evolutionnewsandviews--2020-06-24--The Information Enigma: Going Deeper

The Information Enigma: Going Deeper

In my previous article , I provided a description of biological information and its implications for design arguments .
I sacrificed on the technical details to make the content more accessible to nonexperts .
Now , to provide a deeper understanding of the theoretical underpinnings of information-based arguments , I will delve into the underlying mathematics .
One of the central requirements of design arguments is to evaluate the probability of patterns emerging through undirected processes .
Examples of evaluation schema have included Behe ’ s irreducible complexity , Ewert et al.
’ s algorithmic specified complexity ( ASC ) @ @ @ @ @ @ @ functional information .
In my previous article , I focused on the last measure .
All of these approaches attempt to quantify what is termed specified complexity , which characterizes complex patterns containing meaningful ( i.e.
, specified ) information .
The various approaches have been generalized by computer scientist George Montañez ( see here and here ) .
He enumerated the core steps for constructing and evaluating any measure of specified complexity : • Determine the probability distribution for observed events based on assumed mechanisms .
In other words , identify for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to occur .
• Define a function that assigns to each event a specificity value .
• Calculate the canonical specified complexity for an outcome by taking the negative log ( base 2 ) of the specified complexity kardis , which is the ratio of the event ’ s probability to its specificity value multiplied by a scaling factor .
• Determine the likelihood for an event to occur resulting from any proposed mechanism with the assumed probability distribution .
The upper probability is equal to the kardis .
If the probability is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ outcome occurred through the proposed mechanism can be rejected with high confidence .
In the case of proteins , Step 1 entails modeling the probabilities for observed amino acid sequences under a uniform distribution — every sequence is assumed to be equally probable .
Sequences are not actually dispersed uniformly , but this distribution serves as a neutral baseline against which to measure the difficulty of finding a functional sequence .
Furthermore , once the uniform distribution is rejected with high confidence as an explanation , one can use the “ minimum plausibility @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more any other explanation must boost the probability of the particular outcome in order to avoid rejection as well .
The required boost factor provides a quantitative way to evaluate the plausibility of evolutionary or other proposed mechanisms .
This method works even if one can not compute the full distribution for events , since one must only show that a proposed mechanism must boost the probability of the outcome by a factor of s , where s is very large .
Unless the mechanism can be shown to plausibly increase the probability @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be claimed as a sufficient explanation .
In addition , the uniform distribution is typically assumed if the actual distribution can not be definitively known , as dictated by Bernoulli ’ s Principle of Insufficient Reason ( PrOIR ) .
The motivation for this choice is that the uniform distribution is the least biased based on the no free lunch theorem .
Consequently , selecting another probability distribution is just as likely to increase measured values or calculated probabilities as to decrease them .
Moreover , no choice of distribution will dramatically increase @ @ @ @ @ @ @ occur unless that distribution has information about those events built into it , as mandated by the Conservation of Information dictum .
More specifically , favorable distributions are themselves rare for each small target , and they incur their own information cost .
Assuming a distribution that boosts probabilities exactly where one needs them is no more justifiable than assuming a lucky outcome ( Theorem 2 in Montañez 2017 and Theorem 6 in Montañez et al .
2019 ) .
In other words , selecting a favorable distribution from the set of all @ @ @ @ @ @ @ so one needs an explanation for such a fortuitous choice if one wants to assume undirectedness in its selection .
For Step 2 , the protein specificity function can be chosen to assign the same value to all amino acid sequences that fold into structures that perform some biological function .
That value is inversely proportional to the percentage of functional sequences .
If the specificity value equals the exponential of the negative conditional Kolmogorov complexity , the canonical specified complexity reduces to the algorithmic specified complexity ( Montañez 2018 , p. 9 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Step 3 ) takes on a value sufficiently high to reject any possibility for a randomly chosen sequence to correspond to a functional protein ( Step 4 ) , which makes the undirected evolution of many novel proteins highly implausible .
Another core concept in information theory is what is defined as the mutual information between two random variables X and X .
Each variable represents a set of outcomes of the same or varying probabilities .
The mutual information quantifies to what extent knowledge of one variable provides knowledge of , or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
For instance , each variable could represent a student ’ s response to two True/False questions on a test .
Since four outcomes are equally probable ( TT , TF , FT , FF ) , the information associated with knowing a student ’ s two answers is log ( base 2 ) of 4 , which is 2 bits .
If at least one student randomly guessed the answer for both questions , knowing one student ’ s answers would provide no information about those of the second student .
In @ @ @ @ @ @ @ answers from the other , knowing one student ’ s answers provides complete information about the second ’ s answers .
The mutual information in the former case would then be 0 bits and in the latter case 2 bits .
If one student copied one answer but guessed on the other , the mutual information would be 1 bit .
The stronger the connection between the two variables , the greater the mutual information .
In my previous article , I referenced two theorems related to the conservation of information that challenge @ @ @ @ @ @ @ based on mutual information .
Space did not permit me to further develop the argument , which would have required addressing probability distributions rather than individual sequences .
But , research in biological thermodynamics has rigorously demonstrated the centrality of mutual information in understanding biological systems , and the conclusions strongly reinforce design arguments , particularly in relation to the origin of life .
Chemical and biomolecular engineer Yaşar Demire has demonstrated that the reduction in entropy in a cell requires that the mutual information between a static system Y and a dynamic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ represents those cellular structures that encode the schematics for system X , and system X represents the encoded biological structures such as enzymes , molecular machines , and cell membranes .
The most obvious information repository in system Y is DNA , but other information-bearing structures would also be included .
The increase in the mutual information corresponds to the cell processing the information in Y to direct the new structures ’ construction , assembly , and installation .
The classic example is a genetic sequence leading the manufacture of a protein .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ functional information that coincides with an increase in the mutual information with the DNA sequence .
Demire designates the information that directs the process as “ control information ” He goes even further by stating that the production of chemical energy coupled to the processing of information is essential for creating and maintaining a cell ’ s low-entropy state : He perfectly reiterates the core argument in my recent exchange with Jeremy England that the reduction in entropy entailed in the origin of life requires preexisting energy production machinery and information ( see @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Where proteins come from , by Nicolle Rager , National Science Foundation / Public domain .

In my previous article, I provided a description of biological information and its implications for design arguments. I sacrificed on the technical details to make the content more accessible to nonexperts. Now, to provide a deeper understanding of the theoretical underpinnings of information-based arguments, I will delve into the underlying mathematics.
Measuring Specified Complexity
One of the central requirements of design arguments is to evaluate the probability of patterns emerging through undirected processes. Examples of evaluation schema have included Behe’s irreducible complexity, Ewert et al.’s algorithmic specified complexity (ASC), and Hazen et al.’s functional information. In my previous article, I focused on the last measure. All of these approaches attempt to quantify what is termed specified complexity, which characterizes complex patterns containing meaningful (i.e., specified) information. The various approaches have been generalized by computer scientist George Montañez (see here and here). He enumerated the core steps for constructing and evaluating any measure of specified complexity:
Determine the probability distribution for observed events based on assumed mechanisms. In other words, identify for each possible event the probability for it to occur. Define a function that assigns to each event a specificity value. Calculate the canonical specified complexity for an outcome by taking the negative log (base 2) of the specified complexity kardis, which is the ratio of the event’s probability to its specificity value multiplied by a scaling factor. Determine the likelihood for an event to occur resulting from any proposed mechanism with the assumed probability distribution. The upper probability is equal to the kardis. If the probability is exceedingly small, the claim that the outcome occurred through the proposed mechanism can be rejected with high confidence.
Protein Rarity
In the case of proteins, Step 1 entails modeling the probabilities for observed amino acid sequences under a uniform distribution — every sequence is assumed to be equally probable. Sequences are not actually dispersed uniformly, but this distribution serves as a neutral baseline against which to measure the difficulty of finding a functional sequence.
Furthermore, once the uniform distribution is rejected with high confidence as an explanation, one can use the “minimum plausibility requirement” logic to determine how much more any other explanation must boost the probability of the particular outcome in order to avoid rejection as well. The required boost factor provides a quantitative way to evaluate the plausibility of evolutionary or other proposed mechanisms. This method works even if one cannot compute the full distribution for events, since one must only show that a proposed mechanism must boost the probability of the outcome by a factor of s, where s is very large. Unless the mechanism can be shown to plausibly increase the probability by that factor, it cannot be claimed as a sufficient explanation.
In addition, the uniform distribution is typically assumed if the actual distribution cannot be definitively known, as dictated by Bernoulli’s Principle of Insufficient Reason (PrOIR).
… in the absence of any prior knowledge, we must assume that the events [in a search space] … have equal probability.
The motivation for this choice is that the uniform distribution is the least biased based on the no free lunch theorem. Consequently, selecting another probability distribution is just as likely to increase measured values or calculated probabilities as to decrease them. Moreover, no choice of distribution will dramatically increase the likelihood of highly specified events to occur unless that distribution has information about those events built into it, as mandated by the Conservation of Information dictum.
More specifically, favorable distributions are themselves rare for each small target, and they incur their own information cost. Assuming a distribution that boosts probabilities exactly where one needs them is no more justifiable than assuming a lucky outcome (Theorem 2 in Montañez 2017 and Theorem 6 in Montañez et al. 2019). In other words, selecting a favorable distribution from the set of all possible distributions is a hard problem, so one needs an explanation for such a fortuitous choice if one wants to assume undirectedness in its selection.
For Step 2, the protein specificity function can be chosen to assign the same value to all amino acid sequences that fold into structures that perform some biological function. That value is inversely proportional to the percentage of functional sequences. If the specificity value equals the exponential of the negative conditional Kolmogorov complexity, the canonical specified complexity reduces to the algorithmic specified complexity (Montañez 2018, p. 9). The resulting complexity measure (Step 3) takes on a value sufficiently high to reject any possibility for a randomly chosen sequence to correspond to a functional protein (Step 4), which makes the undirected evolution of many novel proteins highly implausible.
Mutual Information
Another core concept in information theory is what is defined as the mutual information between two random variables X 1 and X 2 . Each variable represents a set of outcomes of the same or varying probabilities. The mutual information quantifies to what extent knowledge of one variable provides knowledge of, or reduces uncertainty in, the second variable.
For instance, each variable could represent a student’s response to two True/False questions on a test. Since four outcomes are equally probable (TT, TF, FT, FF), the information associated with knowing a student’s two answers is log (base 2) of 4, which is 2 bits. If at least one student randomly guessed the answer for both questions, knowing one student’s answers would provide no information about those of the second student. In contrast, if one student copied both answers from the other, knowing one student’s answers provides complete information about the second’s answers. The mutual information in the former case would then be 0 bits and in the latter case 2 bits. If one student copied one answer but guessed on the other, the mutual information would be 1 bit. The stronger the connection between the two variables, the greater the mutual information.
In my previous article, I referenced two theorems related to the conservation of information that challenge evolutionary assumptions, and they are both based on mutual information. Space did not permit me to further develop the argument, which would have required addressing probability distributions rather than individual sequences. But, research in biological thermodynamics has rigorously demonstrated the centrality of mutual information in understanding biological systems, and the conclusions strongly reinforce design arguments, particularly in relation to the origin of life.
Information and Entropy Reduction
Chemical and biomolecular engineer Yaşar Demire has demonstrated that the reduction in entropy in a cell requires that the mutual information between a static system Y and a dynamic system X must increase. System Y represents those cellular structures that encode the schematics for system X, and system X represents the encoded biological structures such as enzymes, molecular machines, and cell membranes. The most obvious information repository in system Y is DNA, but other information-bearing structures would also be included.
The increase in the mutual information corresponds to the cell processing the information in Y to direct the new structures’ construction, assembly, and installation. The classic example is a genetic sequence leading the manufacture of a protein. The emerging protein represents the creation of functional information that coincides with an increase in the mutual information with the DNA sequence.
Demire designates the information that directs the process as “control information”
…“control information” is defined as the capacity to control the acquisition, disposition, and utilization of matter, energy, and information flows functionally.
He goes even further by stating that the production of chemical energy coupled to the processing of information is essential for creating and maintaining a cell’s low-entropy state:
The ATP synthesis, in turn, is matched and synchronized to cellular ATP utilization processes, since energy and matter flows must be directed by the information for them to be functional and serve a purpose. For living systems, the information is the cause and the entropy reduction is the result: Energy + Matter + Information → Locally reduced entropy (Increase of order)
He perfectly reiterates the core argument in my recent exchange with Jeremy England that the reduction in entropy entailed in the origin of life requires preexisting energy production machinery and information (see here and here).
Image: Where proteins come from, by Nicolle Rager, National Science Foundation / Public domain.


