Express, 16 June 2005
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- Hugh Ross, "The Faint Sun Paradox"
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Today’s New Reason To Believe-Friday, August 12, 2005
Biochemical Design: Another Molecular Motor
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New insight into yet another of nature’s amazing molecular motors provides
evidence for divine design. Biochemists have learned more about the type III
secretion system of pathogenic bacteria. This protein complex, found in the
bacterial cell envelope, is a needle-shaped molecular machine that transports
bacterial proteins into the cytoplasm of the host’s cells. Recent research on
the structure of the type III secretion system’s ring embedded in the inner
membrane of the bacterial cell envelope has uncovered more of its elegant
design. As scientists continue to study these biomolecular machines, they
discover more evidence of the work of a divine "Motor Maker."
- Calvin K. Yip et al., "Structural Characterization of the Molecular Platform for Type III Secretion System Assembly," Nature 435 (2005): 702-07.
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- Fazale R. Rana, "Nanodevices Make Megascopic Statement"
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Today’s New Reason To Believe-Thursday, August 11, 2005
Definitive Cosmic Expansion Time Dilation Test
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Observations by a team of American astronomers have provided scientists with a
powerful new tool for establishing that the universe continuously expands from
a creation event as the Bible predicted more than 2,500 years ago. Their new
method also demonstrates that the young-universe creationist model for cosmic
expansion must be incorrect. In a universe that has continuously expanded from
a creation event 14 billion years ago, Einstein’s theory of special relativity
predicts that a supernova manifesting a redshift of 0.36 will take several
days longer than a comparable supernova in the Milky Way Galaxy to proceed
through a set of changes in its spectrum. Nonexpanding universe cosmic models
predict zero days while young-universe creationist models predict that the
supernova will progress through its spectral changes nearly a million times
faster! The team’s measurements on supernova 1997ex definitively confirm the
biblically predicted cosmic creation model and at the same time falsify both
nonexpanding universe models and young-universe creationist models.
- Ryan J. Foley et al., "A Definitive Measurement of Time Dilation in the Spectral Evolution of the Moderate-Redshift Type Ia Supernova 1997ex," Astrophysical Journal Letters 626 (2005): L11-L14.
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- Hugh Ross, "Missing Solar Neutrinos Found"
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Today’s New Reason To Believe-Wednesday, August 10, 2005
Junk DNA Has Function
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"Junk" (or noncoding) DNA has become an icon of evolution. Evolutionary
biologists maintain that because junk DNA is an imperfection, it provides
incontrovertible evidence for evolution. After all, why would a Creator bother
with useless materials? Numerous recent studies, however, have identified
function for many types of junk DNA. This new study shows that LINE DNA, a
class of noncoding DNA that can duplicate itself and move around in the
genome, plays a role in creating human diversity. As LINE DNA moves around the
genome, it can alter gene expression patterns which, in turn, affect an
organism’s characteristics. Such functional importance of junk DNA indicates
that careful planning by an Intelligent Designer, rather than undirected,
random biochemical events, shaped the genomes of organisms.
- Alysson R. Muotri et al., "Somatic Mosaicism in Neuronal Precursor Cells Mediated by L1 Retrotransposition," Nature 435 (2005): 903-10.
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Today’s New Reason To Believe-Tuesday, August 9, 2005
Petroleum Evidence for Huge Ancient Biomass
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An Australian geologist has found more evidence consistent with the idea of a
Creator packing Earth with biomass close to the maximal limits permitted by
the laws of physics and the physical characteristics of the Sun and Earth. His
analysis of shales in Archean rocks establishes that the petroleum found there
was generated from biological material. Consequently, Earth must have
sustained a huge biomass (quantity of living organisms) for at least the past
3.2 billion years. Such an enormous biomass existing for such a long time fits
a biblical creation model describing the planning and foresight of a Creator
who packs Earth with the maximum biodeposits possible for the launch and
maintenance of global, high-technology human civilization. It also establishes
a level of fossil fuel production far beyond the maximum limits permitted for
any young-earth creationist model.
- Birger Rasmussen, "Evidence for Pervasive Petroleum Generation and Migration in 3.2 and 2.63 Ga Shales," Geology 33 (2005): 497-500.
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Today’s New Reason To Believe-Monday, August 8, 2005
Why Aren’t There Any Fossils of 900-Year-Old Humans?
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For many skeptics the long life spans recorded in Genesis 5 and 11 seem
absurd. If the biblical account is correct, then why aren’t there any fossils
of 900-year-old humans? Recent work offers a possible explanation. Anatomists
from Japan have developed a new method to determine the age of a human at the
time of death based on the ilium (one of the bones of the pelvis). Like all
methods of this type, age is determined from biological changes in the
skeleton that are correlated with chronological age. This approach critically
depends on the individuals that make up the reference sample. Age
determination of modern humans in the fossil record is based on calibration
derived from contemporary humans, and therefore, would not necessarily be
applicable to humans that aged differently prior to the flood. Thus, with some
calibration adjustments, anthropologists may yet find evidence for
900-year-old human fossils.
