Piltdown Superman

While on a ride during a nice evening, I met Rusty Swingset, foreman at the Darwin Ranch and his lady friend Jacqueline Hyde. The three of us reined in and exchanged pleasantries. Jacqueline brought up the subject of extremely well-preserved DNA that was discovered in a woolly mammoth. Rusty warmed to the subject and told of the report where conditions in a cave contributed to the preservation, and the mammoth meat was like a soft jerky. It was essentially freeze-dried, so it lasted tens of thousands of years. Even chromosomes were intact. Mammoths image, Flickr /  Andrew Wilkinson  ( CC BY-SA 2.0 ) While this is not on the scale of dinosaur soft tissues and DNA allegedly lasting sixty-five million years, the fact remains that it is fragile even in the best of conditions. Sitting around after all those years would still cause it to degrade. Once again, researchers are ignoring important facts while assuming the age is correct. (Darwin needs great amounts of time his wonders to perform

The science of genetics originated with creationist Gregor Mendel (peas be upon him), and believers in universal common descent claim that it refutes creation. Not hardly! Indeed, the more genomics progresses, the more the work of the Master Designer becomes obvious. DNA, genes, chromosomes, molecular motors, and all that good stuff has to be working together with great precision. Part of their job is to produce genetic variation where sperm and eggs form in sexually-reproducing organisms. This is for the health of the species. An amazing process called recombination  comes into play. Shuffling cards, Pexels / Kristóf Sass-Kovan The genome is shuffled like a deck of cards. This process could easily go wrong if the Creator had not designed it to have safeguards. Our genome has twenty-two regular chromosomes nicely paired up, then they switch sides, get cut into pieces, and put back together in a controlled way. One might expect the chromosome sets from parents to produce offspring that

Chromosomes contain a great deal of information, far more than just eye color, height, stature, and all that good stuff. Some of Darwin's disciples decided to compare the Y chromosomes of humans and several types of apes. Although they hailed it as good news for evolution, in reality...it did not go well. Right from the get-go, errors were happening. For one thing, the source was too big by using several sources of Y chromosome information. Another problem is that the comparisons were between modern humans and apes because of assumed evolution directions. Human chromosome Y, WikiComm / National Center for Biotechnology Information , U.S. National Library of Medicine (PD) (Usage does not imply endorsement)  Y chromosomes are difficult to sequence because of repetition, mutations, deletions, and more. Secularists tend to evosplain genetic differences away by assuming evolution did it. Of course, no mechanisms or supporting evidence is offered. Circular reasoning, arbitrary assertions

Living monotremes are marsupials, but not all marsupials are monotremes. Believers in universal common descent admit they have trouble finding the alleged ancestors of either group. Monotremes are especially puzzling because they are mammals that lay eggs. The majority of marsupials live down Australia way (and some in New Guinea), and both of the existing monotremes are residents of 'Straya. Research on monotremes had the usual hopes of learning about their evolution, but if the authors were paying attention, they received an unpleasant surprise. Echidna, Pixabay /  PublicDomainImages Remember, Darwin expected evidence to be found to support his conjectures — which is the opposite of how science is supposed to work. Then and now, the search is on for transitional forms (something in process of turning into something else), and there should be a huge number of the things. With monotremes and marsupials, a study shows more diversity millions of years ago according to secular reckoni

People know the story that young Charles Darwin was on the Beagle  from 1831 to 1836, appointed to be the ship's naturalist. He discovered evolution by means of natural selection  and thereby revolutionized science. Nice story, but he reworked the already existing concept of natural selection, and never provided evidence for his speculations . One of the most famous stops was at the Galápagos islands off the coast of Ecuador. He studied finches (not knowing what type of bird they were at the time), and they became icons of evolution. But that is false. Galapagos ground finch, Flickr /  Judy Gallagher  ( CC BY 2.0 ) Poster effect at  PhotoFunia  and cropped Charlie thought that all of the finch variations today came from an original pair. These birds have been the subject of many studies over the years. Creationists have pointed out for a long time that they do not show evolution. Studies that get into the genetics show that what is seen is natural — and planned by the Master Engine

