Insect With Two Brains?

We have all looked in wonder at the amazing transformation of a caterpillar into a moth. But did you realize that a moth needs an entirely different kind of brain than a caterpillar? We can truly say that here we have a two-brained insect!

In the caterpillar stage, the moth lumbers around in a body that is primarily designed for eating. Its brain must be able to command powerful jaws and a comparatively huge digestive system as well as the complexities of caterpillar locomotion. The world of the caterpillar is very different from the world of the moth.

During metamorphosis the caterpillar completely dissolves and the moth is rebuilt from the liquid. The brain, for example, requires new nerve cells and new connections between brain cells, while some brain cells change function, migrate to new locations, or even die. The result is a brain that is 10 times the size of the caterpillar's and ready to control flight.

The moth's primary purpose in life is to reproduce. So its new brain is able to generate the odors used by moths to identify and communicate with potential mates. It is also equipped to detect the scents of a potential mate.

Only our almighty Creator could completely rebuild a caterpillar into a moth. Only He could rebuild and increase its brain ten-fold in only a week or two.

Even more amazing is how He remakes people. Through the forgiveness of sins, Jesus Christ turns us from people who wish to escape Him to new creatures who love Him and find joy in Him.

References: Science News and Creation Moments Radio

2010 Christian Nature

“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.” 2 Corinthians 5:17

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Bird Barks, Dog Yips and Human Talk

Have you ever noticed that we can usually sense whether an animal is hostile or friendly, simply by its sound? Did you ever wonder about the universal features that allow for important basic information to be shared between animals and humans?

None of us ever had to be taught that a dog, growling deeply and showing its teeth, was trying to threaten us. We're all familiar with the high-pitched yips that same dog makes to welcome its owner home. Research shows that the motivations expressed by high-pitched and low-pitched sounds are universal among most creatures.

Researchers say that almost all animals bark (the high-pitched sounds) or growl (the low-pitched sounds). They were surprised to learn that animals don't simply make arbitrary noises. Sound has meaning.

Even the higher-pitched voice of birds has a barking mode that can be seen on a graph and heard when a slowed-down recording is played.

Animals make lower, harsher sounds when they're being aggressive. This is the growl. When friendly, an animal makes higher-pitched sounds. The bark seems to mean that an animal is neither hostile nor friendly, simply curious. Human speech follows the same general pattern.

These universal features of communication reflect the work of our Creator who intended for many different kinds of creatures to coexist. He gave us all a universal method for understanding important basic messages like fear, aggression and joy.

References: Science News and Creation Moments Radio

2010 Christian Nature

“So the donkey said to Balaam, 'Am I not your donkey on which you have ridden, ever since I became yours, to this day? Was I ever disposed to do this to you?' And he said, 'No.'” Numbers 22:30

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We Are More Than The Sum of Our DNA!

The $250 million Human Genome Project is attempting to map all the human genes. Some observers have been saying that the human genome project will define what it means to be human.

Such talk, however, is based on evolution. We are not the sum of our DNA. It is well known, for example, that two people can inherit the same weakness for alcohol. One may become an alcoholic, while the other avoids alcohol for his entire life.

This does not mean that mapping the human genetic code is inherently evil. Such knowledge can lead to precisely designed drugs that do what they are supposed to do without any side effects. It may also lead to better treatments for cancer, Alzheimer's and other diseases that can have a genetic cause.

At the same time, dangers are beginning to appear. For example, with the knowledge of which particular genetic information produces what disease, unborn babies could be screened, and those who have a potential to develop unwanted health problems might be aborted. A British governmental agency has already recommended this course of action.

Another danger is that children may be forced into certain careers simply based on their "genetic potential." One's genetic profile may even lead insurance companies to refuse coverage to people whose genes suggest the possibility of some future disease.

All our genetic information added together does not define who we are because we also have a soul that has no genetic code, and only the knowledge of Jesus Christ can bring health to the human soul.

2010 Christian Nature

References: World; Creation Moments Radio

For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also. James 2:26

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'Survival of the Fittest' Just a Theory

"Survival of the fittest" is an essential principle of evolution. This principle has not only been applied to animals, but also to human beings, as a social theory.

Scientists, however, are learning that cooperation among animals is more often the rule. Researchers studied seven pairs of unrelated capuchin monkeys (pictured) in the lab to see if they would cooperate. The monkey pairs were then placed in an enclosure, one on each side of a mesh screen. Two clear bowls of apple slices were placed on trays designed to be accessible to the monkeys when they pulled on a bar. However, the acquired food would be given only to one of the monkeys.

When the bar was set so that both monkeys had to pull on it to get the food, the monkey that received the food shared with his helper. When the bar was set so that one monkey could access the apple slices, he generally didn't share. Clearly, the monkey who came into control of the food with help felt that it was his duty to reward his helper.

Instead of talking about "survival of the fittest," one researcher spoke about the "deep evolutionary roots of cooperation." Unfortunately for evolutionary scientists, real science very often gives good evidence that contradicts the theory of evolution, but we seldom hear of this.

God has designed the creation so that we sometimes need help … or we have the opportunity to help others. He did this to remind us that He is our ultimate Helper.

