PARROT TO TESTIFY AT MURDER TRIAL?
Numbers 35:30
"Whoso killeth any person, the murderer shall be put to death by the mouth of witnesses: but one witness shall not testify against any person to cause him to die."
Should a parrot be allowed to testify at a murder trial if the bird appears to be an ear-witness to the crime? That's a question that is ruffling the feathers of animal experts and legal eagles alike!
After all, African grey parrots are very intelligent. They can speak with enormous vocabularies, and they even demonstrate inferential reasoning, reports Live Science. The problem is – people aren't sure if Bud, the parrot, is repeating a conversation he heard during an actual murder or something he heard on television.
According to the Detroit Free Press, the parrot has been saying in a man's voice, "Get out," followed by a woman's voice saying, "Where will I go?" Then, in a man's voice, "Don't – expletive deleted – shoot!" The prosecuting attorney said he wasn't aware of a precedent allowing a parrot into a trial, but he would look into whether Bud's testimony could be presented as admissible evidence.
Most experts doubt that Bud can give reliable testimony. According to Harvard psychologist Irene Pepperberg, "Basically, the issue is whether a parrot can learn a phrase that it has heard only once." She added, however, that "the only evidence that a bird could learn a phrase heard once, under stress, comes from [the deceased] Nobel Laureate Konrad Lorenz."
So what do you think? Personally, I don't think the parrot should be allowed to testify. I mean, how do you swear in a parrot?
Today's "Creation Moment" is one of almost 300 you'll find in "Letting God Create Your Day, Volume 8" - the biggest collection of scripts we've ever published.
Oh Lord, parrots are such amazing creatures. Let me always praise You for the many wonders You have created! Amen.
Laura Geggel, "Polly Says What?! Should Parrots Testify at Murder Trials?" Live Science, 6/30/16. Photo: African grey parrot (not Bud). Courtesy of L.Miguel Bugallo Sánchez. (CC BY-SA 3.0)
Numbers 35:30
"Whoso killeth any person, the murderer shall be put to death by the mouth of witnesses: but one witness shall not testify against any person to cause him to die."
Should a parrot be allowed to testify at a murder trial if the bird appears to be an ear-witness to the crime? That's a question that is ruffling the feathers of animal experts and legal eagles alike!
After all, African grey parrots are very intelligent. They can speak with enormous vocabularies, and they even demonstrate inferential reasoning, reports Live Science. The problem is – people aren't sure if Bud, the parrot, is repeating a conversation he heard during an actual murder or something he heard on television.
According to the Detroit Free Press, the parrot has been saying in a man's voice, "Get out," followed by a woman's voice saying, "Where will I go?" Then, in a man's voice, "Don't – expletive deleted – shoot!" The prosecuting attorney said he wasn't aware of a precedent allowing a parrot into a trial, but he would look into whether Bud's testimony could be presented as admissible evidence.
Most experts doubt that Bud can give reliable testimony. According to Harvard psychologist Irene Pepperberg, "Basically, the issue is whether a parrot can learn a phrase that it has heard only once." She added, however, that "the only evidence that a bird could learn a phrase heard once, under stress, comes from [the deceased] Nobel Laureate Konrad Lorenz."
So what do you think? Personally, I don't think the parrot should be allowed to testify. I mean, how do you swear in a parrot?
Today's "Creation Moment" is one of almost 300 you'll find in "Letting God Create Your Day, Volume 8" - the biggest collection of scripts we've ever published.
Oh Lord, parrots are such amazing creatures. Let me always praise You for the many wonders You have created! Amen.
Laura Geggel, "Polly Says What?! Should Parrots Testify at Murder Trials?" Live Science, 6/30/16. Photo: African grey parrot (not Bud). Courtesy of L.Miguel Bugallo Sánchez. (CC BY-SA 3.0)
SECOND SKIN FOR SOLDIERS
Proverbs 29:25
"The fear of man bringeth a snare: but whoso putteth his trust in the LORD shall be safe."
While Creation Moments is outspoken in criticizing evolution, we are just as vocal about extolling the work of scientists who are doing real science – especially the science that benefits mankind. For example, scientists are now working on developing a "second skin" for soldiers that would protect them from biological and chemical weapons.
Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory has already developed a material that they say is "highly breathable yet protective from biological agents" and that it's "the first key component of futuristic smart uniforms that also will respond to and protect from environmental chemical hazards."