When Gregor Mendel (peas be upon him) initiated the science of genetics, he could not have known how intricate and valuable it would be. A major part of genetics is the DNA molecule. Its existence was known for quite some time, but Drs. Watson and Crick eventually determined that it took the form of a helix. The code of DNA is startlingly simple, just four letters long. Their combinations and the ways they are expressed why it is so complex. It is interesting that in Psalm 139, David wrote about inward parts that have been woven together — which describes DNA. DNA art, Pixabay / Gerd Altmann (geralt) There is an old expression that has been attributed to several people, but essentially, it is "Standing on the shoulders of giants." It is a colorful way to say that discoveries and advances are based on the work of others who had come along before. This is certainly true of DNA, as one discovery inspired another, and the learning grew. Atheists often compare creationists with t

It had been quite a spell since Lisa Myworries, Winkie Guard supervisor at the Darwin Ranch, had stopped by my place. (She has been having doubts about evolution but keeps quiet because she needs her job.) The head of their Ministry of Truth, Russell Watchtower, said a study on mutations is bad news for the creationist view on genetic entropy . (That is, harmful mutations are building up at a known rate and we should be extinct by now.) Roundworms do not seem bothered by Chernobyl radiation. Large roundworms, Wikimedia Commons / Alaa ( CC BY-SA 3.0 ) The explosion at the plant released large amounts of radiation, which caused areas to be evacuated. Workers got radiation poisoning, which led to the deaths of several. Other people were also affected. Roundworms did not seem bothered by the radiation, so some evolutionary tinhorns inferred that genetic entropy was not valid. This also helps their view of mutations helping evolution. Problem is, humans are not roundworms . (These are supp

In some ways, being born homosexual is a "gotcha" situation to condemn God. That is, if he created people that way, then he is wrong to say that their lifestyles are sinful. Proponents say that gay behavior that appears homosexual is seen in animals, so a hasty generalization is made to justify it in human behavior. People have long wondered what causes homosexuality. Many speculations have been proposed, including a "gay gene" — which does not exist (look it up). Perhaps it has a basis in biology? There has been a great deal of research in this area. Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson, no gay gene, based on Sidney Paget (1893) with Clker clipart added It is not surprising to this child that research and studies were faulty. Geneticists tried to pinpoint a cause, and studies were undertaken regarding biological causes. The studies were poorly conducted, the best results being that more research is needed but with larger sample groups. The word  gay  was appropriated f

The article featured below is from a creationist peer-reviewed technical journal, so it is primarily by and for scientists. However, there are several parts that non-scientists can understand. We can skim through the details (mostly in the middle) and still learn some important things; let the scientists have the rest. Biblical creationists have long pointed out that everyone has the same facts, and the interpretation of the facts are vital. In addition, scientists are human: They start with assumptions and presuppositions which heavily influence the results of their research. The DNA of Neanderthals and Denisovans was used by members of the secular science industry to supposedly support evolution from apelike ancestors. Data were selected that should support their views. Drawing from work by  Dr. Nathaniel Jeanson , creation scientists were able to use much of the data to show how it relates to the sons of Noah. This supports recent creation. Causes of Neanderthal extinction are also

As many people know, a cornerstone of particles-to-paleontologist evolution is mutations. Fundamentalist evolutionists insist that mutations are entirely random — admittedly, that is plausible on the surface. They also claim that there is no purpose (teleology) in evolution. While there are many random mutations, it has been shown (much to the dismay of the Bearded Buddha and his acolytes) that some mutations are the result of advance planning, not random at all . In addition, DNA repair systems are taking the wind out of Darwin's sails. Thale cress, Rawpixel / NASA (Public Domain) Over Eurasia and Africa way, there's a plant that the locals consider a weed. Scientists love it, though. Using the science of genetics pioneered by creationist Gregor Mendel (peas be upon him), a great deal of the genome of the thale cress has been studied. Then came some surprises. Although they won't admit it, not only is there DNA repair happening, but non-randomness in mutations. This seem