evolutionnewsandviews--2020-06-25--Margaret Sanger Statues Honor a Racist and Eugenicist; but as with Darwin, Let Her Stay

Historical statues are a dispersed temple to memory , in need of vigilant guarding .
My own memory , like yours , includes things I ’ m proud of things and things I ’ m not proud of .
We would hate to lose any of it , the good or the bad , which is why sensitive people loathe the current wave of unchecked vandalism .
I asked earlier today if statues of Charles Darwin will come down at the hands of the marauders , given the vital work his writing has done in justifying scientific racism , eugenics @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on that , see the documentary Human Zoos , below . )
But what about another key and linked figure in history ?
Planned Parenthood founder Margaret Sanger advocated racist eugenic measures and did not shy from addressing a KKK rally .
Yet she ’ s honored by a bust in the National Portrait Gallery ’ s civil rights exhibit , of all places .
African American pastors have requested , in an entirely civil plea , that the statue be removed , only to be rebuffed by the Smithsonian .
Another statue @ @ @ @ @ @ @ South Meeting House , among other tributes to America ’ s “ Voices of Protest.
” “ Yes , she could certainly be called a Voice of Protest , ” Discovery Institute Fellow J. Budziszewski has written .
“ She strongly protested the great many people of the planet whom she considered unfit .
She was a racist , a vociferous opponent of charity , and an advocate of controlled human breeding.
” Sanger , in her book Woman and the New Race , protested the rising tide of immigrants and people of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , “ Of the fifty principal cities of the United States there are only fourteen in which fifty percent of the population is of unmixed native white parentage.
” She would not have liked the look of New York City today , where there is a Margaret Sanger Square not far from Washington Square Park , a site of recent Black Lives Matter protests .
If She Were Alive Today Sanger died in 1966 .
If she were alive today her attitude toward black and other disfavored lives would draw opprobrium .
Or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Vice President John West has detailed her views , and the connection to Darwin .
From , “ The Line Running from Charles Darwin through Margaret Sanger to Planned Parenthood ” : In Sanger ’ s view , humanitarianism threatened to swamp America with a tidal wave of the “ feeble-minded.
” As I explain in my book Darwin Day in America , feeblemindedness was an expansive category that included many people who today wouldn ’ t be considered mentally handicapped , including members of races ( like blacks ) considered by Darwinian @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lower ” on the evolutionary scale .
“ Feebleminded ” persons could read .
They could hold jobs .
They could appear perfectly normal to everyone else .
That ’ s why they were so dangerous according to eugenists .
The feeble-minded could appear so ordinary that non-feebleminded persons might marry them and then spread their defective “ germplasm ” to the next generation .
Sanger branded the feeble-minded a “ menace … to the race ” and compared them to “ weeds.
” In her bestselling book The Pivot of Civilization , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be opened to the terrific cost to the community of this dead weight of human waste.
” Ben Carson observes , “ [ Sanger ] was not particularly enamored with black people .
And one of the reasons that you find most of their [ Planned Parenthood ] clinics in black neighborhoods is so that you can find a way to control that population.
” U.S. congressmen have protested that the bust of Sanger in the Smithsonian is “ an affront both to basic human decency and the very meaning of justice.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , history is complicated : Bethany Bentley , the National Portrait Gallery ’ s head of communications and public affairs , told NPR that the exhibit doesn ’ t ignore “ the less-than-admirable aspects of [ Sanger ’ s ] career.
” She adds that the Washington , D.C. , gallery is dedicated to history , which she says isn ’ t always pretty .
“ No one has to pass a moral test to be included in a museum , ” Bentley says .
“ Everyone has something in their background or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
You can look at every president up to Zachary Taylor — they owned slaves.
” Interesting point about Zachary Taylor and his slaves .
To have the world ’ s memory of you preserved in a bust or statue you don ’ t have to “ pass a moral test.
” That was in 2015 , five years before the statues of complicated but important figures started tumbling down in today ’ s spasm of anarchy .
I would guess that Sanger and Darwin , like Seattle ’ s tribute to Vladimir @ @ @ @ @ @ @ unacknowledged political standards at work .
Reflecting on protests of historical statues , J. Budziszewski notes a contradiction : “ They say a great deal about the offenses of Robert E. Lee , Woodrow Wilson , and Christopher Columbus — Lee , by the way , was a complex man who deplored slavery as a ‘ moral and political evil ’ even though he fought for the South — but they give a pass to the icons of the left , like Margaret Sanger , founder of Planned Parenthood.
” However , let @ @ @ @ @ @ @ repose in her museums .
They both still have a lot to teach about how science becomes a pretext for injustice , and worse .
Photo at the top : Bust of Margaret Sanger , National Portrait Gallery , by Cliff , via Flickr .

Historical statues are a dispersed temple to memory, in need of vigilant guarding. My own memory, like yours, includes things I’m proud of things and things I’m not proud of. We would hate to lose any of it, the good or the bad, which is why sensitive people loathe the current wave of unchecked vandalism.
I asked earlier today if statues of Charles Darwin will come down at the hands of the marauders, given the vital work his writing has done in justifying scientific racism, eugenics, and genocide. (For more on that, see the documentary Human Zoos, below.) But what about another key and linked figure in history? Planned Parenthood founder Margaret Sanger advocated racist eugenic measures and did not shy from addressing a KKK rally. Yet she’s honored by a bust in the National Portrait Gallery’s civil rights exhibit, of all places.
Voices of Protest
African American pastors have requested, in an entirely civil plea, that the statue be removed, only to be rebuffed by the Smithsonian. Another statue of Sanger adorns Boston’s Old South Meeting House, among other tributes to America’s “Voices of Protest.”
“Yes, she could certainly be called a Voice of Protest,” Discovery Institute Fellow J. Budziszewski has written. “She strongly protested the great many people of the planet whom she considered unfit. She was a racist, a vociferous opponent of charity, and an advocate of controlled human breeding.”
Sanger, in her book Woman and the New Race, protested the rising tide of immigrants and people of color in U.S. cities. She worried, “Of the fifty principal cities of the United States there are only fourteen in which fifty percent of the population is of unmixed native white parentage.”
She would not have liked the look of New York City today, where there is a Margaret Sanger Square not far from Washington Square Park, a site of recent Black Lives Matter protests.
If She Were Alive Today
Sanger died in 1966. If she were alive today her attitude toward black and other disfavored lives would draw opprobrium. Or so you would hope. Discovery Institute Vice President John West has detailed her views, and the connection to Darwin. From, “The Line Running from Charles Darwin through Margaret Sanger to Planned Parenthood”:
In Sanger’s view, humanitarianism threatened to swamp America with a tidal wave of the “feeble-minded.” As I explain in my book Darwin Day in America, feeblemindedness was an expansive category that included many people who today wouldn’t be considered mentally handicapped, including members of races (like blacks) considered by Darwinian biologists of the time to be “lower” on the evolutionary scale. “Feebleminded” persons could read. They could hold jobs. They could appear perfectly normal to everyone else. That’s why they were so dangerous according to eugenists. The feeble-minded could appear so ordinary that non-feebleminded persons might marry them and then spread their defective “germplasm” to the next generation. Sanger branded the feeble-minded a “menace … to the race” and compared them to “weeds.” In her bestselling book The Pivot of Civilization, she wrote that “our eyes should be opened to the terrific cost to the community of this dead weight of human waste.”
Ben Carson observes, “[Sanger] was not particularly enamored with black people. And one of the reasons that you find most of their [Planned Parenthood] clinics in black neighborhoods is so that you can find a way to control that population.”
U.S. congressmen have protested that the bust of Sanger in the Smithsonian is “an affront both to basic human decency and the very meaning of justice.” But as the National Portrait Gallery responds, history is complicated:
Bethany Bentley, the National Portrait Gallery’s head of communications and public affairs, told NPR that the exhibit doesn’t ignore “the less-than-admirable aspects of [Sanger’s] career.” She adds that the Washington, D.C., gallery is dedicated to history, which she says isn’t always pretty. “No one has to pass a moral test to be included in a museum,” Bentley says. “Everyone has something in their background or beliefs, especially looking back at history. You can look at every president up to Zachary Taylor — they owned slaves.”
Interesting point about Zachary Taylor and his slaves. To have the world’s memory of you preserved in a bust or statue you don’t have to “pass a moral test.” That was in 2015, five years before the statues of complicated but important figures started tumbling down in today’s spasm of anarchy.
They’re Probably Safe
I would guess that Sanger and Darwin, like Seattle’s tribute to Vladimir Lenin, are safe. There are unacknowledged political standards at work. Reflecting on protests of historical statues, J. Budziszewski notes a contradiction: “They say a great deal about the offenses of Robert E. Lee, Woodrow Wilson, and Christopher Columbus — Lee, by the way, was a complex man who deplored slavery as a ‘moral and political evil’ even though he fought for the South — but they give a pass to the icons of the left, like Margaret Sanger, founder of Planned Parenthood.”
Lee deplored black slavery. Sanger deplored blacks.
However, let Darwin sit on his pedestal and Sanger repose in her museums. They both still have a lot to teach about how science becomes a pretext for injustice, and worse.
Photo at the top: Bust of Margaret Sanger, National Portrait Gallery, by Cliff, via Flickr.