2010 Christian Nature

References: Science News; Creation Moments Radio

So we may boldly say: 'The LORD is my helper; I will not fear. What can man do to me?' Hebrews 13:6

read more "'Survival of the Fittest' Just a Theory"

Tired? Your Brain Is Too Busy!

Not only is the human brain the most complex structure in the universe, it is also one of the busiest. In fact, during intense concentration, your brain can burn as many calories as your muscles do during exercise! Intense thinking can literally be as exhausting as a physical workout! More than 100,000 chemical reactions go on in your brain every second.

Among the brain's many jobs is chemist. The brain produces more than 50 psychoactive drugs. Some of these are associated with memory, others with intelligence, still others are sedatives.

Endorphin is the brain's painkiller and it's three times more potent than morphine. Serotonin is produced by the brain to help keep our moods under control. The brain also makes dopamine. Dopamine makes people more talkative and excitable. Another hormone regulates hunger.

The brain is also a radio transmitter that sends out measurable electrical wave signals. In fact, the brain continues to send these signals for as long as 37 hours after death!

Our tiny knowledge of the brain is enough to show us that this incredible organ is no accident. The brain is much more than a powerful testimony to our Creator. Its incredible powers convince us that there is much more to existence than this material life. However, we can learn only from the Word of God about eternal life through the forgiveness of sins in Jesus Christ.

Put your brain together with the Word of God today!

2010 Christian Nature

References: McCutcheon, Marc. 1989; Jeremy P. Tarcher, Inc.

“Show me Your ways, O Lord; teach me Your paths.” Psalm 25:4

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What Color Is This Flower? It All Depends!

What color is the scarlet gilia? Well, that depends on where and when it's blooming. Despite its name, the scarlet gilia can be red, pink, and even white.

Near sea level, the flowers remain red all season. This is because the flower is pollinated throughout the summer by hummingbirds who are drawn to the red flowers. However, at higher elevations, the hummingbirds leave as summer moves into August. As they leave, the plants change their red flowers to pink and later, white flowers.

The higher elevation plants change over to white flowers because they have a new pollinator. As the hummingbird population decreases, hawk moths take over. During this transition, the flower produces pink blossoms as it invites both of its pollinators. Once the hummingbirds are gone, the hawk moth takes over. The hawk moths pollinate at night so they prefer white flowers because they are easier to see in the dark.

Scientists were amazed by the fact that the color changes take place exactly when pollination shifts from hummingbird to moth. As one startled scientist put it, these plants cannot be considered passive in their environment.

Who taught the scarlet gilia when and how to change the color of its flowers? Who taught it that hummingbirds will be attracted to red flowers? Or that hawk moths will be attracted to white flowers? The scarlet gilia may be clever, but only our all-wise Creator could have given this knowledge and ability to the plant.

2010 Christian Nature

“So why do you worry about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; and yet I say to you that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.” Matthew 6:28-29

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A Stick Is Not A Twig!

You could be anywhere - outdoors, indoors - and not recognize an insect known as the "stick". You would identify it as just a stick from a tree, or from bamboo. Ah, but you see, a stick is not always a stick (or a twig)! There are hundreds of different sticks all over the world, and they are insects!

Though they are only insects, stick insects seem to have an amazing knowledge of their surroundings. They are geniuses at using their predators' weakness for their own protection. (The photo is of two Brisband Sticks mating.)

Stick insects are leaf eaters. Many of them look like little twigs. However, the longest insect in the world is a walking stick from Borneo that reaches a length of 13 inches. A tropical stick is as thick as a finger and the same color as the bamboo on which it is often found. It also has swollen ridges that make it look even more like bamboo.

Other types have leafy flaps that match the leaves of the plants they frequent. Some stick insects go even further. They lay eggs that look exactly like the seeds of the plant on which they feed. A stick that's found in New Mexico glues its eggs to grass stems. The position and shape of the long pointed eggs exactly mimic the seeds of that species of grass.

While they don't fly, some sticks have brightly colored wings that they can rapidly unfurl. They use this ability to startle away nervous birds who might want to investigate them for lunch.

Sticks will often sway with the breeze to make their illusion more effective. Some sticks will sit motionless for hours. Some birds understand this and will closely examine non-moving twigs. Sticks will often refuse to move even when being carried away by a bird. This tactic has fooled many birds into thinking it really was a twig and releasing it.

Stick insects are clearly not the result of mindless chance. Their intelligence was created by the Creator of the universe.

References: Natural History

2010 Christian Nature

“Have you not known? Have you not heard? The everlasting God, the LORD, the creator of the ends of the earth, neither faints nor is weary. There is no searching of His understanding.” Isaiah 40:28

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Why Giraffes Don't Get Dizzy

Did you ever stand up a little too quickly and get dizzy? That happens because by standing you may have temporarily lowered the blood pressure in your brain. Can you imagine what can happen when the giraffe swings his head from the ground to the treetop?

The giraffe's heart and the rest of his cardiovascular system is very different from ours and from most other creatures. If it weren't different, there wouldn't be any giraffes! In order to get his blood all the way from his heart up that long neck to his brain, the giraffe's heart must produce twice as much blood pressure as would be expected in an animal his height - 18 feet for males, 15 feet for females.

