Reasons to Believe
UFOs, UAPs & Government Secrets: What Christians Need to Know
updated
The words of 1 Peter 3:15–16 express my core values and ministry goal: “Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, keeping a clear conscience.”
-Hugh Ross
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In this talk, I’ll explain how trans- and extra-dimensions help address this and other paradoxical doctrines people encounter in Scripture and provide us with a powerful tool for establishing that the Bible alone is the inspired written Word of God.
Hugh Ross - reasons.org/team/hugh-ross
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Cellular Replication and Abiogenesis
Living cells are the only things we know of that replicate themselves with very high accuracy. Evolution requires such high replication fidelity to allow for natural selection to operate. Researcher Sy Garte used a statistical simulation model to determine how self-replication fidelity could evolve in early life. The model revealed a phase transition from nonliving chemical complexity to evolving living creatures. This illustrates the necessary noncontinuity of any process, including natural selection, that could lead to the origin of evolving life.
References:
Sy Garte, “Evidence for Phase Transitions in Replication Fidelity and Survival Probability at the Origin of Life,” sciendo.com/article/10.2478/biocosmos-2021-0002
Seymour Garte, “The Continuity Principle and the Evolution of Replication Fidelity,” sygarte.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/ABT-2020-1.pdf
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Fuz converted to Christianity during graduate school. Though he initially embraced the evolutionary paradigm, he eventually drew the conclusion that only a Creator’s involvement could explain the elegance of biochemical systems. After a pastor challenged him to read the Bible, Fuz became convinced of the validity of Christ’s claims and of his own need for a Savior.
Fuz earned a BS in chemistry with highest honors (West Virginia State College) and a PhD in chemistry with an emphasis in biochemistry (Ohio University) and completed postdoctoral work at the Universities of Virginia and Georgia.
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Sean Oesch Website: faithtoknowledge.com
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The words of 1 Peter 3:15–16 express my core values and ministry goal: “Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, keeping a clear conscience.”
-Hugh Ross
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Jeff Zweerink - reasons.org/team/jeff-zweerink
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Thinking about God as a Divine Artist moves me to my core. It causes me to fall more deeply in love with God. It draws me closer to him. It fills my heart with a deep desire to worship him.
In this talk, I make the biblical case that God is rightly understood as a Divine Artist and then explore the impact that this view of God has for how we understand life’s history. I conclude by exploring what this view of God teaches us about ourselves as human beings made in God’s image
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Fazale Rana - reasons.org/team/fazale-rana
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*Disclaimer: Audio quality and sound may be low for Hugh Ross' microphone*
Bison & Grass Diversity
A three-decade long field study in the Flint Hills ecoregion in Eastern Kansas shows that reintroducing bison to tallgrass prairie increased grassland species diversity by more than 100% compared to ungrazed areas and by more than 50% compared to areas grazed by domesticated cattle. In tallgrass prairie grazed by bison, researchers observed a continual increase in native plant species richness. Unlike domesticated cattle, bison engage in frequent wallowing, which increases habitat heterogeneity. Researchers noted that long-term, year-round grazing by bison resulted in plant communities that were resilient to the two-year severe drought that occurred from 2011–2012. The researchers concluded that “rewilding native megafauna could help to restore grassland biodiversity” worldwide.
Resources:
Zak Ratajczak et al., “Reintroducing Bison Results in Long-Running and Resilient Increases in Grassland Diversity,” doi:10.1073/pnas.2210433119
Animal Smarts & God’s Image
Animals are intelligent and display remarkable skills that reflect the ability to plan and problem solve. Some life scientists interpret this behavior as evidence that animal intelligence is closer to human intelligence than we might have initially thought. This claim seems to challenge the view that human beings are exceptional. According to Scripture, human beings stand apart from all other creatures because we bear God’s image. But if, in essence, human beings are no different from animals, it’s challenging to maintain that we are the crown of creation, as Scripture teaches. Yet, recent work by biologist Johan Lind from Stockholm University indicates that animals engage in behavior that resembles flexible planning through a different process: associative learning. In this episode, biochemist Fuz Rana explores the scientific and theological implications of Lind’s insight.