evolutionnewsandviews--2020-06-25--Darwinism and “No Lives Matter”

Darwinism and “No Lives Matter”

I ’ ve wondered if the marauding vandals will come eventually for the Darwin statues .
I hope NOT , but let ’ s face it — between Francis Scott Key or Ulysses Grant , on one hand , and Charles Darwin on the other , whose work has done more to undergird racism ?
There ’ s no contest .
A classic episode of ID the Future , republished now , is eerie in its relevance to the culture at the moment .
Host and science historian Michael Keas interviewed historian and Center for Science & Culture Senior Fellow @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s integral to the Darwinian scientific heritage .
As Professor Weikart explains , Darwin ’ s racism is not incidental to his case for evolution .
It ’ s not as if he was merely a product of his time , with the reprehensible attitudes held by other upper class Brits when he wrote his books .
Yes , he was anti-slavery .
And yes , he embodied the racism that came before him .
He didn ’ t invent it .
But he also used it as “ evidence ” for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ races of humans represented biological variations ( in intelligence , moral capacity , and more ) on which the natural selection process could work , just as it could on finch beaks .
His conclusion of a racial hierarchy with Africans at the bottom , his projection of eventual racial “ extermination , ” were no stray inference .
The documentaries Human Zoos and The Biology of the Second Reich show how Darwinian theory continued to motivate racism , eugenic drives , and genocide into the 20th century .
Weikart continues by noting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Singer ) drew logical consequences from evolution , including that since all human beings are the product of random natural forces , they possess no special dignity .
Human life is not precious .
Or to put it another way , via John Zmirak : NO LIVES MATTER .
By contrast , the religious traditions that evolutionary theory pushes aside possess ample reason for respecting humans universally as equals , of identical value and dignity , no matter the color of their skin .
Of course , there have been “ religious ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with their professed faith .
Those who call for vandalizing churches because of depictions of a “ white ” Jesus don ’ t understand this .
On the other hand , while most evolutionists today reject scientific racism , with exceptions like James Watson — they have no necessary reason for doing so .
White nationalists of the Alt-Right appreciate that not as a bug but as a feature .
Download the podcast or listen to it here .
Listen and learn .
Find out more about Weikart ’ s books here .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ , all of them .
Some have argued that the vandals have no agenda other than anarchy and destruction .
I ’ ll be persuaded of that if they pull down the Lenin statue in Seattle .
Again , I hope they don ’ t !
In its way , it is a delightful if perverse symbol of our city .
Let ’ s hope Darwin and Lenin are both safe tonight , along with Andrew Jackson , Thomas Jefferson , Abraham Lincoln , and other iconic historical figures .

I’ve wondered if the marauding vandals will come eventually for the Darwin statues. I hope NOT, but let’s face it — between Francis Scott Key or Ulysses Grant, on one hand, and Charles Darwin on the other, whose work has done more to undergird racism? There’s no contest.
A classic episode of ID the Future, republished now, is eerie in its relevance to the culture at the moment. Host and science historian Michael Keas interviewed historian and Center for Science & Culture Senior Fellow Richard Weikart about the racial pseudoscience that’s integral to the Darwinian scientific heritage.
As Professor Weikart explains, Darwin’s racism is not incidental to his case for evolution. It’s not as if he was merely a product of his time, with the reprehensible attitudes held by other upper class Brits when he wrote his books. Yes, he was anti-slavery. And yes, he embodied the racism that came before him. He didn’t invent it. But he also used it as “evidence” for his theory. He believed that different races of humans represented biological variations (in intelligence, moral capacity, and more) on which the natural selection process could work, just as it could on finch beaks. His conclusion of a racial hierarchy with Africans at the bottom, his projection of eventual racial “extermination,” were no stray inference. The documentaries Human Zoos and The Biology of the Second Reich show how Darwinian theory continued to motivate racism, eugenic drives, and genocide into the 20th century.
Not a Bug but a Feature
Weikart continues by noting that later Darwinists (such as Peter Singer) drew logical consequences from evolution, including that since all human beings are the product of random natural forces, they possess no special dignity. Human life is not precious. Or to put it another way, via John Zmirak: NO LIVES MATTER. By contrast, the religious traditions that evolutionary theory pushes aside possess ample reason for respecting humans universally as equals, of identical value and dignity, no matter the color of their skin. Of course, there have been “religious” racists. But that is a contradiction with their professed faith. Those who call for vandalizing churches because of depictions of a “white” Jesus don’t understand this.
On the other hand, while most evolutionists today reject scientific racism, with exceptions like James Watson — they have no necessary reason for doing so. White nationalists of the Alt-Right appreciate that not as a bug but as a feature.
Download the podcast or listen to it here. Listen and learn. Find out more about Weikart’s books here.
And say a prayer for the statues, all of them. Some have argued that the vandals have no agenda other than anarchy and destruction. I’ll be persuaded of that if they pull down the Lenin statue in Seattle. Again, I hope they don’t! In its way, it is a delightful if perverse symbol of our city. Let’s hope Darwin and Lenin are both safe tonight, along with Andrew Jackson, Thomas Jefferson, Abraham Lincoln, and other iconic historical figures.
Photo: Statue of Charles Darwin, Shrewsbury Library, by Bs0u10e01 / CC BY-SA.


evolutionnewsandviews--2020-06-25--Stephen Meyer Shatters the Myth of the Multiverse

From June 16-30 , we are holding an Intelligent Design YouTube Festival by highlighting 15 Center for Science & Culture @ @ @ @ @ more than 100,000 views each .
Here is video # 10 .
It is an @ @ @ @ @ Uprising ” YouTube series that explores the evidence of fine-tuning in our universe .
In @ @ @ @ @ this special episode includes physicists Frank Tipler and Bijan Nemati .
If you ’ d @ @ @ @ @ videos like this one , please consider becoming one of our “ movie producers ” @ @ @ @ @ production fund .

From June 16-30, we are holding an Intelligent Design YouTube Festival by highlighting 15 Center for Science & Culture YouTube videos that have received more than 100,000 views each. Here is video #10.
It is an episode of our “Science Uprising” YouTube series that explores the evidence of fine-tuning in our universe. In addition to Steve Meyer, this special episode includes physicists Frank Tipler and Bijan Nemati.
If you’d like us to create more videos like this one, please consider becoming one of our “movie producers” by donating to our video production fund.


evolutionnewsandviews--2020-06-26--Evolutionary Theorizing Depends on Magic Words

