DID ANTS INVENT THE ELECTRIC KNIFE?
Romans 8:28
"And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose."
Scientists have discovered that seemingly purposeless behaviors among leaf cutting ants actually serve an important function. Leaf cutting ants cut green leaves into pieces that they can carry back to the nest. As they cut a leaf, they vibrate, creating an effect like an electric knife. Since they can cut the leaves without vibrating, it would seem to have no purpose. Smaller worker ants accompany the larger worker ants to their leaf cutting site. Then they wait around, watching the larger workers. To make matters stranger, once a leaf section is ready to be carried back to the nest, the little do nothing workers climb aboard the leaf to be carried back home with it.
New research has revealed that these apparently pointless behaviors serve a single, important purpose. As the larger worker finishes cutting a leaf section, she vibrates even faster. The increased rate of vibration is apparently a signal to the smaller worker to board the leaf section for the ride home. But why are the smaller workers there in the first place? Researchers have discovered that they discourage attacks by phorid flies. These flies would otherwise inject an egg into a leaf cutting ant. When the egg hatches, the larva chews its way through the ant, killing it.
This amazingly designed system reminds us that there is purpose throughout the creation. God is the Author of purpose, not mindless chance. God's highest purpose for us is to come to faith in Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior.
Lord, I thank You because You have brought purpose into my life. Amen.
Science News, 2/5/00, pp. 92 94, "When ants squeak." Photo: Leaf-cutting ants. (PD)
Romans 8:28
"And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose."
Scientists have discovered that seemingly purposeless behaviors among leaf cutting ants actually serve an important function. Leaf cutting ants cut green leaves into pieces that they can carry back to the nest. As they cut a leaf, they vibrate, creating an effect like an electric knife. Since they can cut the leaves without vibrating, it would seem to have no purpose. Smaller worker ants accompany the larger worker ants to their leaf cutting site. Then they wait around, watching the larger workers. To make matters stranger, once a leaf section is ready to be carried back to the nest, the little do nothing workers climb aboard the leaf to be carried back home with it.
New research has revealed that these apparently pointless behaviors serve a single, important purpose. As the larger worker finishes cutting a leaf section, she vibrates even faster. The increased rate of vibration is apparently a signal to the smaller worker to board the leaf section for the ride home. But why are the smaller workers there in the first place? Researchers have discovered that they discourage attacks by phorid flies. These flies would otherwise inject an egg into a leaf cutting ant. When the egg hatches, the larva chews its way through the ant, killing it.
This amazingly designed system reminds us that there is purpose throughout the creation. God is the Author of purpose, not mindless chance. God's highest purpose for us is to come to faith in Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior.
Lord, I thank You because You have brought purpose into my life. Amen.
Science News, 2/5/00, pp. 92 94, "When ants squeak." Photo: Leaf-cutting ants. (PD)
CALIBRATING THE BEE ODOMETER
Psalm 31:3
"For thou art my rock and my fortress; therefore for thy name's sake lead me, and guide me."
When a honeybee finds a good source of food, she returns to the hive to tell fellow bees where it is. Her dance tells nest mates the direction of the source from the nest and how far away it is. Researchers have long puzzled over how the bee knows the distance she has traveled. Several theories have been proposed, but until now, none have been proven.
Several years ago, an international research team convincingly demonstrated how bees know how far they have traveled visually. Researchers trained bees to fly through a 30 foot tube by placing food at the far side. Then they placed a checkerboard pattern inside the tube designed to make the bees think they had flown farther than they really had. Researchers found that the pattern made the bees think they had flown 31 times farther than they really had. After watching the bees that had gone through the tricky tube, researchers calculated that for every 18 degrees an image travels across the bee's eye, she will dance for one millisecond as she communicates her discovery. As one researcher put it, they have calibrated the bees' odometer.
Bees themselves are a wonder of design. The way they communicate their finds with one another are even more difficult to explain by those who accept evolution. These are all designs of the Creator Who wishes to guide us to Himself. He communicates with us through His Word that tells us of salvation through the forgiveness of sins that is found in His Son, Jesus Christ.
Lord, continue to teach me to understand and believe Your Word. Amen.
Science News, 2/5/00, p. 87, "Bees log flight distances, train with maps." Photo: Honeybees on comb. Courtesy of Magnus Manske. (CC-BY-SA 3.0)
Psalm 31:3
"For thou art my rock and my fortress; therefore for thy name's sake lead me, and guide me."