But the giraffe's brain is very sensitive to high blood pressure. So giraffes have been given a special structure that's been called the wonder net, where the blood supply enters his brain. This "wonder net" keeps the blood pressure in the giraffe's brain just where it should be.

Even if the giraffe drops his head quickly, say from nibbling a treetop to take a drink of water, the blood pressure in his head remains safe. The wonder net can quickly control such rapid changes. And to prevent used blood from draining back into his brain when he lowers his head, the giraffe has a special set of one-way check valves in his neck.

When we talk about our Creator, we need not be afraid that some people will think we are talking about worthless things. Truly the wonders the Creator has made are great and worthy to be told to people far and wide!

References: Creation Science Report/Creation Moments Radio

2010 Christian Nature

“He does great things past finding out, yes, wonders without number.” Job 9:10

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The Bees Recognized Me!

Given the size of its brain, could a honeybee recognize a specific human face? And if a bee could recognize specific human faces, how would the evolutionist explain this kind of ability?

Researchers who study honeybee and human vision point out that there would have been no evolutionary pressure for bees to learn to recognize specific people. The scientific prediction would therefore be that bees would not recognize human faces.

To test this prediction researchers placed pictures of human faces above bee-feeders. The same human face was always above the feeder that dispensed a sugar solution.

A variety of other faces were placed above feeders that dispensed, say, quinine, a bitter-tasting solution. The bees quickly learned to associate one particular human face with the sweet solution. Even when researchers shuffled the feeders around, the bees quickly homed in on the sugar feeder with the familiar face.

Then they removed the feeders and left only the pictures for the bees to find. Eighty percent of the time the bees still focused on the face that had been on the sugar feeder. Evolution would predict random results, that is, the pictures of faces would have no effect.

However, our powerful Creator could be expected to give bees any abilities He wished. In this case, He apparently saw a good purpose to give bees this unexpected ability.Even though I do not know His purpose, I trust He knew what He was doing! After all, the bees recognized me!

Reference: Science News and Creation Moments Radio

2010 Christian Nature

“He should have fed them also with the finest of the wheat: and with honey out of the rock should I have satisfied you.” Psalm 81:16

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Eye Surgery Centuries Before Christ

Man has always treasured his ability to see. And since man was created as a highly intelligent creature, rather than a simple primitive, it seems that man has practiced eye surgery as far back as we have records.

Eye surgery is no more a modern development than malpractice penalties. Ancient Egyptian eye doctors applied various kinds of salves to the eye. Some of their stranger salves contained mud from the Nile river and crocodile dung. Before you laugh, you should know that modern eye specialists admit that these strange ingredients may have contained effective antibodies to relieve infections.

Eye surgeons were busy in India six or eight centuries before the birth of Christ. A surgeon named Susruta performed a surgery in which he pushed an opaque lens that sits behind the pupil of the eye into the interior of the eyeball; there, the lens would no longer block vision.

The oldest record of eye surgery, however, dates to 4,000 years ago. The Code of Hammurabi said that the surgeon who saved a man's eye was to be paid the same fee that was given to a doctor who saved a man's life. On the other hand, if the surgeon caused the eye to be lost, the law required the surgeon's fingers to be cut off.

History records that man has always been an intelligent creature with a surprising amount of knowledge. Although sometimes some has been lost, knowledge is a gift from God.

2010 Christian Nature

References: Science News and Creation Moments Radio

“Give to the LORD the glory due His name; bring an offering, and come before Him. Oh, worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness!” I Chronicles 16:29

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Manuka Bush Produces Defense Against 'Superbugs'

We have all heard of "superbugs" – bacteria that are resistant to antibiotics. Antibiotic resistant 'staph' (Staphylococcus bacteria) have even shut down hospital wards. Now researchers in New Zealand and Australia may have found out how to fight superbugs. And their weapon is one that has been in medical use for over 4,000 years!

Researchers in New Zealand have examined the healing properties of over 30 different types of honey native to New Zealand. They have found that honey made from the manuka bush (pictured) has some powerful healing properties. As the honey mixes with the fluids in a wound, it produces a small but continuous stream of hydrogen peroxide.

Being acidic - did you know honey was acidic? - honey creates a hostile environment for bacteria. Research is being conducted using honey to treat burns, eye infections, diabetic skin ulcers and other conditions with encouraging results.

Australian researchers have found that honey will even kill 100 different strains of antibiotic-resistant bacteria, including the flesh-eating bacteria! One New Zealand man who had developed gangrene that could not be controlled with antibiotics tried honey. The honey stopped the infection, and his foot began healing. (Please note that the honey available in stores has been heated or pasteurized, removing its antibiotic properties.)

Honey is a gift of God that has many uses. That it has been used on wounds since earliest times suggests that God gave the first people knowledge of its healing powers.

References: Rx Remedy online

2010 Christian Nature

He would have fed them also with the finest of wheat; And with honey from the rock I would have satisfied you. Psalm 81:16

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And The Champion is The Mussel!

