Reasons to Believe Podcast

Join Jeff Zweerink and Josh Swamidass as they discuss new discoveries taking place at the frontiers of science that have theological and philosophical implications, including the reality of God’s existence.   AI Abilities Emerging or Not? One concern regarding the development of artificial intelligence (AI) relates to the emergence of unpredictable features that arise as the systems grow in scale. Researchers consider an “emergent ability” as something that the AI has routinely failed to accomplish but suddenly performs well as the system grows in size (either from hardware or software growth). A number of papers claiming emergent abilities populate scientific literature. However, a recent study shows that these “emergent” abilities often reflect poorly designed measurement metrics or insufficient statistics. Better metrics and statistics remove the indicators of emergence. In this episode, computational biologist and physician Josh Swamidass and astrophysicist Jeff Zweerink discuss the details surrounding this issue and offer some insights from a Christian perspective.     PODCAST LINK:   Are Emergent Abilities of Large Language Models a Mirage?   YOUTUBE LINK:   Rylan Schaeffer, Brando Miranda, and Sanmi Koyejo, “Are Emergent Abilities of Large Language Models a Mirage?,” https://arxiv.org/abs/2304.15004

Join Fazale “Fuz” Rana and Hugh Ross as they discuss new discoveries taking place at the frontiers of science that have theological and philosophical implications, including the reality of God’s existence.   Growing Human Organs in Pigs In the fall of 2023, a team of researchers from China published the results of a proof-of-principle study that demonstrated for the first time that it’s possible to grow humanized kidneys in a fetal pig. This work provides the means to study the process of organogenesis that may also alleviate the shortage of organs available for human transplant procedures. However, this research raises all sorts of questions that could be summarized with a single question: “Should we play God?”   In this episode, biochemist Fuz Rana describes the work of the Chinese researchers and offers a Christian perspective on the creation of human-animal chimeras. Mitigating Air Pollution Air pollution level in India’s capital territory of Delhi is more than 25 times greater than the maximum human tolerable level set by the World Health Organization (WHO). This pollution is called PM2.5 (inhalable particles with diameters of 2.5 micrometers or less) and is almost entirely composed of black carbon soot, mineral dust, sulfates, nitrates, ammonia, and sodium chloride. Scientists at WHO have determined that the average Indian living in Delhi would live 11.9 years longer if the PM2.5 level there were reduced to WHO’s maximum limit. Nearly all of India’s PM2.5 air pollution comes from the burning of coal, wood, biomass, diesel, gasoline, and oil, in that order. Replacing these fuel sources with natural gas would eliminate all of India’s PM2.5 except for the small contribution from road and construction dust. This replacement would also immediately reduce carbon greenhouse gas emissions by nearly half.         PODCAST LINKS:   Generation of a Humanized Mesonephros in Pigs from Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells via Embryo Complementation   Additional Resources:   A Theology for Synthetic Biology, Part 1   A Theology for Synthetic Biology, Part 2   YOUTUBE LINKS:   Jiaowei Wang et al., “Generation of a Humanized Mesonephros in Pigs from Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells via Embryo Complementation,” https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37683604/   Additional Resources:   Fazale Rana, “A Theology for Synthetic Biology, Part 1,” https://reasons.org/explore/publications/articles/a-theology-for-synthetic-biology-part-1-of-2   Fazale Rana, “A Theology for Synthetic Biology, Part 2,” https://reasons.org/explore/publications/articles/a-theology-for-synthetic-biology-part-2-of-2   PODCAST LINKS:   Air Quality Life Index 2023: Annual Update (August 2023) Air Quality Life Index, India Fact Sheet (2023) The Relationship between Fine Particle Matter (PM2.5) Exposure and Upper Respiratory Tract Diseases   YOUTUBE LINKS:   Michael Greenstone and Christa Hasenkopf, Air Quality Life Index 2023: Annual Update (August 2023),https://aqli.epic.uchicago.edu/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/AQLI_2023_Report-Global.pdf Air Quality Life Index, India Fact Sheet (2023), https://aqli.epic.uchicago.edu/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/India-FactSheet-2023_Final.pdf Łukasz Zaręba et al., “The Relationship between Fine Particle Matter (PM2.5) Exposure and Upper Respiratory Tract Diseases,” https://www.mdpi.com/2075-4426/14/1/98

Join Fazale “Fuz” Rana and Jeff Zweerink as they discuss new discoveries taking place at the frontiers of science that have theological and philosophical implications, including the reality of God’s existence.   CRISPR Update In December of 2023, the FDA approved two revolutionary new treatments for the blood disorders sickle cell anemia and ß-thalassemia, both based on gene-editing technology. This approval represents an important milestone for gene therapy and the treatment of thousands of genetic disorders. It also serves as a stepping stone for human enhancements and adds to the legitimacy of transhumanism.   In this episode, biochemist Fuz Rana describes these new gene therapies and discusses the ethical issues connected to them. He also offers a Christian response to the prospects of human enhancements and transhumanism.   Two Noteworthy AI Finds As the field of artificial intelligence (AI) advances, research continues to show both the promise and peril of using AI. For example, most AIs work well within a single domain (e.g., classifying signs, responding to language, playing a game). Recent work in game play resulted in an AI capable of mastering multiple games that in the past required different approaches. However, the AI (called Student of Games) mastered multiple different games using a single algorithm. This development represents a significant step (the promise) on the journey to make an artificial general intelligence. Yet, other research demonstrates that a wide variety of AIs are highly vulnerable to malicious attacks. Specifically, the algorithms AIs use to recognize images are easily exploited and manipulated (the peril).  In this episode, astrophysicist Jeff Zweerink explains the breakthrough and why a Christian perspective is needed when considering such advances.       PODCAST LINKS:   FDA Approves First CRISPR Editing Treatment for Sickle Cell Disease   Sickle Cell CRISPR ‘Cure’ Is the Start of a Revolution in Medicine   Additional Resources: Fazale Rana, Humans 2.0   PODCAST LINKS:   Student of Games: A Unified Learning Algorithm for Both Perfect and Imperfect Information Games   AI Networks Are More Vulnerable to Malicious Attacks Than Previously Thought   QuadAttack: A Quadratic Programming Approach to Ordered Top-K Attacks

In this special episode, we replay a recorded conversation between prominent astronomer Dr. David Block (professor emeritus of mathematics and astronomy at the University of Witwatersrand and the director of RTB Africa) and world-renowned astronomer Giovanni Fazio (senior physicist at the Center for Astrophysics-Harvard & Smithsonian and a lecturer in the department of astronomy at Harvard University). This wide-ranging conversation between two friends includes their collaboration studying the Andromeda galaxy, their perspectives on God’s handiwork in creation, and Dr. Fazio’s groundbreaking contributions to infrared astronomy.                               References:   PODCAST LINK:   Professor David Block’s YouTube Channel   YOUTUBE LINKS:   Professor David Block’s YouTube channel https://www.youtube.com/@professordavidblock5038

Join Jeff Zweerink and Steve Baertschi, president of Baertschi Consulting, as they discuss new discoveries taking place at the frontiers of science that have theological and philosophical implications, including the reality of God’s existence.   Perils of Space Travel Although science fiction makes space travel seem almost inevitable, current research demonstrates numerous challenges to humans residing in space for long periods of time. Along with the well-known detrimental effects on muscle mass and density, research shows that prolonged periods in space expose the human body to far more radiation than encountered here on Earth. That radiation dramatically decreases our bodies’ capacity to fight off cancer and to keep past viral exposure in check. Additionally, radiation impacts the function of our gastrointestinal system and its ability to absorb nutrients and oral medications. These results highlight Earth’s amazing capacity to host a diverse and abundant array of life. Drug Stability for Mars Mission Drug stability is a function of the storage environment. Shelf-lives of 2–3 years (from refrigerated to room temperature storage) are common. NASA is planning for a roundtrip mission to Mars, expected to last 2–3 years. Little is known about the stability of drugs in deep space (outside of Earth’s protective magnetosphere). Limited studies of drugs on the International Space Station raise significant questions that have identified critical parameters: microgravity, vibration, humidity, ionizing radiation, carbon dioxide levels, and repackaging. Can we ensure a safe, stable drug formulatory that will meet all of the health needs for a round-trip journey to Mars in the deep space environment?   References:   PODCAST LINKS:   Space Radiation Triggers Persistent Stress Response, Increases Senescent Signaling, and Decreases Cell Migration in Mouse Intestine   NK Cell Function Is Impaired during Long-Duration Spaceflight   Negative Effects of Long-Duration Spaceflight on Paraspinal Muscle Morphology YOUTUBE LINKS:   Santosh Kumar et al., “Space Radiation Triggers Persistent Stress Response, Increases Senescent Signaling, and Decreases Cell Migration in Mouse Intestine,” https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1807522115   Austin B. Bigley et al. “NK Cell Function Is Impaired during Long-Duration Spaceflight,” https://doi.org/10.1152/japplphysiol.00761.2018   Katelyn Burkhart et al., “Negative Effects of Long-Duration Spaceflight on Paraspinal Muscle Morphology,” https://doi.org/10.1097/brs.0000000000002959