When a honeybee finds a good source of food, she returns to the hive to tell fellow bees where it is. Her dance tells nest mates the direction of the source from the nest and how far away it is. Researchers have long puzzled over how the bee knows the distance she has traveled. Several theories have been proposed, but until now, none have been proven.
Several years ago, an international research team convincingly demonstrated how bees know how far they have traveled visually. Researchers trained bees to fly through a 30 foot tube by placing food at the far side. Then they placed a checkerboard pattern inside the tube designed to make the bees think they had flown farther than they really had. Researchers found that the pattern made the bees think they had flown 31 times farther than they really had. After watching the bees that had gone through the tricky tube, researchers calculated that for every 18 degrees an image travels across the bee's eye, she will dance for one millisecond as she communicates her discovery. As one researcher put it, they have calibrated the bees' odometer.
Bees themselves are a wonder of design. The way they communicate their finds with one another are even more difficult to explain by those who accept evolution. These are all designs of the Creator Who wishes to guide us to Himself. He communicates with us through His Word that tells us of salvation through the forgiveness of sins that is found in His Son, Jesus Christ.
Lord, continue to teach me to understand and believe Your Word. Amen.
Science News, 2/5/00, p. 87, "Bees log flight distances, train with maps." Photo: Honeybees on comb. Courtesy of Magnus Manske. (CC-BY-SA 3.0)
BIBLICAL SKEPTICISM CHALLENGED
Psalm 119:160
"Thy word is true from the beginning: and every one of thy righteous judgments endureth for ever."
Unfortunately, many biblical archaeologists do not accept the Bible's account of the period of the judges. They believe that there was no distinct Israel during this time.
In a talk at Northwestern University, however, William Dever severely challenged these views. Dever is professor of Near Eastern archaeology and anthropology at the University of Arizona. He pointed out that during the period of the judges, about 300 new villages appeared out of nowhere in the central hill country of Palestine. The distinctly different design of the houses and villages match the living arrangements practiced in Israel at this time. Evidence, he noted, points to an increase in population that could only be accounted for by a rapid influx of people.
Furthermore, while pigs were a common staple at this time in Palestine, these new towns are unique in that they contain no pig remains. Farming also changed rapidly as hillsides were terraced. The introduction of iron affected daily life. And pottery styles changed rapidly as the culture developed. Moreover, the Egyptians artifact of the time conclusively proves biblical history. A monument erected in Egypt during the period of the judges mentions Israel as a distinct people.
While science can illustrate many details found in the Bible, we don't believe what the Bible says because of science. Therefore, science can never "prove" the Bible to be in error. Faith convinces us of the Bible's truth.
Dear Father, I rejoice for the faith You have given me that Your Word is without error. In Jesus' Name. Amen.
Biblical Archaeology Review, 3/4/00, pp. 28 35, 68, "Save Us From Postmodern Malarkey." Photo: William Dever.
Psalm 119:160
"Thy word is true from the beginning: and every one of thy righteous judgments endureth for ever."
Unfortunately, many biblical archaeologists do not accept the Bible's account of the period of the judges. They believe that there was no distinct Israel during this time.
In a talk at Northwestern University, however, William Dever severely challenged these views. Dever is professor of Near Eastern archaeology and anthropology at the University of Arizona. He pointed out that during the period of the judges, about 300 new villages appeared out of nowhere in the central hill country of Palestine. The distinctly different design of the houses and villages match the living arrangements practiced in Israel at this time. Evidence, he noted, points to an increase in population that could only be accounted for by a rapid influx of people.
Furthermore, while pigs were a common staple at this time in Palestine, these new towns are unique in that they contain no pig remains. Farming also changed rapidly as hillsides were terraced. The introduction of iron affected daily life. And pottery styles changed rapidly as the culture developed. Moreover, the Egyptians artifact of the time conclusively proves biblical history. A monument erected in Egypt during the period of the judges mentions Israel as a distinct people.
While science can illustrate many details found in the Bible, we don't believe what the Bible says because of science. Therefore, science can never "prove" the Bible to be in error. Faith convinces us of the Bible's truth.
Dear Father, I rejoice for the faith You have given me that Your Word is without error. In Jesus' Name. Amen.