Have you ever tried to use glue on wet surfaces? Can't be done! Water can prevent adhesives from solidly touching the surfaces that are to adhere. Freezing and thawing temperatures can force glued surfaces apart. Yet biological adhesives constantly work without fail in continual contact with water.

The mussel is the champion in the creation and use of biological adhesives. When a mussel finds a suitable spot, it extends its all-purpose foot. The foot, which is like a rubber plunger, searches the surface until it finds the exact spot that will make the best bond. The foot then cleans the glue point.

Next, the foot presses to the surface and as the plunger-shaped foot flattens, water is pumped out. The mussel then lifts the center of its "plunger" and creates a small vacuum. Now the ingredients for its adhesive are pumped down through the foot and into the vacuum. This material creates a foamy foundation for the individual glue threads.

This close-up of mussels from the Brine Pool shows the expanded filaments on the mussel shells and the byssal threads produced by the feet of the mussels. They are used to hold on to neighbors.

The glue itself is made of several proteins. They are mixed in various ratios to provide just the right amount of strength, flexibility and resistance to compression needed for each unique anchoring spot. Some of these proteins are very unusual in structure. Scientists suspect that they change their properties in response to changing conditions - what scientists call a "smart" material.

The mussel is not only a wonder of design, but a sophisticated chemist as well. Modern science is still trying to learn what the Creator has taught the mussel about glue.

References: Science News

2010 Christian Nature

“In God we boast all day long, and praise Your name forever.” Psalm 44:8

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Hot, Hot Plants!

Have you ever heard of hot plants? Well, there are such things! At the end of winter, when so many of us become weary of winter and look forward to spring, it is wonderful to think about flowers blooming. You might like to know, however, that man is not the only one of God's creatures who would like to welcome spring a little early. There are some 2,500 species of plants that actually generate heat when they flower, and many of them spend winter heating up beneath northern snows.

As early as February, in western Pennsylvania, the skunk cabbage begins to generate enough heat to melt the ground and snow around itself so that it can begin to grow and flower. Even if the air temperature is zero degrees (F), the skunk cabbage can raise the air temperature around its flowers to 50 degrees - the temperature it needs for flowering. Plants in the same family begin heating up across the northern climates around the world.

Sometimes it seems as though the entire living world strains toward spring during the winter months. In the midst of widespread fears that the weather has somehow gotten seriously off track, spring should remind us of what the Lord promised Noah and his descendants - all of us, and all living things - "While the earth remains, seed-time and harvest, cold and heat, winter and summer, and day and night shall not cease."

Take comfort in God's promise that He will preserve the conditions necessary for life on earth until the day that His Son Jesus Christ returns to take all the faithful home with Him!

References: Creation Moments Radio
2010 Christian Nature

“For lo, the winter is past, the rain is over and gone. The flowers appear on the earth; the time of singing has come, and the voice of the turtledove is heard in our land.” Song of Solomon 2:11-12

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God's Gift to Rufous Hummingbirds and 'Sudden Inspiration' Video

Episodic Memory: Do you know what that is? Well, when you remember something that happened, and where and when it happened you are using what scientists call episodic memory. Scientists have traditionally thought that such memory was unique to man.

Other scientists suspected that possibly some creatures may have episodic memory. For example, take the hummingbird with its fast metabolism. They need to eat often and remember where reliable sources of nutrition are to be found. At the same time, different flowers regenerate nectar at different rates.

Researchers went to the natural habitat of the rufous hummingbird, equipped with some fake flowers and sugar water. The man made flowers were constructed with reservoirs that could hold the sugar water. Half the flowers were refilled ten minutes after a bird would feed from it, while the other half were refilled twenty minutes after a feeding.

Researchers found that the birds quickly learned which flowers were filled at which intervals. They soon returned to the flowers that were filled every ten minutes at ten-minute intervals while they waited twenty minutes in between visits to the other flowers. They noted that the birds did a good job of this even though they were keeping track of eight flowers.

It makes more sense to believe that episodic memory is a sophisticated ability that is the gift from a caring God to those creatures whom He knew would need it.

This documentary, with Jim Brickman's "Sudden Inspiration" will allow you to view two baby hummingbirds from birth to the day they leave their mother. Delight in God's Creation with 40 days in the lives of two baby hummingbirds!




2010 Christian Nature

“Remember, O LORD, thy tender mercies and thy loving kindnesses; for they have been ever of old.” Psalm 25:6

References: Science News and YouTube

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Can YOU Half-Brain Sleep? Not Kidding!

So you need a good night's sleep, but you must stay alert to danger. How do you get the sleep you need, but are still alert? Well, most humans designate others to stay awake and watch for danger, and they set up warning systems (like home burglar alarms).

Since birds are much more vulnerable to danger, God gave them the ability to do these things on a simple scale, and then He gave them one more amazing gift. Many birds are able to put half of their brain to sleep while the other half stays awake and alert. I'm not making this up!

The eye that serves the sleeping half even closes; the eye that serves the waking half of the brain stays alert, searching for danger. After the first sleeping half is nicely rested, it wakes up, and the other half goes to sleep. Of course, these birds can also put both sides of the brain to sleep at the same time, just as we do. Whales, seals and dolphins are among the non birds that can half brain sleep as well.