In this special episode, Fazale “Fuz” Rana and Sy Garte discuss Garte’s new book, Science and Faith in Harmony. Garte’s approach to science and faith inspires a sense of wonder. He demonstrates the many ways that science—the study of God’s spoken word—harmonizes with Scripture—God’s written word—in profoundly beautiful and meaningful ways.   References: PODCAST LINKS: The Works of His Hands: A Scientist’s Journey from Atheism to Faith Science and Faith in Harmony: Contemplations on a Distilled Doxology Sy Garte   YOUTUBE LINKS: Sy Garte, The Works of His Hands: A Scientist’s Journey from Atheism to Faith, https://a.co/d/iFzvash Sy Garte, Science and Faith in Harmony: Contemplations on a Distilled Doxology, https://a.co/d/7W2jnKw Sy Garte, https://sygarte.com

Join Hugh Ross and Jeff Zweerink as they discuss new discoveries taking place at the frontiers of science that have theological and philosophical implications, including the reality of God’s existence. Crust Thickness and Life A team of five geophysicists demonstrated that the level of oxides in basalt primary melts are a good proxy for the thickness of Earth’s crust. They then supervised a machine-learning algorithm to analyze global geodatabases (e.g., EarthChem and GEOROC) of basalts to determine the variation of the thickness of Earth’s crust spanning the past 3.8 billion years. Their analysis revealed five features of Earth’s crust that led to supercontinent cycles and plate tectonics that are highly fine-tuned for complex life on Earth. Antimatter Feels Gravity When Einstein first published his general theory of relativity, scientists did not even know about antimatter—which was discovered almost 15 years later. Since then, scientists have speculated about how antimatter behaves in gravitational fields. Most think that it behaves just like normal matter. However, gravity’s weakness compared to electromagnetic forces has prevented any direct test to see if antimatter falls like normal matter. Recently, the ALPHA collaboration was able to isolate enough atoms of antihydrogen (antimatter counterpart of hydrogen) to demonstrate that the atoms behave like normal hydrogen atoms in a gravitational field. This result demonstrates two things. First, it provides even more evidence for the constancy of the laws of physics. Second, it shows that scientists are willing, able, and driven to test fundamental parts of theories rather than simply accept them without data. LINKS & RESOURCES - PLAYLIST – https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLUwTeBAi_JFG-J6mqU3em0LV7pFUiq9wp&si=uiWkZdNWit1syzgn Crust Thickness and Life Zhen-Jie Zhang et al., “Lithospheric Thickness Records Tectonic Evolution by Controlling Metamorphic Conditions,” https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/sciadv.adi2134 Meng Guo and Jun Korenaga, “Argon Constraints on the Early Growth of Felsic Continental Crust,” https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/sciadv.aaz6234 Antimatter Feels Gravity E. K. Anderson et al., “Observation of the Effect of Gravity on the Motion of Antimatter,” https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-023-06527-1

Join Fazale Rana and Hugh Ross as they discuss new discoveries taking place at the frontiers of science that have theological and philosophical implications, including the reality of God’s existence. Chimp Tactical Behavior Researchers from the Tai Chimpanzee Project operating out of the Ivory Coast recently reported that chimpanzees make use of high ground to gain tactical information about rival groups. This is the first time that this human-like behavior has been observed in other animals. According to these researchers this behavior requires advanced cognitive skills and provides insight into humanity’s evolutionary origins. What do these observations say about human uniqueness and human exceptionalism? Do human beings only differ in degree, not kind, from the Great Apes? In this episode, biochemist Fuz Rana discusses this impressive study and engages these challenging questions. New Big Bang Test Astronomers used the SIBELIUS DARK computer simulation to test the predictions of the standard LCDM big bang creation model and standard galaxy formation theory. Based on these predictions, SIBELIUS DARK successfully reproduced the spatial distributions of galaxies in the Laniakea supergalaxy cluster. It agreed with the observed excess of giant elliptical galaxies along the supergalactic plane. The simulation also revealed—contrary to previous studies—new confirmation that large disk and elliptical galaxy formation fits key predictions of the LCDM big bang model.  Links & Resources PLAYLIST –  Stars, Cells, and God   Sylvain R. T. Lemoine et al., “Chimpanzees Make Tactical Use of High Elevation in Territorial Contexts,” https://journals.plos.org/plosbiology/article?id=10.1371/journal.pbio.3002350 Till Sawala et al., “Distinct Distributions of Elliptical and Disk Galaxies across the Local Supercluster as a LCDM Prediction,” https://www.nature.com/articles/s41550-023-02130-6 Additional Resource Fazale Rana, “Should Chimpanzee Behavior Challenge Human Exceptionalism?,” https://reasons.org/explore/blogs/the-cells-design/should-chimpanzee-behavior-challenge-human-exceptionalism

Join Hugh Ross and Jeff Zweerink as they discuss new discoveries taking place at the frontiers of science that have theological and philosophical implications, including the reality of God’s existence.   Too Many Early Galaxies The James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) has revealed about ten times as many galaxies within the cosmos’s first 420 million years as what some big bang creation models predict. Astronomers are searching for an explanation for this overabundance of early galaxies. Possible scenarios include a high number of supernova events during the universe’s first 420 million years. Different big bang models predict different average star masses and different star formation rates during the universe’s first half billion years. It will take at least another year of JWST observations to determine which of these big bang creation models correctly describes very early and later epochs of cosmic history.       Resources: Pointlike Sources among z > 11 Galaxy Candidates: Contaminants Due to Supernovae at High Redshifts?   AI Easily Fooled Powerful large language models (like ChatGPT) have demonstrated remarkable abilities to provide solutions to problems that require complex reasoning. Yet researchers want to discern the level of understanding by the AIs (artificial intelligence), just as a teacher wants to know how well a student comprehends a correct answer they provided. A recent study shows that despite generating good answers, AIs have very little understanding of the issues involved. Specifically, when confronted with challenges that involved absurdly wrong facts (like 8 x 7 = 14), the AIs will disavow the previous answer and apologize for being mistaken. This research demonstrates that, while AIs accomplish impressive tasks, they do not demonstrate some essential features of “intelligence.”   Resources: Can ChatGPT Defend Its Belief in Truth? Evaluating LLM Reasoning via Debate

Ken discusses the background and influence of his early apologetics books | Help us to reveal God in science by supporting Reasons to Believe at: support.reasons.org?source=OLPDCSTAP

Join Fazale Rana and Jeff Zweerink as they discuss new discoveries taking place at the frontiers of science that have theological and philosophical implications, including the reality of God’s existence.   Origin of Composite Genes A team of investigators from the University of Nottingham in the UK has demonstrated that composite genes make up about 5 percent of the gene groups in animal genomes. When viewed from an evolutionary framework, these composite genes don’t appear to have accrued gradually in animal genomes but instead arose in bursts at times that correlate with evolutionary innovation. As it turns out, about 40 percent of composite genes appear to have had multiple independent evolutionary origins.   In this episode, biochemist Fazale Rana discusses this remarkable study and explores what this new insight means for evolutionary and creation models.   RESOURCES:  Bursts of Novel Composite Gene Families at Major Nodes in Animal Evolution Additional Resource: Fazale Rana, What If . . . ? Convergence Strengthens the Case for Creation?     Infinities and Absurdities The topic of infinity fascinates people and provides for interesting discussions regarding the nature of creation. Often, when discussing infinity, one will hear the claim that actual infinities don’t exist because they lead to absurdities. In this episode, astrophysicist Jeff Zweerink provides some background to this assertion and then makes a counter claim that we could apply the same logic to the notion of zero. However, since few rational people would argue that actual zeroes don’t exist, Jeff contends that we cannot use some popular arguments about infinities to claim that actual infinities don’t exist.   RESOURCES:  Infinity

In this episode, biochemist Fazale Rana is joined by Brazilian lawyer and philosopher Tassos Lycurgo to discuss how the laws of logic point to the necessary existence of God. In this freewheeling conversation, they also discuss the relationship between mathematics and God and explore other philosophical arguments for God’s existence.