Resources:
Johan Lind, “What Can Associative Learning Do for Planning?,” doi:10.1098/rsos.180778
Stefano Ghirlanda, Johan Lind, and Magnus Enquist, “A-Learning: A New Formulation of Associative Learning Theory,” doi:10.3758/s13423-020-01749-0
Johan Lind and Vera Vinken, “Can Associative Learning be the General Process for Intelligent Behavior in Non-Human Animals?,” doi:10.1101/2021.12.15.472737
Additional Resources:
Fazale Rana, “Does Animal Planning Undermine the Image of God?,” reasons.org/explore/blogs/the-cells-design/does-animal-planning-undermine-the-image-of-god (blog)
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Fuz converted to Christianity during graduate school. Though he initially embraced the evolutionary paradigm, he eventually drew the conclusion that only a Creator’s involvement could explain the elegance of biochemical systems. After a pastor challenged him to read the Bible, Fuz became convinced of the validity of Christ’s claims and of his own need for a Savior.
Fuz earned a BS in chemistry with highest honors (West Virginia State College) and a PhD in chemistry with an emphasis in biochemistry (Ohio University) and completed postdoctoral work at the Universities of Virginia and Georgia.
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For more information on Sean Oesch visit: reasons.org/team/sean-oesch
Sean Oesch Website: faithtoknowledge.com
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– Dr. Hugh Ross
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Colossians 2:2–3 calls for the church to be “encouraged in heart and united in love, so that they may have the full riches of complete understanding, in order that they may know the mystery of God, namely, Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.” In this talk, I aim to remind us that the wisdom revealed and taught in the Hebrew texts finds its fulfillment in the person of Jesus Christ, God’s wisdom in person.
George Haraksin - reasons.org/team/george-haraksin
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Rebounding from an Ice Age
Earth has undergone approximately 25 ice age cycles over the last several million years, with 85 to 90% of that time spent in conditions much colder than the present warm period. Yet, every cold glacial period thus far has ended with a warm “interglacial” period similar to the present global climate. But why does this happen? What allows an Earth with a much higher percentage of ice and snow cover to recover from cold temperatures associated with the deep glacial periods of our recent past?
References:
G. H. Denton et al., “The Last Glacial Termination,” doi:10.1126/science.1184119
Lauren J. Gregoire, Paul J. Valdes, and Antony J. Payne, “The Relative Contribution of Orbital Forcing and Greenhouse Gases to the North American Deglaciation,” doi:10.1002/2015GL066005
V. Masson-Delmotte et al., “GRIP Deuterium Excess Reveals Rapid and Orbital-Scale Changes in Greenland Moisture Origin,” doi:10.1126/science.1108575
Didier Paillard, “The Timing of Pleistocene Glaciations from a Simple Multiple-State Climate Model,” doi:10.1038/34891
M. E. Raymo, “The Timing of Major Climate Terminations,” doi:10.1029/97PA01169
Gary Shaffer and Fabrice Lambert, “In and Out of Glacial Extremes by way of Dust-Climate Feedbacks,” doi:10.1073/pnas.1708174115
F. Vimeux et al., “Glacial-Interglacial Changes in Ocean Surface Conditions in the Southern Hemisphere,” doi:10.1038/18860
Additional Resources:
Javier Vinós, Climate of the Past, Present, and Future: A Scientific Debate, 2nd ed. (Madrid: Critical Science Press, 2022).
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Biochemist Fazale “Fuz” Rana is president, CEO, and senior scholar of Reasons to Believe (RTB), an organization dedicated to communicating the powerful scientific case for God’s existence and the Bible’s reliability to both Christians and non-Christians.
Fuz converted to Christianity during graduate school. Though he initially embraced the evolutionary paradigm, he eventually drew the conclusion that only a Creator’s involvement could explain the elegance of biochemical systems. After a pastor challenged him to read the Bible, Fuz became convinced of the validity of Christ’s claims and of his own need for a Savior.
Fuz earned a BS in chemistry with highest honors (West Virginia State College) and a PhD in chemistry with an emphasis in biochemistry (Ohio University) and completed postdoctoral work at the Universities of Virginia and Georgia.
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For more information on Sean Oesch visit: reasons.org/team/sean-oesch
Sean Oesch Website: faithtoknowledge.com
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The words of 1 Peter 3:15–16 express my core values and ministry goal: “Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, keeping a clear conscience.”