This new material is made of polymeric membranes with aligned carbon nanotube channels. The size of these channels, or pores, is less than 5 nanometers, which is 5,000 times smaller than the width of a human hair. The pores are also half the size of biological threats like bacteria and viruses, so it would keep them out … but large enough to allow air and water vapor to pass right through.
Group leader, Kuang Jen Wu, said the fabric will be able to block mustard gas and "toxins such as staphylococcal enterotoxin and biological spores such as anthrax." The research team expects that the new uniforms could be deployed in the field within ten years.
Christians, however, don't need to wait that long to be protected. That's because those who put their trust in Jesus are already safe in His care.
Today's "Creation Moment" is one of almost 300 you'll find in "Letting God Create Your Day, Volume 8" - the biggest collection of scripts we've ever published.
Heavenly Father, I know that I don't need a second skin. I need a second birth. Thank You for sending Your son to die in my place so I could be born again. In Jesus' Name. Amen.
Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. "'Second skin' protects soldiers from biological, chemical agents," ScienceDaily, 8/3/16. <www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2016/08/160803095341.htm>. Photo: Pixabay. (PD)
Proverbs 29:25
"The fear of man bringeth a snare: but whoso putteth his trust in the LORD shall be safe."
While Creation Moments is outspoken in criticizing evolution, we are just as vocal about extolling the work of scientists who are doing real science – especially the science that benefits mankind. For example, scientists are now working on developing a "second skin" for soldiers that would protect them from biological and chemical weapons.
Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory has already developed a material that they say is "highly breathable yet protective from biological agents" and that it's "the first key component of futuristic smart uniforms that also will respond to and protect from environmental chemical hazards."
This new material is made of polymeric membranes with aligned carbon nanotube channels. The size of these channels, or pores, is less than 5 nanometers, which is 5,000 times smaller than the width of a human hair. The pores are also half the size of biological threats like bacteria and viruses, so it would keep them out … but large enough to allow air and water vapor to pass right through.
Group leader, Kuang Jen Wu, said the fabric will be able to block mustard gas and "toxins such as staphylococcal enterotoxin and biological spores such as anthrax." The research team expects that the new uniforms could be deployed in the field within ten years.
Christians, however, don't need to wait that long to be protected. That's because those who put their trust in Jesus are already safe in His care.
Today's "Creation Moment" is one of almost 300 you'll find in "Letting God Create Your Day, Volume 8" - the biggest collection of scripts we've ever published.
Heavenly Father, I know that I don't need a second skin. I need a second birth. Thank You for sending Your son to die in my place so I could be born again. In Jesus' Name. Amen.
Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. "'Second skin' protects soldiers from biological, chemical agents," ScienceDaily, 8/3/16. <www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2016/08/160803095341.htm>. Photo: Pixabay. (PD)
NEW GLUE FROM IVY
Romans 8:39
"Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord."
All of us have seen ivy clinging to the sides of houses and trees, but did you know that these climbing plants can withstand the force of hurricane and tornado-force winds? What gives them such sticking power? Well, an article at the Engineering360 website points out that scientists are now learning that ivy "might hold the key to manufacturing stronger adhesives, more durable paints and even cosmetics with better staying power."
According to Mingjun Zhang, biomedical engineering professor at Ohio State University, "When climbing, ivy secretes … tiny nanoparticles, which make initial surface contact. Due to their high uniformity and low viscosity, they can attach to large areas on various surfaces." Then after the moisture evaporates, a chemical bond forms.
Zhang and his research team have used the nanoparticles to reconstruct a simple glue that mimics ivy adhesive. Ultimately, he is interested in creating bio-adhesives that can aid in repairing wounds.
Since ivy is also a pest plant that can be destructive to buildings and bridges, Zhang hopes that his team will also come up with an approach to keep ivy from attaching itself to structures.
Though most types of glue lose their stickiness over time, there is one kind of "glue" that is guaranteed to work forever. We find it in the Bible, where it says that nothing can separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus, our Lord.
Today's "Creation Moment" is one of almost 300 you'll find in "Letting God Create Your Day, Volume 8" - the biggest collection of scripts we've ever published.
Heavenly Father, thank You for loving me with a love that will endure forever. In Jesus' Name. Amen.