Evidence of the clever design of this half brain sleep ability can be seen in the fact that where two birds sleep next to each other, each bird will put the half of the brain that faces its partner to sleep. Once that half is rested, they change places, so the other half of their brain can sleep.

Scripture tells us that God looked at His creation and declared it "good." God's standard for good is perfection. His ingenious design, which would allow birds to protect themselves even when sin and death entered the creation, is part of the goodness of God's creation.

Reference: Science News

2010 Christian Nature

“So God created… every winged bird according to its kind. And God saw that it was good.” Genesis 1:21

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How Long Has Man Been Living On the Earth?

How long have people been living on the Earth? The evolutionist says two million years. The Bible-believing Christian says, about six thousand. Who is right?

Statistically, a couple must have 2.1 children to keep a population at the same level. In practice, this means a minimum of three children per family. Let us suppose for a moment that the Biblical account of the Genesis Flood in which just eight people survived is true.

Let us further suppose that each family from this point in history had 2.4 children on average. This very modest number will take into account all the deaths through infant mortality, plagues and war. How long would it take to reach today’s world population? Surprisingly, the answer is just less than five thousand years. This figure fits nicely into known historical records.

Now suppose we take the evolutionary view that mankind has been on this planet for two million years and we begin with two people – or eight, it will make little difference – and they also had the statistical 2.4 children per family. We will finish up with a number so impossibly large that the universe itself would not hold them!

Aware of this problem, the textbooks explain it away by speaking of “population stability throughout this time.” This is nothing short of an appeal to a miracle! Frankly, the Biblical account is far more believable.

2010 Christian Nature

“And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it…” Genesis 1:28

References: Cleone H. Weigand, Milwaukee Journal

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"En guard! I Am A Lima Bean!"

You may not think of plants as being intelligent on any level since it appears that they just sort of sit in the soil and grow. However, there are plants that try to poison or repel a predator. Introducing the Lima bean!

You will be surprised to learn that the Lima bean employs an even more sophisticated defense strategy that not only warns surrounding Lima beans of the attack, but also calls in defenders.

Anyone who has ever worked with plants is familiar with spider mites. There are many varieties, but one of the most dangerous to the lima bean is the two spotted spider mite (pictured). These mites inject their saliva into a plant's tissues, dissolving them.

One of the mites' biggest enemies is a carnivorous mite that feeds on these two spotted mites. These carnivorous mites are small and travel wherever the winds carry them. When two spotted mites attack a Lima bean, the plant sends out a special chemical signal. When this distress signal reaches surrounding Lima beans, they, too, begin to send the signal even though they are not under attack.

The signal carries several messages to different species. Spider mites not on the plant being attacked are repelled from the area. On the other hand, any carnivorous mites that drift into the area will stay to feed on the two-spotted spider mites. As a result, the Lima bean defends itself by sending specific messages to three different species!

The Lima bean's intelligent defense strategy is difficult for evolutionists to explain. It is easily accounted for by a Creator Who cares about all His creatures.

2010 Christian Nature

May the LORD answer you in the day of trouble; may the name of the God of Jacob defend you… Psalm 20:1

References: Bombardier Beetles and Fever Trees

read more ""En guard! I Am A Lima Bean!""

Whales, Dolphins, and Seals - One Breath?

Scientists have long wondered how deep-diving creatures such as the whale and the dolphin can dive so deeply on one breath. It takes a great deal of energy for a seal, for example, to dive 1,200 feet deep and then return to the surface. Scientists computed that one breath should not be able to provide enough oxygen to burn the muscular fuel necessary for such dives.

In one attempt to learn how deep-diving sea creatures do what seems to be impossible, researchers even built a robotic fish. Their studies of how the fish swam indicated that gliding would not conserve a deep-diving creature's energy.

However, scientists have finally been able to attach video cameras to deep divers and have discovered their secrets. The cameras were designed to show scientists exactly how the animals moved. They found that these animals actually do save energy for their return to the surface by gliding into the depths.

To their surprise, researchers saw that as the animals descend water pressure squeezes their bodies into a smaller volume, making them more dense. The pressure also flattens air sacs in their lungs, further helping the animal to descend. These effects help save oxygen reserves for hunting and the return to the surface. Scientists marveled at how clever the animals are.

No one has even seen cleverness result from the chance forces that supposedly drive evolution. Intelligent design comes from an intelligent Designer, our Creator God.

2010 Christian Nature

Praise the LORD from the earth, you great sea creatures and all the depths… Psalm 148:7

References: Science News

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Beethoven, Mozart and Bird Songs

The Bible speaks of bird calls as songs, as most of us do. However, evolutionary theory has led some scientists to say that we are merely assigning human meanings to the calls of birds. They say that the bird calls have nothing to do with real music.

Ornithologists have known for some time that bird songs use the same musical scales as our music. Decades ago it was noted that some of Beethoven's work could be heard from the European blackbird. The music was the same as the opening rondo of Beethoven's "Violin Concert in D, Opus 61." Since these birds pass their songs from generation to generation, Beethoven could have gotten the lilting music from the forefathers of today's European blackbird!