Here is a quick tale about the evolution of the automobile .
• The steering wheel linked up with the brake pedal to form a universal joint .
• Seats developed .
They probably arose when the first hood evolved .
Now consider leading journals publishing this account after it has whisked through peer review .
Is this not exactly what goes on in evolutionary theorizing ?
Darwinians have mastered the use of magic words that replace rigor with imagination .
And they get away with it ; nobody ever blows the whistle on what should be tagged a major @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in The Scientist , a news magazine for working scientists who should know better .
In the article , “ Protein Synthesis Enzymes Have Evolved Additional Jobs , ” writer Amber Dance explains new findings about aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases , abbreviated AARS , the enzymes that attach amino acids to transfer RNAs .
This important family of 20 enzymes stands between the DNA code , written in triplet nucleotide codons , and the protein code , written in amino acids .
Ms. Dance recounts new findings that show several of these enzymes “ moonlight @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Finding additional functions for these enzymes is a worthwhile discovery .
Some of the additional functions involve angiogenesis , meaning they can be considered as targets for cancer treatments .
But the article seeks to explain how these additional functions originated , especially in the sidebar , “ When these functions arose in evolution ” [ emphasis added ] .
Magic words will be shown in bold type .
• “ For as long as living things have been building proteins based on the code carried by messenger RNA molecules , aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they come from ? )
• “ AARSs picked up additional domains that allow them to do much more.
” • “ These particular synthetases have been present and available for evolution to modify since protein-based life began.
” • “ But in the hundreds of millions of years that they ’ ve existed , these synthetases ( AARSs ) have picked up several side jobs.
” • “ The first blood vascular system , which lacked the endothelium present in modern vertebrates , probably arose in a common ancestor of vertebrates and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ years ago.
” • “ Around this same time , TyrRS acquired a glutamic acid–lysine–arginine motif that today is thought to promote angiogenesis.
” • “ Then , around 540 million to 510 million years ago , an ancestral vertebrate evolved a closed vascular system….
” • “ At some point around that same time period half a billion years ago , the TrpRS picked up a WHEP domain….
” • “ In addition , SerRS acquired a domain unique to this enzyme , which now prevents over-vascularization in developing zebrafish , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ show , rabbits appear out of hats .
Sleeves acquire pigeons .
Scarfs arise out of tubes , and cards evolve and develop into the specific cards the magician needs .
In fairness to Ms. Dance , her article focuses primarily on the science of discovery : how these functions were discovered , and what they might mean for medical treatments to help people .
But it ’ s pretty clear that she is using magic words as placeholders for scientists ’ ignorance .
They add nothing to our understanding .
They serve @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the assumed power of natural selection .
On the Origin of AARS by Magic-Word Selection Another example comes from the Tokyo Institute of Science .
They offer “ A Glimpse into Archaic Protein Synthesis Systems , ” specifically , the origin of the AARS enzymes .
“ The study highlights the possible mechanisms of evolution ” that led to these essential translators of the genetic code .
This team favors the magic word “ appear ” : • “ The evolution of this complex tRNA-aaRS system is a fascinating enigma , as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ upper half of the tRNA containing this operational code appeared earlier in evolutionary history than the lower half part that binds to the triplet code of mRNA.
” • “ Our data indicate the existence of a simplified process of alanine addition to tRNA by AlaRS early in the evolutionary process , before the appearance of the G3 : U70 base pair.
” • “ Furthermore , using ‘ RNA minihelix ’ molecules , which are considered to be the primitive form of tRNA , we could also illuminate the ‘ morphology ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the G3 : U70 base pair.
” The word “ appear ” also appears frequently , along with accessory magical terms , in the Tokyo Institute ’ s paper in the Journal of Molecular Evolution by Arutaki et al.
, promising “ An Insight into the Evolution of Aminoacyl‑tRNA Synthetases.
” Like all good magicians , these Darwinians use the power of suggestion to make the origin of the genetic code sound possible .
This suggests that the G3 : U70 pair appeared early during genetic code evolution and used as a “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ al .
2018 ) .
However , before the appearance of the specific G3 : U70 , minimalist RNA–protein interactions may have resulted in requisite aminoacylation activities .
The activity of AlaRS-α shown in the present study may reflect a vestige of such a primordial aminoacylation of an RNA comprising a small number of nucleotides , including the NCCA-3ʹ ( Fig .
6c ) .
In related to this hypothesis , it is suggested that the G3 : U70 base pair recognition is actually a later addition to the original operational code ( @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it is likely implemented by segments of the enzyme that were not accessible to the earliest ancestral aaRS forms ( Carter 2014 ) .
Furthermore , the genomic tag model proposes that ancient linear RNA genomes possessed tRNA-like structures with a 3ʹ-terminal CCA ( Weiner and Maizels 1987 ) .
A hairpin RNA with NCCA-3ʹ has also been proposed as the origin of homochiral aminoacylation in the RNA world… .
The paragraph makes no sense unless you already believe that Evolution the Magician is doing real magic .
If , instead , you @ @ @ @ @ @ @ trick is done , it becomes clear that the wizard is importing his own beliefs by sleight of mind , distracting the viewer with empty words .
He is showing us a crystal ball with an artificial picture of a line of descent from simple to complex .
He knows that the current observable genetic code is highly complex and specified , but he wants us to see a possible path by which blind molecules leaped over all the hurdles to get AARS enzymes where they are today .
Some parts of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be named “ primitive ” so that they line up in their proper place in the story .
Tell Him to Sit Quietly To understand the extent of illusion in evolutionary writing , one needs to take the magician out of it entirely , tell him to sit quietly , and watch the props move on their own .
That ’ s what the “ scenario ” is all about , right ?
No magician was there to coax them along , telling them where to be and what to do .
Robert @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this .
Back in 2007 , in Scientific American , he said this about the “ appearance ” of RNA in the RNA-World scenario : The analogy that comes to mind is that of a golfer , who having played a golf ball through an 18-hole course , then assumed that the ball could also play itself around the course in his absence .
He had demonstrated the possibility of the event ; it was only necessary to presume that some combination of natural forces ( earthquakes , winds , tornadoes and floods @ @ @ @ @ @ @ same result , given enough time .
No physical law need be broken for spontaneous RNA formation to happen , but the chances against it are so immense , that the suggestion implies that the non-living world had an innate desire to generate RNA .
The majority of origin-of-life scientists who still support the RNA-first theory either accept this concept ( implicitly , if not explicitly ) or feel that the immensely unfavorable odds were simply overcome by good luck .
To combine the two analogies , we could picture a golf course @ @ @ @ @ @ @ audience at the course is seated , but no golfer is out there playing .
A ball is shown inside the 18th cup .
The magician whispers , “ See that ball ?
It played the course all by itself !
” Keep an eye out for the magic words in Darwin literature .
Richard Dawkins said , “ The living results of natural selection … impress us with the illusion of design and planning.
” That ’ s backwards .
Those who know how to interpret illusions say , “ The magic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ organisms came to be impress us with the illusion of scientific explanation.
” Good show .
Bad science .

Here is a quick tale about the evolution of the automobile.
Billions of years ago, a chassis appeared. The chassis acquired an engine. The crankshaft found a side gig as a steering wheel. The steering wheel linked up with the brake pedal to form a universal joint. Seats developed. They probably arose when the first hood evolved.
Now consider leading journals publishing this account after it has whisked through peer review. Is this not exactly what goes on in evolutionary theorizing? Darwinians have mastered the use of magic words that replace rigor with imagination. And they get away with it; nobody ever blows the whistle on what should be tagged a major scientific foul.
New Findings About Aminoacyl-tRNA Synthetases
Here is an example in The Scientist, a news magazine for working scientists who should know better. In the article, “Protein Synthesis Enzymes Have Evolved Additional Jobs,” writer Amber Dance explains new findings about aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases, abbreviated AARS, the enzymes that attach amino acids to transfer RNAs. This important family of 20 enzymes stands between the DNA code, written in triplet nucleotide codons, and the protein code, written in amino acids. Ms. Dance recounts new findings that show several of these enzymes “moonlight” as workers with other functions.
Finding additional functions for these enzymes is a worthwhile discovery. Some of the additional functions involve angiogenesis, meaning they can be considered as targets for cancer treatments. But the article seeks to explain how these additional functions originated, especially in the sidebar, “When these functions arose in evolution” [emphasis added]. Magic words will be shown in bold type.
“For as long as living things have been building proteins based on the code carried by messenger RNA molecules, aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases have been there .” ( Where did they come from?)
.” Where did they come from?) “AARSs picked up additional domains that allow them to do much more.”
additional domains that allow them to do much more.” “While other proteins have adopted secondary functions…”
secondary functions…” “These particular synthetases have been present and available for evolution to modify since protein-based life began.”
since protein-based life began.” “But in the hundreds of millions of years that they’ve existed, these synthetases (AARSs) have picked up several side jobs.”
“The first blood vascular system, which lacked the endothelium present in modern vertebrates, probably arose in a common ancestor of vertebrates and arthropods around 700 million to 600 million years ago.”
in a common ancestor of vertebrates and arthropods around 700 million to 600 million years ago.” “Around this same time, TyrRS acquired a glutamic acid–lysine–arginine motif that today is thought to promote angiogenesis.”
a glutamic acid–lysine–arginine motif that today is thought to promote angiogenesis.” “Then, around 540 million to 510 million years ago, an ancestral vertebrate evolved a closed vascular system….”
a closed vascular system….” “ At some point around that same time period half a billion years ago, the TrpRS picked up a WHEP domain….”
around that same time period half a billion years ago, the TrpRS a WHEP domain….” “In addition, SerRS acquired a domain unique to this enzyme, which now prevents over-vascularization in developing zebrafish, and likely other vertebrates.”
In this magic show, rabbits appear out of hats. Sleeves acquire pigeons. Scarfs arise out of tubes, and cards evolve and develop into the specific cards the magician needs.
In fairness to Ms. Dance, her article focuses primarily on the science of discovery: how these functions were discovered, and what they might mean for medical treatments to help people. But it’s pretty clear that she is using magic words as placeholders for scientists’ ignorance. They add nothing to our understanding. They serve, rather, as statements of faith in the assumed power of natural selection.
On the Origin of AARS by Magic-Word Selection
Another example comes from the Tokyo Institute of Science. They offer “A Glimpse into Archaic Protein Synthesis Systems,” specifically, the origin of the AARS enzymes. “The study highlights the possible mechanisms of evolution” that led to these essential translators of the genetic code. This team favors the magic word “appear”:
“The evolution of this complex tRNA-aaRS system is a fascinating enigma, as the existing evolutionary evidence suggests that the upper half of the tRNA containing this operational code appeared earlier in evolutionary history than the lower half part that binds to the triplet code of mRNA.”
that the upper half of the tRNA containing this operational code earlier in evolutionary history than the lower half part that binds to the triplet code of mRNA.” “Our data indicate the existence of a simplified process of alanine addition to tRNA by AlaRS early in the evolutionary process, before the appearance of the G3:U70 base pair.”
to tRNA by AlaRS early in the evolutionary process, before the of the G3:U70 base pair.” “Furthermore, using ‘RNA minihelix’ molecules, which are considered to be the primitive form of tRNA, we could also illuminate the ‘morphology’ of tRNA before the evolutionary appearance of the G3:U70 base pair.”
The Power of Suggestion
The word “appear” also appears frequently, along with accessory magical terms, in the Tokyo Institute’s paper in the Journal of Molecular Evolution by Arutaki et al., promising “An Insight into the Evolution of Aminoacyl‑tRNA Synthetases.” Like all good magicians, these Darwinians use the power of suggestion to make the origin of the genetic code sound possible.
This suggests that the G3:U70 pair appeared early during genetic code evolution and used as a “second genetic code” (Chong et al. 2018). However, before the appearance of the specific G3:U70, minimalist RNA–protein interactions may have resulted in requisite aminoacylation activities. The activity of AlaRS-α shown in the present study may reflect a vestige of such a primordial aminoacylation of an RNA comprising a small number of nucleotides, including the NCCA-3ʹ (Fig. 6c). In related to this hypothesis, it is suggested that the G3:U70 base pair recognition is actually a later addition to the original operational code (Carter and Wills 2018), as it is likely implemented by segments of the enzyme that were not accessible to the earliest ancestral aaRS forms (Carter 2014). Furthermore, the genomic tag model proposes that ancient linear RNA genomes possessed tRNA-like structures with a 3ʹ-terminal CCA (Weiner and Maizels 1987). A hairpin RNA with NCCA-3ʹ has also been proposed as the origin of homochiral aminoacylation in the RNA world….
The paragraph makes no sense unless you already believe that Evolution the Magician is doing real magic. If, instead, you are watching carefully to see how the trick is done, it becomes clear that the wizard is importing his own beliefs by sleight of mind, distracting the viewer with empty words. He is showing us a crystal ball with an artificial picture of a line of descent from simple to complex. He knows that the current observable genetic code is highly complex and specified, but he wants us to see a possible path by which blind molecules leaped over all the hurdles to get AARS enzymes where they are today. Some parts of the aaRS molecule, therefore, need to be named “primitive” so that they line up in their proper place in the story.
Tell Him to Sit Quietly
To understand the extent of illusion in evolutionary writing, one needs to take the magician out of it entirely, tell him to sit quietly, and watch the props move on their own. That’s what the “scenario” is all about, right? No magician was there to coax them along, telling them where to be and what to do. Robert Shapiro had a good way to describe this. Back in 2007, in Scientific American, he said this about the “appearance” of RNA in the RNA-World scenario:
The analogy that comes to mind is that of a golfer, who having played a golf ball through an 18-hole course, then assumed that the ball could also play itself around the course in his absence. He had demonstrated the possibility of the event; it was only necessary to presume that some combination of natural forces (earthquakes, winds, tornadoes and floods, for example) could produce the same result, given enough time. No physical law need be broken for spontaneous RNA formation to happen, but the chances against it are so immense, that the suggestion implies that the non-living world had an innate desire to generate RNA. The majority of origin-of-life scientists who still support the RNA-first theory either accept this concept (implicitly, if not explicitly) or feel that the immensely unfavorable odds were simply overcome by good luck.
To combine the two analogies, we could picture a golf course instead of a magic stage. An audience at the course is seated, but no golfer is out there playing. A ball is shown inside the 18th cup. The magician whispers, “See that ball? It played the course all by itself!”
Keep an eye out for the magic words in Darwin literature. Richard Dawkins said, “The living results of natural selection … impress us with the illusion of design and planning.” That’s backwards. Those who know how to interpret illusions say, “The magic words of Darwinians about how actually designed organisms came to be impress us with the illusion of scientific explanation.” Good show. Bad science.
Photo credit: Pierrick VAN-TROOST via Unsplash.


