The Nature of Man Amazes Me

The nature of man never ceases to amaze me. During the '70s, just as I was adopting a precious baby girl, I read a book that espoused the theory of zero population growth and it infuriated me.

The book I read was published after Paul Ehrlich's 1968 book The Population Bomb in which he likened children being born to a cancer. He predicted mass starvation by 1980. oops!

His theory? "We must shift our efforts from treatment of the symptoms to the cutting out of the cancer. The operation will demand many apparent brutal and heartless decisions. The pain may be intense. But the disease is so far advanced that only with radical surgery does the patient have a chance to survive."

His solution? "...compulsory birth regulation... (through) the addition of temporary sterilants to water supplies or staple food. Doses of the antidote would be carefully rationed by the government to produce the desired family size." Oh yes, I trust the government. Don't you?

The biblical way to handle famine in the world is to "feed the hungry." But due to the nature of man, we have evolved into a selfish, what's-in-it-for-me society that cares little for the hungry across the street, much less across the world. Jesus said when we feed the hungry, we are feeding Him!

As a Christian, I take great pride in supporting ministries that dig water wells for those across the world, and others who are first on the scene to feed the hungry and give clothing to those who need it. Two of them are Life Today and Operation Blessing. I do this because I want to be pleasing to my Lord.

I have a friend who keeps trying to convince me that the nature of man is essentially good. I'm sorry, I don't buy that. Scripture says, "The heart of man is deceitfully wicked above all else. Who can tame it?" The answer is only God can.

I believe in protecting God's creation, but not at the expense of killing off God's prize creation: human beings. Jesus Christ gave His life for humans, not for lizards, pigs, frogs, or any other creature.

Now the U.K. is on the brink of cutting its current 61 million population to 30 million. The only precedent in British (or any other) history for that kind of population decline was during the 14th century as a result of the Black Death.

Then, between one-third and one-half of Europe, along with similar numbers in Asia, the Middle East and North Africa, died from what is believed to have been an especially virulent strain of bubonic plague.

That was beyond our control at the time. But deliberately, selectively sterilizing people through the water they drink and the food they eat? That's evil.

As I said before, the nature of man constantly amazes me.

2011 Christian Nature

For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse. Romans 1:20

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Seedling's Song of Praise to My Husbandman

For years as a Prodigal Daughter, I searched for meaning in a variety of philosophies from Transcendental Meditation to Eastern Religions of all kinds. Not finding anything that filled my soul as Jesus had once done, I came back to The Savior of the World, Jesus Christ. (Photo: April's Greenhouse)

One day I was reading in the bible where God was the “husbandman”. I looked up the word and it meant, in essence, the caretaker of plants. Since I was an experienced horticulturist, it sent me off on a road that lead to the knowledge that I was a seedling planted long ago — when I was a young child and asked Jesus to come live in my heart — and God had been a very patient husbandman with me as I searched in all the wrong places.

The result was this poem: “Seedling's Song of Praise to My Husbandman”. I share it with you in the hopes it will stir whatever The Holy Spirit deems important inside your spirit.

Seedling's Song of Praise to My Husbandman
by April Lorier

What knows more freedom than the young seed piercing rocky soil driven in its struggle to rise above? Does The Husbandman lie the sapling down, cover its new growth with soil, re-root it to failures?

Nay! The Husbandman waters His parched starts, nurtures His feeble fumbling seedlings, smiles on inched-pinched growth, gnarled and precious. Unhindered, His tender seedlings bend toward The Light.



This green stretching soul foolishly owning each neophyte sprout, slid slowly on will’s incline into wily windy Eastern Damage, only to return with pulpy, pithy veins and sun-starved stems.



Did this seedling cut off light, air, nourishment– Very Life, and expect to self-sustain?




Natures edict: Strong winds shall blow, I shall bend; But green, supple, Life-full, wiser, unbreakable. Rooted in costly Golgotha soil, I rise eternal, for Absolutely Worthy is my Husbandman.

(c) 1997 - 2011 April Lorier

For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse. Romans 1:20

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We Need the 'Ants Road Department' Fast!

With all the rain we have had in So. California, our roads are full of potholes. Some are so wide and deep, they stop traffic. We need some ants from the 'Ant Road Department'!

Some ants have the same problem. A species of army ant found in Brazil sends out hunters every morning. They travel, several ants wide, looking for other ants – even things as large as scorpions – to attack and return to home base. However, paths in the Brazilian jungle can be rough and even have potholes.

When the ants encounter an ant-sized pothole in their road, one choice might be to slow down and narrow their path to get around it. Researchers say that such slowdowns can cut the amount of food delivered home by thirty percent (30%).

So, instead, the first ant to encounter such a pothole measures it. If the hole is his size, he fills the pothole with his own body. If the pothole is small, a full grown ant will leave it for a smaller ant to fill.

While God gave these army ants this ability to efficiently overcome obstacles in their path, He has done far more for us. When Scripture talks about making our ways straight before the Lord, it is speaking of Christ's righteousness which is ours by grace through faith.

Notes: Science News

2011 Christian Nature

Lead me, O LORD, in thy righteousness because of my enemies; make Your way straight before my face. Psalm 5:8

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Elegant Tapestries of Berries

Have you ever noticed the elegant tapestries of landscapes? I have! Here's one made of berries - a sort of berry tapestry.

There are many incredible designs around us that are unlikely to exist if everything is the result of mindless chance.

Many birds eat insects through the summer. While such high protein diets like this are good in mating and reproductive season, they do not prepare the birds to survive the cold weather of winter.

What they need to do is build a layer of fat both for calorie storage as well as insulation. So, as winter nears, the berries that have been growing and ripening all summer on various shrubs become more numerous. The high sugar content of the berries' juice helps the birds to quickly build up fat.