The songs of some species, like the song sparrow, follow the form of a sonata, beginning with a strong theme, then the theme is musically played with, and for a finish, the original theme is then repeated.

Mozart had a starling as a pet. (You have to hear this starling sing! Click on the link!) Once, having heard Mozart play his "Piano Concerto in C Major," the starling not only imitated it, but changed the sharps to flats! Mozart exclaimed, "That was beautiful!" When the starling died, Mozart held an elaborate funeral for it.

Eight days later he wrote "A Musical Joke," which contains the same elaborate structure found in starling song. Now that's profound!

Do birds make true music, as the Bible says? Contrary to what some evolutionists say, Beethoven and Mozart certainly thought they did.

Please note: all links lead to specific birds singing.

2010 Christian Nature

The flowers appear on the earth; the time of singing has come, and the voice of the turtledove is heard in our land. Song of Solomon 2:12

References: Science News, YouTube

read more "Beethoven, Mozart and Bird Songs"

Male Seahorse - Pregnant But Macho!

Did you know that male seahorses, not the females, hatch the young and are solely responsible for their nurture? New research now tells us more about the relationship between the male and female seahorse. One of the surprises is that the female seahorse practices a limited form of monogamy.

An individual male seahorse will range over only about a square yard of area. However, his mate will range over 100 times that area. Although she isn't much of a homebody, she remains faithful to her mate during his entire pregnancy, greeting him each morning by joining him and flashing different colors.

It turns out that this greeting ritual is very important. In the laboratory, researchers placed one female and two males in the same tank. After the mating ritual, the female deposited typically 200 eggs in the egg pouch of the male she selected. He was then moved to another tank until his two-week gestation was completed.

During the entire time, the female greeted the remaining seahorse each morning, but no attempts at mating took place. However, when the male she selected for mating was returned to the tank and the mating ritual began again, she always chose the male she had greeted each morning during the other's absence in the birthing tank.

Monogamy is not a product of evolution or human culture. It is a gift of God, Who created seahorses, people and all things.

2010 Christian Nature

So then, they are no longer two but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let not man separate.Matthew 19:6

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Carnations Mean 'Mother's Day'

The formal name for carnation, dianthus, comes from Greek for "heavenly flower".

In the pioneer language of flowers, white carnations (dianthus) mean sweet and lovely; innocence; and pure love.

I have vivid memories of each Mother's Day Service in the church my father pastored. The hymns sung were about mothers, and the sermon was always about a biblical mother. Then, at the end of the service, red and white carnations were handed out to all of the mothers present. If your mother was alive, you got a red carnation. If she was dead, you got a white carnation. Being a smart aleck, I always asked for a pink carnation. (Haven't you heard? Preacher's kids are most ill-behaved?)

Carnations are often worn on special occasions, especially Mother's Day and weddings. In 1907 Anna Marie Jarvis chose a carnation as the emblem of Mother's Day because it was the favorite flower of her mother. This tradition is now observed in the United States and Canada on the second Sunday in May. Ann Jarvis chose the white carnation because she wanted to represent the purity of a mother's love. This meaning has evolved over time, and now a red carnation may be worn if one's mother is alive, and a white one if she has died.

Mother's Day originally began in the United States as a religious holiday to honor mothers, living and dead. On May 12, 1907, two years after her mother's death, Anna held a memorial to her mother and thereafter embarked upon a campaign to make "Mother's Day" a recognized holiday. She succeeded in making this nationally recognized in 1914. The International Mother's Day Shrine was established in Grafton to commemorate her accomplishment. (See the Shrine HERE.)

By the 1920s, Anna Jarvis had become soured by the secularization and commercialization of the holiday. She incorporated herself as the Mother’s Day International Association, trademarked the phrases and "second Sunday in May" and "Mother's Day".

She and her sister Ellsinore spent their family inheritance campaigning against the holiday. Both died in poverty. According to her New York Times obituary, Jarvis became embittered because too many people sent their mothers a printed greeting card. As she said,

A printed card means nothing except that you are too lazy to write to the woman who has done more for you than anyone in the world. And candy! You take a box to Mother—and then eat most of it yourself. A pretty sentiment.
—Anna Jarvis.

2010 Christian Nature

references: New York Times, Wikipedia, Pioneer Thinking, The Holiday Spot


Honor your father and your mother, so that you may live long in the land the LORD your God is giving you. Exodus 20:12

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Talking Caterpillars

I have written before about the sounds some ants make, called stridulation. Not only do some caterpillars also make such sounds, but also they appear to communicate with some types of ants.

Many species of caterpillars of two butterfly groups secrete a sweet liquid that ants like. In return, the ants protect the caterpillar from its enemies while they collect their sweet treat. These caterpillars actually call the ants when the liquid is ready, using a variety of sounds. These calls range from a simple "bub…bub" to more complex sounds, such as, "beep ah ah ah beep."

Another type of caterpillar calls ants when it needs help. This species does a remarkable job of mimicking the ants' sounds. Very young members of this caterpillar species frequently fall off the leaves on which they are grazing. When they do, they make ant noises until found by foraging ants. The caterpillar's "ant talk" apparently convinces the ants it is one of them. So they return it to their nest and place it in their nursery. There the caterpillar eats some of the young ants!