John Simpson, "Chemistry Behind Ivy's Powerful Grasp Could Yield Stronger Adhesives," Engineering360, 6/16/16. Photo: Climbing ivy. (PD)
Romans 8:39
"Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord."
All of us have seen ivy clinging to the sides of houses and trees, but did you know that these climbing plants can withstand the force of hurricane and tornado-force winds? What gives them such sticking power? Well, an article at the Engineering360 website points out that scientists are now learning that ivy "might hold the key to manufacturing stronger adhesives, more durable paints and even cosmetics with better staying power."
According to Mingjun Zhang, biomedical engineering professor at Ohio State University, "When climbing, ivy secretes … tiny nanoparticles, which make initial surface contact. Due to their high uniformity and low viscosity, they can attach to large areas on various surfaces." Then after the moisture evaporates, a chemical bond forms.
Zhang and his research team have used the nanoparticles to reconstruct a simple glue that mimics ivy adhesive. Ultimately, he is interested in creating bio-adhesives that can aid in repairing wounds.
Since ivy is also a pest plant that can be destructive to buildings and bridges, Zhang hopes that his team will also come up with an approach to keep ivy from attaching itself to structures.
Though most types of glue lose their stickiness over time, there is one kind of "glue" that is guaranteed to work forever. We find it in the Bible, where it says that nothing can separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus, our Lord.
Today's "Creation Moment" is one of almost 300 you'll find in "Letting God Create Your Day, Volume 8" - the biggest collection of scripts we've ever published.
Heavenly Father, thank You for loving me with a love that will endure forever. In Jesus' Name. Amen.
John Simpson, "Chemistry Behind Ivy's Powerful Grasp Could Yield Stronger Adhesives," Engineering360, 6/16/16. Photo: Climbing ivy. (PD)
JUST A MINUTE
Hebrews 9:28
"So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation."
According to the Journal of the American Heart Association, it takes just one minute of breathing secondhand marijuana smoke to cause blood vessel impairment for the following 90 minutes. That is, if you're a rat. But Dr. Matthew Springer, senior author of the study, noted, "Arteries of rats and humans are similar in how they respond to secondhand tobacco smoke, so the response of rat arteries to secondhand marijuana smoke is likely to reflect how human arteries might respond."
The research team noted that one minute of breathing secondhand tobacco smoke impairs the arteries for the next 30 minutes, making marijuana smoke three times more damaging to those who breathe it.
Dr. Springer added, "While the effect is temporary for both cigarette and marijuana smoke, these temporary problems can turn into long-term problems if exposures occur often enough and may increase the chances of developing hardened and clogged arteries."
The same can't be said of sin, however. Even just one minute of sin can lead to a lifetime of regret. In fact, mulling over the very thought of disobeying God is tantamount to the sinful act itself. Surely, all of us need a Savior to save us from the relentless power and penalty of sin. This is why Jesus came to die on the cross. If you haven't already asked Jesus to be your sin-bearer, don't put it off a minute longer!
Today's "Creation Moment" is one of almost 300 you'll find in "Letting God Create Your Day, Volume 8" - the biggest collection of scripts we've ever published.
Heavenly Father, I know that salvation is something I could never earn, so thank You for sending Your Son to die on my behalf! In Jesus' Name. Amen.
"A minute of secondhand marijuana smoke may damage blood vessels: Study in rats," ScienceDaily, 7/27/16. Source: American Heart Association. Photo: Pixabay. (PD)
Hebrews 9:28
"So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation."
According to the Journal of the American Heart Association, it takes just one minute of breathing secondhand marijuana smoke to cause blood vessel impairment for the following 90 minutes. That is, if you're a rat. But Dr. Matthew Springer, senior author of the study, noted, "Arteries of rats and humans are similar in how they respond to secondhand tobacco smoke, so the response of rat arteries to secondhand marijuana smoke is likely to reflect how human arteries might respond."
The research team noted that one minute of breathing secondhand tobacco smoke impairs the arteries for the next 30 minutes, making marijuana smoke three times more damaging to those who breathe it.
Dr. Springer added, "While the effect is temporary for both cigarette and marijuana smoke, these temporary problems can turn into long-term problems if exposures occur often enough and may increase the chances of developing hardened and clogged arteries."