Join Fazale “Fuz” Rana and Hugh Ross as they discuss new discoveries taking place at the frontiers of science that have theological and philosophical implications, including the reality of God’s existence.   Soft Tissues in Fossils A research team from the University College Cork (UCC), Ireland, published two separate reports in which they present evidence for melanin pigments and keratin filaments in fossilized feathers. The researchers developed models for the chemical alterations of melanin and keratin during fossilization. Using these models, they identified degradation products in fossilized feathers that age-date 120 to 130 million years old. Young-earth creationists cite the recovery of soft tissue materials in fossils as evidence that Earth is only 6,000 years old, and the fossil record is the result of a global deluge. They argue that it’s impossible for biological materials to survive for millions of years and, therefore, the fossils must be thousands of years old. In this episode, biochemist Fuz Rana describes the UCC researchers’ work and explains how certain biological materials can endure in fossils for tens of millions of years, negating the claims of young-earth creationists.   Resources: Taphonomic Experiments Reveal Authentic Molecular Signals for Fossil Melanins and Verify Preservation of Phaeomelanin in Fossils Preservation of Cornelius B-Proteins in Mesozoic Feathers   Additional Resource: Fazale Rana, Dinosaur Blood and the Age of the Earth   Evidence for the Planet Theia The only plausible explanation for the origin of the Moon is that a collision between two rocky planets, Theia and the proto-Earth, occurred when the solar system was about 90 million years old. However, direct evidence for the existence of Theia has been elusive. Now, simulations performed by 12 astrophysicists (combined with seismic measurements) show that two large regions, thousands of kilometers across, deep in Earth’s mantle are denser than the surrounding mantle. Therefore, these regions must be the remains of Theia’s iron-rich mantle that sank and settled above Earth’s core, where it deposited an extraordinary high density and exceptional abundance of the heaviest elements.       Resources: Moon-Forming Impactor as a Source of Earth’s Basal Mantle Anomalies

Join Fazale Rana and Jeff Zweerink as they discuss new discoveries taking place at the frontiers of science that have theological and philosophical implications, including the reality of God’s existence.   Free Will: An Illusion? The prominent neuroscientist Robert Sapolsky has created a stir with the recent publication of his book Determined. Based on a wide range of findings from neuroscience and genetics, Sapolsky argues that free will is an illusion. All of our decisions are predetermined by influences beyond our control.   In this episode, biochemist Fazale Rana discusses the radical and far-ranging implications of Sapolsky’s dangerous idea, before presenting the scientific evidence, demonstrating that free will really exists.    Rana concludes by offering a model for free will based on the Christian worldview.   References: Determined: A Science of Life without Free Will

Join Hugh Ross and Jeff Zweerink as they discuss new discoveries taking place at the frontiers of science that have theological and philosophical implications, including the reality of God’s existence.   Cosmic Explosion Risk Astronomers have discovered yet another risk to advanced life in the universe—extremely luminous, fast-cooling transients. The most likely explanation for this newly discovered cosmic exploder is a tidal encounter between a star and a stellar-mass black hole or a star and an intermediate-mass black hole. It will take further observations to determine the precise risk of these events to advanced life in the universe. Initially, however, it appears that Earth resides in a galaxy, galaxy group, and galaxy cluster where such events should either be nonexistent or extremely rare.   RESOURCES: AT 2022aedm and a New Class of Luminous, Fast-Cooling Transients in Elliptical Galaxies   Dust Drives Dinosaur Demise Overwhelming evidence points to dramatic extinction events in Earth’s history where most of the life died out. One of the most well-known extinction events occurred 66 million years ago (the boundary between the Cretaceous and Paleogene periods) and marked the end of the non-avian dinosaurs on Earth. Although the evidence pointing to the extinction is strong, scientists still seek to understand what caused the mass death. New evidence points to a specific size of dust particle that caused photosynthesis to shut down for almost two years after the impact of a miles-wide asteroid hitting Earth. This new research provides insight into Earth’s history as well as the processes God used to prepare Earth for humanity.   RESOURCES: The Dust That May Have Killed the Dinosaurs Chicxulub Impact Winter Sustained by Fine Silicate Dust

Join Fazale “Fuz” Rana and Jeff Zweerink as they discuss ground-breaking scientific discoveries that have theological and philosophical implications, including for the evidence of God’s existence.   Pig Organs in Humans Recently, research teams from NYU Langone Health, the University of Alabama, Birmingham, and the University of Maryland independently achieved milestones by transplanting kidneys and hearts from genetically engineered pigs into brain-dead patients and terminally ill patients otherwise ineligible for transplants.  Xenotransplantation holds the promise to ease the demand for organ transplants but raises a host of ethical questions.  In this episode, biochemist Fuz Rana discusses the technical challenges that xenotransplantation must overcome before it can move into the clinical setting. He also describes some of the ethical challenges associated with xenotransplants.  Once these challenges are overcome, the questions remain: What should the Christian perspective be on xenotransplantation? Should we “play God”?   References: Results of Two Cases of Pig-to-Human Kidney Xenotransplantation First Clinical-Grade Porcine Kidney Xenotransplant Using a Human Decedent Model Developing Pig-to-Human Organ Transplants Additional Resources: Pig Organs May One Day Save Human Lives by Fazale Rana (article) Advance Holds Potential to Resolve Cloning’s Ethical Challenges by Fazale Rana (article) A Theology for Synthetic Biology, Part 1 by Fazale Rana (article) A Theology for Synthetic Biology, Part 2 by Fazale Rana (article)   Will AI Do Science? Researchers currently utilize AI (artificial intelligence) to diagnose early-stage Alzheimer’s, analyze vast databases to discover protein-folding classes (and new protein folds), and determine whether a sample is biotic or abiotic in origin. The AI in the last example also differentiated between recent biotic and fossilized biotic samples. As AI development progresses, one wonders whether it will be able to do science rather than just assist scientists. Fuz and Jeff explore this question in light of recent advances.     References: Can the AI Driving ChatGPT Help to Detect Early Signs of Alzheimer’s Disease? Artificial Intelligence Tools Shed Light on Millions of Proteins Did Life Exist on Mars? Other Planets? With AI’s Help, We May Know Soon

Join Hugh Ross and Jeff Zweerink as they discuss new discoveries taking place at the frontiers of science that have theological and philosophical implications, including the reality of God’s existence.   JWST Galaxies Explained The James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) has revealed that early galaxies have much brighter ultraviolet luminosities than many big bang creation models predicted. Do such data challenge the creation view? Further research suggests not. Using a computer simulation, astronomers have found that the standard big bang creation models can still accommodate the new data from JWST. Their conclusions remain consistent with the findings reported in the Stars, Cells, and God episode #79 on the “Source of Heavy Elements”, aired on November 29, 2023.   RESOURCES: Bursty Star Formation Naturally Explains the Abundance of Bright Galaxies at Cosmic Dawn Dilution of Chemical Enrichment in Galaxies 600 Myr after the Big Bang   AI Sees Differently than Us As AIs (artificial intelligence) mimic more and more human behavior, the question continues to arise of whether AI is truly intelligent or not. One way to assess the data is to understand whether the AI does things differently than a human. In the arena of image and audio recognition, AIs have advanced tremendously, but there are some noticeable discrepancies between AI and human categorization. Research into one type of discrepancy shows that humans and AIs really do see the world differently—and those differences highlight important defining features of humanity.   RESOURCES: Model Metamers Reveal Divergent Invariances between Biological and Artificial Neural Networks

