Creation of Life

{Note: This post is #5 in a series of 12 where I review what Scientific American magazine has called the “12 Events That Will Change Everything”. See previous posts “Nuclear Exchange”, “Extra Terrestrial Intelligence”, “Extra Dimensions”, “Polar Meltdown” and “False Dichotomy” for more information.}

The Event: Scientists will be able to manipulate genetic material to create entirely new life forms. Science has essentially given up on creating life from scratch (as they tried to do in 1952 with the Miller-Urey experiments), and instead they have shifted their focus to using existing living organisms and modifying them to do things they never did before.

The Impact: This type of work could result in some very beneficial new organisms such as plants that remove pollution from the air or water, or vegetables that can withstand dry periods, or trees that produce fruit that contains all the essential vitamins and nutrients we need to survive, or tissue cells that can re-grow missing organs. But there is a dark side to this work as well. These modified organisms could have adverse side effects and be difficult to control if they “get loose”.

The Science: The science of manipulating life has been around for a long time. Cross-breeding plants and animals to create hybrids has been very common for quite a while, although most people consider this to be a “natural” way of developing new species. Genetic engineering (manipulating DNA) has been around for over 30 years, and in 1982 bacteria was modified to produce human insulin and today the vast majority of insulin used today is “biosynthetic”. To date, most genetic engineering has focused on micro-organisms (such as bacteria) and plants. Lately, science has been moving forward on using these same techniques on animals and humans.

Jac’s Analysis: I agree with Scientific American magazine that this event will most certainly occur. Human gene therapy is already a relatively common practice and medical science is busy worldwide trying to manipulate various cells so we can start to re-grow damaged organs or even missing limbs. We have already seen some positive impacts from this type of work through gene therapy and the supply of insulin. As science continues to learn more about DNA and how it works, they will be able to do even more than we can imagine.

Our Reaction? This type of research and scientific progress is fascinating, but does start to encroach on boundaries we should not cross. Most people within the scientific community voluntarily agree to a moral standard whereby they don’t plan to venture into the realm of designer babies or deliberate mutations such as extra limbs or humans with gills. They also abide by strict protocols when doing this type of work to ensure that nothing “gets loose” and wrecks havoc, like we see in movies such as “Species”, “X-men”, “Gattaca”, or the classic “Jurassic Park”. But gaining the ability to “play God” by manipulating DNA is a power we need to wield with extreme caution, which is a very compelling reason to encourage our scientifically minded Christian youth to find careers in this field so they can help steer this research away from places we ought not to go. I don’t think it is appropriate or necessary for Christians to completely oppose this type of research since it can yield some wonderful results such as our current supply of insulin. Think how great it would be if they could figure out how to re-grow damaged or diseased kidneys so we wouldn’t need dialysis or transplants, or to develop micro-organisms that could clean up oil spills in oceans, or trees that could grow in harsh conditions yet produce nutritious fruit. Yet we do need to pay attention to the direction this science is heading and be prepared to boldly speak out if they cross the line and start “playing God”.

Questions and comments?

1. Do you see this research as a threat or a promise of wonderful developments?
2. Do you think science has already crossed a moral line by trying to manipulate human genetics to cure diseases?

Next week we look at the engineering dream of Superconductors.

Jac

Nuclear Exchange

{Note: This post is #4 in a series of 12 where I review what Scientific American magazine has called the “12 Events That Will Change Everything”. See previous posts “Extra Terrestrial Intelligence”, “Extra Dimensions”, “Polar Meltdown” and “False Dichotomy” for more information.}

The Event: Two or more countries launch a series of nuclear weapons at each other, causing immediate devastation and a lasting impact on the rest of the planet.

The Impact: Depending on how many nuclear weapons are detonated, the results could be disastrous for the planet. Assuming two countries such as India and Pakistan each sent 50 weapons at each other, there would be an immediate loss of life of 20 million people.

The detonations would also throw up about 5 million metric tons of soot into our upper atmosphere. Within a week, these particles would circle the globe and within two months they would blanket the planet. This would block a significant amount of sunlight which would greatly reduce the ability of our planet to supply us with a sufficient amount of food. The resulting famine would lead to over a billion people starving to death during the 10 years or so it takes for the atmosphere to clear. Most of these people would be in countries that already have marginal food supplies.

The Science: Nuclear weapons have been a reality since World War II when the US dropped one on Hiroshima and one on Nagaski in 1945. The amount of devastation led to Japan to surrender to the allied forces six days later. Those two bombs were the only nuclear weapons used during war time, and none have been used since. Thousands of test detonations have occurred since then as numerous countries have developed nuclear technology, but these tests have been primarily underground or underwater so they have not generated any significant amount of soot in the atmosphere. However, nuclear technology has advanced such that the weapons we have today are much more powerful than the ones used in 1945.