evolutionnewsandviews--2020-06-26--Journey Inside the Cell

Journey Inside the Cell

From June 16-30 , we are holding an Intelligent Design YouTube Festival by highlighting 15 Center for Science & Culture @ @ @ @ @ more than 100,000 views each .
Here is video # 11 .
It is “ @ @ @ @ @ ” narrated by Stephen Meyer .
This was the first molecular animation we commissioned , @ @ @ @ @ really big hit on YouTube , drawing over 650,000 views thus far .
The video @ @ @ @ @ , so it wasn ’ t made in HD .
But we have an HD @ @ @ @ @ so stay tuned !
If you ’ d like us to create more videos like @ @ @ @ @ becoming one of our “ movie producers ” by donating to our video production fund @

From June 16-30, we are holding an Intelligent Design YouTube Festival by highlighting 15 Center for Science & Culture YouTube videos that have received more than 100,000 views each. Here is video #11.
It is “Journey Inside the Cell,” narrated by Stephen Meyer. This was the first molecular animation we commissioned, and it became our first really big hit on YouTube, drawing over 650,000 views thus far. The video was originally created in 2009, so it wasn’t made in HD. But we have an HD version in the works — so stay tuned!
If you’d like us to create more videos like this one, please consider becoming one of our “movie producers” by donating to our video production fund.


evolutionnewsandviews--2020-06-26--Freeing Minds Trapped in a Naturalistic Parabola

On a new episode of ID the Future , philosopher of science Paul Nelson continues his conversation with host Andrew @ @ @ @ @ theory in a science culture committed to naturalism .
Download the podcast or listen to @ @ @ @ @ puts it , it ’ s about trying to communicate with scientists who are trapped @ @ @ @ @ That parabola sets the rule and defines the boundaries for science : naturalistic answers only @ @ @ @ @ infinity , so no finite number of objections or counterexamples can force naturalistic scientists out @ @ @ @ @ however , offers an alternative strategy for drawing them out of the parabola .

On a new episode of ID the Future, philosopher of science Paul Nelson continues his conversation with host Andrew McDiarmid about pursuing intelligent design theory in a science culture committed to naturalism. Download the podcast or listen to it here.
As Nelson puts it, it’s about trying to communicate with scientists who are trapped in a naturalistic parabola. That parabola sets the rule and defines the boundaries for science: naturalistic answers only. And it extends to infinity, so no finite number of objections or counterexamples can force naturalistic scientists out of it. Nelson, however, offers an alternative strategy for drawing them out of the parabola.
Photo credit: Craig Morey, via Flickr.


evolutionnewsandviews--2020-06-27--Michael Egnor Shows You’re Not a Meat Robot

From June 16-30 , we are holding an Intelligent Design YouTube Festival by highlighting 15 Center for Science & Culture @ @ @ @ @ more than 100,000 views each .
Here is video # 12 .
It ’ s @ @ @ @ @ Uprising ” that tackles the mind-brain debate and features neurosurgeon Michael Egnor .
If you @ @ @ @ @ create more videos like this one , please consider becoming one of our “ movie @ @ @ @ @ our video production fund .

From June 16-30, we are holding an Intelligent Design YouTube Festival by highlighting 15 Center for Science & Culture YouTube videos that have received more than 100,000 views each. Here is video #12.
It’s an episode of “Science Uprising” that tackles the mind-brain debate and features neurosurgeon Michael Egnor.
If you’d like us to create more videos like this one, please consider becoming one of our “movie producers” by donating to our video production fund.


evolutionnewsandviews--2020-06-28--Stephen Meyer Unmasks the Coding of Human DNA

From June 16-30 , we are holding an Intelligent Design YouTube Festival by highlighting 15 Center for Science & Culture @ @ @ @ @ more than 100,000 views each .
Here is video # 13 .
It ’ s @ @ @ @ @ Uprising , ” this one presenting Steve Meyer ’ s information argument in a succinct @ @ @ @ @ the footage from the Center ’ s home town of Seattle — and the natural @ @ @ @ @ .
If you ’ d like us to create more videos like this one , @ @ @ @ @ our “ movie producers ” by donating to our video production fund .

From June 16-30, we are holding an Intelligent Design YouTube Festival by highlighting 15 Center for Science & Culture YouTube videos that have received more than 100,000 views each. Here is video #13.
It’s another episode of “Science Uprising,” this one presenting Steve Meyer’s information argument in a succinct but powerful form. Notice the footage from the Center’s home town of Seattle — and the natural tie-in to the software industry.
If you’d like us to create more videos like this one, please consider becoming one of our “movie producers” by donating to our video production fund.


evolutionnewsandviews--2020-06-29--Intricate, Optimized Designs in Insects Beg a Question