-Hugh Ross
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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.
Green Logging
Eleven environmentalists have developed new techniques for determining forest ecosystem health based on the energetics of plants, trees, birds, mammals, and insects living within tropical forests in Malaysian Borneo. They compared measurements from five old-growth, unlogged forests with those from four selectively logged forests and one palm oil plantation. These environmentalists found that wise selective logging of forests maximizes possible lumbering income while simultaneously optimizing the forest ecosystem and maximizing global warming mitigation.
References:
Yadvinder Malhi et al., “Logged Tropical Forests Have Amplified and Diverse Ecosystem Energetics,” doi.org/10.1038/s41586-022-05523-1.
Our Rare Galaxy
Our Milky Way galaxy is not unusual when it comes to size, but astronomers continue to find ways that it’s unlike the vast majority of other galaxies in the universe. The latest example relates to how large the Milky Way is when accounting for the unusually small velocity dispersion of galaxies in our local neighborhood. Simulations reveal that we have to look outside a box nearly 600 million light-years on a side to expect another galaxy matching the Milky Way’s size and velocity dispersion.
References:
M. A. Aragon-Calvo, Joseph Silk, and Mark Neyrinck, “The Unusual Milky Way–Local Sheet System: Implications for Spin Strength and Alignment,” doi.org/10.1093/mnrasl/slac161.
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Biochemist Fazale “Fuz” Rana is president, CEO, and senior scholar of Reasons to Believe (RTB), an organization dedicated to communicating the powerful scientific case for God’s existence and the Bible’s reliability to both Christians and non-Christians.
Fuz converted to Christianity during graduate school. Though he initially embraced the evolutionary paradigm, he eventually drew the conclusion that only a Creator’s involvement could explain the elegance of biochemical systems. After a pastor challenged him to read the Bible, Fuz became convinced of the validity of Christ’s claims and of his own need for a Savior.
Fuz earned a BS in chemistry with highest honors (West Virginia State College) and a PhD in chemistry with an emphasis in biochemistry (Ohio University) and completed postdoctoral work at the Universities of Virginia and Georgia.
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Leslie Wickman, PhD, is an internationally renowned research scientist, engineering consultant, author, and inspirational speaker.
Dr. Wickman was an engineer for Lockheed Missiles & Space Company for more than a decade, during which she worked on NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope and International Space Station Programs, receiving commendations from NASA for her contributions and being designated as Lockheed’s Corporate Astronaut.
For more information on Leslie Wickman visit: reasons.org/team/leslie-wickman
Leslie Wickman's website: starrynights.me
Leslie Wickman Instagram: instagram.com/leslie.wickman/?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y%3D
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The words of 1 Peter 3:15–16 express my core values and ministry goal: “Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, keeping a clear conscience.”
-Hugh Ross
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FREE E-BOOK: What Darwin Didn't Know--bit.ly/3YhwxTk
Viewing Darwinian evolutionism from a modern scientific perspective changes everything. In this e-book, you’ll learn the science Darwin didn’t know, and it will empower you for discussions about evolution with friends and skeptics
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Biochemist Fazale “Fuz” Rana is president, CEO, and senior scholar of Reasons to Believe (RTB), an organization dedicated to communicating the powerful scientific case for God’s existence and the Bible’s reliability to both Christians and non-Christians.
Fuz converted to Christianity during graduate school. Though he initially embraced the evolutionary paradigm, he eventually drew the conclusion that only a Creator’s involvement could explain the elegance of biochemical systems. After a pastor challenged him to read the Bible, Fuz became convinced of the validity of Christ’s claims and of his own need for a Savior.
Fuz earned a BS in chemistry with highest honors (West Virginia State College) and a PhD in chemistry with an emphasis in biochemistry (Ohio University) and completed postdoctoral work at the Universities of Virginia and Georgia.
Help us create even more empowering resources!
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Website: http://www.reasons.org
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.
Fifth Force and Creation
Some scientists have speculated that a possible fifth force of physics might provide a loophole permitting them to escape the theistic implications of cosmological and origin-of-life research findings. In that scenario stars would possess larger diameters and masses than a universe with only four physical forces. However, observations of stars and ongoing analysis of helioseismic measures put stringent limits on a speculative fifth force. These limits significantly strengthen the case for biblical creation models.