Join Fazale “Fuz” Rana and Hugh Ross as they discuss new discoveries taking place at the frontiers of science that have theological and philosophical implications, including the reality of God’s existence.   Neanderthal Flower Burial Nixed Were Neanderthals like us? The answer to this question has profound implications for our understanding of human origins, and for the RTB creation model. Some anthropologists argue that Neanderthals engaged in ritualistic burials reflecting the capacities for symbolism and religion—features that define modern humans. One of the most important pieces of evidence for ritualistic burials among Neanderthals comes from the Shanidar Cave in northern Iraq. One of the layers harboring Neanderthal remains and artifacts includes a partial adult skeleton that was unearthed in what appears to be a grave. The skeleton had a clump of pollen grains from flowering plants on top of it. Some anthropologists believe that this find indicates Neanderthals buried their dead with flowers—possible evidence for ritualistic burial practices.   However, researchers from Liverpool John Moores University have reexamined the pollen recovered from Shanidar and reach a very different conclusion.   In this episode, biochemist Fuz Rana discusses this latest insight into Neanderthal burials and its impact on the RTB human origins model.   References: Shanidar et ses fleurs? Reflections on the Palynology of the Neanderthal “Flower Burial” Hypothesis Who Was Adam? A Creation Model Approach to the Origin of Humanity Did Neanderthals Bury Their Dead with Flowers? https://reasons.org/explore/publications/articles/did-neanderthals-bury-their-dead-with-flowers   Source of Heavy MetalsA team of 13 astronomers used the James Webb Space Telescope to measure the chemical abundances of galaxies that formed just 600 million years after the big bang creation event. They found that these galaxies are much poorer in heavy elements than what astronomers had previously thought. This underabundance makes Earth’s endowment of the heavy elements essential for advanced life and civilization all the more remarkable, and it provides yet more evidence for the super-intelligent, supernatural design of the solar system—and Earth in particular—that makes the existence of humans and human civilization possible.    References: Dilution of Chemical Enrichment in Galaxies 600 Myr after the Big Bang

How original sin best explains the human condition

Join Fazale “Fuz” Rana and Hugh Ross as they discuss new discoveries taking place at the frontiers of science that have theological and philosophical implications, including the reality of God’s existence.   Sixth Mass Extinction Where have all the animals gone? Collaborators from Mexico and the US provide added evidence that we are entering a sixth mass extinction—triggered by human damage to the environment. The impact of the loss of species and the collapse of ecosystems could be much more devastating to humanity than climate change. How should Christians respond to the sixth mass extinction?  In this episode, biochemist Fuz Rana discusses the latest insights into large-scale species loss, explores the biblical basis for Christian environmentalism, and makes the case that the Christian story provides explanatory power for the extent of the damage that humans are causing to ecosystems around the world.   RESOURCES: Mutilation of the Tree of Life Via Mass Extinction of Animal Genera Additional Resources: A Christian Perspective on the Sixth Mass Extinction Did Humans Cause the Global Extinctions of Mammals?   M-Dwarf Habitability? NASA asserts that the most promising candidates for habitability are planets orbiting M-dwarf stars. M-dwarfs are less than half the Sun’s mass, less than 1/15 the Sun’s luminosity, and comprise 70% of all stars. The only remaining hope for finding a habitable exoplanet is to discover one identical to Earth. So far, the most Earth-like known planet beyond Earth is Venus.   RESOURCES: Terminator Habitability: The Case for Limited Water Availability on M-Dwarf Planets Planetary Population Synthesis and the Emergence of Four Classes of Planetary System Architectures High-Contrast Imaging around a 2 Myr-Old Cl Tau with a Close-In Gas Giant Carbon Dioxide Outgassing Constrains the Habitability of Rocky Planets After Their Host M Dwarf’s Pre-Main Sequence Phase

A prominent atheist philosopher says original sin is the faith's strongest argument

Join astrophysicist Jeff Zweerink and special guest Christian apologist and lawyer Abdu Murray (president and founder of Embrace the Truth Ministry) as they discuss new discoveries taking place at the frontiers of science that have theological and philosophical implications, including the reality of God’s existence.   Musings on AI Artificial intelligence (AI) has already penetrated many areas of our daily life. While AI can bring some benefits, we often don’t understand the long-term effects of AI use. In this episode, Jeff Zweerink and Abdu Murray explore some of the consequences that might ensue as we utilize AI in the legal profession. Of particular interest is the way AI will impact our relationships, not just in legal matters, but in everyday life as well.   References: Can the AI Driving ChatGPT Help to Detect Early Signs of Alzheimer's Disease? Did Life Exist on Mars? Other Planets? With AI’s Help, We May Know Soon

Abdu Murray discusses how to reach Muslims with the truth of the gospel

Join Hugh Ross and Jeff Zweerink as they discuss new discoveries taking place at the frontiers of science that have theological and philosophical implications, including the reality of God’s existence.   Life on K2-18b? Two months ago the Internet blew up with articles and blogs announcing that astronomers had discovered molecules in the atmosphere of exoplanet K2-18b that only living organisms can produce. Those biosignature molecules were dimethyl sulfide and chloromethane. While there is no doubt that methane was detected in K2-18b’s atmosphere and carbon dioxide likely detected, the detections of dimethyl sulfide and chloromethane were marginal at best. Furthermore, astronomers have detected chloromethane in a comet and an interstellar cloud where it is well established that life and life chemistry is impossible, and they found abiotic pathways for the production of dimethyl sulfide. The Internet articles overlooked the physical characteristics of K2-18b and its host star that categorically rule out any possibility of physical life on the planet.   References: Carbon-Bearing Molecules in a Possible Hycean Atmosphere   Structure and Dynamics of Cold Water Super-Earths: The Case of Occluded CH4 and Its Outgassing   Galaxy Formation Models The James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) has provided numerous images and results that challenge our current models of galaxy formation. Some astronomers have even used this discrepancy to argue against big bang cosmology. A recent paper provides strong evidence for the formation of spiral-type galaxies forming within the first billion years of the universe (where most models predict much longer formation times). We discuss the importance of this data and the implications for how galaxy formation models will change—particularly becoming more complex. Additionally, we expect that this complexity will reveal even more evidence for design in the universe than is now known.   Reference: The JWST Hubble Sequence: The Rest-Frame Optical Evolution of Galaxy Structure at 1.5 <z <6.5

Jeff Zweerink discusses the need for Christians to guide the development of AI

Join biochemist Fazale “Fuz” Rana and special guest, Christian apologist Abdu Murray, president and founder of Embrace the Truth Ministry, as they address how Christianity and Islam—two of the world’s three great monotheistic religions—engage with science.   Christianity, Islam, and Science In this special episode, Fuz Rana and Abdu Murray address these questions, and more.   Which religion has a worldview that provides the justification for science? Which religion can legitimately lay claim to the scientific evidence for God’s existence? Which religious text displays scientific accuracy? How can science be used to build a bridge between Christianity and Islam? Visiting Scholar, Abdu MurrayAbdu Murray holds a bachelor’s in psychology from the University of Michigan and a JD from the University of Michigan Law School. He is cofounder and president of Embrace the Truth, a ministry dedicated to offering the truth of the Christian gospel to Muslims. More on Abdu Murray: https://reasons.org/team/abdu-murrayWebsite: https://embracethetruth.orgYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/AbduMurrayOfficialFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/abdumurrayInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/abdumurray12/Twitter: https://twitter.com/abdumurray

Strengths and weaknesses of the major eschatological views

Join Fazale “Fuz” Rana and Hugh Ross as they discuss new discoveries taking place at the frontiers of science that have theological and philosophical implications, including the reality of God’s existence.   Biochemical Maxwell Demons Maxwell’s demon is a thought experiment designed to illustrate the second law of thermodynamics. In this imaginary scenario, a demon operates a massless door separating two boxes filled with gas molecules. The demon opens and shuts the door to allow certain gas molecules to pass from one box to the other. Eventually one box contains high temperature molecules and the other, low temperature molecules—violating the second law of thermodynamics. Physicists have discovered why Maxwell’s demon doesn’t violate the second law by describing the demon’s activity with information theory. Recently, a team of biophysicists from Switzerland demonstrated that a special class of transport proteins found in cell membranes behave as literal Maxwell’s demons, making these proteins sophisticated computational devices. In this episode, biochemist Fuz Rana discusses this work and demonstrates why this discovery evinces a Creator’s role in the origin and design of life.   References: ABC Transporters Are Billion-Year-Old Maxwell Demons Additional Resources: The Cell’s Design Biochemical Finite-State Machines Point to an Infinite Creator   First Australians Some scientists have long held that thermoluminescence dating of circular engravings in the Jinmium rock shelter proved that modern humans had colonized Australia 75,000–58,000 years ago. Carbon-14 measurements of charcoal samples found in the same layer as the engravings showed that this date was too old by a factor of 20 times. Other carbon-14 measurements on modern human remains and artifacts found in 26 other archaeological sites in Australia and New Guinea establish that anatomically modern humans first colonized Sahul (an ice age continent consisting of Australia, New Guinea, and Tasmania) 47,000–40,000 years ago and that evidence for an earlier arrival by modern humans is very weak. This newly established date for the first colonization of Sahul is consistent with the date of 44,000–40,000 years ago for the arrival of the first humans in Europe. These dates provide support for the biblical claim that there was a rapid, near simultaneous, widespread dispersal of humans from one region some time after Noah’s Flood.     References: Early Human Occupation of Northern Australia: Archaeology and Thermoluminescence Dating of Jinmium Rock-Shelter, Northern Territory Optical and Radiocarbon Dating at Jinmium Rock Shelter in Northern Australia The Process, Biotic Impact, and Global Implications of the Human Colonization of Sahul about 47,000 Years Ago A Genomic History of Aboriginal Australia The Earliest Evidence for Anatomically Modern Humans in Northwestern Europe A 41,500 Year-Old Decorated Ivory Pendant from Stajnia Cave (Poland)