The freeze on cold fall mornings even helps to increase the sugar concentration in the berries. Even more amazing is that the various types of berries eaten by the birds ripen in a staggered fashion so that berry season is long and the supplies are always available.

For example, as the elderberry supply is just about consumed, high bush cranberries are in production. Often, the summer's hatchlings' plumage doesn't reach full color until they eat the various pigments in the berries, and those pigments are incorporated into the new feathers. In exchange, the birds spread the seeds in the berries.

All of these complex, interrelated systems depend on each other in an elegant, fine-tuned design.

Notes: startribune

2011 Christian Nature

The trees of the LORD are full of sap; the cedars of Lebanon, which he hath planted; Where the birds make their nests: as for the stork, the fir trees are her house. Psalm 104:16-17

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A Spot of Spicy Tea, Love?

"I like the touch and feel of the plants and seeing the miracle coming out of the ground. To raise these plants and smell their aroma is the best sensation in the world." -Zvi Zithershpieler

It's been stated that British tea drinkers are some of the most discerning in the world. Becoming wildly popular now among them, is a brand of tea direct from Galilee, Israel.

Founder and owner of The Spicy Way tea is Avi Zithershpieler, who told Israel21c that it "all started with a visit from two nice ladies from England."

According to the report, Karen Pomeranz and Louise Caplin, two entrepreneurs from the UK, loved the brand when they tried it at a trade show in Germany. Soon they were on a plane to Israel to sample all the different herbal blends.

"In the beginning, they thought the infusions wouldn't be interesting for the English public because they have so many teas there, but it turns out they are the strongest sellers," notes Meirav Yaniv, franchise and business development director for The Spicy Way, based in the northern town of Bethlehem-of-the-Galilee in the Jezreel Valley.

"Our teas are based on dried fruit that gives them a fruity taste, and you can eat the fruit after you finish drinking. It's apparently very appealing to the English."

Many of the ingredients sold in The Spicy Way teas are grown at the company's organic fields in the Galilee.

Source: Abigail Klein Leichman – Israel21c.org

2011 Christian Nature

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How Stress Kills You

Have you ever wondered exactly how stress kills you? I mean beyond 'it can give you a heart attack.' There's a very interesting process taking place in your body! Let's see how stress goes about killing you.

Before the Flood, humans had lives that were hundreds of years. As man grew more evil, God declared that man's lifespan would be reduced to 120 years. Modern biology has learned that we do indeed have built-in timers in each of our cells that limit the number of times they can divide. When enough cells can no longer divide, we die. We can even do things to speed up the timers.

The timers are called telomeres. However, every time a cell divides, a small part of each telomere is lost. When these telomeres are worn down to nothing, the cell no longer divides and soon dies.

Researchers studied 58 healthy women between the ages of 20 and 50. All the women had children, but 39 of them had a child that was seriously chronically ill.

Stress levels were measured through questionnaires while blood samples provided information about their cell health. Among other things, scientists checked for levels of an enzyme that maintains the health of telomeres. The mothers who saw their stress levels as high proved to have much shorter telomeres than those who reported little stress. They reported that cells from stressed women had telomeres that were as short as unstressed women ten years older.

Scripture tells us to cast all our cares on the Lord. Among the many blessings of doing so are healthy telomeres.

Notes: Science News

2011 Christian Nature

Then the LORD said, “My Spirit will not contend with humans forever, for they are mortal; their days will be a hundred and twenty years.” Genesis 6:3

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Water On Mars and Noah's Flood

Remember when the headlines confirmed that at one time Mars had water? And then further exploration and study revealed evidence that there was once quite a lot of moving water on the surface of Mars?

With two rovers having sent back pictures and information from the surface, plus an orbiter exploring the surface, evidence of water action began to mount. At first, small features that looked like they were formed by moving water were discovered.

Soon, it looked like that there was widespread water action in the southern hemisphere. Besides erosion, there is widespread evidence of the type of rocks that form underwater.

Now, similar evidence suggests widespread water action in the northern lowlands as well. One of the most dramatic features could be the Mars version of the Grand Canyon. Called Valles Marineris, it is 2,000 miles long, 400 miles wide and five miles deep. It is so big, it can be seen from Earth with a good telescope. It would take catastrophic amounts of water to form such a canyon.

While the Bible doesn't say anything about the flood that would suggest Mars was involved, some creation geologists say that it may have been. I don't know about that, but one thing I do know: it did not take billions of years!

Notes: Acts & Facts

2011 Christian Nature

"In the six hundredth year of Noah's life ... were all the fountains of the great deep broken up, and the windows of heaven were opened." Genesis 7:11

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Gossiping Plants As Plant Behavior Is Discovered

The venus flytrap senses a fly and, in less than a second, its trap springs shut. It will eat today. A new area of science is plant behavior. Plant behaviorists point out that plants, like the venus flytrap that interact with animals, have to move on an animal scale. We have traditionally thought of plants as inactive living things that just sit there. But as we learn more about them, we are gossiping, beginning to discover that plants are much more active than we ever thought.

Other plants move as well, often when they interact with animals. But sometimes not. When a white mulberry tree opens its blooms, they open at half the speed of sound.

But there's more than this to plant behavior. Scientists have learned that plants have memory, despite the lack of a nervous system or brain. Yet, when a leaf has mobilized its defenses against a predator in the past, it will do so more quickly the next time the threat returns. Previously we have talked about how plants communicate by emitting scents. When a leaf is attacked, a scent is emitted, warning surrounding leaves and plants. Scientists now call this "plant gossiping."

When we see how much ability God has given even plants, we are led to realize, thankfully, that God has been even more generous to us.