References:
Ippocratis D. Saltas and Jørgen Christensen-Dalsgaard, “Searching for Dark Energy with the Sun,” doi:10.1051/0004-6361/202244176
AI and Work and Value
Ongoing work in artificial intelligence (AI) repeatedly generates AI systems capable of doing things once thought only possible by humans. Starting with chess in the 1990s, AIs now outperform humans in many arenas—the latest examples include the games Stratego and Diplomacy, and even writing computer code. As AIs continue to encroach on humanity’s domain, we would be wise to consider the proper way to think about human value and the importance of work—two ideas that the Bible clearly addresses.
References:
Julien Perolat et al., “Mastering the Game of Stratego with Model-Free Multiagent Reinforcement Learning,” science.org/doi/10.1126/science.add4679
Yujia Li et al., “Competition-Level Code Generation with AlphaCode,” science.org/doi/10.1126/science.abq1158
Meta Fundamental AI Research Diplomacy Team et al., “Human-Level Play in the Game of Diplomacy by Combining Language Models with Strategic Reasoning,” science.org/doi/10.1126/science.ade9097
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Leslie Wickman, PhD, is an internationally renowned research scientist, engineering consultant, author, and inspirational speaker.
Dr. Wickman was an engineer for Lockheed Missiles & Space Company for more than a decade, during which she worked on NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope and International Space Station Programs, receiving commendations from NASA for her contributions and being designated as Lockheed’s Corporate Astronaut.
For more information on Leslie Wickman visit: reasons.org/team/leslie-wickman
Leslie Wickman's website: starrynights.me
Leslie Wickman Instagram: instagram.com/leslie.wickman/?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y%3D
Leslie Wickman Facebook: facebook.com/leslie.wickman
Leslie Wickman Twitter: twitter.com/LeslieWickman?s=20&t=j9su8HX7UC3sxMTrYNajbQ
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The words of 1 Peter 3:15–16 express my core values and ministry goal: “Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, keeping a clear conscience.”
-Hugh Ross
Help us create even more empowering resources!
Support Reasons to Believe at: support.reasons.org/donate-now?source=OLYOUTUBE
Follow RTB_Official for updates!
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Website: http://www.reasons.org
Join Hugh Ross and Fazale “Fuz” Rana 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.
Bioinspired Flying Robots
Drones the size of tiny flies could be sent en masse to inspect and diagnose hazardous sites, or fly through piles of rubble to find and determine the condition of trapped victims, or released from spacecraft to assist in exploration. By meticulously copying the designs in fruit flies and gnats, scientists used miniaturized, high-power density piezoelectric devices to develop the equivalent of flight muscles. They then copied the biological gyroscope in bees to make a gyroscope that weighs only 15 milligrams. These achievements show that copying God’s designs in his creatures enables us to build machines to help us fulfill our God-given mandate to manage Earth’s resources for our benefit and the benefit of all life.
References:
Sawyer Fuller, Zhitao Yu, and Yash P. Talwekar, “A Gyroscope-Free Visual-Inertial Flight Control and Wind Sensing System for 10-mg Robots,” doi:10.1126/scirobotics.abq8184
Leprosy & God’s Providence
Researchers have discovered that the mechanisms that M. leprae—the bacterium that causes leprosy—uses to spread within the human host are the same mechanisms that biomedical researchers may one day leverage to regenerate livers and, possibly, other organs. This discovery highlights God’s providential care for humanity.
References:
Samuel Hess et al., “In vivo Partial Reprogramming by Bacteria Promotes Adult Liver Organ Growth without Fibrosis and Tumorigenesis,” doi:10.1016/j.xcrm.2022.100820
Toshihiro Masaki et al., “Reprogramming Adult Schwann Cells to Stem Cell-Like Cells by Leprosy Bacilli Promotes Dissemination of Infection,” doi:10.1016/j.cell.2012.12.014
Additional Resources:
Fazale Rana, “Viruses and God’s Providence,” reasons.org/explore/publications/articles/viruses-and-gods-providence
Fazale Rana, “Viruses and God’s Providence Revisited,”
reasons.org/explore/publications/articles/viruses-and-gods-providence-revisited
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Leslie Wickman, PhD, is an internationally renowned research scientist, engineering consultant, author, and inspirational speaker.