DNA is a fabulous molecule, vitally important to living things. Studies of the genome show functions of DNA, then further details and mechanisms are discovered. Epigenetic changes are essentially on top of the genome, regulating how genes are expressed. Also extremely important is RNA, and new research is showing that there are small RNAs that have some extremely important functions. It is also amazing that some changes made can be passed along to offspring, which is not good news for molecules-to-microbiologist evolution. DNA illustration, Pixabay / Miroslaw Miras Researchers injected RNA molecules into certain cells and saw that genes could be affected, even silenced. MicroRNAs regulate gene expression in an important way. Most of their work is outside the nucleus of the cell  but not always. Some of these can even help communications systems between cells. Also, these miRNAs are part of three main systems. Yes, life is the product of the Master Engineer, and the irreducible complex

Once again, the combination of the desire to learn plus advances in technology conspire to thwart the wishes of evolutionists. It happens in a big way with the Webb space telescope . Some secular geologists are echoing some of creation science  because of additional studies. Now this... While a great deal of DNA sequencing has been accomplished, and there is still more work to be done. Y chromosome analysis of humans and great apes did not go well for evolutionists. Genetics never has been helpful to evolution. DNA puzzle, Pixabay / qimono (modified) The old "ninety-eight percent similarity" between human and chimpanzee genome has long been refuted  (but Darwin's Flying Monkeys™ repeat it anyway), and this new research is another major setback for evolution. Comparing chimpanzee and human Y chromosomes shows they are only twenty-six percent similar. Factor in a 2010 study and secularists should cowboy up and admit that there is no evidence for evolution, but a great deal

Believers in molecules-to-mechanic evolution maintain that vertical change happens through natural selection and mutations. However, those mutations need huge amounts of time to accumulate, and a strong argument for a young earth is genetic entropy . That is, at the rate of mutations seen today factored into the assumed age of humans on Earth, we should be extinct. Evolutionists have another problem to contend with, and that is how built-in biological DNA repair mechanisms are working to keep mutations at a minimum. Welder with DNA, original image: Pixabay / Natsan P Matias ; modified with DNA image from Clker clipart From a biblical creation viewpoint, everything was very good immediately after creation (Gen. 1:31). Death and degeneration entered into creation when Adam sinned (Rom. 5:19). Things began to go downhill. Mutations slipped through the repair systems and things are increasingly worse. Even so, those repair mechanisms are extremely effective at slowing down mutations that D

Meeting up with my old friend Hammond Suisse in town for lunch, we placed our orders at the eatery. He wanted fried chicken and I had a hankering for an omelette. Hammond joked that we would find out which comes first, the chicken or the eggs. If you study on it a spell, you may realize that the old question has an evolutionary basis. Biblical creationists know that God created the functionally mature chicken first so it could lay eggs. Actually, yes and no. The answer is not quite so straightforward. Chickens and eggs, Unsplash / Daniel Tuttle Creationists study baraminology , which is the study of the created kinds  in the Bible. Those are not species, and are roughly equivalent to families  in the secular system. They studied on which birds can hybridize with chickens. Since we believe that the Creator equipped original parent kinds to have a passel of DNA and epigenetic switches, and therefore we believe in speciation, chickens probably came from pheasant-like birds. A big problem

Stevia Dolce, the lead baker at the Darwin Ranch up yonder near Deception Pass, surprised me with a visit. She brought Dekker Halls, who was visiting for the Christmas season. They heard talk about pseudogenes that did not sit right with them and wanted to ask me. After digging into the fabulous croissants that Stevia brought, we commenced to discussing the problem. Evolutionary thinking is bad for medical science, and even science itself. Scientists studied DNA, but expected everything to code for proteins. Big mistake. Directional street sign generator at RedKid Like when someone receives a delivery that isn't interesting, "Just set it over there" and it gets forgotten. These things called pseudogenes  look like genes, but did not work the way Darwinists expected. "Why do you say Darwinists , Cowboy Bob?" Dekker asked. "Nobody really believes classical Darwinism anymore." I replied, "True, but it has a couple of uses. The first one is for simpli