Three points to consider in end times eschatology

Join Fazale “Fuz” Rana and Jeff Zweerink as they discuss new discoveries taking place at the frontiers of science that have theological and philosophical implications, including the reality of God’s existence.   Hominin Burials? Were modern humans the first to bury their dead deliberately and ritualistically? Or did hominins that preceded them in life’s history also deliberately inter their dead? These questions bear on the concept of human exceptionalism and, for Christians, the scientific case for the image of God in modern humans.   In this episode, biochemist and Christian apologist Fuz Rana discusses recent work by a research team of collaborators from the US, Spain, Italy, and South Africa that relies on the use of machine learning algorithms to analyze hominin burials.   What did they discover? How do their insights impact the case for human exceptionalism?   REFERENCES: Hominin Skeletal Part Abundances and Claims of Deliberate Disposal of Corpses in the Middle Pleistocene   Additional Resources: Rabbit Burrowing Churns Claims about Neanderthal Burials Does Homo naledi Undermine the Case for Human Exceptionalism?   Viscous Fine-Tuning For decades, physicists have recognized that the fundamental constants of our universe (speed of light, fine structure constant, proton-to-electron mass ratio, etc.) appear finely tuned to make the environment suitable for life to exist. Typically, that fine-tuning has arisen in the context of making atomic nuclei or stars or planets. A recent paper shows how the fine-tuning of the fundamental constants applies even to the life-essential processes at work inside the cell.   REFERENCES: Constraints on Fundamental Physical Constants from Bio-Friendly Viscosity and Diffusion

Applying intellectual virtues to conspiracy theories

Questions to ask when considering conspiracies

Why conspiracies theories are popular

How to ground truth in reality

Join Hugh Ross and Jeff Zweerink as they discuss new discoveries taking place at the frontiers of science that have theological and philosophical implications, including the reality of God’s existence.   Sun’s Birth Cluster The quantity of aluminum-26 in primitive meteorites indicates that a nearby core-collapse supernova event occurred during the first 100,000 years of the solar system’s existence. For this to be possible, the solar system’s birth cluster must have contained 2,000–20,000 stars. Additionally, the solar system must have formed in a huge, dense molecular cloud where multiple filaments join to form hubs (the only possible sites where stars with enough mass to become core-collapse supernovae can form) and where dense single filaments stream out from the hubs. Only if the solar system forms in a dense single filament at the just-right distance from a hub will it be enriched with the measured quantity of aluminum-26 without having its system of planets being so disrupted as to rule out the possibility of life. Furthermore, for advanced life to be possible in the solar system, the solar system must be ejected from its birth cluster at the just-right time to a location just inside the Milky Way Galaxy’s co-rotation distance.   References: Insights on the Sun Birth Environment in the Context of Star Cluster Formation in Hub-Filament Systems Number of Stars in the Sun’s Birth Cluster Revisited   More Gravitational Waves Recently, four different collaborations announced the potential detection of gravitational waves from monitoring the timing of pulsars. If confirmed, this would be the second type of gravitational wave detected, the first being the few-km-long wave found by the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory (LIGO) and similar instruments. These new waves have wavelengths closer to the distances between stars and most likely originate from mergers of supermassive black holes. We will discuss the detection techniques for these new waves as well as the apologetic implications.   References: Giant Gravitational Waves: Why Scientists Are So Excited Monster Gravitational Waves Spotted for First Time

Join Fazale “Fuz” Rana and Jeff Zweerink as they discuss new discoveries taking place at the frontiers of science that have theological and philosophical implications, including the reality of God’s existence.   Earliest Rope Making When did humans first begin deploying fiber technology?   This question is important because fiber technology makes composite technology possible, such as textiles, ropes, baskets, nets, weapons, housing, and boats. It also reflects the capacity for advanced cognition.   An international team from the Philippines, France, and Germany recently published evidence that humans in the Philippines possessed fiber technology around 40,000 years ago. In this episode, biochemist Fuz Rana discusses the scientific and theological implications of this discovery.   What does this advance mean for RTB’s creation model for human origins and the scientific case for the image of God?   Rana will also discuss the ramifications of this discovery for recent claims that Neanderthals invented fiber technology.   References: The Invisible Plant Technology of Prehistoric Southeast Asia: Indirect Evidence for Basket and Rope Making at Tabon Cave, Philippines, 39–33,000 Years Ago Direct Evidence of Neanderthal Fibre Technology and Its Cognitive and Behavioral Implications Additional Resource: Did Neanderthals Invent String?   Gullies on Mars Observations of Mars reveal formations that strongly point to the presence of liquid water. While astronomers know that Mars had liquid water in the distant past, these features occasionally make the news cycle as indicating the presence of liquid water more recently. A new study of Martian gullies shows that the water needed for formation indicates a highly disruptive environment for life. These results further highlight Earth’s remarkable ability to host life.   References: Gullies on Mars Could Have Formed by Melting of Water Ice during Periods of High Obliquity

Join biochemist Fazale “Fuz” Rana and astronomer David Block as they discuss new discoveries taking place at the frontiers of science that have theological and philosophical implications, including the reality of God’s existence.   Purpose in Cosmology and Biology Is the fine-tuning of the universe limited to the constants of physics or does it manifest in other areas of science such as chemistry, biochemistry, and biology? In this episode, David and Fuz describe and discuss the anthropic principle and its theological implications. They also discuss the idea of process structuralism, an evolutionary model that maintains that physical forces—not natural selection—shaped the history of life. How does this view of the evolutionary process intersect with the anthropic principle? And how do these two ideas provide evidence for design and purpose in the universe and life? References: The Creator and the Cosmos Fit for a Purpose

Join Jeff Zweerink and Eric Hedin as they discuss new discoveries taking place at the frontiers of science that have theological and philosophical implications, including the reality of God’s existence.   God and Information Theory In this episode, we discuss how living things exhibit a high degree of information­—far beyond what can be explained by natural causes. The physics underlying information theory shows us that natural forces will degrade the information content of a closed system over time. Since the origin and progressive complexity of life manifests a dramatic increase in information, we conclude that the existence of living things is consistent only with intelligent design—as ascribed in the Bible to the creative work of God.   References: Is Life an Information Ratchet? Information and Life’s Origin—A Retrospective View Physics, Information Loss, and Intelligent Design

Join Fazale “Fuz” Rana and Hugh Ross as they discuss new discoveries taking place at the frontiers of science that have theological and philosophical implications, including the reality of God’s existence.   Designer Proteins Recently, a research team from the University of Washington achieved a milestone in nanotechnology when they used computational methods to design proteins from the ground up shaped into structures that resemble axles and rotors. In turn, they assembled these components into rudimentary protein machines. This proof-of-principle work sets the stage for scientists and technologists to design other machine parts that can be used to fabricate even more sophisticated protein machines.   In this episode, biochemist Fuz Rana discusses this exciting work and explores how it can be marshalled as evidence for a Creator’s role in the origin and design of life.   Resources: Computational Design of Mechanically Coupled Axle-Rotor Protein Assemblies   Additional Resources: The Cell’s Design: How Chemistry Reveals the Creator’s Artistry Molecular Scale Robotics Build Case for Design   Cosmic Time Dilation Time dilation provides direct evidence for the biblically implied big bang creation model. A cornerstone of big bang cosmology is that the universe expands from an infinitesimally small spacetime volume. In such a universe distant galaxies and quasars will be moving away from Earth at high velocities. According to special relativity, clocks moving at high velocities relative to Earth will show time extended by a factor of 1 divided by the square root of (1 – v2/c2), where “v” is the velocity at which the clock is moving and “c” is the velocity of light. Astronomers have observed the cosmic time dilation predicted by the big bang in the light curves of type Ia supernova in galaxies 4–9 billion years away. However, until now, they have not seen it in the very distant universe where the time dilation effect would be 10–60 times greater. Now, a two-decade study of the variability of quasars more distant than 12.8 billion light-years has spectacularly affirmed the expected cosmic time dilation. Thus, it affirms the Bible’s accuracy in anticipating future scientific discoveries and helps establish the doctrine of biblical inerrancy.     Resources: On Time Dilation in Quasar Light Curves   Additional Resources: What Does the Bible Say about the Big Bang? A Matter of Days: Resolving a Creation Controversy, 2nd edition, 166–169