Dr. Wickman was an engineer for Lockheed Missiles & Space Company for more than a decade, during which she worked on NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope and International Space Station Programs, receiving commendations from NASA for her contributions and being designated as Lockheed’s Corporate Astronaut.
For more information on Leslie Wickman visit: reasons.org/team/leslie-wickman
Leslie Wickman's website: starrynights.me
Leslie Wickman Instagram: instagram.com/leslie.wickman/?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y%3D
Leslie Wickman Facebook: facebook.com/leslie.wickman
Leslie Wickman Twitter: twitter.com/LeslieWickman?s=20&t=j9su8HX7UC3sxMTrYNajbQ
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The words of 1 Peter 3:15–16 express my core values and ministry goal: “Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, keeping a clear conscience.”
-Hugh Ross
Help us create even more empowering resources!
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The Design of ERVs
For many people, the shared ERV sequences in the human and great ape genomes evince common ancestry and an evolutionary origin for humanity. Yet, new discoveries about the physiological role of ERVs—such as their contribution to the innate immune system—makes possible another interpretation of ERVs in the human genome. In this episode biochemist Fuz Rana discusses the latest insight into ERV molecular biology, exemplified by the ERV-encoded protein supressyn, and explores the question: “Can a creation model explain the occurrence of ERV sequences in the human genome?”
Resources:
John A. Frank et al., “Evolution and Antiviral Activity of a Human Protein of Retroviral Origin,” doi:10.1126/science.abq7871
Fazale Rana, “Endogenous Retroviruses Help Fight Tumors” reasons.org/explore/blogs/the-cells-design/endogenous-retroviruses-help-fight-tumors
Fazale Rana, “Endogenous Retroviruses (ERVs) Protect Early-Stage Human Embryos” reasons.org/explore/blogs/the-cells-design/endogenous-retroviruses-ervs-protect-early-stage-human-embryos
AI, Optimism, and Long Life
In an era where AI developments show great potential and great peril, ongoing research indicates that optimism plays an important role in increased longevity and health. These results affirm a repeated refrain from Scripture that we are to rejoice, be content, and have hope in all situations. We will discuss the studies leading to this conclusion as well as make the important biblical connections.
Resources:
Fabio Urbina et al., “Dual Use of Artificial-Intelligence-Powered Drug Discovery,” nature.com/articles/s42256-022-00465-9
Hayami K. Koga et al., “Optimism, Lifestyle, and Longevity in a Racially Diverse Cohort of Women,” agsjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/jgs.17897
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Leslie Wickman, PhD, is an internationally renowned research scientist, engineering consultant, author, and inspirational speaker.
Dr. Wickman was an engineer for Lockheed Missiles & Space Company for more than a decade, during which she worked on NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope and International Space Station Programs, receiving commendations from NASA for her contributions and being designated as Lockheed’s Corporate Astronaut.
For more information on Leslie Wickman visit: reasons.org/team/leslie-wickman
Leslie Wickman's website: starrynights.me
Leslie Wickman Instagram: instagram.com/leslie.wickman/?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y%3D
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The words of 1 Peter 3:15–16 express my core values and ministry goal: “Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, keeping a clear conscience.”
-Hugh Ross
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In this special episode, biochemist Dr. Fazale “Fuz” Rana interviews biochemist Dr. Sy Garte. Both are Christians, yet, they have differing views about how God created life. Rana is an old-earth creationist and Garte is an evolutionary creationist. Garte shares his remarkable journey to faith and the two discuss different origin models and ways that the works of God’s hands can be seen in the biological realm. They also discuss a model for biological evolution called structuralism and make the case that this idea could bridge the gap between old-earth and evolutionary creationism.
References:
Sy Garte, The Works of His Hands, amazon.com/Works-His-Hands-Scientists-Journey/dp/0825446074/ref=sr_1_1?crid=2MPNGT9MITN5&keywords=The+Works+of+His+Hands+Garte&qid=1674856697&sprefix=the+works+of+his+hands+garte%2Caps%2C150&sr=8-1
Fazale Rana, Fit for a Purpose, support.reasons.org/purchase/fit-for-a-purpose
Additional Resources:
www.sygarte.com
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Leslie Wickman, PhD, is an internationally renowned research scientist, engineering consultant, author, and inspirational speaker.