Biblical Archaeology Review, 3/4/00, pp. 28 35, 68, "Save Us From Postmodern Malarkey." Photo: William Dever.
WHAT WAS THE MONSTER OF TROY?
I Corinthians 12:2
"Ye know that ye were Gentiles, carried away unto these dumb idols, even as ye were led."
While the word "fossil" is a modern term, people thousands of years ago may have known about fossils. If they did, they didn't know what fossils were. That's the new theory proposed by a group that includes a folklorist and some paleontologists. Their theory is based on the figures painted on a 2,500 year old Corinthian vase.
The colorful vase was made about 550 B.C. Called the Hesione vase; it shows the mythical woman, Hesione, being rescued from the monster of Troy by the Greek hero Herakles. Only the monster's head is shown emerging from a cave. The head looks very much like a giant skull with a tongue and a lizard like eye socket. Those behind the new theory conclude that these details were added to what was really a very common fossil in the area. The monster was evidently perceived as a sea serpent. However, paleontologists say that the area around the Aegean Sea and western Turkey contains many fossils of large giraffes, camels and horses. Sometimes these fossils become exposed as the rocky hillsides weather. When the ancient Greeks found these large fossils, they thought that they were the bones of gods and monsters.
While this may seem superstitious to us today, we should be careful. Today's great superstition is that life evolved from non living matter over millions of years. Belief in evolution is no less an attempt to escape acknowledging our Creator God than the legends of the ancient Greek gods. St. Paul himself wrote that the eternal power and divine nature of God are evident through the creation.
Dear Father, I thank You for the light of Your Word. Amen.
Science News, 2/26/00, p. 133, "Vase shows that the ancients dug fossils, too." Photo: Hesione vase. Photo source: unknown.
I Corinthians 12:2
"Ye know that ye were Gentiles, carried away unto these dumb idols, even as ye were led."
While the word "fossil" is a modern term, people thousands of years ago may have known about fossils. If they did, they didn't know what fossils were. That's the new theory proposed by a group that includes a folklorist and some paleontologists. Their theory is based on the figures painted on a 2,500 year old Corinthian vase.
The colorful vase was made about 550 B.C. Called the Hesione vase; it shows the mythical woman, Hesione, being rescued from the monster of Troy by the Greek hero Herakles. Only the monster's head is shown emerging from a cave. The head looks very much like a giant skull with a tongue and a lizard like eye socket. Those behind the new theory conclude that these details were added to what was really a very common fossil in the area. The monster was evidently perceived as a sea serpent. However, paleontologists say that the area around the Aegean Sea and western Turkey contains many fossils of large giraffes, camels and horses. Sometimes these fossils become exposed as the rocky hillsides weather. When the ancient Greeks found these large fossils, they thought that they were the bones of gods and monsters.
While this may seem superstitious to us today, we should be careful. Today's great superstition is that life evolved from non living matter over millions of years. Belief in evolution is no less an attempt to escape acknowledging our Creator God than the legends of the ancient Greek gods. St. Paul himself wrote that the eternal power and divine nature of God are evident through the creation.
Dear Father, I thank You for the light of Your Word. Amen.
Science News, 2/26/00, p. 133, "Vase shows that the ancients dug fossils, too." Photo: Hesione vase. Photo source: unknown.
DO YOU KNOW HOW COMPLEX A SINGLE CELL IS?
Psalm 96:3
"Declare his glory among the heathen, his wonders among all people."
It wasn't until 1839 that cell theory was first described by Theodor Schwann in basically its modern form. By 1858, researcher Rudolf Virchow had learned enough about the cell to conclude that every cell must come from a preexisting cell. But Charles Darwin wasn't paying attention. The very next year he published a book, On the Origin of Species, which theorized that the first cell was formed from non living matter.
In Darwin's day, the cell was thought to be just a simple sac filled with jellied carbon. This concept is the origin of the term protoplasm. However, nearly 150 years of cell research has shown us that even protozoan and fungi cells are hugely complex. Today we know that even the simplest of these cells, eukaryotes, have an estimated 100,000 parts. Many thousands of different operations are taking place continuously within each of the cell's many parts, called organelles. Furthermore, the cell cannot live until all these parts are working properly. Even the simple E. coli bacterium has 4,000 genes. If we were able to magnify the DNA of the E. coli to the thickness of a clothesline, it would be five miles long!