Jac’s Analysis: I tend to agree with Scientific American magazine that it is highly unlikely that this event will occur. The primary reason behind this thinking is that the people who control these nuclear weapons fully comprehend the amount of destruction they could cause, and have no intentions to ever use them in an act of aggression. The small risk of this occurring lies with the countries that have both nuclear weapons and unstable governments. This is essentially what triggered the 2003 invasion of Iraq by the US and NATO forces. The world’s super powers (led by the US and the UK) keep close tabs on any country trying to develop nuclear weapons, and try to ensure they either stop developing them or if they have them that they join with NATO countries to restrict their quantity.

Our Reaction? Many movies and TV shows have been made around the threat of nuclear weapons. Most of these scenarios involve terrorists or rogue government officials who obtain one weapon and try to use it to start a war, typically with the US (watch “The Sum of All Fears”, “Broken Arrow”, “The Peacemaker”, or “True Lies” if you like action movies). But even in these fictional situations, a single detonation of a nuke does not lead to all out nuclear exchange. You’ll need to venture into the science fiction section to find movies about a post nuclear exchange world (such as the “Terminator” movies, or “On the Beach”). Most of us have lived our lives with the knowledge that nuclear weapons exist. (Surprisingly, when I was researching this topic, I stumbled upon several websites that claim nuclear weapons do not exist and the photos of Hiroshima and Nagaski were faked. I guess some people really want to believe these weapons don’t exist.) I think in some ways, since there hasn’t been a nuclear weapon used since 1945, we’ve almost forgotten they exist and have stopped worrying about them. (Perhaps you’re old enough to remember the construction of fallout shelters in the late ‘50s and early ‘60s.) But as Joel pointed out in his message a few weeks ago, being a “peacemaker” is an important role and one that can involve sacrifice. Therefore, we should support, in whatever way we can (especially in prayer) those people who are active in the peace-keeping / peace-making role as they try to keep our world safe.

I used to wonder if the devastation described in the Book of Revelation (see chapter 8) was a nuclear war. Phrases like

“there came hail and fire mixed with blood, and it was hurled down upon the earth. A third of the earth was burned up, a third of the trees were burned up, and all the green grass was burned up.”

- they sound quite similar to the effects of nuclear weapons. Today, I would doubt that God will use nukes to bring about the end of this world – as an all powerful God, He has abilities beyond nuclear weapons at His disposal, so why would He use something as crude as a nuclear weapon?

Questions and comments?

1. Do you worry about the possibility of a nuclear war? Can you remember “fallout shelters” and the “Cuban Missile Crisis”?
2. Do you think the devastation in the Book of Revelation is describing the effects of nuclear weapons?

Next week we look at the possibility of science creating life.

Jac

Extra Terrestrial Intelligence

{Note: This post is #3 in a series of 12 where I review what Scientific American magazine has called the “12 Events That Will Change Everything”. See previous posts “Extra Dimensions”, “Polar Meltdown” and “False Dichotomy” for more information.}

The Event: Scientists will discover evidence of life (of some form) on another planet. The most likely discovery would be microscopic life (microbes, pond scum) on a planet that has water and some type of atmosphere. Finding “little green men” is not so likely. Science would be ecstatic to find fossilized remains of previous life forms on another planet, which is why they have been sending probes to Mars.

The Impact: The impact of finding life on another planet will really depend on what is discovered and how far away it is. Simply finding any life anywhere would mean that planet Earth is not unique, but it wouldn’t really change our lives. If we found a planet with simple lifeforms and characteristics similar to Earth (atmosphere, temperature, stability), it would be target destination for future space travel – assuming it was close enough to get to. If we found intelligent life similar to humans, then the impact could be good (like friendly Vulcans from Star Trek) or very bad (like the movie Independence Day).

The Science: The authors at Scientific American Magazine suggest that this event is relatively unlikely. There is much debate in the scientific community about the likelihood of life existing elsewhere in the universe. There is general agreement that the conditions for sustaining life (water, oxygen, correct temperature, limited radiation, atmosphere, etc) are quite rare, but the vastness of the universe with the billions and billions of planets often suggests to some people that there must be some planets out there similar to Earth. Since 1971, the “Search for Extra-Terrestrial Intelligence” or SETI has been listening to the heavens for radio signals that would identify sources of intelligent life. So far, they’ve only found static. A meteorite discovered in Antarctica and thought to be from Mars has been examined and it appears to have traces of fossilized microscopic life forms, but there is much debate around this discovery. Some think it is just an unusual rock formation.

Jac’s Analysis: I tend to agree that it is highly unlikely that there are other planets in the universe similar to Earth that have the conditions necessary to sustain life. As a believer, I accept that God specifically designed planet Earth so it could sustain life, and it is only through His intervention that life was created. That being said, God is the Creator of the entire universe, and I don’t see why He couldn’t have created life elsewhere, if He wanted to.