Notes: Science News

2011 Christian Nature

"The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: but the word of our God shall stand for ever." Isaiah 40:8

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Introducing The 'Horror Frog'

Yes, there really is such a thing as a 'horror frog'! There are also salamanders that can grow spines! They do this by forcing their ribs to grow through their skin. But a frog nicknamed the "horror frog" is even stranger.

When it is threatened, the "horror frog" breaks bones in its foot and extends the ends of the broken bone through its hind foot pads. The result is a catlike claw.

The "horror frog" is actually a family of eleven frog species, nine of which are able to perform this grisly feat. Most of these species are native to Cameroon.

One end of the broken bone is attached to a special muscle that pushes the bone through the foot pads. Once the threat is past, the bone claw pulls back into the foot and the tissue heals.

To add to the "horror frog" aspect, these frogs also are hairy. The hair actually turns out to be hair-like skin growth. As unappetizing as they sound, they are prized for roasting and eating.

Before death came into the world, the "horror frog" would probably not have any need for claws to defend itself. Yet, just as God knew that we would need a plan for our salvation, He also knew that creatures like this frog could benefit from a method of defending itself. So He gave this frog this creative method of defending itself.

Notes: New Scientist

2011 Christian Nature

"The LORD hear thee in the day of trouble; the name of the God of Jacob defend thee..." Psalm 20:1b

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Creation Celebration - Christian Nature Favorite Video

I am reminded today that even though the world may be out of control, God is still in control. The Creator of all life is still looking out for His creation! What a comforting thought on this day Christians worldwide glorify the Creator!

If you love the beauty of nature combined with the beauty of glorious music, you will enjoy this video!

Creation Celebration Favorite

Thank You, Lord, for Your patience with mankind. And thank You for Your precise overseeing of all You have created.

(c) 2011 Christian Nature

My mouth will speak in praise of the LORD. Let every creature praise His holy name for ever and ever.Psalm 145:25

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Skin Cancer Cured With A Weed?

A report to be released in the British Journal of Dermatology says a team of scientists in Australia have found that the sap from euphorbia peplus—or milkweed, a common weed—may help cure non-melanoma skin cancers. (Photo: Daily Mail)

Patients used in the study had failed to respond to conventional treatment, including surgery.

The initial results of the milkweed tests were "impressive." After only one month, 41 of the 48 cancers had completely gone.

"In all cases of successful treatment the skin was left with a good cosmetic appearance." But don't try it at home. Scientists say "exposure of the sap to mucous producing surfaces, such as the eyes, results in extreme inflammation and can lead to hospitalization." Also, the concentration of the active ingredients in the sap varies with high doses able to cause very severe and excessive inflammatory responses.

To read more about this new development in skin cancer research, follow the link provided.

Source: Jenny Hope - The Daily Mail

2011 Christian Nature

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Mama Beetle and Her Fungicide

Did you know there is a beetle that protects her babies with a fungicide (weed killer) she manufactures herself? It's true! Mama Beetle has her own fungicide!

The southern pine beetle is a real problem in southeastern North America. They burrow into pine trees that could be harvested for lumber, often killing them. Those that aren't killed are left, stained an unattractive blue tint by a fungus they leave behind.

That fungus grows from spores carried in a special pouch under the beetles' neck. It will grow into a tiny garden that will feed the baby pine beetles when they hatch.

However, several species of mite also infest the beetle. They have their own fungus that they use for food. That fungus will not sustain the baby beetles.

Worse, the mite fungus is more robust than the beetle fungus and will crowd it out. However, the beetle also carries a special bacteria. The bacteria produces a very special fungicide. While it does not harm the beetle's fungus, it targets the mite's fungus, wiping it out. So, the baby southern pine beetle's little ones will have their fungus garden to feed them after all.

Natural fungicides and antibiotics surround us. The hyssop that God commanded His people to use in cleansing ceremonies is a natural antibiotic. While man has since learned to use many antibiotics, how did the beetle learn to use the right fungicide to protect its young? It should be clear that this relationship was arranged by our creating God.

Notes: sciencenews

2011 Christian Nature

"Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean: wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow." Psalm 51:7

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A Robot Without a Brain

A robot that can move about on its own must be programmed in great detail. Instructions must be given to each moving part. These instructions must also be able to direct the robot under all anticipated conditions. If there is any error in the instructions or an encounter with unexpected conditions, the robot will probably just freeze in place.

Even slime mold can do better than this!

Even though slime mold cells are not connected to each other by nerves, when the cells join together, the resulting organism is able to move. It is able to deal with unexpected circumstances moving about by shifting liquid to change their collective bag-shaped body.

Taking their cue from slime mold, a research group from Tohoku University in Japan has used the same principle to make a mobile robot. The robot is able to move across any flat surface by shifting liquid around, which changes pressure on different parts of the robot.

It is made of 14 interconnected syringes, each with a motor to move the water. It moves around randomly until it is given a direction. Then the motors synchronize, and the robot begins to move in the commanded direction.

This slime-mold type arrangement adjusts to changes in environment just like the real thing.

Leave it to God to accomplish a complicated task with a simple design.

Notes: Nikkei Weekly

2011 Christian Nature

"It is God that girds me with strength, and makes my way perfect." Psalm 18:32

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Meet The Winner of Jeopardy!

'Watson' didn't only win Jeopardy tonight. He beat the socks off of his human competitors, Ken and Brad! So one million dollars will be split between 'Watson's' charities.

The super computer's win should make every geek in the world happy! It sure did make me happy since it was not expected to actually win.

I think there will be dancing tonight, especially at IBM-Israel! Do I hear Jewish music?

2011 Christian Nature

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"Hickory" Wins 2011 Westminster Show! - Video

A Scottish deerhound named Hickory claimed the award for best in show Tuesday night at the 2011 Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show.