There is no such thing as a "simple cell." The fact that a cell cannot live without all these thousands of parts shows that cells were created in their finished form, just as the Bible says. Even bacteria declare the glory of our Creator!
Lord, I glorify You, for even the simplest cell testifies to Your glory. Amen.
CRSQ, 3/99, p. 228, "The Putative Evolution of the Animal Eukaryote Cell Ultrastructure." Photo: Lithograph of Theodor Schwann in 1887.
Psalm 96:3
"Declare his glory among the heathen, his wonders among all people."
It wasn't until 1839 that cell theory was first described by Theodor Schwann in basically its modern form. By 1858, researcher Rudolf Virchow had learned enough about the cell to conclude that every cell must come from a preexisting cell. But Charles Darwin wasn't paying attention. The very next year he published a book, On the Origin of Species, which theorized that the first cell was formed from non living matter.
In Darwin's day, the cell was thought to be just a simple sac filled with jellied carbon. This concept is the origin of the term protoplasm. However, nearly 150 years of cell research has shown us that even protozoan and fungi cells are hugely complex. Today we know that even the simplest of these cells, eukaryotes, have an estimated 100,000 parts. Many thousands of different operations are taking place continuously within each of the cell's many parts, called organelles. Furthermore, the cell cannot live until all these parts are working properly. Even the simple E. coli bacterium has 4,000 genes. If we were able to magnify the DNA of the E. coli to the thickness of a clothesline, it would be five miles long!
There is no such thing as a "simple cell." The fact that a cell cannot live without all these thousands of parts shows that cells were created in their finished form, just as the Bible says. Even bacteria declare the glory of our Creator!
Lord, I glorify You, for even the simplest cell testifies to Your glory. Amen.
CRSQ, 3/99, p. 228, "The Putative Evolution of the Animal Eukaryote Cell Ultrastructure." Photo: Lithograph of Theodor Schwann in 1887.
YOUR MULTIPURPOSE EYE
Psalm 94:9
"He that planted the ear, shall he not hear? he that formed the eye, shall he not see?"
Scientists have learned that the eye is a multipurpose organ. They have long tried to figure out how our internal biological clock is set. This amazing clock is located in the brain and follows a period of almost exactly a day. It controls many of the body's rhythms, so it's important that it is properly set.
Scientists do know that the clock is set by light. They also know that your clock is not set by the rods and cones in your eye that see color and images. They had conclusively shown that the eye's rods and cones have nothing to do with setting the clock. Several years ago, researchers bred mice whose eyes lacked rods and cones. As they shifted light periods, the mice still adjusted their biological clocks to the new periods. Now researchers are convinced they have found how our eyes adjust our biological clock after studying, of all things, the African horned frog. While studying the frog, scientists discovered a photoreceptor called melanopsin. This photoreceptor is found in the skin, eyes and brain of the frogs. They then decided to test for melanopsin in our eyes. They discovered that a form of the photoreceptor is produced in the inner retina of our eyes. The rods and cones of our eyes are located on the outer retina. The human eye, and those of mammals, is a multi purpose organ!
The intricate and precise ways in which we have been made increasingly glorify our Creator as we learn more about how we have been made. Surely it takes more faith to believe that such an elegant system as our biological clocks evolved by chance.
I, too, glorify You, Lord, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Amen.
Science News, 2/19/00, p. 120, "Protein may help the eyes tell time." Photo: Nerve cells containing melanopsin are shown in blue in the spread-out retina. Copyright © Dr. Samer Hattar. (Fair Use)
Psalm 94:9
"He that planted the ear, shall he not hear? he that formed the eye, shall he not see?"
Scientists have learned that the eye is a multipurpose organ. They have long tried to figure out how our internal biological clock is set. This amazing clock is located in the brain and follows a period of almost exactly a day. It controls many of the body's rhythms, so it's important that it is properly set.
Scientists do know that the clock is set by light. They also know that your clock is not set by the rods and cones in your eye that see color and images. They had conclusively shown that the eye's rods and cones have nothing to do with setting the clock. Several years ago, researchers bred mice whose eyes lacked rods and cones. As they shifted light periods, the mice still adjusted their biological clocks to the new periods. Now researchers are convinced they have found how our eyes adjust our biological clock after studying, of all things, the African horned frog. While studying the frog, scientists discovered a photoreceptor called melanopsin. This photoreceptor is found in the skin, eyes and brain of the frogs. They then decided to test for melanopsin in our eyes. They discovered that a form of the photoreceptor is produced in the inner retina of our eyes. The rods and cones of our eyes are located on the outer retina. The human eye, and those of mammals, is a multi purpose organ!
