Stars, Cells, and God

Chimp Tactical Behavior and New Big Bang Test

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 and Resources:
Chimpanzees Make Tactical Use of High Elevation in Territorial Contexts
Should Chimpanzee Behavior Challenge Human Exceptionalism?
Distinct Distributions of Elliptical and Disk Galaxies across the Local Supercluster as a LCDM Prediction
 

Too Many Early Galaxies and AI Easily Fooled

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.
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.”
    Links and Resources:
Pointlike Sources among z > 11 Galaxy Candidates: Contaminants Due to Supernovae at High Redshifts?
Can ChatGPT Defend Its Belief in Truth? Evaluating LLM Reasoning via Debate
 

Origin of Composite Genes and Infinities and Absurdities

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.
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.
Links and Resources: 
Bursts of Novel Composite Gene Families at Major Nodes in Animal Evolution
Fazale Rana, What If . . . ? Convergence Strengthens the Case for Creation?
Infinity

God and Logic

God and Logic
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.

Soft Tissues in Fossils and Theia and Earth Mantle

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.
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.   
Links and 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
Fazale Rana, Dinosaur Blood and the Age of the Earth
Moon-Forming Impactor as a Source of Earth’s Basal Mantle Anomalies

Free Will: An Illusion?

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. 
Links and Resources:
Determined: A Science of Life without Free Will

Cosmic Explosion Risk and Dust Drives Dinosaur Demise

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.
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.
Links and Resources:
AT 2022aedm and a New Class of Luminous, Fast-Cooling Transients in Elliptical Galaxies
The Dust That May Have Killed the Dinosaurs
Chicxulub Impact Winter Sustained by Fine Silicate Dust

JWST Galaxies Explained and AI Sees Differently Than Us

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.
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.
Links and 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
Model Metamers Reveal Divergent Invariances between Biological and Artificial Neural Networks
 

Neanderthal Flower Burial Nixed and Source of Heavy Elements

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.
Source of Heavy Metals
A 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. 
Links and Resources:
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
Dilution of Chemical Enrichment in Galaxies 600 Myr after the Big Bang[HH1] 

Sixth Great Mass Extinction and M-Dwarf Habitability?

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.
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.
Links and Resources:
Mutilation of the Tree of Life Via Mass Extinction of Animal Genera
A Christian Perspective on the Sixth Mass Extinction
Did Humans Cause the Global Extinctions of Mammals?
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