The prize pooch -- full name Grand Champion Foxcliffe Hickory Wind -- bested nearly 2,600 canines over the two-day event to claim the coveted purple-and-gold ribbon and silver bowl.

Hickory is an inspiration to all Scottish deerhounds! Hickory's best in show victory was a major upset by historical standards, marking the first time that any Scottish deerhound has claimed Westminster's top prize.
She's a tall girl, accustomed to chasing deer and rabbits on a 50-acre farm in Virginia. Her hair is coarse and wirey. She could use some hair conditioner!

Hickory is a real diva, according to her handler Angela Lloyd. Hickory cherishes the spotlight and is "constantly making sure she's getting attention."

Since she is the first Scottish deerhound to win the coveted title, it must make all Scots very proud, indeed!

In case you missed the show, here's the winning moment!



2011 Christian Nature

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The Computer vs The Cat

We have been hearing about the super computer, 'Watson' all week long. While 'Watson' is amazing, it cannot do many things a normal cat can do. If a game was being played called 'Computer vs. Cat' the cat would win.

For example, you can teach a computer where the front door of your home is and where the furniture is in the living room. Give it wheels, park it at the front door and tell it to find the easy chair. No problem.

Now move the furniture around and repeat the command to the computer. Now it is hopelessly lost. Move your furniture around, and the cat will still find your easy chair.

Today's computers can do a few limited things that a cat's brain can do. But such a computer needs its own power supply and 140,000 central processing units. And even this arrangement is over 80 times slower than a cat's brain.

In human and cat brains, memory and learning are possible because neurons are all connected to many other neurons. Thus, either a human or a cat can instantly recognize a familiar face.

Engineers have invented a transistor replacement called a memristor which gives a computer the ability to learn and remember. Even using memristors, it would take a huge supercomputer with its own power supply much longer to recognize faces than we do.

Memory and the ability to learn is a gift of God, the source of all knowledge.

Notes: Univ. of Michigan

2011 Christian Nature

"The heart of the wise teaches his mouth, and adds learning to his lips." Proverbs 16:23

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Super Computer 'Watson' Is Winning on Jeopardy!

Watson is winning! Something freaky was happening on ABC during the first part of Jeopardy (no sound), but eventually it stopped. Watson is way ahead of Ken Jennings and Brad Rutter as of tonight. I'm thrilled! (I've been pulling for the super computer, you know. ha!)

What will happen to Watson after Jeopardy? This video gives us an idea of the plans the researchers, David Carmel and Dafna Sheinwald from IBM Israel have for the super computer.

Life for 'Watson' After Jeopardy

Go, Watson!

2011 Christian Nature

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Need a Tool? Call a Crow!

Crows have been around a long time. They do not sing or dance. But they have other talents, we are learning. Do you need a tool? Call a crow - especially a Caledonian Crow!

Many creatures have been found that use sticks, leaves and other items as tools. Chimpanzee parents teach their youngsters to poke sticks in termite holes to get termites. However, no animal has shown an instinctive tendency to make and use tools, until now.

Caledonian crows are among the known tool-users. A pair of captive New Caledonian crows were having trouble incubating their four eggs. So researchers decided to incubate and raise the young crows themselves.

Upon hatching, the young crows were separated into two pairs. One pair received lessons on how to use twigs to poke food out of slots. The other pair received no lessons, nor were they allowed to see their siblings using tools.

When they were given sticks and leaves, they spontaneously began using the twigs to poke food out of a slot. One of them also tore a leaf into a food poker.

After evaluating all the behavioral data, researchers concluded that while crows have a natural tendency to make and use tools, they also learn how to make improved tools from their elders.

Tool making is not what separates man from animals, although we can make tools far superior to those made by animals. The Bible tells us that the earliest man was made in the image of God and that the earliest generations of man were already making iron tools.

Notes: Science News

2011 Christian Nature

“And Zillah, she also bare Tubal-cain, an instructor of every artificer in brass and iron: and the sister of Tubal-cain was Naamah.” Genesis 4:22

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'Watson' Ties with Jeopardy Champ Brad Rutter

Wasn't Jeopardy exciting tonight? Each of 'Watson's' opponents, Ken Jennings and Brad Rutter (both won $Millions on Jeopardy) were, indeed, champions! And let's face it, Jeopardy is a hard game to play!

Surprisingly, I found myself pulling for 'Watson'! Knowing his designers don't expect their super computer to actually win made me want 'him' to win even more! 'Watson' ended up tonight's session by tying with Brad Rutter.

What I found so interesting was all the information they gave us on the making of the computer. And it is one big machine! Here is a video that will shed a little light on the Israeli-designed 'Watson'.

Watson vs. Jeopardy Champs

Tomorrow night, on ABC at 7:00 p.m. Pacific Time, I'll be glued to the television again. I want to see 'Watson' win!

2011 Christian Nature

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Caddisfly Secretly Making 'Surgical Tape' Under Water!

Many types of insects make silk. Among them, they make many types of silk. But many of the multitude of species of the caddisfly make a very unique silk even among silk-makers. It can be used as surgical tape!

Many species of caddisfly larvae live underwater, which is where they spin their special silk. They spin silk to surround all but their head and four legs. Then they stick underwater debris like sand and bits of leaf to the silk. This helps camouflage them as they grow.

It works so well that until recently scientists didn't realize that the caddisfly's protective cocoon was actually formed around silk. Perhaps you have already figured out what makes this silk unique.

It is not only the only silk spun underwater, but it stays sticky despite the wet environment. Scientists are studying the chemistry of the silk to learn its secrets. What they learn could help them design a surgical tape for use in the body.