The pesky housefly buzzing around your head as you reach for the swatter didn ’ t design its own aeronautical expertise .
The ants trailing into your kitchen as you reach for the spray didn ’ t design their own navigational systems .
And the brilliant butterfly you see in the garden as you reach for the camera didn ’ t design its own structural colors .
Insects , the most numerous and diverse of all animal groups , frustrate people and arouse their admiration .
We can ’ t eliminate them ; we might as well understand them .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ of nails doesn ’ t suffer harm , because the weight is distributed over a large number of nails spaced close together .
Spreading them farther apart and making them bigger would definitely hurt !
Some species of flying insects , like cicadas and dragonflies , use this strategy against bacteria .
The photo above shows an unfortunate bacterium lying dead on the nano-nails of a biomimetic cicada wing , like a scene from a horror movie .
Interestingly , the nano-nails do not always split the bacteria open and make their innards @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Bristol found ( see also independent findings from the University of Illinois ) .
Instead , they deform and penetrate the membrane , and also “ inhibit bacterial cell division , and trigger production of reactive oxygen species and increased abundance of oxidative stress proteins.
” In other words , they turn the microbe ’ s own stress signals against it , suspending the germ above the wing and preventing it from dividing .
The scientists were able to mimic this behavior using titanium nanopillars , and found that it also combats @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by Jenkins et al .
in Nature Communications , “ Antibacterial effects of nanopillar surfaces are mediated by cell impedance , penetration and induction of oxidative stress.
” Killing bacteria structurally without antibiotics , sprays , or hand sanitizers would be a desirable strategy in many medical situations .
It ’ s not likely a bacterium will develop resistance to this method of defense .
The Bristol team believes it may also be possible for the pillars to discriminate between bacteria and stem cells , allowing therapeutic implants to work without infection .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ t conjure up images of combat , but these delicate creatures face battles of their own : projectiles in the form of raindrops .
To butterflies , raindrops are like cannonballs coming at them at 10 meters per second , threatening to shred their wings .
What if a soldier could hold up a shield that instantly shatters an incoming missile into tiny pieces ?
That ’ s like what butterfly “ armor ” does to raindrops , researchers at Cornell University found .
Scientists knew that wing scales are covered with microscopic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Krishna Ramanujan describes what they saw in high-speed films of water droplets landing on the wing surface .
The micro-bumps are like needles to a balloon .
A shattered raindrop instantly spreads out , providing more than one benefit to the delicate insect .
It ’ s not hard to think of ways this kind of two-tiered structure could improve artificial armor both against rain and against impacts of other kinds .
For the physics details , see the paper by Kim et al .
in PNAS , “ How a raindrop gets @ @ @ @ @ @ @ note that bird feathers , insect wings , and plant spores all make use of this trick .
Some fungi can use those raindrop ‘ cannonballs ’ to launch their spores out into the environment .
“ Can you imagine looking for a destination without a GPS , visual landmarks , or even street signs ?
” So asks Drexel University about how fruit flies find food .
Consider the hardware and software packed into these tiny insects that are hardly visible except in swarms .
First , they have olfactory sensory neurons @ @ @ @ @ @ @ vertebrates and invertebrates .
The data from those neurons must be translated into actions .
Drexel researchers determined that the flies have a primary system and a backup system .
They can use their internal compass for path integration , but they can also measure the effect of hard turns and velocity changes on signal quality .
Tracking fly movement in these zones , the team measured the interplay between orienting , non-orienting , and the ‘ internal compass ’ used by flies to get to their destination .
“ This study shows @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mechanism for finding resources when directional cues are absent , ” said senior author Vikas Bhandawat , PhD , an associate professor in the School of Biomedical Engineering , Science and Health Systems .
“ Non-orienting movements are also found in expert navigators , such as desert ants .
Once they are near their home , they depend on these movements to get there .
Using fruit flies , we are finally gaining ground on tracking these movements alongside other techniques used and how environments and information can alter them.
” One of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ open ocean its habitat is the “ sea skater , ” a type of water strider that walks on sea water and can even leap and somersault off the surface .
Phys.org brings news from the King Abdullah University of Science and Technology , where researchers find sea skaters to be “ a super source of inspiration ” for improving water repellant materials .
Contributing to the research were scientists from Scripps Institution of Oceanography in Southern California .
A combination of waxy surface , small body size and shape in the legs @ @ @ @ @ @ @ high and dry .
When wet , they can leap high above the surface to shake off extra water droplets .
The team had difficulty recording their movements in the lab ; “ We spent hours trying to capture their natural behaviors on film because they jump around a lot.
” Further investigation showed that only 5 percent of the leg touches the water surface , meaning that the bug is “ practically hovering on air.
” The scientists were also amazed at how fast it can jump .
Studying the hairs , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ giving scientists plenty of inspiration for designing “ greener and low-cost technologies for reducing frictional drag and membrane fouling ” in artificial water-repellant materials .
That ’ s all the buzz for today .
But consider the fact that none of these insects designed their own engineering marvels .
They use them , but they did not invent them or “ evolve ” them .
Bringing together the components of complex , integrated systems requires foresight and planning .
Biological designs are supplied to organisms big and small by an intelligent cause , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ its respective habitat , contributing to our rich and diverse biosphere .
Photo credit : Bacterium lying dead on the nano-nails of a biomimetic cicada wing , by Professor Bo Su , University of Bristol , via EurekAlert !

The pesky housefly buzzing around your head as you reach for the swatter didn’t design its own aeronautical expertise. The ants trailing into your kitchen as you reach for the spray didn’t design their own navigational systems. And the brilliant butterfly you see in the garden as you reach for the camera didn’t design its own structural colors. Insects, the most numerous and diverse of all animal groups, frustrate people and arouse their admiration. We can’t eliminate them; we might as well understand them.
Bed of Nails
A daredevil lying down on a bed of nails doesn’t suffer harm, because the weight is distributed over a large number of nails spaced close together. Spreading them farther apart and making them bigger would definitely hurt! Some species of flying insects, like cicadas and dragonflies, use this strategy against bacteria. The photo above shows an unfortunate bacterium lying dead on the nano-nails of a biomimetic cicada wing, like a scene from a horror movie.
Interestingly, the nano-nails do not always split the bacteria open and make their innards fall out, scientists at the University of Bristol found (see also independent findings from the University of Illinois). Instead, they deform and penetrate the membrane, and also “inhibit bacterial cell division, and trigger production of reactive oxygen species and increased abundance of oxidative stress proteins.” In other words, they turn the microbe’s own stress signals against it, suspending the germ above the wing and preventing it from dividing. The scientists were able to mimic this behavior using titanium nanopillars, and found that it also combats biofilm formation.
Now we understand the mechanisms by which nanopillars damage bacteria, the next step is to apply this knowledge to the rational design and fabrication of nanopatterned surfaces with enhanced antimicrobial properties. [Emphasis added.]
See the open-access paper by Jenkins et al. in Nature Communications, “Antibacterial effects of nanopillar surfaces are mediated by cell impedance, penetration and induction of oxidative stress.” Killing bacteria structurally without antibiotics, sprays, or hand sanitizers would be a desirable strategy in many medical situations. It’s not likely a bacterium will develop resistance to this method of defense. The Bristol team believes it may also be possible for the pillars to discriminate between bacteria and stem cells, allowing therapeutic implants to work without infection.
Armored Butterflies
The paper-thin wings of butterflies don’t conjure up images of combat, but these delicate creatures face battles of their own: projectiles in the form of raindrops. To butterflies, raindrops are like cannonballs coming at them at 10 meters per second, threatening to shred their wings. What if a soldier could hold up a shield that instantly shatters an incoming missile into tiny pieces? That’s like what butterfly “armor” does to raindrops, researchers at Cornell University found. Scientists knew that wing scales are covered with microscopic bumps. In the Cornell Chronicle, Krishna Ramanujan describes what they saw in high-speed films of water droplets landing on the wing surface.
“[Getting hit with] raindrops is the most dangerous event for this kind of small animal,” he said, noting the relative weight of a raindrop hitting a butterfly wing would be analogous to a bowling ball falling from the sky on a human…. In analyzing the film, they found that when a drop hits the surface, it ripples and spreads. A nanoscale wax layer repels the water, while larger microscale bumps on the surface creates holes in the spreading raindrop.
The micro-bumps are like needles to a balloon. A shattered raindrop instantly spreads out, providing more than one benefit to the delicate insect.
This shattering action reduces the amount of time the drop is in contact with the surface, which limits momentum and lowers the impact force on a delicate wing or leaf. It also reduces heat transfer from a cold drop. This is important because the muscles of an insect wing, for example, need to be warm enough to fly.
It’s not hard to think of ways this kind of two-tiered structure could improve artificial armor both against rain and against impacts of other kinds. For the physics details, see the paper by Kim et al. in PNAS, “How a raindrop gets shattered on biological surfaces.” The authors note that bird feathers, insect wings, and plant spores all make use of this trick. Some fungi can use those raindrop ‘cannonballs’ to launch their spores out into the environment.
Fruit Fly Sensing
“Can you imagine looking for a destination without a GPS, visual landmarks, or even street signs?” So asks Drexel University about how fruit flies find food. Consider the hardware and software packed into these tiny insects that are hardly visible except in swarms. First, they have olfactory sensory neurons, as do most animals, both vertebrates and invertebrates. The data from those neurons must be translated into actions. Drexel researchers determined that the flies have a primary system and a backup system. They can use their internal compass for path integration, but they can also measure the effect of hard turns and velocity changes on signal quality.
Tracking fly movement in these zones, the team measured the interplay between orienting, non-orienting, and the ‘internal compass’ used by flies to get to their destination. “This study shows how non-orienting movement can be an effective mechanism for finding resources when directional cues are absent,” said senior author Vikas Bhandawat, PhD, an associate professor in the School of Biomedical Engineering, Science and Health Systems. “Non-orienting movements are also found in expert navigators, such as desert ants. Once they are near their home, they depend on these movements to get there. Using fruit flies, we are finally gaining ground on tracking these movements alongside other techniques used and how environments and information can alter them.”
Sea Skaters
One of the few insects that has made the open ocean its habitat is the “sea skater,” a type of water strider that walks on sea water and can even leap and somersault off the surface. Phys.org brings news from the King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, where researchers find sea skaters to be “a super source of inspiration” for improving water repellant materials. Contributing to the research were scientists from Scripps Institution of Oceanography in Southern California.
A combination of waxy surface, small body size and shape in the legs and feet contribute to keeping these insects high and dry. When wet, they can leap high above the surface to shake off extra water droplets. The team had difficulty recording their movements in the lab; “We spent hours trying to capture their natural behaviors on film because they jump around a lot.”
The researchers used high-resolution imaging equipment, including electron microscopy and ultrafast videography, to study the insects’ varied body hairs, grooming behavior and movements as they evaded simulated rain drops and predators. The insect’s body is covered in hairs of different shapes, lengths and diameters, and it secretes a highly water-repellant waxy cocktail that it uses to groom itself. “The tiniest hairs are shaped like golf clubs and are packed tightly to prevent water from entering between them. This hairy layer, if the insect is submerged accidentally, encases it in an air bubble, helping it to breathe and resurface quickly,” says co-author Lanna Cheng, from Scripps Institution of Oceanography at the University of California, San Diego.
Further investigation showed that only 5 percent of the leg touches the water surface, meaning that the bug is “practically hovering on air.” The scientists were also amazed at how fast it can jump.
“While taking off from the water surface, we observed H. germanus accelerate at around 400 m/s2,” says Thoroddsen. “Compare this with a cheetah or Usain Bolt, whose top accelerations taper off at 13 m/s2 and 3 m/s2, respectively. This extraordinary acceleration is due to the insect’s tiny size and the way it presses down on the water surface, rather like using a trampoline, to boost its jump.”
Studying the hairs, waxy coating, and body shape is giving scientists plenty of inspiration for designing “greener and low-cost technologies for reducing frictional drag and membrane fouling” in artificial water-repellant materials.
All the Buzz
That’s all the buzz for today. But consider the fact that none of these insects designed their own engineering marvels. They use them, but they did not invent them or “evolve” them. Bringing together the components of complex, integrated systems requires foresight and planning. Biological designs are supplied to organisms big and small by an intelligent cause, so that each being can flourish in its respective habitat, contributing to our rich and diverse biosphere.
Photo credit: Bacterium lying dead on the nano-nails of a biomimetic cicada wing, by Professor Bo Su, University of Bristol, via EurekAlert!