Two ant species eventually figure out their mistake and kill the caterpillar, while a third species never seems to realize its mistake.

Communication is a gift that God has given to many of His creatures. However, as beings made to have a relationship with God, our communication should be like His – never deceitful and always building others up.

2010 Christian Nature

Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers.
Ephesians 4:29

References: Science News, 2/5/00

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My California Wildflower Excursion, Part 2

Because our cool rainy season has been inordinately long in California, we have been blessed with a much longer wildflower season. Usually, March is our "wildflower" show, but this year it is is still in full bloom in May! This is the 2nd installment of My California Wildflower Excursion.

Bakersfield is a city at the southern end of the San Joaquin Valley in Kern County, California, United States. It is located roughly halfway between Fresno and Los Angeles, 110 mi (180 km) to the north and south respectively. Bakersfield is the 11th fastest growing city in California.

It is one hot city! In fact, it is the third hottest city in the USA, just behind Yuma, Arizona and Palm Springs, California. Its high is 118 degrees! If I were a wildflower, I would not want to live in Bakersfield, but they do survive!

I'm talking Lupine, Goldfields, Desert Candles, Cream Cups, California Poppies, Indian Paintbrush, Larkspur, Owls Clover, Snake's-Head, Sun Cups, Thistle Sage, Tidy Tips, and this beautiful Bakersfield Cactus.

To see what each of these wildflowers looks like, I have found an excellent, very detailed site to recommend. It's called Desert USA, and not only are all of the flowers shown, but their blooming dates, botanical names, and they are grouped by color! Check out their guide to wildflowers!

There is nothing like driving in a desert sunset. No camera can do it justice. I grew up in the SouthWest, and I have never seen any sunset as beautifully exotic. It's really not safe for me to drive in such breathtaking beauty because it's so hard to concentrate on anything as pedestrian as a mere road! Good thing I had a driver!

I found a thought-provoking poem by by David Leonhardt at The Happy Guy, and thank him for his creativity! (Be sure to stop by his inspirational poetry site and tell him April sent you!

Are You a Wildflower?

Wildflowers grow from mere dust to reach their full potential.
Wildflowers grow well, even in adverse soil conditions.
Wildflowers don't require late nights at the office to grow.
Wildflowers grow thick and stick together.
Wildflowers grow strong and tall.
Wildflowers display their brilliant personalities for all to see.
Wildflowers withstand drought and grow all the more beautiful when watered.
Wildflowers withstand frost and hail.
Wildflowers last late in the season, when other flowers have given up.
Are you a wildflower?

2010 Christian Nature

All men are like grass, and all their glory is like the flowers of the field; the grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of the Lord stands forever. 1 Peter 1:24-25

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Rewrite the Evolutionary Textbooks – Again!

The males of a fish called the three-spined stickleback turn blue-green on the tops of their bodies and red on their bellies when breeding. That is, unless they are male three-spined sticklebacks in the Chehalis river of Washington. These fish turn black when breeding.

Evolutionists have long tied this behavior to the fact that the mudminnows in the Chehalis turn black as a threat display. Evolutionary textbooks have long used this difference from other sticklebacks as an example of the evolutionary principle that when two species share a home, they will either become more or less like each other. Now the textbooks will have to be rewritten.

Researchers placed large cages around populations of sticklebacks and mudminnows in the Chehalis river. As they studied the populations, they learned that while sticklebacks will fight with one another, they hardly ever fight with mudminnows.

Then, scientists added red and blue-green sticklebacks. Though they showed no black, they had as much success staking out territory as the black sticklebacks.

Researchers also found that the black sticklebacks don't turn black until after they stake out their territory. Researchers have had to admit that the differences between the two types of sticklebacks illustrates nothing about how they evolve among different populations.

Unlike Scripture, man's knowledge is always subject to correction. That's why it cannot be used to discredit the Bible, which is knowledge from God.

2010 Christian Nature

These things we also speak, not in words which man's wisdom teaches but which the Holy Spirit teaches....I Corinthians 2:13

References: Science News, 4/1/00

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My California Wildflower Excursion, Part I

Recently, I took a Wildflower Excursion and ended up with unbelievably beautiful flowers in full bloom. I have always loved wildflowers - there's something 'wild, spontaneous, and mysterious' about them And if one is going to view California Wildflowers, a long driving trip is involved!

See, (for the benefit of my friends in Scotland), California is a long state (length wise), and it is split up into three parts. So different wildflowers grow in the bottom third (by San Diego) than would grow in Central California, otherwise known as our high desert. Of course, Northern California by San Francisco grows totally different wildflowers. (Actually, all of California is a desert, even though our western border is an ocean. A desert is defined as any land that receives less than 10 inches of rain per year.)

In Central California is The Mojave Desert, and close to it, at the top of the mountain, is a charming town called Tehachapi. It is a desert town in Central California, located between Barstow and Bakersfield, on Route 58 in Kern County. The motto of Tehachapi is "Land of Four Seasons".