The same can't be said of sin, however. Even just one minute of sin can lead to a lifetime of regret. In fact, mulling over the very thought of disobeying God is tantamount to the sinful act itself. Surely, all of us need a Savior to save us from the relentless power and penalty of sin. This is why Jesus came to die on the cross. If you haven't already asked Jesus to be your sin-bearer, don't put it off a minute longer!
Today's "Creation Moment" is one of almost 300 you'll find in "Letting God Create Your Day, Volume 8" - the biggest collection of scripts we've ever published.
Heavenly Father, I know that salvation is something I could never earn, so thank You for sending Your Son to die on my behalf! In Jesus' Name. Amen.
"A minute of secondhand marijuana smoke may damage blood vessels: Study in rats," ScienceDaily, 7/27/16. Source: American Heart Association. Photo: Pixabay. (PD)
WATERS SHALL BE TURNED TO BLOOD
Exodus 7:17
"Thus saith the LORD, In this thou shalt know that I am the LORD: behold, I will smite with the rod that is in mine hand upon the waters which are in the river, and they shall be turned to blood."
If you're listening to today's broadcast on the radio, let me suggest that you go to the Creation Moments website and do a search on the title of today's program: "Waters Shall Be Turned to Blood." You will see an incredible satellite photograph showing Lake Urnia in Iran looking like it's filled with blood rather than the green waters just a few months earlier.
As reported in Live Science, the color change is likely caused by microorganisms in the lake that thrive on salt and light. According to the NASA Earth Observatory, scientists point to a bacteria family called Halobacteriaceae and the algae family Dunaliella as the most likely suspects for Lake Urmia's current crimson color.
Live Science points out that many other bodies of water have turned red from time to time. Now, I know what you may be wondering. Could it have been bacteria that caused the River Nile to turn blood-red at the exact moment that Moses struck the waters with his rod? Could bacteria have been the means by which God accomplished the miracle? Frankly, we don't believe so because the Bible says specifically that the waters turned to blood. If the Nile had only become blood-red in appearance, Moses could easily have written it that way.
But this we know with certainty – that Jesus shed real blood on the cross for the salvation of all those who put their trust in Him.
Today's "Creation Moment" is one of almost 300 you'll find in "Letting God Create Your Day, Volume 8" - the biggest collection of scripts we've ever published.
Oh Lord, thank You for shedding Your blood so that my sins – past, present and future – can be forgiven. Amen.
Mindy Weisberger, "'Blood Lake' Blooms in Iran," Live Science, 7/27/16. Photo: Lake Urmia in Iran turned from green to red in just a few months. Courtesy of NASA Earth Observatory. (PD)
Exodus 7:17
"Thus saith the LORD, In this thou shalt know that I am the LORD: behold, I will smite with the rod that is in mine hand upon the waters which are in the river, and they shall be turned to blood."
If you're listening to today's broadcast on the radio, let me suggest that you go to the Creation Moments website and do a search on the title of today's program: "Waters Shall Be Turned to Blood." You will see an incredible satellite photograph showing Lake Urnia in Iran looking like it's filled with blood rather than the green waters just a few months earlier.
As reported in Live Science, the color change is likely caused by microorganisms in the lake that thrive on salt and light. According to the NASA Earth Observatory, scientists point to a bacteria family called Halobacteriaceae and the algae family Dunaliella as the most likely suspects for Lake Urmia's current crimson color.
Live Science points out that many other bodies of water have turned red from time to time. Now, I know what you may be wondering. Could it have been bacteria that caused the River Nile to turn blood-red at the exact moment that Moses struck the waters with his rod? Could bacteria have been the means by which God accomplished the miracle? Frankly, we don't believe so because the Bible says specifically that the waters turned to blood. If the Nile had only become blood-red in appearance, Moses could easily have written it that way.
But this we know with certainty – that Jesus shed real blood on the cross for the salvation of all those who put their trust in Him.
Today's "Creation Moment" is one of almost 300 you'll find in "Letting God Create Your Day, Volume 8" - the biggest collection of scripts we've ever published.
Oh Lord, thank You for shedding Your blood so that my sins – past, present and future – can be forgiven. Amen.
Mindy Weisberger, "'Blood Lake' Blooms in Iran," Live Science, 7/27/16. Photo: Lake Urmia in Iran turned from green to red in just a few months. Courtesy of NASA Earth Observatory. (PD)
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