evolutionnewsandviews--2020-07-01--Biologist Robert Waltzer on Evolutionary Theory’s Room for Humility

On a new episode of ID the Future , biologist Robert Waltzer talks with host Andrew McDiarmid about Professor Waltzer @ @ @ @ @ new Discovery Institute Press volume , Evolution and Intelligent Design in a Nutshell .
Download @ @ @ @ @ it here .
Waltzer ’ s chapter covers some key terms in the evolution/ID debate @ @ @ @ @ misused .
These include the word “ evolution ” itself , “ change over time @ @ @ @ @ , ” and “ natural selection.
” He offers quick definitions and explains some of @ @ @ @ @ Waltzer also describes an encouraging success story of his about fostering open dialogue and exploration @ @ @ @ @ in nature .

On a new episode of ID the Future, biologist Robert Waltzer talks with host Andrew McDiarmid about Professor Waltzer’s chapter in the new Discovery Institute Press volume, Evolution and Intelligent Design in a Nutshell. Download the podcast or listen to it here.
Waltzer’s chapter covers some key terms in the evolution/ID debate that are often misunderstood or misused. These include the word “evolution” itself, “change over time,” “common descent,” and “natural selection.” He offers quick definitions and explains some of the confusion surrounding them. Waltzer also describes an encouraging success story of his about fostering open dialogue and exploration of the evidence for design in nature.


evolutionnewsandviews--2020-06-30--In New Research, RNA Takes Center Stage

In New Research, RNA Takes Center Stage

Here is a survey of important new discoveries about RNA ( ribonucleic acid ) .
RNA differs from DNA by one little change — the sugar ribose ( with an OH group at the carbon-2 ) instead of deoxyribose ( with just H there ) .
This makes a big difference in the structural and functional traits of RNA .
Unlike DNA , RNA is less durable , and often single-stranded .
It also pairs to adenine ( A ) with uracil ( U ) instead of thymine ( T ) , which has a methyl group at the carbon-5 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
These differences , though slight , make each nucleic acid perfectly suited for its respective roles in the cell .
Long thought to be a mere template for transcription and translation of DNA with the names messenger RNA ( mRNA ) and transfer RNA ( tRNA ) , RNA with its more transient lifetime serves many other functions that have been coming to light in the 21st century .
New terms are being added to the vocabulary of epigenetics : among them , long noncoding RNA ( lncRNA ) , micro-RNA ( @ @ @ @ @ @ @ extracellular RNA ( exRNA ) .
RNA can fold in complex ways .
Researchers at Ruhr-Universität Bochum are looking for unknown RNA structures among the thousands of RNA molecules in cells , expecting that many of the folded RNAs will prove functional , just like proteins are .
The scientists are using a new technique called lead sequencing to identify RNA structures : “ No structure — no function.
” One such function that they mention : RNA as a thermometer !
Some RNAs will change their structure depending on the temperature .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ involves the diarrhea pathogen Yersinia pseudotuberculosis .
An RNA thermometer allows the parasite to detect whether it is inside the host — a useful function for the germ , but not its victim .
“ Using lead sequencing , the team not only identified already known RNA thermometers , but also discovered several new ones.
” Hopefully some more salutary instances of this capability will be identified in their work .
Micro-RNAs have been implicated as protectors of vascular integrity , says Ludwig-Maximilian University of Munich .
They found “ a hitherto unknown @ @ @ @ @ @ @ preserves integrity of the endothelium and reduces the risk of atherosclerosis.
” One micro-RNA ( miRNA ) in particular shifts the RNA paradigm ; it doesn ’ t go out of the nucleus ; it goes back in , bearing a message .
Short RNA molecules known as microRNAs ( miRNAs ) play a vital role in the regulation of gene expression .
Anomalies in miRNAs expression and function have been implicated in pathological processes , such as the development of chronic diseases like atherosclerosis .
The regulatory functions of miRNAs usually take @ @ @ @ @ @ @ interact with target RNA transcripts to inhibit their translation into protein or promote their decay .
However , Professor Christian Weber ’ s group in the Institute for Cardiovascular Prevention ( IPEK ) at the LMU Medical Center has now described an exceptionally different mode of action .
By investigating a miRNA named miR-126-5p , Weber ’ s team demonstrates that this molecule can unexpectedly be transferred into the cell nucleus and , by simply interacting with it , suppresses the activity of an enzyme , named caspase-3 , which is responsible for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
In this way , the molecule protects vascular integrity and reduces the extent of atherosclerotic lesions .
Cells lining the blood vessels often are subject to shear stress .
Ordinarily , stress signals would initiate programmed cell death ( apoptosis ) .
This micro-RNA enters the nucleus and stops one of the executioner proteins named caspase-3 , saying , in essence , “ It ’ s OK ; let the cell live.
” This hitherto unknown function of miR-126-5p “ represents a new principle of biological regulation that serves to complement previously @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
There are “ doctors without borders ” who travel far from their countries to help patients in deprived areas around the globe .
There are also “ RNAs without borders ” that leave their home cells to bring aid to tissues around the body .
So fascinating is this new concept of “ extracellular RNA ” ( exRNA ) , Nature devoted a special issue to the subject .
Herb Brody writes , In one example , RNA was discovered ten years ago in mother ’ s milk .
Tien Nguyen says @ @ @ @ @ @ @ trying to work out why they are there and how they affect health.
” Micro-RNA ( miRNA ) , “ Once overlooked as genetic junk , ” is proving its worth in many ways .
“ By attaching to matching strands of messenger RNA , which is involved in protein synthesis , miRNA can effectively turn mRNA off and on , and alter what proteins are made , ” Nguyen adds .
In the case of mother ’ s milk , one researcher started asking the right questions : He wondered if the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ some other substance .
It ’ s a tedious process to solve — 1,400 miRNA ’ s have been identified in breast milk — but so far , it appears that these packages of code do regulate genes within the baby , perhaps tuning immune responses or speeding up rates of development for pre-term babies .
Some miRNA might even be protecting against infant cancer .
This is a cutting-edge field that scientists around the world are pursuing .
Understanding the roles of miRNA in breast milk might lead to improved baby care @ @ @ @ @ @ @ stand to benefit from understanding exRNA .
In another article in the Nature special issue , Kenneth Witwer declares that “ Dietary RNA is ripe for investigation , ” because “ RNA in food could have profound effects on the human digestive system and on health more generally.
” Kristina Campbell explores the ferment arising from initial investigations of exRNA .
In her Nature article , she asks , “ Do the microRNAs we eat affect gene expression ?
” In other words , can genetic material be transferred to us from the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ too early to tell what roles dietary RNA play , but what a concept to think that food might be doing more than providing nutrients ; it might also be adding genetic information about how to use those nutrients !
Because extracellular RNA is now known to travel throughout the body , future methods might be able to use them to diagnose disease .
In his Nature article , Elie Golgin surveys the prospects for using exRNAs as markers for cancer , heart disease and other conditions .
The rest of the article @ @ @ @ @ @ @ turning out to be .
Nevertheless , “ There ’ s tremendous growth in the field , ” Golgin says , and “ It ’ s driving companies now to commercialize a number of these approaches.
” Elizabeth Svoboda elaborates on some of the work being done in her Nature article , “ Research round-up : extracellular RNA.
” This is clearly a very active field .
Researchers may find new avenues for treatment of heart disease , neurodegenerative disorders , cancer , kidney regeneration , and even anxiety conditions like PTSD .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ an entirely new suite of therapies may add to the doctor ’ s toolkit , all based on the sequenced messages in RNA .
Even plants use RNA for messaging , reports Roxanne Khamsi in her Nature piece about RNA-containing vesicles in plants .
If scientists can find ways to control the exosomes with their embedded genetic information packets , this might lead to farmers using crop sprays that contain RNA .
And if plants and human beings are using RNA in many functional roles , it ’ s becoming clear that all @ @ @ @ @ @ @ genetic molecules for many purposes .
A new window on intelligent design is opening wide .
This revolution in RNA research might be comparable to previous revolutions that uncovered the functional roles of DNA and proteins .
It ’ s noteworthy that mentions of evolution were non-existent in all these articles except one , and that one amounted to raw speculation : That ’ s not even a Darwinian statement .
Zempleni has just treated “ nature ” as a goddess with foresight , installing miRNAs for a purpose .
In the same @ @ @ @ @ @ @ evolution was by Kenneth Witwer of Johns Hopkins School of Medicine , who speculated about non-evolution : Evolutionists have already failed this burgeoning field by relegating RNAs they didn ’ t understand to the “ genetic junk ” bin .
And ever since , after all these years of discovery , all they can do is speculate about what “ might have evolutionary underpinnings.
” This is a great time for design advocates to read the messages in RNA and find out what they are saying .