- Yuriko Igarashi et al., "New Method for Estimation of Adult Skeletal Age at Death from the Morphology of the Auricular Surface of the Ilium," American Journal of Physical Anthropology : early view published online April 4, 2005.
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Related Resource
- Fazale R. Rana, Hugh Ross, and Richard Deem, "Long Life Spans: Adam Lived 930 Years and Then He Died: New Discoveries in the Biochemistry of Aging Support the Biblical Record"
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Related Product
- The Genesis Question, 2nd ed., by Hugh Ross
Today’s New Reason To Believe-Sunday, August 7, 2005
No Prebiotics in Proto-Planetary Nebulae
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A team of American and German astronomers has put a damper on the naturalistic
model for the origin of life. Recently (see TNRTB 04/13/05 and 04/11/05)
astronomers officially withdrew their claims that they had discovered two of
the simplest prebiotic molecules (glycine and pyrimidine) in the dense
interstellar molecular clouds where new stars and planets form. The only other
possible astrophysical source where prebiotics could be assembled would be the
dense molecular clouds associated with the birth of nebulae (clouds of gas and
dust) that arise from large, dying stars. The team searched the best such
candidate nebula (named CRL 618) for harboring complex carbon molecules and
concluded that "CRL 618 is a good source of large carbon chain species but a
very poor source for detecting or producing organic species of biological
importance." This null result is another serious blow to a naturalistic
explanation for the origin of life.
- Anthony J. Remijan et al., "A Survey of Large Molecules Toward the Proto-Planetary Nebula CRL 618," Astrophysical Journal 626 (2005): 233-44.
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Product Spotlight
- The Genesis Question, 2nd ed., by Hugh Ross
Today’s New Reason To Believe-Saturday, August 6, 2005
Biochemical Design: Cell Membrane Organization
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Researchers have uncovered more evidence for the remarkable complexity and
organization of cell membranes. Biochemists have traditionally regarded the
cell membrane as a chaotic system that lacked order beyond the phospholipids
bilayer structure. A new picture, however, is emerging. It turns out that when
polyelectrolytes (chemical compounds that model protein interactions with the
cell membrane surface) bind to the surface of cell membranes, they create two
populations of phospholipids: those that rapidly diffuse and those that
display restricted diffusion. The restricted diffusion of phospholipids is one
of the likely mechanisms used by the cell to establish structurally and
functionally distinct domains in the cell membrane. This organization-unlikely
to come about by chance events-is an indicator of Intelligent Design.
- Liangfang Zhang and Steve Granick, "Slaved Diffusion in Phospholipid Bilayers," Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, USA 102 (2005): 9118-21.
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Related Resource
- Fazale R. Rana, "Biotic Borders: Cell Membranes under Scrutiny"
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Related Product
- Origins of Life: Biblical and Evolutionary Models Face Off, by Fazale Rana and Hugh Ross
Today’s New Reason To Believe-Friday, August 5, 2005
Location of Exotic Matter in a Dwarf Galaxy
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Astronomers and mathematicians from the University of Michigan strengthened
the evidence for the biblically predicted big bang creation event and for the
supernatural design of the universe when they demonstrated that a large and
distant exotic-dark-matter halo surrounds a nearby dwarf galaxy. Applying a
new mathematical technique, the team showed that the kinematics (positions and
velocities) for a sample of 181 stars in the Fornax dwarf spheroidal galaxy
could only be explained by the existence of an extended exotic-dark-matter
halo that contains about ten times the total mass of ordinary matter (matter
made up of protons, neutrons, and electrons) in the galaxy. The team’s
observations confirm that there is no basis for doubting that the universe
contains three different components of matter (visible ordinary matter, dark
ordinary matter, and exotic dark matter) where each manifests specific and
distinct geographical distributions. This finding establishes important
predictions of the biblically predicted big bang creation model and helps
prove a level of fine-tuning in the cosmic mass characteristics at least 1037
times superior to the best example of human engineering design.
- Xiao Wang et al., "Estimating Dark Matter Distributions," Astrophysical Journal 626 (2005): 145-58.
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Related Resource
- Hugh Ross and John Rea, "Big Bang-The Bible Taught It First!"