That we can learn so much from the creation points to a Designer. If such designs were just the result of nature stumbling upon these solutions, chances are that mankind would also have stumbled upon them by now, too. That we can learn such knowledge and apply it to problems we face is also among the treasures our Creator has placed in the creation for us.

Notes: http://www.laboratoryequipment.com/news-fly-glue-creates-bioadhesive-030110.aspx? xmlmenuid=5, 3/1/10 "Fly Glue Creates Bioadhesive."

2011 Christian Nature

"She makes herself coverings of tapestry; her clothing is silk and purple." Proverbs 31:22

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'Tick Tock,' Adder! 'How Many Minutes Left?'

Australia has many unique creatures that people find fascinating. One example is the floodplain death adder and its habit of eating dangerous frogs. But the adder has a few surprises that make one want to yell, "Tick Tock," Adder! "How many minutes left?"

The marbled frog has a defense that could get the adder into trouble. It secretes an incredibly sticky mucus. If the adder gets some of this on himself, dirt, leaves and even sticks will begin to stick to him.

When the adder strikes a marbled frog, he immediately drops the frog and waits. Studies show that two thirds of the stickiness of the mucus has degenerated by ten minutes after the frog dies. And that's how long the adder waits before he consumes the frog unharmed.

The Dahl's frog produces a powerful poison for its defense. The adder will quickly strike the frog and drop it so the adder's poison can kill it. Apparently, even this momentary contact is enough to deliver some poison to the adder.

Scientists report that after such a strike the adder will writhe about. Eventually it recovers and continues to wait. After an average of 42 minutes, the adder eats the frog. Research shows that by this time the poison has degraded to nontoxic levels.

Researchers debate whether the adder's strategy of waiting different times for differing frog defenses is learned or inherited. I am sure, however, that it was created.

Notes: Science News

2011 Christian Nature

"By his spirit he has garnished the heavens; his hand has formed the crooked serpent." Job 26:13

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Music From the Sun Recorded

The Telegraph U.K. reports that astronomers at the University of Sheffield have managed to record for the first time the eerie musical harmonies produced by the magnetic field in the outer atmosphere of the sun which vibrate like strings on a musical instrument.

According to the report, scientists used satellite images of these magnetic loops coiling away from the sun's outer atmosphere, and then recreated the sound by turning the visible vibrations into noises and speeding up the frequency so it is audible to the human ear. In some cases the vibrations reportedly behaved more like soundwaves as traveling through a wind instrument. (Photo: Telegraph UK)




The report also noted that the coronal loops "vibrate from side to side because they are 'plucked' rather like guitar strings by the blast waves from explosions on the surface of the sun."

2011 Christian Nature

Source: Richard Gray for The Telegraph

"The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands... Their voice goes out into all the earth, their words to the ends of the world. In the heavens he has pitched a tent for the sun, which is like a bridegroom coming forth from his pavilion, like a champion rejoicing to run his course...." Psalm 19: 1, 4-5 (NIV)

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The Underestimated Chameleon

Who would have thought of a chameleon as being a 'super brain'? Not me! But as scientists learn more about this ever-changing creature, it turns out, the lowly chameleon has been vastly underestimated!

Evolutionary naturalists have predicted that a given creature should have pretty much the same strategy for dealing with any of the predators that seek it out. As our knowledge of the animal world grows, they are beginning to realize that they may have to reexamine their prediction.

Researchers have now established that a dwarf chameleon native to Africa does indeed use very different strategies depending on the predator. The two main predators the chameleon faces are snakes and birds.

After observation in the wild, naturalists decided to test the chameleons' reactions to these predators under controlled conditions. They captured some chameleons and then tested their reactions to a fake snake or a stuffed bird.

When the snake was placed where the chameleons could see it, the chameleons turned pale and hugged the branch they were on. When the bird was introduced, the chameleons color-matched their branch much more closely while hugging its underside.

Further study led the researchers to see the wisdom of these strategies. The snake looks up from the ground and sees the chameleon against the bright sky. The birds look down and see the darker branch.

Obviously, the chameleons didn't figure this out by themselves. God gave them these strategies for their protection.

Notes: sciencenews

2011 Christian Nature

"O LORD my God, in thee do I put my trust: save me from all them that persecute me, and deliver me..." Psalm 7:1b

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The Most Beautiful Mountain in the World

My dentist is an avid mountain climber. He just returned from Peru where the world's most beautiful mountain made of pure ice exists! Now THAT's a challenge!

Mount Alpamayo is the jewel of the Andes: a steep, almost-perfect pyramid of ice. It is the most famous mountain in the Cordillera Blanca (Spanish for 'White Range'), becoming the obsession of many mountaineers after it was named ‘The Most Beautiful Mountain in the World’ at a photography competition in Munich in 1996.

Climbers are inspired not so much by the difficulty of the climb, but by the stunning views of Alpamayo’s breath-taking pyramid and the magnificent setting among the many splendid 6000m+ snow-capped peaks of the Cordillera Blanca.

The Cordillera Blanca is a mountain range in the Ancash Region of Peru. Part of the larger Andes range, it includes 33 major peaks over 5,500 metres (18,040 ft) high in an area 21 kilometres (13 mi) wide and 180 kilometres (112 mi) long.

Despite Alpamayo’s 5947m peak not giving it a place amongst the highest summits of the Andes, the climb is considered to be one of the most technical, requiring good crampon and ice-climbing technique. There are incomparable views of steep ice faces, gigantic white walls and ridges - such as those of Huandoy North (6395m), Artesonraju (6025m) and Huascaran (6768m) - equal to the finest Himalayan scenery.

The first ascent of Alpamayo was made by a German expedition in 1957 via the north ridge.