The intricate and precise ways in which we have been made increasingly glorify our Creator as we learn more about how we have been made. Surely it takes more faith to believe that such an elegant system as our biological clocks evolved by chance.
I, too, glorify You, Lord, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Amen.
Science News, 2/19/00, p. 120, "Protein may help the eyes tell time." Photo: Nerve cells containing melanopsin are shown in blue in the spread-out retina. Copyright © Dr. Samer Hattar. (Fair Use)
THE CRUEL GOD OF EVOLUTION
1 Corinthians 15:22
"For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive."
Some people think that they can believe in Jesus Christ as their Savior and at the same time believe God created through evolution. These people are called theistic evolutionists or progressive creationists. What kind of nature would a god have who creates through the death that is essential to evolution?
First, death would have to have begun from the very moment of creation. Death, disease, pain and suffering would have had to originate with this god. Long before man, according to evolution, dinosaurs were eating other dinosaurs, and entire species were dying out. Rather than loving us, such a god would be indifferent and capricious. The god that would use evolution to make living things would have no right to punish sin. He would have had no right to bring a worldwide Flood to punish sinful man. This kind of god would be nothing more than a bully. Such a god would not be likely to have given us his word. And nothing the Bible says about him could be true. If the Bible really is from him, it is full of untrue claims. Any god who created using evolution is not the God of the Bible. If you think about it, the god of evolution sounds surprisingly like the devil.
What's wrong with believing that God created through evolution over millions of years? Any god that uses evolution and death to make us is extremely cruel. More importantly, if there was no first Adam to bring sin and death into the world, there was no need for Christ, Whom the Bible calls the last Adam, to die and save us from sin and death.
I rejoice, dear Father, because you are gracious and merciful to me. Amen.
Creation, 9 11/99, pp. 42 45, "The god of an old Earth." Photo: The human skull has long been a symbol of death. (CC-BY 2.0)
1 Corinthians 15:22
"For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive."
Some people think that they can believe in Jesus Christ as their Savior and at the same time believe God created through evolution. These people are called theistic evolutionists or progressive creationists. What kind of nature would a god have who creates through the death that is essential to evolution?
First, death would have to have begun from the very moment of creation. Death, disease, pain and suffering would have had to originate with this god. Long before man, according to evolution, dinosaurs were eating other dinosaurs, and entire species were dying out. Rather than loving us, such a god would be indifferent and capricious. The god that would use evolution to make living things would have no right to punish sin. He would have had no right to bring a worldwide Flood to punish sinful man. This kind of god would be nothing more than a bully. Such a god would not be likely to have given us his word. And nothing the Bible says about him could be true. If the Bible really is from him, it is full of untrue claims. Any god who created using evolution is not the God of the Bible. If you think about it, the god of evolution sounds surprisingly like the devil.
What's wrong with believing that God created through evolution over millions of years? Any god that uses evolution and death to make us is extremely cruel. More importantly, if there was no first Adam to bring sin and death into the world, there was no need for Christ, Whom the Bible calls the last Adam, to die and save us from sin and death.
I rejoice, dear Father, because you are gracious and merciful to me. Amen.
Creation, 9 11/99, pp. 42 45, "The god of an old Earth." Photo: The human skull has long been a symbol of death. (CC-BY 2.0)
SUPERB, SPLENDID AND LOVELY
Psalm 50:11
"I know all the fowls of the mountains: and the wild beasts of the field are mine."
There are 13 species of a brightly plumed little songbird known as the fairy wren. The birds are found in Australia and New Guinea. So colorful are their feathers that the various species go by names like "superb," "splendid" and "lovely." However, even more noteworthy is the birds' unusual behavior.
A male courting a female will bring her a flower petal. The petal usually matches his color or is a deeply contrasting color. Normally a perky little bird with an upright tail, when courting he lowers his tail and creeps around close to the ground. As he twists his body back and forth, he puffs out his cheek feathers. If the female accepts his courting, she builds their nest alone, lining it with bright parrot feathers. While they mate for life, they are not known for fidelity to their mates. When mature, females will go off on their own, but males may stay with their parents for a year or more. Their main duty is to guard the family nest. If danger approaches the nest, the guard will puff up his wings, lower his tail and scuttle through dry grass, pretending to be a mouse. The idea is to lure the predator away from the nest.
