Free Republic

How cats drink milk without wetting their chins by David Catchpoole Researchers have discovered the precise physical mechanism that enables cats to lap up liquids.1,2 It had earlier been thought that they curled their tongue backwards to make a J-shaped curve, and thus ‘ladle’ the fluid into their mouths. But this latest study shows a cat’s tongue actually performs the equivalent of complex mathematical equations to keep two opposing forces in perfect equilibrium. More at link........

How (Not) to Date a Fossil by Brian Thomas, M.S. * Do rocks and fossils hold clues that demand millions-of-years? Not the fossils from China's Daohugou beds. On the contrary, their clues speak to more recent origins. Accessible from several outcrops northeast of Beijing, fossil hunters have been unpacking a trove over the last few decades, including some of the best-preserved insect and other arthropod fossils, as well as both familiar and unfamiliar vertebrate fossils. When were they deposited? Authors of an extensive review of Daohugou vertebrate fossils, published in the Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology, wrote, "Following the discovery of...

Few Americans question that smoking causes cancer. But they express bigger doubts as concepts that scientists consider to be truths get further from our own experiences and the present time, an Associated Press-GfK poll found. Americans have more skepticism than confidence in global warming, the age of the Earth and evolution and have the most trouble believing a Big Bang created the universe 13.8 billion years ago. Rather than quizzing scientific knowledge, the survey asked people to rate their confidence in several statements about science and medicine. […] About 4 in 10 say they are not too confident or outright...

Are there out-of-sequence fossils that are problematic for evolution? by Gary Bates and Lita Cosner Published: 17 April 2014 (GMT+10) In his debate with Ken Ham, (the ‘science guy’) Bill Nye dogmatically claimed, and asked Ham, to cite any out of order fossils in the geologic record, because if there were any, it would be problematic for the evolutionary model. Due to the seeming confidence of Nye’s assertion (and that it was not answered during the debate), many have contacted us for an answer on this single question. In addition, while out on ministry our speakers have mentioned how this...

Activist challenges judges to redefine chimpanzees’ legal status: Animal rights lawyer Steven Wise courts controversy by Warren Nunn Published: 15 April 2014 (GMT+10) If Steven Wise has his way, chimps will have quasi-human rights. Lawsuits on behalf of captive chimpanzees in America could be a turning point in how the judiciary adjudicates on animal rights. A group known as the Nonhuman Rights Project filed lawsuits on behalf of the chimps claiming they were ‘nonhuman animals’ that had a right to live free from confinement and not be regarded as property but as ‘legal persons’.1 The organisation’s website summarized the move:...

And I beheld when he had opened the sixth seal, and, lo, there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth of hair, and the moon became as blood;And the stars of heaven fell unto the earth, even as a fig tree casteth her untimely figs, when she is shaken of a mighty wind. And the heaven departed as a scroll when it is rolled together; and every mountain and island were moved out of their places.And the kings of the earth, and the great men, and the rich men, and the chief captains, and the mighty...

Nephesh chayyāh: A matter of life … and non-life by David Pitman What does the Bible means when it talks about ‘life’? The Bible tells us that death, suffering, and disease were not part of the original creation. Rather, they came as a result of Adam’s sin, which affected the entire creation (Romans 8:19–23a). The grief that we experience when someone close to us dies bears witness to the fact that this was not how it was originally intended. Although naturalists try to say otherwise, death is most certainly not a natural thing. Paul, in his first letter to the...

In yet another confirmation of the Bible’s accuracy, scientists have now confirmed what Scripture refers to as “the fountains of the deep.” In the days of Noah and the Ark, these large pools of water beneath the Earth’s crust burst forth onto the surface providing the massive amounts of water needed for the global flood judgment. What has once been a source of skepticism and mockery for those who doubt the Bible, has now been confirmed by secular scientists, again showing that although written over 3,000 years ago, the Bible’s description of the Earth and its natural properties are...

Bill Donohue comments on last night’s show, “Unsealed: Alien Files,” that aired on the Science Channel: The program speculates that “new evidence may prove the Vatican is hiding actual aliens from the public.” Either that or the channel will rename itself the Sci-fi Channel. The priest who directs the Vatican observatory, Dr. Jose Funes, was interviewed for the program, and he made the rather unexceptional remark that the universe is so huge that “it would be possible that life could evolve the way we know it on Earth.” This is soon followed by a voiceover that says, “Vatican officials have...

Cells' Molecular Motor Diversity Confounds Evolution by Jeffrey Tomkins, Ph.D. * Scientists believe that the study of genes that encode the proteins for molecular motors will help solve the mysteries of evolution. However, the result of a study published in the journal Genome Biology and Evolution has only served to support the predictions of special creation—that unique variants of cellular complexity and innovation exist at all levels of life.1 Molecular motors are important features of eukaryotic cells that are formed by a variety of protein types. One group of molecular motors is called the myosins, which have recently been studied...