The 5,947 m (19,511 ft) Alpamayo mountain was declared "World's Most Beautiful Mountain" by an international survey lead by former climber Tonni Hiebler in May of 1966 in Münich.

Snow melt from the Cordillera Blanca has provided Peru with its year-round water supplies, while 80% of Peru's power comes from hydroelectricity. The area of permanent ice pack shrank by about a third between the 1970s and 2006

It takes two days of hiking to reach Alpamayo Base Camp, located in a remote part of the northern section of the Cordillera Blanca. The most common climbing route is known as the ‘French Route’, up the steep, fluted southwest face of the mountain. That is the view of the photo above.

I used to be a mountain climber. Oh, the 'good ole' days!

2011 Christian Nature

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Nature Dancing to Our Heartbeats!

We are students from Kindergarten through Third Grade and Miss April is our music teacher. She loves nature and she loves music! We never had a music teacher like her! Miss April is a funny lady! She teaches us to snap our fingers while we do nature dances to our heartbeats!

Her hair goes all around as she dances faster and faster to her heartbeat. We all laugh at her, but we know we are all born with rhythm inside our bodies. She says we all have music inside our bodies, and we had it there even before we were born!

We play a pretend game with her. We pretend there are no people, animals, birds, fish, or insects on the earth. Then we try to guess where the music is! We do good at guessing, because Miss April makes noises to give us hints!

We learn about the wind, the wind on the ocean, the wind blowing through the trees, the lightening and thunder, and we do the nature dances. Then Miss April has a coloring contest and she gives real prizes, too! We have to draw a picture of Nature's Music and show where the sound is coming from! (That's Nathalie's picture at the top.)

We learn to echo sing right at the first lesson. Hoiman comes with her in a suitcase, and after he sings something, we echo what he sings. We love Hoiman! We learn to count rhythms, to march, to clap something she calls poly-rhythms, and sing songs about nature.

We learned only boy canaries can sing, so the boys in our class thought they were smarter than the girls. But then we learned about the bees in their hives, and how the Queen Bee rules! Then the girls got to laugh at the boys and call them worker bees!

We laugh a lot in our class, and all of us feel safe to show off because Miss April says we're all performers. She lets us perform for the whole school, and she takes lots of pictures of us. Sometimes she makes greeting cards for our mothers with the pictures she takes.

She has another contest where we listen to music and tell her what the music makes us see in our imaginations. The one for the 4th of July was music written by someone called John Philip Sousa and we all got a picture of him to color any way we wanted to. She picked winners from each class and gave prizes to all the winners. We liked Sousa Music because it was happy music!
We made her scrapbooks last year, and we all drew pictures for her. We love Miss April because she loves us. She calls all of us Sweetie and her face lights up when she looks at us.

She teaches us about our vocal cords where all our sound comes from. She goes around the class and puts her hands on all our throats, then tells us to sing the same thing she sings.

She makes all of us feel very special. She tells us over and over that we can do it! And she keeps getting us to try until we do it! Even us shy ones have learned to not be afraid anymore.

We learn math, the months of the year, history, and nature with our songs. And then she teaches us how to write our own songs! Nobody is allowed to laugh at anyone who's singing their own song, so we all feel safe. Even Miss April makes up funny songs!

We learn about different kinds of music. She teaches us The Month Song and we sing it lots of different ways. We sing it to a blues beat, a rock'n'roll beat, a swing beat, and a hip hop beat.

She teaches us about something called sound waves and draws a picture of music on the blackboard. The waves look just like ocean waves!

When we get to be 4th graders, we can go into the after-school program and learn Motown Songs. We get to write all the songs we want to, and we even get to sing with High School Choirs! We can hardly wait until we get to 4th grade!

2008-2011 Christian Nature

Make a joyful noise unto the LORD, all the earth: make a loud noise, and rejoice, and sing praise. Psalm 98:4

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Super-Computer vs Jeopardy - Televised Feb 14-16

The super-computer's name is Watson. It was named after Thomas J. Watson, the founder of IBM and the assistant to Sherlock Holmes. On February 14, 15, and 16, Watson will go head-to-head with two past winners from Jeopardy. Artificial intelligence vs. human intelligence. Who will win? [Note: it airs on ABC, 7:00 pm Pacific Time.]

An Israeli IBM team put the brains into a supercomputer that will take on Jeopardy champs in a human vs. artificial intelligence televised match. Researchers David Carmel and Dafna Sheinwald from IBM Israel helped build Watson, the supercomputer that will play Jeopardy in February.

Can a machine beat some of the best contestants on Jeopardy?

A team of about a dozen IBM employees from four countries -- the United States, Israel, China and Japan - have built an artificial intelligence (AI)-powered supercomputer, "Watson," which could be the world's smartest question-and-answer machine.

On February 14, 15 and 16, Watson will take on Jeopardy champs on national TV in North America. The long running, prime-time program poses answers to which contestants must provide the correct trivia question.

Watson, though he's just a machine, will attempt to win a $1 million prize by playing against two of the brainy game show's most celebrated contestants, Ken Jennings and Brad Rutter, in two matches over three days. IBM has pledged that if Watson wins, all the prize money will go to charity.

It was a huge mission to develop a computer that could rival a human's ability to answer spoken questions posed as answers. Sheinwald and her research partner, David Carmel, say the contribution from the Israeli team was to search algorithms that help sort out meaningful information from reams of heterogeneous data. That's their specialty at the IBM R&D facilities.

The computer needs to put all the data out there in the world into proportion. It needs to build relationships between words. Sheinwald poses one example: There is a woman. She is a reporter. She works for the media. She is a daughter. All the relationships between this data must be strung together with using connecting words and phrases such as "is," "or," "part of," "a [child] of," or "contains," says Sheinwald.