Join astrophysicist Jeff Zweerink and philosopher Brian Huffling as they discuss new discoveries taking place at the frontiers of science that have theological and philosophical implications, including the reality of God’s existence.   Local vs. Real In our macroscopic world, things behave in a “classical” way that seems obvious to us. A ball has a definite position and speed at any given time. Additionally, it exists whether anyone sees it or not, and the only things that influence the ball’s motion are close enough to not violate the light travel time. However, when we delve into quantum mechanics, these obvious truths no longer apply, which leads to an important question: What is the true nature of our physical world? We will discuss one recent paper that provides some insight into this question.   References: A Strict Experimental Test of Macroscopic Realism in a Superconducting Flux Qubit   God and Abstract Things Does red exist? What does it mean to be circular? Is murder wrong? Many people see these questions as obvious, but the questions deal with abstract concepts that philosophers have discussed for ages. Although most people think that there’s an objective nature to these concepts, grounding that objectivity is not a trivial task. Even from a Christian standpoint, how we ground the idea that murder is wrong can lead to troubling implications—if done incorrectly. We’ll discuss how these abstract concepts relate to God and how to use them to point to God. References: God and Other Necessary Beings

Join Fazale “Fuz” Rana and Jeff Zweerink as they discuss new discoveries taking place at the frontiers of science that have theological and philosophical implications, including the reality of God’s existence.   Neanderthal Engravings An international team of collaborators recently discovered “engravings” on the walls of the La Roche-Cotard cave system (in the Loire Valley of central France) that date to be older than 57,000 years. These engravings appear to reflect the intentional activities of Neanderthals, suggesting that these hominins displayed the capacity for symbolic expression—just like modern humans. This discovery raises several questions:   Can we no longer consider modern humans as truly exceptional? Were Neanderthals just like us? How do we make sense of this discovery from a Christian perspective? Is there any scientific evidence for the image of God?   In this episode, biochemist Fuz Rana discusses this important discovery and addresses these questions and more.   Resources: The Earliest Unambiguous Neanderthal Engravings on Cave Walls: La Roche-Cotard, Loire Valley, France   Additional Resources: Further Review Overturns Neanderthal Art Claim Did Neanderthals Have the Brains to Make Art? Timing of Neanderthals’ Disappearance Makes Art Claims Unlikely Do Neanderthal Cave Structures Challenge Human Exceptionalism?   Capturing CO2 With the growing concern over global climate change, scientists are thinking deeply about how to reduce the amount of carbon dioxide (CO2) in the atmosphere. Many of these ideas focus on reducing the amount of CO2 produced, but they also address ways to remove CO2 and store it.   In this episode, we discuss some of the removal techniques while considering the technical and philosophical hurdles researchers face.   Resources: Carbon Dioxide Removal Is Suddenly Obtaining Credibility and Support

Ken explains the Christian view of truth and why it matters

Join Fazale “Fuz” Rana and Hugh Ross as they discuss new discoveries taking place at the frontiers of science that have theological and philosophical implications, including the reality of God’s existence.   Synthetic Embryos A research team from the Chinese Academy of Sciences recently reported on the first-ever production of synthetic embryos from monkey embryonic stem cells. This work follows on the heels of other research that demonstrates how (1) synthetic embryos can be produced from human embryonic stem cells, and (2) synthetic mice embryos made from embryonic stem cells can develop in a bioreactor beyond the earliest stage to display the beginning of organ formation.   In this episode, biochemist Fuz Rana addresses questions such as:   What is a synthetic embryo? Why are scientists interested in creating synthetic embryos? What are the most salient ethical issues to consider with this work? What should the Christian response be to the production of synthetic embryos?   References: Cynomolgus Monkey Embryo Model Captures Gastrulation and Early Pregnancy Additional Resources: A Theology for Synthetic Biology, Part 1 A Theology for Synthetic Biology, Part 2   Alien Spacecraft? Dozens of news stories have come out claiming that the US government has admitted to possessing physical evidence of alien spacecraft. Since we claimed in our book, Lights in the Sky & Little Green Men, that no such evidence exists, we have been asked to respond to these new claims. There are a few reasons we stand by the claims we made two decades ago. First, the US government and military security are not capable of hiding such physical evidence from the public for several decades. Second, no one has ever produced a single physical artifact from an alien craft. The third, and most definitive reason, is that physical spacecraft larger than 10 centimeters across cannot traverse interstellar space. The required travel velocities and the laws of physics guarantee that such spacecraft would be destroyed long before they reach Earth. In this episode, we’ll expound on these and give examples that support our reasoning.   References: Lights in the Sky & Little Green Men: A Rational Christian Look at UFOs and Extraterrestrials

Hugh Ross discusses Dave Rogstad's pivotal role in RTB's founding and their long-time friendship

Join Fazale “Fuz” Rana and Hugh Ross as they discuss new discoveries taking place at the frontiers of science that have theological and philosophical implications, including the reality of God’s existence.   Human-Neanderthal Hybrids Is it true that modern humans and Neanderthals interbred? If interbreeding took place, what does that mean for the credibility of the biblical account of human origins? Are humans truly exceptional? Are we really made in God’s image? Would any children resulting from interbreeding events have had a soul? Would they have borne the image of God?   In this episode, biochemist Fuz Rana takes on these questions and discusses a recent study done by investigators from Spain who explored regions of the human genome completely devoid of any Neanderthal genetic material. Rana explains how insights from this research help address challenging questions about human-Neanderthal interbreeding and the offspring they might have produced, from a creation model perspective.   References: A Brain Region-Specific Expression Profile for Genes within Large Introgression Deserts and under Positive Selection in Homo sapiens Additional Resources: Answering Scientific Questions on Human-Neanderthal Interbreeding, Part 1 Answering Scientific Questions on Human-Neanderthal Interbreeding, Part 2   Universe’s First Stars Big bang creation models all predict that the universe’s first stars will be entirely composed of hydrogen, helium, and a trace amount of lithium. The biggest of these first stars form, burn up all their nuclear fuel, and explode the ashes of their nuclear burning into interstellar phase long before the smaller of the first stars even have a chance to form. Hence, the smaller first-formed stars will be polluted by the ashes of the biggest first-formed stars. Because of how rapidly the biggest first stars form, burn, and explode, they can only be seen at distances equal to 13.6 billion years. Not even the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) is powerful enough to detect stars at that distance. However, astronomers used the JWST to detect a strong helium line emission in the halo of a big, bright galaxy—GN-z11—13.35 billion light-years away. No elements heavier than helium were detected in GN-z11’s halo. Something made the helium in the halo of GN-z11 very hot without any metals present. The only possible candidates are stars composed only of hydrogen, helium, and lithium weighing in at 100–500 times the Sun’s mass. Hence, a key prediction of the biblically predicted big bang model has been affirmed.   References: Roberto Maiolino et al., “JWST-JADES: Possible Population III Signatures at z = 10.6 in the Halo of GN-z11 Additional Resources: What Does the Bible Say about the Big Bang?