Vas deferens—refuting ‘bad design’ arguments E. van Niekerk The vas deferens is an important part of the male reproductive system. However, some anti-creationists have recently criticized its route for being too indirect, thus something which no engineer would design. However, anatomists have already given good reasons for this structure, including the increased flexibility of the testes to move toward and way from the body to regulate temperature. Critics have also overlooked engineering considerations, providing enough length to build up power and to mix the essential ingredients of semen, and to avoid ‘ovalling’ (kinking in a soft pipe when bending).

MATTERS OF FAITH PHYSICIST: BIG BANG BREAKTHROUGH 'CONFIRMS CREATION' 'To deny this now is to deny scientific fact' March 19, 2014 An Israeli physicist says the breakthrough scientific discovery of further evidence of the Big Bang theory, which some are calling “cosmology’s missing link,” confirms the universe was created.“One thing the announcement does do is make it clear that the universe had a definite starting point – a creation – as described in the book of Genesis,” Bar Ilan University physics Professor Nathan Aviezer told the Times of Israel.“To deny this now is to deny scientific fact.”A team of scientists...

Mind-Boggling Complexity in the Fruit Fly Transcriptome by Jeffrey Tomkins, Ph.D. * The humble fruit fly that has been at the heart of genetic studies for nearly 100 years continues to amaze scientists and defy simplistic evolutionary predictions. A research team recently evaluated the diversity of gene expression across the insect's genome in much greater detail than previous studies, and the results revealed incredible complexity and design.1 One of the key features that is emerging across the spectrum of research in plant and animal genomes is the fact that nearly all DNA is expressed (copied into RNA).2 This expressed RNA...

On March 17, a team of radio astronomers announced they discovered purportedly direct evidence for cosmic inflation—a critical component of the modern Big Bang model. To make this discovery, the researchers used a specialized telescope called BICEP2 located on the Antarctic plateau.1 Radiation that has its strongest intensity in the microwave portion of the electromagnetic spectrum comes to us from all directions in space. Secular researchers interpret this cosmic microwave background radiation (CMB) as "relic radiation" from a time about 400,000 years after the alleged cosmic explosion. Now, a team of astronomers led by John M. Kovac of the Harvard-Smithsonian...

A tale of ancient toothpaste by David Catchpoole An Egyptian toothpaste formula from the 4th century AD has been found in a collection of papyrus documents at the National Library in Vienna, Austria.1,2 In black ink (now faded after 1,500 years) made of soot and gum arabic mixed with water, an ancient Egyptian scribe has carefully written down a recipe ‘for white and perfect teeth’.3 This makes it the world’s oldest-known recipe for toothpaste. toothpaste-iris The iris flower is a main ingredient in the ancient dental formula discovered recently by researchers. The iris flower is a main ingredient in the...

You've probably heard that Cosmos, the new version starring Neil deGrasse Tyson, is causing waves because it's on FOX, and it actually talks about (gasp!) evolution. But this week, Christians upped the ante on crazy by demanding "equal time" for creationists. You know, because they need things to be "balanced." In his typically incisive style, deGrasse explained one reason why that's a silly idea. “You don’t talk about the spherical Earth with NASA, and then say let’s give equal time to the flat Earthers..."

'Smoking Gun' Evidence of Inflation? by Jake Hebert, Ph.D. * On March 17, a team of radio astronomers announced they discovered purportedly direct evidence for cosmic inflation—a critical component of the modern Big Bang model. To make this discovery, the researchers used a specialized telescope called BICEPS2 located on the Antarctic plateau.1 Radiation that has its strongest intensity in the microwave portion of the electromagnetic spectrum comes to us from all directions in space. Secular researchers interpret this cosmic microwave background radiation (CMB) as "relic radiation" from a time about 400,000 years after the alleged cosmic explosion. Now, a team...

IBM's Watson: Designed to Learn Like a Human by Randy J. Guliuzza, P.E., M.D. * On March 5, 2014, the IBM supercomputer "Watson" became a pioneer virtual chef, inadvertently showcasing the remarkably superior hardware and software found between our ears. This intelligent machine, named after IBM founder Thomas J. Watson, produced recipes based on a series of algorithms that cross-referenced data on flavor compounds to people's likes and dislikes. "The supercomputer made its debut as a chef at a Las Vegas tech conference last week, and so far has produced gourmet, fusion fare like a Swiss-Thai asparagus quiche, an Austrian...

There’s no way for us to know exactly what happened some 13.8 billion years ago, when our universe burst onto the scene. But scientists announced Monday a breakthrough in understanding how our world as we know it came to be. If the discovery holds up to scrutiny, it’s evidence of how the universe rapidly expanded less than a trillionth of a second after the Big Bang. “It teaches us something crucial about how our universe began,” said Sean Carroll, a physicist at California Institute of Technology, who was not involved in the study. “It’s an amazing achievement that we humans,...

Reverse Engineering Reveals Ideal Propulsion Design by Randy J. Guliuzza, P.E., M.D. * In a recent analysis of how dozens of species propel their bodies through air and water, a collaborative team found not only ideal design but also common design.1 To successfully propel themselves through water or air, animals must possess structures that can produce thrust. Birds fly gracefully, and fish and whales glide through water with what appear to be unforced, easy motions. Wings and fins seem to fit these animals' environments so precisely that an observer could deduce these appendages are designed for efficient thrust in air...