Here is a survey of important new discoveries about RNA (ribonucleic acid). RNA differs from DNA by one little change — the sugar ribose (with an OH group at the carbon-2) instead of deoxyribose (with just H there). This makes a big difference in the structural and functional traits of RNA. Unlike DNA, RNA is less durable, and often single-stranded. It also pairs to adenine (A) with uracil (U) instead of thymine (T), which has a methyl group at the carbon-5 position instead of uracil’s hydrogen.
These differences, though slight, make each nucleic acid perfectly suited for its respective roles in the cell. Long thought to be a mere template for transcription and translation of DNA with the names messenger RNA (mRNA) and transfer RNA (tRNA), RNA with its more transient lifetime serves many other functions that have been coming to light in the 21st century. New terms are being added to the vocabulary of epigenetics: among them, long noncoding RNA (lncRNA), micro-RNA (miRNA), dietary RNA, and extracellular RNA (exRNA).
Thousands of Designs
RNA can fold in complex ways. Researchers at Ruhr-Universität Bochum are looking for unknown RNA structures among the thousands of RNA molecules in cells, expecting that many of the folded RNAs will prove functional, just like proteins are. The scientists are using a new technique called lead sequencing to identify RNA structures: “No structure — no function.”
In all living cells, genetic information is stored in double-stranded DNA and transcribed into single-stranded RNA, which then serves as a blueprint for proteins. However, RNA is not only a linear copy of the genetic information, but often folds into complex structures. The combination of single-stranded and partially folded double-stranded regions is of central importance for the function and stability of RNAs. “If we want to learn something about RNAs, we must also understand their structure,” says Franz Narberhaus. [Emphasis added.]
One such function that they mention: RNA as a thermometer! Some RNAs will change their structure depending on the temperature. One example provided in the press release involves the diarrhea pathogen Yersinia pseudotuberculosis. An RNA thermometer allows the parasite to detect whether it is inside the host — a useful function for the germ, but not its victim. “Using lead sequencing, the team not only identified already known RNA thermometers, but also discovered several new ones.” Hopefully some more salutary instances of this capability will be identified in their work.
RNA for Pipeline Monitoring
Micro-RNAs have been implicated as protectors of vascular integrity, says Ludwig-Maximilian University of Munich. They found “a hitherto unknown molecular function of a specific microRNA that preserves integrity of the endothelium and reduces the risk of atherosclerosis.” One micro-RNA (miRNA) in particular shifts the RNA paradigm; it doesn’t go out of the nucleus; it goes back in, bearing a message.
Short RNA molecules known as microRNAs (miRNAs) play a vital role in the regulation of gene expression. Anomalies in miRNAs expression and function have been implicated in pathological processes, such as the development of chronic diseases like atherosclerosis. The regulatory functions of miRNAs usually take place in the cytoplasm, where they interact with target RNA transcripts to inhibit their translation into protein or promote their decay. However, Professor Christian Weber’s group in the Institute for Cardiovascular Prevention (IPEK) at the LMU Medical Center has now described an exceptionally different mode of action. By investigating a miRNA named miR-126-5p, Weber’s team demonstrates that this molecule can unexpectedly be transferred into the cell nucleus and, by simply interacting with it, suppresses the activity of an enzyme, named caspase-3, which is responsible for killing the cell by programmed cell death. In this way, the molecule protects vascular integrity and reduces the extent of atherosclerotic lesions.
Cells lining the blood vessels often are subject to shear stress. Ordinarily, stress signals would initiate programmed cell death (apoptosis). This micro-RNA enters the nucleus and stops one of the executioner proteins named caspase-3, saying, in essence, “It’s OK; let the cell live.” This hitherto unknown function of miR-126-5p “represents a new principle of biological regulation that serves to complement previously well described mechanisms,” Weber said.
RNAs without Borders
There are “doctors without borders” who travel far from their countries to help patients in deprived areas around the globe. There are also “RNAs without borders” that leave their home cells to bring aid to tissues around the body. So fascinating is this new concept of “extracellular RNA” (exRNA), Nature devoted a special issue to the subject. Herb Brody writes,
The molecule best known for its part in translating genetic code into protein-assembly instructions is finding a new role in medicine. RNA, once thought to exist only in cells, is now known to travel to tissues all over the body through the blood, under the protection of tiny lipid sacs known as extracellular vesicles. The study of this extracellular RNA (exRNA) has led to a quiet revolution in biology, as scientists endeavour to understand why cells release RNA, and how the molecules might be used to improve the detection and treatment of disease.
In one example, RNA was discovered ten years ago in mother’s milk. Tien Nguyen says in Nature, “scientists are still trying to work out why they are there and how they affect health.” Micro-RNA (miRNA), “Once overlooked as genetic junk,” is proving its worth in many ways. “By attaching to matching strands of messenger RNA, which is involved in protein synthesis, miRNA can effectively turn mRNA off and on, and alter what proteins are made,” Nguyen adds. In the case of mother’s milk, one researcher started asking the right questions:
Bo Lönnerdal, a biochemist at the University of California, Davis, has spent decades studying the bioactive components of breast milk. When Lönnerdal learnt that researchers had found miRNAs in breast milk, he remembers wondering what the molecules were doing there. There must be a reason why these seemingly random bits of RNA are present in milk, he recalls thinking.
He wondered if the miRNAs provided nutrition, or were regulating some other substance. It’s a tedious process to solve — 1,400 miRNA’s have been identified in breast milk — but so far, it appears that these packages of code do regulate genes within the baby, perhaps tuning immune responses or speeding up rates of development for pre-term babies. Some miRNA might even be protecting against infant cancer. This is a cutting-edge field that scientists around the world are pursuing. Understanding the roles of miRNA in breast milk might lead to improved baby care.
Not Just for Babies
Adults also stand to benefit from understanding exRNA. In another article in the Nature special issue, Kenneth Witwer declares that “Dietary RNA is ripe for investigation,” because “RNA in food could have profound effects on the human digestive system and on health more generally.” Kristina Campbell explores the ferment arising from initial investigations of exRNA. In her Nature article, she asks, “Do the microRNAs we eat affect gene expression?” In other words, can genetic material be transferred to us from the food we eat? It’s too early to tell what roles dietary RNA play, but what a concept to think that food might be doing more than providing nutrients; it might also be adding genetic information about how to use those nutrients!
Because extracellular RNA is now known to travel throughout the body, future methods might be able to use them to diagnose disease. In his Nature article, Elie Golgin surveys the prospects for using exRNAs as markers for cancer, heart disease and other conditions.
The body’s tissues routinely communicate with each other through RNA messages sent back and forth between cells. So, it seemed obvious to scientists that, by eavesdropping on these extracellular communiqués carried in blood, saliva, urine and other fluids, they should be able to intercept dispatches indicative of health and disease.
The rest of the article describes how complicated that naïve hope is turning out to be. Nevertheless, “There’s tremendous growth in the field,” Golgin says, and “It’s driving companies now to commercialize a number of these approaches.” Elizabeth Svoboda elaborates on some of the work being done in her Nature article, “Research round-up: extracellular RNA.” This is clearly a very active field. Researchers may find new avenues for treatment of heart disease, neurodegenerative disorders, cancer, kidney regeneration, and even anxiety conditions like PTSD. Clinical trials are coming. Soon, an entirely new suite of therapies may add to the doctor’s toolkit, all based on the sequenced messages in RNA.
Life Is Message-Based
Even plants use RNA for messaging, reports Roxanne Khamsi in her Nature piece about RNA-containing vesicles in plants. If scientists can find ways to control the exosomes with their embedded genetic information packets, this might lead to farmers using crop sprays that contain RNA. And if plants and human beings are using RNA in many functional roles, it’s becoming clear that all organisms on the planet rely on these genetic molecules for many purposes.
A new window on intelligent design is opening wide. This revolution in RNA research might be comparable to previous revolutions that uncovered the functional roles of DNA and proteins. It’s noteworthy that mentions of evolution were non-existent in all these articles except one, and that one amounted to raw speculation:
[Janos] Zempleni says that “miRNAs and exosomes are way more bioavailable in milk than in plants”. He speculates that this might have evolutionary underpinnings: “Nature may have made them to be bioavailable because of infant nutrition,” he says.
That’s not even a Darwinian statement. Zempleni has just treated “nature” as a goddess with foresight, installing miRNAs for a purpose. In the same article, the only other mention of evolution was by Kenneth Witwer of Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, who speculated about non-evolution:
He remembers thinking, “maybe this is some evolutionarily conserved way that we can extract something else from our food other than just nutrition.”
Evolutionists have already failed this burgeoning field by relegating RNAs they didn’t understand to the “genetic junk” bin. And ever since, after all these years of discovery, all they can do is speculate about what “might have evolutionary underpinnings.” This is a great time for design advocates to read the messages in RNA and find out what they are saying.
Image: RNA molecules, via Illustra Media’s documentary Origin.


evolutionnewsandviews--2020-06-30--C. S. Lewis and Intelligent Design

C. S. Lewis and Intelligent Design

From June 16-30 , we are holding an Intelligent Design YouTube Festival by highlighting 15 Center for Science & Culture @ @ @ @ @ more than 100,000 views each .
Here is our final video , “ C .
@ @ @ @ @ ” This is another documentary inspired by the book The Magician ’ s Twin .
@ @ @ @ @ the video and learn about the connection between Lewis and the late , renowned atheist @ @ @ @ @ a significant change of mind in the ending years of his life .
If you @ @ @ @ @ create more videos like this one , please consider becoming one of our “ movie @ @ @ @ @ our video production fund .

From June 16-30, we are holding an Intelligent Design YouTube Festival by highlighting 15 Center for Science & Culture YouTube videos that have received more than 100,000 views each. Here is our final video, “C. S. Lewis and Intelligent Design.”
This is another documentary inspired by the book The Magician’s Twin. Watch to the end of the video and learn about the connection between Lewis and the late, renowned atheist Antony Flew, who had a significant change of mind in the ending years of his life.
If you’d like us to create more videos like this one, please consider becoming one of our “movie producers” by donating to our video production fund.