"We look at two objects and their relationships, so when you ask something, [Watson] will know the answer."

Revving the mind of the machine

Since the game of Jeopardy is not so straightforward, it became the ultimate challenge for the Watson developers. The answers demanding correct questions from the contestants can be riddled with irony, and subtle meanings and inferences are often not picked up even by smart people, let alone smart computers. Where computers typically fail miserably at these kinds of questions, humans have always had the edge. But maybe not anymore.

Not so trivial applications

The Israeli team is thinking realistically however, and from what they have seen in trial runs, they believe that Watson will not win the prize. However, there is more at stake than winning: they hope their work will be applied to new and novel advances that are much more than games and trivia.

The technology developed for Watson can be used in health care to manage patient data, and help doctors make more accurate diagnoses. It could be applied in call-center technology so that talking to a computer is more like talking to a human.

It could also be used by cell phone companies to deliver customer services and coupons as people pass by a certain location.

This could all be thanks to Watson, and the contribution from IBM Israel, which currently employs about 1,000 people -- a quarter of whom have advanced degrees in computer sciences, math and related fields.

Does having well-educated developers mean that Watson has a chance of winning? Watch the game to find out!

READ MORE: Karin Kloosterman of Israel 21c

2011 Christian Nature

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But That Mountain Should Not Be There!

How do you make a mountain? What if a mountain pops up where it 'shouldn't be'? How did it get there? It's a mystery!

There are three ways to make mountains. 1)The movement of two crustal plates running into one another will push up mountains. 2)Likewise, volcanic activity will produce mountains. 3)Finally, massive erosion of soft strata from harder strata can also create mountains.

In the 1950s, Soviet researchers discovered a mountain range, named the Gamburtsev Mountains, in Antarctica.

Since the mountain range lies under almost two-and-a-half miles of ice, they were discovered by seismic survey. There is one problem. There shouldn't be any mountains there, according to conventional science.

That's because Antarctica is a single crustal plate colliding with nothing. Nor is there any evidence of volcanic activity there. As one scientist put it, finding these mountains is like opening an ancient pyramid and finding a living astronaut in it.

However, there is another answer that uniformitarian geologists would never consider. We know that there was massive erosion as the flood waters drained from the earth, as evidenced by the Grand Canyon and the American Badlands. This would also seem to be the most likely explanation for the mystery mountains of Antarctica.

The Bible gives us the most accurate general history of the ancient Earth, actually filling in the gaps and contradictions that arise in modern long-age science approaches.

Notes: Creation

2011 Christian Nature

"And the waters decreased continually until the tenth month: in the tenth month, on the first day of the month, were the tops of the mountains seen." Genesis 8:5

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The Fish That Sees Without Eyeballs

Can you name a fish that doesn't see with eyeballs? I can! This fish sees through tubes!

Almost all sighted animals that aren't insects see with eyeballs. But that is not true of a fish named Barreleyes (but also called 'Spook Fish'), and that's for a good reason.

Barreleyes has that name because instead of eyeballs, the fish sees through tubes. The fish live one third of a mile below the surface, so studying them in detail was not possible until the last few decades.

Barreleyes can move its eye-tubes in different directions, depending on what it wants to look at.

Even stranger, the eye-tubes are inside the forehead and do not come into contact with the water at all. How can it see if its vision organs are inside its head? It has a transparent forehead filled with transparent liquid.
What is the purpose of such a strange arrangement? Scientists believe that barreleyes eat siphonophores, which are jellyfish-like creatures that sting. The transparent forehead protects its eyes from getting stung.

Barreleyes' uniquely designed eyes are impossible to explain with gradual evolutionary modifications of regular fish eyes. Yet, they are well designed for Barreleyes' unusual way of making a living.

As Scripture reminds us several times, nothing is too hard for God. As we read Scripture's record of what God has done in the past and what He has promised He still will do, especially for His people, this reminder is a comfort.

Notes: sciencenews

2011 Christian Nature

"Behold, I am the LORD, the God of all flesh: is there any thing too hard for me?" Jeremiah 32:27

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I Came From Lungfish?

Supposedly, you and I came from the Lungfish. My ancestors are Lungfish? Uh, I don't think so!

Wouldn't you think creatures that have supposedly lived 360 Million Years would have some changes in their teeth? Isn't that what evolution is all about - evolving? Well the teeth of Lungfish have not changed one bit. Oops!

According to evolution theory, there were no four-limbed creatures living on land until 360 million years ago. That is supposedly when Lungfish appear in the fossil record.

Lungfish can breathe air, have four fins arranged rather like legs and can even climb trees. Long ago, evolutionists declared that all four-limbed creatures that live on land, including man, evolved from the Lungfish.

As we look at the variety of land-living creatures, evolutionists are claiming a great deal of change from our lowly Lungfish ancestry. It is interesting, however, that the Lungfishes themselves have changed very little in the supposed 360 million years of their existence.

Lungfish hatchlings today have small teeth, which, as they grow to adulthood, fuse into a bony dental plate. In this adult plate, the individual teeth are fused to one another. There are thousands of well-preserved fossils of both hatchlings and adult Lungfish that supposedly lived 360 million years ago. A study of these fossils shows that even the dental development of Lungfish has not changed since the first Lungfish appeared among the fossils.

One cannot escape the conclusion that there has been no evolution of Lungfish since they first swam the seas. This agrees with Scripture.

It also poses a problem in logic to suggest that such a stable creature could produce the variety of four-limbed creatures we see today.

Notes: Nature

2011 Christian Nature

“And God created great whales, and every living creature that moves, which the waters brought forth abundantly, after their kind....” Genesis 1:21a

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How Fast Can YOU Shut Your Jaws?