Guest Brian Huffling discusses Thomism and divine simplicity

Join Fazale “Fuz” Rana and Jeff Zweerink as they discuss new discoveries taking place at the frontiers of science, discoveries that have theological and philosophical implications, including the reality of God’s existence.   Homo naledi Art? A team of paleoanthropologists made a splash when they announced that the enigmatic hominin, Homo naledi (who lived about 330,000 to 250,000 years ago), buried its dead, made art, and mastered fire. These claims are shocking because H. naledi had a brain size comparable to a chimpanzee. Most paleoanthropologists have long held the view that a large brain size was necessary for advanced cognition. If these claims stand, they will upend the prevailing thinking about what makes us human and undermine the notion of human exceptionalism, an idea closely linked to the biblical view that human beings uniquely bear God’s image.   In this episode, biochemist Fuz Rana, author of Who Was Adam?, will discuss these claims and their impact on RTB’s creation model for humanity’s origin and the biblical view of human nature and identity.   References:  241,000 to 335,000 Years Old Rock Engravings Made by Homo naledi in the Rising Star Cave System, South Africa Evidence for Deliberate Burial of the Dead by Homo naledi Burials and Engravings in a Small-Brained Hominin, Homo naledi, from the Late Pleistocene: Contexts and Evolutionary Implications Additional Resources: Who Was Adam? A Creation Model Approach to the Origin of Humanity Cave Art Tells the Story of Human Exceptionalism Further Review Overturns Neanderthal Art Claim Rabbit Burrowing Churns Claims about Neanderthal Burials   Sandgrouse Feathers Normally, bird feathers work to repel water so birds stay dry. However, the Namaqua sandgrouse has feathers that capture and retain water. This feature plays a vital role in allowing the sandgrouse to transport water from distant sources (up to 30km) with high efficiency to provide hydration for their chicks. Detailed microscopic studies of the feathers reveal the remarkable characteristics that enable this critical—and bizarre—function for the sandgrouse. Jeff Zweerink explains how these studies add to an impressive body of research showing how the designs of animal bodies often exceed the best human designs.   References:  Structure and Mechanics of Water-Holding Feathers of Namaqua Sandgrouse (Pterocles namaqua)

Defining doubt and considering evidence for Jesus's resurrection

Join Hugh Ross and Jeff Zweerink as they discuss new discoveries taking place at the frontiers of science—discoveries that have theological and philosophical implications, including the reality of God’s existence.   Saving Radio Astronomy The last unspoiled refuge for radio astronomy is the Moon’s far side—the most “radio quiet” place in the solar system. There, researchers hope to place four 3-meter antennae to measure the “cosmic dawn,” the radio signal from the universe’s first stars that will reveal the characteristics of those stars and evidence for the big bang. However, international lunar exploration could generate so much noise as to eliminate radio astronomy’s last unspoiled refuge. In this episode, Hugh discusses how radio astronomers hope to protect this frontier.    References:  Are Telescopes on the Moon Doomed before They’ve Even Been Built?   Dating Bible Battles Archaeologists have discovered many sites where battles described in the Bible occurred, but determining the dates has been difficult. Recent advances in measuring magnetic field strengths provide a new dating tool. During the tenth to sixth century BCE, Earth’s magnetic field experienced fluctuations much larger than seen today. Many of the battles during this time involved burning opponents’ cities to the ground, and these fires often heated mud bricks and pottery pieces to temperatures hot enough that the pieces recorded the magnetic field and direction at the time. Scientists have used these magnetic field measurements in artifacts to validate the historicity of many battles recorded in Scripture. Listen to find out how.   References:  Reconstructing Biblical Military Campaigns Using Geomagnetic Field Data Earth’s Magnetic Field Supports Biblical Stories of Destruction of Ancient Cities

It's OK to harbor doubts about the faith

Join Fazale “Fuz” Rana and Hugh Ross as they discuss new discoveries taking place at the frontiers of science—discoveries that have theological and philosophical implications, including the reality of God’s existence.   Lab Meat Futurists think that lab meat will soon be commercially available as an ethical and environmentally friendly alternative to meat produced from animal stocks. However, a research team from UC Davis has challenged the environmental friendliness of lab meat by arguing that the effects of making such meat from current technology are much worse for the environment than meat produced through agricultural means. In this episode, biochemist Fuz Rana discusses the pros and cons of lab meat and offers a Christian perspective on this emerging biotechnology.   References: Environmental Impacts of Cultured Meat: A Cradle-to-Gate Life Cycle Assessment Additional Resources: A Theology for Synthetic Biology, Part 1 A Theology for Synthetic Biology, Part 2   Photosynthetic Zone Four astronomers have demonstrated the necessity of the photosynthetic habitable zone for any planet thought to be a candidate for advanced life. They explain why the range of distances from a host star for a planet to conceivably harbor photosynthetic life must be narrower than the range of distances where a planet could conceivably possess surface liquid water. The team concludes that the parameter space for signs of life is far narrower than the standard HZ (liquid water habitable zone). In this episode, Hugh explains that it takes a lot of design for photosynthetic life to exist on a planet.   References: A New Definition of Exoplanet Habitability: Introducing the Photosynthetic Habitable Zone

Human exceptionalism in light of the image of God

Join Hugh Ross and Jeff Zweerink as they discuss new discoveries taking place at the frontiers of science, discoveries that have theological and philosophical implications, including the reality of God’s existence.   AI-Human Collaboration Artificial intelligence (AI) can analyze enormous diverse databases at lightning speeds. But unlike humans, AI can’t reason, produce new databases, or make sense of things it hasn’t seen before. Only humans can determine what’s interesting and worth pursuing and what isn’t. Recognizing these distinctives, a team at Lam Research Corporation conducted experiments to determine how best to manage collaboration between AI and humans to optimize the development of computer chips with target characteristics. The Lam team found that AI works best when human experts operate as “data dieticians,” controlling the amounts, kinds, and timing of data being fed into AI systems.  References: Human-Machine Collaboration for Improving Semiconductor Process Development   New Hubble Constant Measurement The strongest evidence supporting big bang models comes from measurements of the universe’s expansion. Although scientists have compelling evidence for expansion from Cepheid variables and Type 1a supernovae, as well as the cosmic microwave background radiation, astronomers continue to search for data that will confirm or falsify current understanding. Recently, scientists applied a new technique to measure the Hubble constant (which is a simple way to quantify the universe’s expansion) and found results consistent with the best measurements from other techniques. These results add to the already substantial evidence that we live in a big bang universe. References: Gravitationally Lensed Supernova Yields Novel Hubble Constant Result

Do humans differ from animals only in degree?

Join Hugh Ross and Steve Mittwede as they discuss new discoveries taking place at the frontiers of science that have theological and philosophical implications, including the reality of God’s existence.   Deep Time Informing Care of the Earth? What are the various views of Earth’s natural history? And how does our view tend to drive our interpretation of Earth’s processes and systems? As an interpretive framework, how does a grasp of deep time affect our outlook on the world and its future? And should our understanding of deep time inform how we take care of the planet and its resources?    References: Recommended Resources: Timefulness: How Thinking Like a Geologist Can Help Save the World How the Concept of Deep Time is Changing God’s Planet Rocks of Ages: Science and Religion in the Fullness of Life Deep Time Reckoning: How Future Thinking Can Help Earth Now Why Geology Matters: Decoding the Past, Anticipating the Future Creation Care: A Biblical Theology of the Natural World

How to demonstrate Jesus's divinity from Scripture and early creeds

Join Fazale “Fuz” Rana and Hugh Ross as they discuss new discoveries taking place at the frontiers of science that have theological and philosophical implications, including the reality of God’s existence.   Why ATP? Biochemists have long wondered why ATP (adenosine triphosphate) was “selected” as the cell’s energy currency. It has several special properties that make it well-suited for its biochemical role. Recently, a research team from University College London offered an explanation. They argue that ATP assumed the role of the universal energy currency due to how easily it forms under prebiotic conditions. ATP selectively forms under plausible prebiotic conditions because of an unusual and just-right chemical reaction.   In this episode, biochemist Fuz Rana and astrophysicist Hugh Ross discuss how (1) ATP’s role as the cell’s energy currency, (2) insights about its suitability for its role, and (3) the prebiotic formation all work together to demonstrate that a Creator played a role in the origin and design of life.   References: A Prebiotic Basis for ATP as the Universal Energy Currency Additional Resources: Fit for a Purpose: Does the Anthropic Principle Include Biochemistry?   Trim the Fries The fastest rising health crises of the twenty-first century are anxiety and depression, which now rank as the two most prevalent mental health disorders. A decade ago, scientists discovered a causal link between anxiety and depression and the consumption of sugar, refined grains, fried and processed foods, and beer. Now, a research team led by Anli Wang, in a population-based study of 141,000 UK adults over an 11.3-year period, has identified fried foods and especially fried potatoes as the leading dietary cause of anxiety, depression, and other mental disorders. They showed that fried foods produce acrylamide. This chemical not only induces anxiety and depression, studies show it also disrupts cholesterol and glucose metabolism and produces learning and memory disorders.    References: High Fried Food Consumption Impacts Anxiety and Depression Due to Lipid Metabolism Disturbance and Neuroinflammation

Earliest church creeds affirm the divinity of Jesus

What the Trinity is and what it isn't

How historical confessions explained the Trinity

Ken discusses what Scripture teaches on the Holy Spirit's work

Scripture shows that the Holy Spirit is a divine person

Ken discusses what Scripture teaches on the Holy Spirit's work.