Sunflowers are one of the easiest flowers to identify, what with those big yellow heads loaded with sometimes 2,000 seeds and such. They are also a provision of the Creator for our benefit, grown and harvested for oil and the seeds, which are healthy — and may be a substitute for people with nut allergies . Of course, a famous characteristic is how young sunflowers track the sun from east to west. It was thought that this was a kind of phototropism, which is when plants and fungi grow toward (or away from) a light source. Sunflowers, Pixnio / Bruce Fritz It has been learned that this ability of young sunflowers to follow the sun across the sky (even on cloudy days) is heliotropism . It is not fully understood and is very complex. Plants adapt to changes in conditions, and different genes are expressed in response to certain conditions. This is yet another example of the Master Engineer at work. Botanists have long wondered how heliotropism works to allow this amazing plant to track th

A famous icon for evolution is referred to as Darwin's finches, even though he did not know what they were when he saw them on the Galápagos islands. For someone seeking an exotic bird, look elsewhere because these are rather plain. These finches demonstrate rapid speciation. According to Darwin and other purveyors of evoporn, evolution is supposed to be random and over long periods of time. Exceptions to those rules are seen frequently. Evolutionists are so determined to keep away from the Creator, they cling to irrational science. Galapagos ground finch, Flickr / Judy Gallagher ( CC BY 2.0 ) Poster effect at PhotoFunia and cropped Rapid speciation...depending on the definition of species, of course. Scientists frequently slap leather over whether or not some critters are a separate species. Interestingly, there are some parts of the genome that simply will not modify. Others do have random changes. The Master Engineer designed creatures to survive and thrive, and frontloaded ce

A word that is commonly used in discussions of genetics is alleles . Simply put , they are pairs of genes, one from each parent, that match. Alleles are on the chromosomes. They often have slight differences, and those as well as similarities affect organisms. People have tried to figure out where new traits that were not in a lineage came from. The Bearded Buddha had some ideas that he put into his version of natural selection. Gregor Mendel pioneered genetics (peas be upon him), and his research showed that Darwin was on the wrong trail. Wallkill Rail Trail at Kingston, NY, Unsplash / Cowboy Bob Sorensen (modified at PhotoFunia ) For a long time, it was believed that random mutations married up with natural selection to drive evolution. It was learned that DNA is heavily influenced by epigenetics . Evidence also shows that the Master Engineer designed living things to adapt, change how genes are expressed, and environment does not cause the changes. Sorry, Charlie. No, not really so

Stormie Waters and her fiancé Roland Meadows stopped by my place and invited me to a piano performance in town. I agreed and we rode into town in their wagon. Lisa Myworries was outside the theater, having been stood up by her date, so she joined us. A lackluster performer started out and we could tell that the piano was just adequate. The main performer, however, managed to make the piano sound like a high-quality instrument. (It reminded me of " The Touch of the Master's Hand .") We had an interesting discussion while dining afterward. Playing the piano, Pixabay / Holger Schué (music4life) Stormie had been reading an article about how the epigenome can be likened to playing a piano. Lisa spoke up, "The epigenome is above the genome, that's where the name came from." While the genome is vitally important, it is like a musical instrument. Genomes have faults, so they may not "play" as well as others. Scientists have learned about DNA and the genom

People have been modifying parts of their world for millennia, and that includes livestock as well as plants. Since selective breeding is slow, scientists started working on  genetically modified organisms  (GMOs). Those are safe , but people are afraid of them anyway. Move forward to people wanting to improve themselves. One way is to have an implant, prosthesis, or some other benefit from science and technology. This can be taken to extremes in transhumanism . Human gene editing (HGE) has similar ethical problems as forming improvements through technology. CRISPR genome editing, National Institutes of Health (Usage does not imply endorsement of site contents) Secular scientists are prone to ignoring ethics, and they have demonstrated that in HGE. They have a fundamentally-flawed worldview based on materialism (no God, therefore no ultimate moral standard, belief in evolution just material exists). Sure, some can be good, moral people — relatively speaking. But only biblical values c