The beauty and unusual behavior of these little birds testifies to more than God's creativity and love for beauty. They remind us of the beauty that was lost to God's creation when it was tainted by man's sin. Thankfully, some of that beauty that was lost can return to our lives through the forgiveness of sins that is found in Jesus Christ.
Dear Father, I thank You for the beauty of Your creation and for giving me the forgiveness of sins in Jesus Christ. Amen.
Natural History, 11/94, pp. 56 62, "Faithful Philanderers." Photo: Superb blue fairy-wren. Courtesy of Benjamint444. (CC-BY-SA 3.0)
Psalm 50:11
"I know all the fowls of the mountains: and the wild beasts of the field are mine."
There are 13 species of a brightly plumed little songbird known as the fairy wren. The birds are found in Australia and New Guinea. So colorful are their feathers that the various species go by names like "superb," "splendid" and "lovely." However, even more noteworthy is the birds' unusual behavior.
A male courting a female will bring her a flower petal. The petal usually matches his color or is a deeply contrasting color. Normally a perky little bird with an upright tail, when courting he lowers his tail and creeps around close to the ground. As he twists his body back and forth, he puffs out his cheek feathers. If the female accepts his courting, she builds their nest alone, lining it with bright parrot feathers. While they mate for life, they are not known for fidelity to their mates. When mature, females will go off on their own, but males may stay with their parents for a year or more. Their main duty is to guard the family nest. If danger approaches the nest, the guard will puff up his wings, lower his tail and scuttle through dry grass, pretending to be a mouse. The idea is to lure the predator away from the nest.
The beauty and unusual behavior of these little birds testifies to more than God's creativity and love for beauty. They remind us of the beauty that was lost to God's creation when it was tainted by man's sin. Thankfully, some of that beauty that was lost can return to our lives through the forgiveness of sins that is found in Jesus Christ.
Dear Father, I thank You for the beauty of Your creation and for giving me the forgiveness of sins in Jesus Christ. Amen.
Natural History, 11/94, pp. 56 62, "Faithful Philanderers." Photo: Superb blue fairy-wren. Courtesy of Benjamint444. (CC-BY-SA 3.0)
GET A YOUNGER BRAIN!
Genesis 5:32
And Noah was five hundred years old: and Noah begat Shem, Ham, and Japheth."
How did Noah have sons and build the Ark when he was 500 years old? Today, scientists can measure a marked decline in mental abilities even in a healthy 50 year old man. Undoubtedly there are several factors, with God behind each of them. However, one of the answers appears to be nutrition.
Research done by Tufts University showed that middle aged men with the lowest amount of vitamin B6 in their blood only scored half as well as men of the same age with the highest level of vitamin B6. Another four year study looked at a population of people in which 15 percent could be expected to develop Alzheimer's disease. It found that not one person who took vitamin E or C developed the disease. A Framingham Heart study found that people who ate three extra servings of fruits and vegetables a day reduced their stroke rate by 22 percent. University of New Mexico researchers looked at the effects of vitamin B supplements in older people. They found that those who took the supplements not only scored higher on mental functions than those who did not, but they even did as well or better than young people. Over 50 studies have confirmed that ginkgo biloba helps memory and concentration, reduces confusion and mitigates effects of Alzheimer's disease.
Our wise Creator has given us powerful nutritional tools to help our earthly time be healthy and productive. Perhaps Noah and the other long lived ancients knew more about how to eat healthily than we do.
Lord, make my life here healthy until You call me home to Yourself. Amen.
USA Weekend, 3/5/00, p. 7, "Important News your brain can use." Photo: Paul Gyorgy (1893-1976), Hungarian-American pediatrician who helped discover vitamin B6.
Genesis 5:32
And Noah was five hundred years old: and Noah begat Shem, Ham, and Japheth."
How did Noah have sons and build the Ark when he was 500 years old? Today, scientists can measure a marked decline in mental abilities even in a healthy 50 year old man. Undoubtedly there are several factors, with God behind each of them. However, one of the answers appears to be nutrition.