Dr. Wickman was an engineer for Lockheed Missiles & Space Company for more than a decade, during which she worked on NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope and International Space Station Programs, receiving commendations from NASA for her contributions and being designated as Lockheed’s Corporate Astronaut.
For more information on Leslie Wickman visit: reasons.org/team/leslie-wickman
Leslie Wickman's website: starrynights.me
Leslie Wickman Instagram: instagram.com/leslie.wickman/?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y%3D
Leslie Wickman Facebook: facebook.com/leslie.wickman
Leslie Wickman Twitter: twitter.com/LeslieWickman?s=20&t=j9su8HX7UC3sxMTrYNajbQ
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The words of 1 Peter 3:15–16 express my core values and ministry goal: “Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, keeping a clear conscience.”
-Hugh Ross
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A recent nuclear fusion breakthrough at the National Ignition Facility brought this topic to mainstream news. While this breakthrough is a tremendous accomplishment, the news coverage has prompted many questions about the feasibility of someday using nuclear fusion as our primary power source. Hedin and Zweerink discuss the scientific background of the achievement and address the remaining hurdles to using nuclear fusion as a replacement for fossil fuels.
References:
physicstoday.scitation.org/do/10.1063/PT.6.2.20221213a/full
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Leslie Wickman, PhD, is an internationally renowned research scientist, engineering consultant, author, and inspirational speaker.
Dr. Wickman was an engineer for Lockheed Missiles & Space Company for more than a decade, during which she worked on NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope and International Space Station Programs, receiving commendations from NASA for her contributions and being designated as Lockheed’s Corporate Astronaut.
For more information on Leslie Wickman visit: reasons.org/team/leslie-wickman
Leslie Wickman's website: starrynights.me
Leslie Wickman Instagram: instagram.com/leslie.wickman/?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y%3D
Leslie Wickman Facebook: facebook.com/leslie.wickman
Leslie Wickman Twitter: twitter.com/LeslieWickman?s=20&t=j9su8HX7UC3sxMTrYNajbQ
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The words of 1 Peter 3:15–16 express my core values and ministry goal: “Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, keeping a clear conscience.”
-Hugh Ross
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Join Fazale “Fuz” Rana and David Block in a lively conversation about God’s artistry as witnessed in his creation in this special episode of Stars, Cells, and God.
Astronomer Dr. David Block and biochemist Dr. Fuz Rana make the case that God is an artist through a far-ranging conversation about the beautiful images coming from the James Webb Space Telescope and the remarkable design of biochemical systems—both of which highlight the beauty of creation. They also discuss the idea that our remarkable creativity as human beings only makes sense if we are made in the image of God to be co-creators.
Reference:
Fazale Rana, “The Argument from Beauty: Can Evolution Explain Our Aesthetic Sense?,” reasons.org/explore/blogs/the-cells-design/the-argument-from-beauty-can-evolution-explain-our-aesthetic-sense
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Dr. Wickman was an engineer for Lockheed Missiles & Space Company for more than a decade, during which she worked on NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope and International Space Station Programs, receiving commendations from NASA for her contributions and being designated as Lockheed’s Corporate Astronaut.
For more information on Leslie Wickman visit: reasons.org/team/leslie-wickman
Leslie Wickman's website: starrynights.me
Leslie Wickman Instagram: instagram.com/leslie.wickman/?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y%3D
Leslie Wickman Facebook: facebook.com/leslie.wickman
Leslie Wickman Twitter: twitter.com/LeslieWickman?s=20&t=j9su8HX7UC3sxMTrYNajbQ
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For more information on Sean Oesch visit: reasons.org/team/sean-oesch
Sean Oesch Website: faithtoknowledge.com
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Hubble’s Theft & Other Scientific Inaccuracies
The data showing the expansion of the universe is usually referred to as Hubble’s law. However, historical studies show that astronomer Edwin Hubble used others’ research without proper attribution in writing his paper on the subject in 1929. In 2018, the International Astronomical Union (IAU) officially voted to rename it the Hubble-Lemaître law since astronomer Georges Lemaître published a paper on the same subject in 1927, two years before Hubble. We will discuss the implications and apologetic value of this development as well as other common science/faith related misconceptions.