The area is known for its apple orchards, though these have decreased in recent decades due to extreme weather changes. Its four season climate and rural ambiance has attracted retirees to the city. There is also a great train and depot that reminds me of where I grew up.

The late actor Jack Palance of City Slickers fame lived on a ranch just north of the Stallion Springs area. And just outside the town are the most beautiful wildflowers imaginable!

I am talking Lupine, Poppies, Purple Sage, Beaver-tail Cactus, Desert Paintbrush, Engelmann Hedgehog, Coreopsis, and more!

To see what each of these wildflowers looks like, I have found an excellent, very detailed site to recommend. It's called Desert USA, and not only are all of the flowers shown, but their blooming dates, botanical names, and they are grouped by color! Check out their guide to wildflowers!

I will share more of my Wildflower Excursion. This is but the first edition. It was like I was seeing God smile every mile of the way. Maybe wildflowers are the playful finger of God! They sure made me feel joyful!

2010 Christian Nature

All men are like grass, and all their glory is like the flowers of the field; the grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of the Lord stands forever. 1 Peter 1:24-25

read more "My California Wildflower Excursion, Part I"

Where Did Intelligence Come From?

Those who believe that the universe, the Earth and everything on it are the result of mindless evolution are hard-pressed to explain the origin of intelligence. Some even try to argue that there is no such thing as intelligence, saying that we only think that certain things reflect intelligence. As we learn more about the world, it takes an ever greater faith to believe in evolution.

The incredible structure of DNA and how it works is one example. Scientists have now demonstrated, though they did not intend to do so, that DNA is itself infused with intelligence.

In 1994 it was discovered that DNA could be used as a computer. Since then, much has been learned about the computing power of DNA. How can DNA be used to solve the problem of, for example, finding a flight path between seven cities so that each city is visited only once?

To solve the problem, researchers assign a numerical value to individual strands of DNA. Through a series of steps, they allow the strands of DNA to interact with each other, saving the results after each step. An electronic computer can solve a math problem with 30 clauses and 50 variables in 1.6 million steps. A DNA computer can solve the same problem in only 91 steps! Hmm... electronic=1.6 million steps vs dna=91 steps.

DNA computers would not be possible unless intelligence was built into the very fabric of the creation. Only our all-wise Creator could have been responsible for this.

2010 Christian Nature

O LORD, how manifold are Your works! In wisdom You have made them all. Psalm 104:24a

References: Nature, 1/13/00

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The Self-Healing Brain

One of the most studied but least understood organs in the human body is the brain. The human brain is the most complex arrangement of matter in the universe. There are many different theories about how the brain works, but one universally recognized fact is that the brain is more sensitive to damage than any other organ.

Scientists studying the brain have learned that when the brain is injured, it triggers the release of some very special chemicals called neuronotrophic factors. While researchers aren't sure how these chemicals actually work, studies show that the chemicals seem to help the brain repair damage to itself. They believe that each of the different chemicals works to repair a specific structure in the brain.

Medical researchers are continuing their study of these factors with the hope of using artificially created versions to help those suffering from brain damage due to stroke and trauma. They hope to learn from the body how to help the body do what it now tries to do for itself.

Surely the advanced knowledge of biochemistry necessary to create a way for the brain to repair itself does not come from matter itself. Only a powerful and wise Creator - the Creator described in the Bible - could have made this system. But we speak here of more than His wisdom. For His gift of the brain's ability to repair damage to itself also shows that He looks upon us with love. The highest expression of His love to us is found in Jesus Christ.

2010 Christian Nature

“And God gave Solomon wisdom and exceedingly great understanding, and largeness of heart like the sand on the seashore.” I Kings: 4:29

References: Omni, v. 5 5, February

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Benefits of Pets You May Not Know

God did not allow man to eat meat before the Great Flood but gave us permission to do so after the flood. At the same time, God placed the fear of man into the animals so that they would know that they needed to protect themselves.

However, those animals we generally refer to as "domesticated" remained in a close relationship with man. Even animals we don't often think of as pets can offer benefits to man.

Researchers have found that when autistic children interact with dolphins the children become more communicative. Researchers say that eye contact with pets is especially valuable. Animals generally find it very important to greet each other after a period of absence. That's why our pets are so eager to greet us when we come home. It's an important ritual for them, and we usually enjoy the warmth of the moment.

Researchers have also found that when pets are introduced into a family setting, families generally show more signs of closeness and warmth. There is more of healthy playing and less arguing.

One of the most surprising findings was that when people give attention to their pets, blood pressure drops. Even gazing into an aquarium lowers blood pressure! People with the highest blood pressure benefit the most from this interaction.

In addition, I have learned many spiritual truths through the relationships with all of my pets. God seems to use what we relate to, just as Jesus did when He taught parables to the people of His day. You can read more about that here.

The unconditional love offered by our pets is truly a blessing from God. But our Creator's unconditional love toward us through the forgiveness of sins in Jesus Christ is greater than any other love we can ever experience.

2010 Christian Nature

“And the fear of you [man] and the dread of you shall be on every beast of the earth, on every bird of the air, on all that moves on the earth, and on all the fish of the sea. They are given into your hand.” Genesis 9:2

References: Science News, Vol. 121

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