Scripture shows that the Holy Spirit is a divine person.

Join Fazale “Fuz” Rana and Sy Garte as they discuss new discoveries taking place at the frontiers of science that have theological and philosophical implications, including the reality of God’s existence.   LUCA’s Complexity A research team from the US and the UK discovered that LUCA (the last universal common ancestor) was perhaps more complex than contemporary bacteria and archaea. They used an approach based on physiological features instead of the gene set encoded in LUCA’s DNA.    In the abstract of their paper, the researchers write:  “Our results depict LUCA as likely to be a far more complex cell than has previously been proposed, challenging the evolutionary model of increased complexity through time in prokaryotes. Given current estimates for the emergence of LUCA we suggest that early life very rapidly evolved considerable cellular complexity.”    In this episode, Fuz and Sy explore the far-reaching scientific implications of this work, which challenges the mainstream perspective about the mode and tempo for the origin and early evolution of life. They also discuss this work’s implications for the design argument and its confirmation of a key prediction of RTB’s origin of life model.    References: Phenotypic Reconstruction of the Last Universal Common Ancestor Reveals a Complex Cell Additional Resources: Origins of Life by Fazale Rana and Hugh Ross (book) The Cell’s Design by Fazale Rana (book)   What’s Missing in Evolutionary Theory? While the biological theory of evolution has been successful and made major progress since Darwin’s day, there remain fundamental gaps in the theory that have yet to be addressed. These include (1) a mathematical expression in the form of an evolutionary law that isn’t tautological or merely descriptive; (2) a more precise definition of fitness; and (3) investigations into the origins of consciousness, human behavior, and other higher functions that appear to be due to things beyond selection of genetic variants. Further explanations of these, as well as of thresholds and discontinuities during evolution, might require the inclusion of paradigms such as teleology and agency in biological science, with theological implications.   References: Continuity, Simplification, and Paradigm Shifting in Biological Evolution

How to think about being a Christian and a citizen.

Join Hugh Ross and Jeff Zweerink as they discuss new discoveries taking place at the frontiers of science that have theological and philosophical implications, including the reality of God’s existence.   Mars’s Core Problem A seismometer on the surface of Mars has detected sound waves revealing that Mars’s core has a low density. This feature implies that a fifth of Mars’s core is composed of sulfur, oxygen, carbon, and hydrogen. These light elements make up just 5% of Earth’s core. The different size, density, and structure of Mars’s core compared to Earth’s explains why Mars has lacked a magnetosphere for the past 4 billion years. This research adds yet another habitability requirement for the possible existence of advanced life: the planet’s core must be exquisitely fine-tuned.    References: First Observations of Core-Transiting Seismic Phases on Mars   Life and the Multiverse A great body of evidence points to the improbable nature of life’s existence in the universe, which many people take as evidence of fine-tuning for our existence. However, some scientists have argued that our improbable nature provides evidence that a multiverse exists. In this episode, I’ll discuss why our existence looks improbable as well as how people come to the two seemingly opposing conclusions. I’ll conclude by presenting some recent arguments for why our improbable nature does not provide evidence of a multiverse.   References: Our Improbable Existence Is No Evidence for a Multiverse

Dr. Gary Habermas discusses evidence for the shroud.

Join Hugh Ross and Jeff Zweerink as they discuss new discoveries taking place at the frontiers of science that have theological and philosophical implications, including the reality of God’s existence.   Lunar Catastrophes The Moon is exquisitely fine-tuned in various ways that are essential for advanced life to exist on Earth’s surface. However, astronomers have determined that the Moon will reverse its outward migration from Earth and crash into our planet about 40 billion years from now. Astronomer Bradley Hansen recently demonstrated that for the majority of planet-moon systems capable of sustaining life, the moon will collide with the planet long before conditions on that planet permit the existence of advanced life. Hansen has discovered yet another habitability requirement: a large dynamically stable moon orbiting a large rocky planet. References: Consequences of Dynamically Unstable Moons in Extrasolar Systems   Peering Deep Inside Cells Scientists continue to develop tools to investigate the detailed workings inside the cell. In one recent example researchers tracked the motion of individual molecules that transport resources around the cell. Advances over past attempts now demonstrate the step-by-step movements of motor protein kinesin-1 as it moves through the cell, and data gives hints that the molecule might be twisting as it traverses the intracell highways. These advances not only show the incredible design within the cell but continue to add to the overwhelming evidence that humans are truly exceptional among all the animals on Earth.   References: Superresolution Microscopy Tracks a Walking Biomolecule Direct Observation of Motor Protein Stepping in Living Cells Using MINFLUX MINFLUX Dissects the Unimpeded Walking of Kinesin-1

Here's Ken's recommended reading list for great books.

Join Jeff Zweerink and computer scientist Dustin Morley as they discuss new discoveries taking place at the frontiers of science that have theological and philosophical implications, including the reality of God’s existence.   AI with an Off-Switch? As we contemplate what a world with true AI (general or super, rather than narrow, artificial intelligence) looks like, the question of how we interact with AI inevitably arises. Specifically, what do we do when AI pursues a path that is harmful to humanity? One scenario put forth is to install an off switch that we control, but would the AI leave the off switch enabled? One study showed that programming uncertainty into the AI about its objective may provide incentives for the AI to leave the off switch functional. However, that uncertainty diminishes the AI’s effectiveness in obtaining its purpose. We discuss some of the apologetic implications of this study.   References: The Off-Switch Game   Self-Supervised Learning Recent major breakthroughs in public-facing artificial intelligence (AI) such as OpenAI's ChatGPT and Tesla's self-driving software have achieved success in part due to complex, multi-component deep learning model architectures where each of the components can be trained or fine-tuned while leaving the other components fixed—effectively decoupling different steps or subtasks from each other. A new paper (still in preprint) has demonstrated significant success with self-supervised learning, pushing the envelope on this level of AI versatility even further. What does this mean for the near-term future of AI, and what implications does it have for the age-old comparison between AI and human intelligence?   References: Blockwise Self-Supervised Learning at Scale

Get more out of your reading by learning the four levels of reading.

How to read actively and with worldview in mind.

Join Jeff Zweerink and Joseph Bergeron as they discuss new discoveries taking place at the frontiers of science that have theological and philosophical implications, including the reality of God’s existence.   The Man Behind the Shroud The Shroud of Turin remains one of the most hotly debated artifacts related to Jesus’s death, burial, and resurrection. Join us as medical specialist Joe Bergeron discusses what an analysis of the shroud’s image reveals about the man behind the shroud. The data provides abundant evidence supporting the accounts of Jesus’s crucifixion given in the Gospels.   References: The Shroud of Turin, Part 1: An Examination of the Man Additional Resources: Joseph Bergeron, Reasons to Believe

Ken addresses questions on differences between Judaism and Christianity.

Join Hugh Ross and Thomas Bieler as they discuss new discoveries taking place at the frontiers of science that have theological and philosophical implications, including the reality of God’s existence.   Cheaper Clean Energy Scientists define “clean energy” as electricity for sustaining human civilization and technology that is not derived from the burning of fossil fuels. It is clean in that no particulates or greenhouse gases are injected into the atmosphere. Remarkably, in just twelve years, solar power and battery-based power storage costs have fallen by a factor of eight times. In a few more years, clean energy production will be cheaper than burning fossil fuels to produce electricity. Therefore, economic incentives alone will be adequate to restore climate stability within the time constraints needed to avoid ecological and climatic calamities.   References: Energy Building New Renewables Is Cheaper than Burning Fossil Fuels   Can Atoms Think? What we think about atoms is intimately entwined with what we think about God, matter, energy, life, and chaos. Atoms are at the heart of the epic drama that underlies the tensions between theism, atheism, and science that simultaneously inform how we think about our culture, ourselves, our relationships with others, and our purpose in life.