References:
Elizabeth Gibney, “Belgian Priest Recognized in Hubble-Law Name Change,” nature.com/articles/d41586-018-07234-y
IAU1812 Press Release, “IAU Members Vote to Recommend Renaming the Hubble Law as the Hubble-Lemaître Law,” iau.org/news/pressreleases/detail/iau1812
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The words of 1 Peter 3:15–16 express my core values and ministry goal: “Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, keeping a clear conscience.”
-Hugh Ross
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Join Hugh Ross and James Patterson, MD, 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.
Viruses Fuel the Carbon Cycle (Hugh Ross)
A recent study shows that DNA and RNA viruses in the oceans play a crucial role in the ocean carbon flux cycle. Additionally, they play significant roles in the sulfur, nitrogen, and deep ocean cycles. Viruses deposit huge amounts of carbon, sulfur, nitrogen, and oxygen on an ongoing basis onto the ocean floors. Once there, subducting plates move these elements into Earth’s mantle. Without this process, advanced life wouldn’t be possible. These huge deposits require that ocean viruses be extremely abundant and diverse and that they be specifically designed in a variety of ways so that advanced life can thrive.
References:
Guillermo Dominguez-Huerta et al., “Diversity and Ecological Footprint of Global Ocean RNA Viruses,” doi.org/10.1126/science.abn6358
Digital Health (James Patterson)
In a world that is now more connected than ever in a digital sense, it seems that humans are becoming more and more disconnected. We’ve all seen it—a room full of people, all staring at their smartphones. Why is that? Why are more people depressed and suicidal now than ever before? What can we do to promote healthy living in a digitally connected society?
References:
Glenn Geher, “The Dark Side of Civilization,” psychologytoday.com/us/blog/darwins-subterranean-world/202209/the-dark-side-civilization
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Hugh holds a degree in physics from the University of British Columbia and a PhD in astronomy from the University of Toronto. After five years on the Caltech faculty, he transitioned to full-time ministry and still serves on the pastoral team at Christ Church Sierra Madre. His writings include journal and magazine articles, hundreds of blogs, and numerous books—The Creator and the Cosmos, Why the Universe Is the Way It Is, Improbable Planet and Designed to the Core, among others. He has spoken on hundreds of university campuses as well as at conferences and churches around the world and participates in the weekly Stars, Cells, and God podcast.
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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.
Design of the Genetic Code (Fuz Rana)
The genetic code—the rules used to translate the information found in DNA into the information functionally expressed by proteins—displays optimization with respect to error minimization. New work by researchers from Japan indicates that the genetic code optimization exceeds 1 in 1020 randomly generated genetic codes, suggesting that the genetic code found in nature displays a greater degree of optimization than originally thought. This new insight supports the case that biochemical systems are the product of intentional design.
Resources:
Yuji Omachi, Nen Saito, and Chikara Furusawa, “Rare-Event Sampling Analysis Uncovers the Fitness Landscape of the Genetic Code,” arxiv.org/abs/2210.09666
Additional Resources:
Fazale Rana, Fit for a Purpose, support.reasons.org/category/featured-products/fit-for-a-purpose
Fazale Rana, The Cell’s Design, support.reasons.org/purchase/the-cells-design
Fazale Rana, “The Genetic Code: Optimized for Resource Conservation,” reasons.org/explore/blogs/the-cells-design/the-genetic-code-optimized-for-resource-conservation
Impacts and Tsunamis (Jeff Zweerink)
A massive asteroid strike in the Yucatan Peninsula is known to have caused one of the mass extinctions on Earth. A recent study investigated the tsunami that would result from such a collision and found waves of incredible heights would have washed across the Northern Atlantic and Southern Pacific oceans. A search of geological records affirms the devastation wrought by these tsunamis. We’ll discuss the details of the techniques behind this research and highlight the apologetic implications of these catastrophic events.
Resources:
Molly M. Range, Brian K. Arbic, Brandon C. Johnson, et al., “The Chicxulub Impact Produced a Powerful Global Tsunami,” agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1029/2021AV000627
Additional Resource:
University of Michigan, “Dinosaur-Killing Asteroid Triggered Global Tsunami,” youtube.com/watch?v=hy6wfjqFBE0
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