Principles and Applications: Science and Faith
I have been thinking a lot lately about principles and applications. I read a really interesting debate last week that was printed in Time Magazine. It was a debate featuring a couple of the leading thinkers in the field of genetics. One of the speakers took the atheistic position that life simply evolved and there was very little chance that a God of any sort was involved. The other author took a Christian stance, noting that without the six constants of the universe being exactly tuned correctly, there would be no chance of life at all. When you look at this argument very carefully, one of the things that I noticed was that the position the atheist took confused principles with application. Scientists do a wonderful job of understanding the application of basic elemental principles. In this quest, science has improved our lives in many ways—as we talk on our cellphones, drive our cars, enjoy air travel, see the miracles of in vitro fertilization, and even outer space exploration. There is no doubt that science can help us understand applications of principles that can improve our lives, but what science cannot do is alter or even very well explain the underlying principles of the universe—the gravitational constant, the strong and weak magnetic forces, time itself. These are principles that science can describe, and we can build applications as a result of these principles. But science is unable to explain the foundation of those principles. It can do a good job of observing the universe, but it runs into problems explaining exactly why the universe is ordered in the way it is. And if you look carefully, there does appear to be a remarkable order to the underlying structure of the universe.
Aurora, Geodes and Jellyfish: Electric Design
Ever look at the Northern Sky late at night and see those weird Aurora? When it’s really dark and cold, I’m told they can dance like the wind. Why is that? The more we learn about this phenomenon, the stranger it seems. Galileo named the Northern Lights the Aurora Borealis and thought it was light reflected from the morning sky. What space travel has taught us is that these strange lights are actually caused by billions of electrons emitted from a solar storm. So they dance like the wind because they really are an electrical wind! And they are seen on most of the planets.
Don't eat it. . .ever!
Last week, my little sister came to me with what she thought was the most wonderful thing ever made. Upon looking at it more closely, I saw a small “Rolly Pollie.” These little things are also known as pill bugs or woodlice, since they eat wood. I found that these names, except “Rolly Pollie,” were not correct since they are actually neither bugs nor lice. They are Crustaceans, part of the lobster family!
A Beautiful Spiral
I have had more time to be amazed at our creation lately. This site was inspired by looking at spirals in nature. Our pastor once showed a picture of a spiral galaxy, and it looked so much like a hurricane. Why should such very different creations look so similar? It got me thinking.
Grassroots: More than meets the eye
I was walking on a beautifully manicured lawn this afternoon. The blades of grass, each straining for more sunlight, looked familiar. Where else had I seen such structures? Then it hit me: the tightly-packed plants and their root system are a perfect analogy of the cellular membrane. Today, the term “grass roots” has come to mean something way different than the simple biological term. When you search for images of grass roots on the Internet, you get a collection of community activist groups. You’ve got your grass roots music, grass roots social changers and grass roots gun totin’ activists. But for the botanist, the root system of grass plants is an interconnected latticework underground. There is far more to the root system than meets the eye. And what is remarkable to the point of amazement is the similarity in appearance of my lawn to the membranes throughout life. See for yourself!
Nine-Year-Olds, Canoes, and Cobwebs in the Brain
It was my good fortune to spend a few days last week with my youngest son and some of his best friends and their dads. We loaded up and headed to the Buffalo River wilderness in Arkansas where there is an unspoiled wilderness and some of the best canoeing around. We camped on the riverbanks every night, and I got way up close and personal with nature. It was a great trip of fellowship and a milestone for my favorite nine-year old. I could not help but notice all the wondrous design elements all around me. One thing prevalent around the river is spiders. My friend, James, who has contributed to this site, assures me that we are never more than five feet from a spider, and there is no doubt that was the case on this trip!
In a Flash, We will be Changed
Who Are These People?
Last week, I had the privilege of meeting with one of the world’s leading spine surgeons to talk about a research study he’s completing. Our meeting was held at his office at UCLA, and as I walked the halls of the hospital, I had to stop at a worn, black and white picture. The picture, blown up to poster size, was of the founding medical staff of the prestigious hospital. All the men (no women) in the picture looked very serious, learned, and most respectable. Just guessing, I’d say it was taken sometime in the early thirties.
The Code Right in Front of You (and Inside of You)
Some of the most dreaded diseases and problems in neurosurgery occur at the base of the skull. This area, which acts as the floor of the brain and the ceiling of the face, is a complicated, tricky area which challenges the best of surgeons. Tumors arising here can impair cranial nerve function, destroying vision and hearing. What makes them so difficult to treat is the very nature of their location. Fortunately, the field of skull base surgery has seen significant advances over my career, and the advent of focused irradiation such as the cyber knife offers new hope to patients.