Research done by Tufts University showed that middle aged men with the lowest amount of vitamin B6 in their blood only scored half as well as men of the same age with the highest level of vitamin B6. Another four year study looked at a population of people in which 15 percent could be expected to develop Alzheimer's disease. It found that not one person who took vitamin E or C developed the disease. A Framingham Heart study found that people who ate three extra servings of fruits and vegetables a day reduced their stroke rate by 22 percent. University of New Mexico researchers looked at the effects of vitamin B supplements in older people. They found that those who took the supplements not only scored higher on mental functions than those who did not, but they even did as well or better than young people. Over 50 studies have confirmed that ginkgo biloba helps memory and concentration, reduces confusion and mitigates effects of Alzheimer's disease.
Our wise Creator has given us powerful nutritional tools to help our earthly time be healthy and productive. Perhaps Noah and the other long lived ancients knew more about how to eat healthily than we do.
Lord, make my life here healthy until You call me home to Yourself. Amen.
USA Weekend, 3/5/00, p. 7, "Important News your brain can use." Photo: Paul Gyorgy (1893-1976), Hungarian-American pediatrician who helped discover vitamin B6.
ROMAN ARTIFACTS DISCOVERED IN BRAZIL
Acts 20:13a
"And we went before to ship, and sailed unto Assos, there intending to take in Paul:"
Both Spain and Portugal claim to have discovered Brazil in the 16th century. However, mounting evidence suggests that neither country can claim discovery of Brazil.
Guanabar Bay is on the Brazilian coast, less than 10 miles from Rio de Janeiro. In 1976, a diver discovered two unbroken amphoras at the bottom of the bay. Amphoras were tall storage pots that were commonly made and used by the Romans. In 1982, an archaeologist discovered thousands of fragments from still more Roman amphoras in the same area. Among the fragments were 200 amphora necks. The styles of these amphoras indicate that they were made in second century A.D. Rome.
Ancient Roman shipwrecks have also been found in the Azores islands off the west coast of Spain. The Azores would have been a good European starting point for crossing the Atlantic. The shortest route across the Atlantic from the Azores lands one on the coast of Brazil. Modern sailing ships make the crossing in only 18 days. So even before the amphoras were found, it would not have been unreasonable to suppose that the Romans, who were skilled sailors, had made the crossing. The discovery of the amphoras proves that at least one Roman ship made the trip.
The belief that up to Columbus' time people assumed the world was flat is a myth. God created intelligent and curious human beings with the ability to explore and learn about God's creation.
Thank You, Lord, for allowing me to appreciate Your creation. Amen.
Science Frontiers, p. 25, "Romans in Rio?" Photo: Amphoras taken from shipwrecks on display in the Museum of Underwater Archaeology at Bodrum Castle, Turkey. Courtesy of Ad Meskens. (CC-BY-SA 3.0)
Acts 20:13a
"And we went before to ship, and sailed unto Assos, there intending to take in Paul:"
Both Spain and Portugal claim to have discovered Brazil in the 16th century. However, mounting evidence suggests that neither country can claim discovery of Brazil.
Guanabar Bay is on the Brazilian coast, less than 10 miles from Rio de Janeiro. In 1976, a diver discovered two unbroken amphoras at the bottom of the bay. Amphoras were tall storage pots that were commonly made and used by the Romans. In 1982, an archaeologist discovered thousands of fragments from still more Roman amphoras in the same area. Among the fragments were 200 amphora necks. The styles of these amphoras indicate that they were made in second century A.D. Rome.
Ancient Roman shipwrecks have also been found in the Azores islands off the west coast of Spain. The Azores would have been a good European starting point for crossing the Atlantic. The shortest route across the Atlantic from the Azores lands one on the coast of Brazil. Modern sailing ships make the crossing in only 18 days. So even before the amphoras were found, it would not have been unreasonable to suppose that the Romans, who were skilled sailors, had made the crossing. The discovery of the amphoras proves that at least one Roman ship made the trip.
The belief that up to Columbus' time people assumed the world was flat is a myth. God created intelligent and curious human beings with the ability to explore and learn about God's creation.
Thank You, Lord, for allowing me to appreciate Your creation. Amen.
Science Frontiers, p. 25, "Romans in Rio?" Photo: Amphoras taken from shipwrecks on display in the Museum of Underwater Archaeology at Bodrum Castle, Turkey. Courtesy of Ad Meskens. (CC-BY-SA 3.0)
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