How fast can you shut your jaws? 20 miles per hour? No, I haven't flipped! I found a creature whose jaw snaps closed at the speed of over 136 miles per hour. In fact, this creature has the fasted jaws in the world!

If an octopus thinks you have found him in his lair, he will squirt ink in your face and hope, in your surprise, you don't see him fleeing. On the other hand, challenge a bull, and you will have more fight on your hands than you want. Other creatures will evaluate the situation to determine whether fight or flight is the best response.

The trap-jaw ant has a unique approach to this problem of fight or flight. He can fight, flee or do both at the same time with the same movement. The ant has a unique mandible. It is this jaw that is the secret of the ant's response to a challenge.

If the ant faces a threat and decides to attack, it will strike at the threat with its mandibles and in the movement propel itself up to nine inches from the threat almost simultaneously.

If the ant decides to flee, it simply does so by snapping its jaws shut against the ground on which it stands. Its jaw snaps closed at the speed of over 136 miles per hour.

While it is sometimes necessary to protect ourselves from earthly dangers through fight or flight, neither of these will work for the spiritual dangers we face. For those we must trust the strong arm of our risen Savior.

Notes: Photonics Spectra

2011 Christian Nature

"The LORD of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge." Psalm 46:7

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Seed Lessons

Growth always happens 'in the dark,' unseen by me until the little green stem pops up from the soil. This is one of the 'seed lessons' she taught me.

When I was young, I was intrigued by all the seeds Grandma pushed into the ground. A curious child, I frustrated her to no end as I kept digging them up every morning to see what had happened since yesterday.

She patiently taught me that God causes growth in the dark, underground, and we were not to mess around with 'God's Timing'. (That beautiful woman was also very wise and patient. But I digress.)

I later owned a large horticulture company, and much of what she taught me was brought to the forefront of my mind. Here's what I remember.

It's fruitless to plant this seed and dig it up every three days, impatient to see any root hairs forming. I plant the seed, and then it's God's responsibility to cause growth under the soil.

Growth always happens 'in the dark,' unseen by me until the little green stem pops up from the soil.

Likewise, God cannot deliver me while my interest is merely in my own character. I must be so involved in my relationship with Jesus that I lose that self-conscious interest in the development of my own growth. Only then will God cause growth in me.

I must get my eyes of myself, lose the 'what's in it for me' mentality, and abandon myself to Christ: the Author and Perfecter of my faith.

I must remember that Christianity is not the ultimate self-fulfillment plan. If I'm centered on how much I have grown, I am not centered on Christ! As long as I focus on Christ, He will cause growth in the dark, and, eventually, I will be a 'sweet savor of Christ unto God.'

Oh, the lessons my godly Grandmother taught me!

(c) 2007-2011 Christian Nature

"Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the Author and Perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God." Hebrews 12:2 NIV

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Ophrys 'Bee' Orchid Mimicks Scents of Female Bees!

A surprising number of living things mimic other living things. Today our example is the Ophrys Orchid, also known as the Bee Orchid. (Their scientific name Ophrys is the Greek word for 'eyebrow', referring to the furry edges of the lips of several species.) Evolutionary biologists discount such mimicry as any sort of wonder because in many cases the mimicry is imperfect. The biological term is 'flawed mimicry.'

Now evolutionary biologists admit that they may have to revisit their conclusions about flawed mimicry. Several species of orchid are known to mimic pollinators to attract their attention.

This Ophry's Orchid seeks to attract the males of several bee species by mimicking the scent of the female of the species. However, when scientists studied the exact composition of the pheromone mix used by the orchid, they found it wasn't quite the same as that used by the local female bees. So they labeled it 'flawed mimicry'.

However, as field scientists expanded their research, they made a surprising discovery. The orchids are able to change the pheromone mix of the scents they create to subtly change the scent they produce. In fact, the orchids were mimicking the scent of female bees some distance away. Why?

Further research showed that male bees actually prefer so called out-of-town females to the local females.

What scientists thought was flawed mimicry is actually a fine-tuned design that can only be explained with intelligence.

Notes:Science News

2011 Christian Nature

O God, You have taught me from my youth; and to this day I declare Your wondrous works. Psalm 71:17

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The Secret of Morning Glories

Did you know Morning Glories have a secret? As the Summer sun peeks over the mountain, they stir midst my white pickets. Only two hours later, they are open, fully alive to the day's possibilities.

Their fragile purple splendor is as beautiful today as it was yesterday, in spite of less-than-ideal conditions. Ants, snails, high heat, lack of sufficient water, and pecking birds have not deterred these glorious Morning Glory Blossoms from blooming yet again.

I believe I've learned their secret: they live one-day-at-a-time, and give each day all the gusto they possess.

But... once the sun begins to wane, the process begins in reverse. Slowly, each blossom closes down shop and goes protectively into the dark with closed petals. Not one of them works overtime, or tries to extend the day. Inherently, they know they need recuperation from the days adversities if they want energy for tomorrows blooms.

Even when night snails try to push open the petals, the blossoms sleep on, snuggled, unscathed by worries or fears.

Somehow they know they'll have another chance to bloom beautifully tomorrow.

What can I learn from these beautiful Morning Glories? Tomorrow is a new day. It is necessary to close one door before opening another. Each day is a door. If I carry worry and fear to bed, then I sabotage my self for a successful tomorrow.

The first saying a recovering addict learns in a 12-step program is, "One Day At A Time." Why is that? The Bible clearly states we are not to worry about tomorrow, for each day has enough evil in it. We are to CHOOSE to live one day at a time. Maybe ole' Scarlett wasn't so far off-base, after all: "I'll just [think] about that tomorrow!

(c) 2011 Christian Nature

So don’t worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring its own worries. Today’s trouble is enough for today. Matthew 6:34

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