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Product Spotlight
- The Creator and the Cosmos, 3rd ed., by Hugh Ross
Today’s New Reason To Believe-Thursday, August 4, 2005
Biochemistry Supports Bible’s Long Life Spans
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Recent advances in the biochemistry of aging make the long life spans recorded
in Genesis 5 and 11 scientifically plausible. In this study, researchers
demonstrate that even low levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS) cause
extensive DNA damage. ROS are produced by the cell during the normal course of
metabolism. Fortunately, the cell has enzymes like catalase and superoxide
dismutase that protect the cell’s molecules from the harmful effects of ROS.
Recent work indicates that boosting the levels of these enzymes dramatically
increases life spans. This new study confirms the important role that ROS play
in aging. If scientists can significantly manipulate life spans by genetic
intervention, it would not be difficult for a Creator to adjust human
biochemistry to permit long life spans and then shorten them after the Flood.
In light of this study, the long human life spans described in Genesis are
scientifically reasonable.
- Sunny Park et al., "Substantial DNA Damage from Submicromolar Intracellular Hydrogen Peroxide Detected in Hpx- Mutants of Escherichia coli," Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, USA 102 (2005): 9317-22.
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Related Resource
- Fazale R. Rana, Hugh Ross, and Richard Deem, "Long Life Spans: Adam Lived 930 Years and Then He Died: New Discoveries in the Biochemistry of Aging Support the Biblical Record"
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Related Product
- The Genesis Question, 2nd ed., by Hugh Ross
Today’s New Reason To Believe-Wednesday, August 3, 2005
Cosmic Background Radiation Anomaly Resolved
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A team of American and Canadian astronomers has demonstrated greater
consistency for the biblically predicted big bang creation model and stronger
evidence for the exquisite fine-tuning of the universe for the support of
life, and humanity in particular. The best cosmic background radiation (the
radiation left over from the creation event) maps reveal an anomaly in that
power levels for very high "multipole" values are slightly higher than what
standard big bang creation models would predict. The team showed that these
higher values are well explained in the context of inflationary hot big bang
creation models by the Sunyaev-Zeldovich effect (the scattering of cosmic
background radiation photons by hot electrons within the seeds of future
clusters of galaxies). This resolution of the only important anomaly in the
cosmic background radiation maps significantly strengthens the case for the
biblically predicted big bang creation model and enhances astronomers’
confidence that the cosmic density parameters indeed manifest evidence for
extraordinary fine-tuning design.
- J. R. Bond et al., "The Sunyaev-Zeldovich Effect in CMB-Calibrated Theories Applied to the Cosmic Background Imager Anistropy Power at l>2000," Astrophysical Journal 626 (2005): 12-30.
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Related Resource
- Hugh Ross, "Anthropic Principle: A Precise Plan for Humanity"
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- Journey Toward Creation, 2nd ed., by Hugh Ross (DVD)
Today’s New Reason To Believe-Tuesday, August 2, 2005
Challenge to Biological Evolution: Convergence of Venom Systems
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A new discovery of biological convergence-this time, nasty saliva-challenges
the evolutionary paradigm. With chance as its mechanism, evolution should not
produce the same outcome (convergence) repeatedly. Yet study after study shows
that repeated outcomes are commonplace. This example describes the repeated,
independent origins of salivary venom delivery systems in mammals. Salivary
venoms are common among non-mammal vertebrates, but limited in mammals to the
duck-billed platypus and a few shrews. Recent analyses of fossils identify
salivary venom delivery systems in extinct mammals. This discovery indicates
that these types of systems appeared multiple times independently in mammals
throughout their natural history. As scientists discover more examples of
convergence in nature, evolution struggles to explain them, while biblical
creation points to a Creator repeatedly using the same good designs as He
brought life into existence.
- Richard C. Fox and Craig S. Scott, "First Evidence of a Venom Delivery Apparatus in Extinct Mammals," Nature 435 (2005): 1091-93.
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Related Resource
- Fazale R. Rana, "Convergence: Evidence for a Single Creator"
Today’s New Reason To Believe-Monday, August 1, 2005
Improving a Test for Cosmic Creation
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An international team of 31 astronomers has tested the reliability of one of
the fundamental yardsticks used for establishing the biblically predicted big
bang creation model and for demonstrating the supernatural design of the
universe. They used careful measurements on a sample of over 200 type Ia
supernovae. They sought to determine whether or not there was any intrinsic
difference in the properties of very distant and, hence, early in cosmic
history, type Ia supernovae compared to nearby and, hence, late in cosmic
history, type Ia supernovae. The team found that very distant type Ia matched
well the properties of nearby type Ia supernovae. This result confirmed that
type Ia supernovae indeed provide a reliable yardstick for establishing the
reality of the big bang creation event and the supernatural design of the
universe for the benefit of life and for humanity in particular.
- Thomas Matheson et al., "Spectroscopy of High-Redshift Supernovae from the ESSENCE Project: The First Two Years," Astronomical Journal 129 (2005): 2352-75.
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