Our Reaction? I watch a lot of science fiction movies and television shows, and a few (such as the recent re-make of the V series) highlight the reaction of believers to the discovery of aliens. But science fiction is probably the extent of all we will ever experience regarding life on other planets, so don’t lose sleep over this one. However, I don’t think that we can rule out that our Creator did not create life on other planets, so we should be very interested if future Mars explorers bring back evidence that life once existed on the red planet. Instead of viewing this as a threat to our belief in God, it should serve to strengthen our faith that the entire universe belongs to God.

Questions and comments?

1. Do you think it possible that God could have created life on other planets?
2. How would you react if science brought forth proof that life once existed on Mars?

Next week we look at the horrifying possibility of a nuclear war.

Jac

Extra Dimensions

{Note: This post is #2 in a series of 12 where I review what Scientific American magazine has called the “12 Events That Will Change Everything”. See previous posts “Polar Meltdown” and “False Dichotomy” for more information.}

The Event: Scientists will discover and eventually be able to use other “dimensions”. Presently, we understand reality to exist in 3 physical dimensions – length, width, and depth. There are theories that suggest there may be more dimensions than we have so far been unable to detect, but the testing underway at the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) near Geneva may be a first step in discovering these new dimensions.

The Impact: If these new dimensions are discovered, it could lead to a whole new branch of science and completely alter our understanding of reality. One possible use of these other dimensions is being able to move through the universe faster than the speed of light by using one of these dimensions as a short cut (if you are a Star Trek fan – think about the worm hole near Deep Space Nine, or Dr Who’s Tardis flying through time). Or imagine a surgeon being able to work on a tumour lodged deep in a brain without damaging any other tissues – what was once inoperable may become operable. But these applications assume that we could somehow, be able to also exist in those other dimensions and be able to safely transition between our reality and this other reality. (If you are a fan of the TV show “Fringe”, you’ll have some idea of the challenges associated with moving between different realities.)

The Science: One of the reasons that science suspects the existence of these other dimensions is the relative weakness of gravity. There are 4 fundamental forces in the universe – gravity, magnetism, the weak atomic force, and the strong atomic force. Magnetism and the two atomic forces are much stronger than gravity – think how a small magnet on your fridge can keep your shopping list from falling to the floor (the small magnet is overcoming the gravity of the planet earth). Many scientists think the 4 fundamental forces should be relatively equal, and if gravity were to exist in these other dimensions, it might explain why it is weaker than the others. There are other mysteries of the universe that could be explained by other dimensions. Science hopes to get a glimpse of these other dimensions when they smash particles together at the LHC, and answer some questions such as, What triggered the Big Bang? Why does the universe appear to be still expanding rather than shrinking? Where do all those missing socks go?

Jac’s Analysis: While this is one of the more complicated events of the 12, I find it the most interesting. I have no doubt that at least one other dimension exists (you’ll see why in a moment), and this other dimension provides the solution to many of the mysteries of science. But I think it is unlikely that science will be able to definitively detect and prove the existence of this dimension, and therefore make any real use of it. The authors of the Scientific American article about this think there is a 50% chance this discovery might be made, which indicates even scientists have their doubts. The primary reason for this doubt is that we are bound tightly to this universe and what we experience as reality is limited to this universe. Imagine a person who was blind from birth, trying to discover different colours completely on their own. If no one has ever explained the concept of colour to them, they would have no idea what colour is and would be helpless to try to discover what different colours exist. Their reality does not include colour. Likewise, our reality does not include these other dimensions.

But the reason I find this idea interesting, is that as a believer, I have always understood there is another dimension – a reality that is beyond what we can experience right now. We call this other dimension God. Before the universe existed, there was God. God created the universe. He is a part of this universe, but also beyond our universe. He is more powerful than any other thing in the universe, yet none of our scientific instruments can detect Him directly. He is the weak atomic force, the strong atomic force, the force of magnetism, and the force of gravity. He is all the other forces that sustain this universe. When we depart from our earthly bodies, we will join Him in that new reality and no longer be bound to this reality.

Our Reaction? We can keep the concept of worm holes and transporter beams in the realm of science fiction. But we can use the idea of other dimensions to point people towards God. It’s somewhat ironic that scientists are now starting to admit that there is a reality beyond what we can currently experience and understand. In the early 80’s, astronomer Carl Sagan stated “The cosmos is all there is or ever was or ever will be.” As believers, we knew this was completely wrong. Now scientists are starting to agree with us. Maybe there is hope for us to find some common ground.

Questions and comments? I’d like to hear your thoughts about this, or answer any questions you might have about the science of other dimensions. Below are a few questions to think about.

1. Do you find this science a little too theoretical? Can I help you understand it better?
2. Suppose you are talking with a non-believer and you stumble upon some questions about science. Would you feel comfortable talking about this search for other dimensions and how you have always believed that God exists not only in this reality, but in a reality beyond what we can currently understand?

Next week we look at something that is the bread and butter of science fiction books and movies – Extraterrestial Intelligence. Is there life on other planets?

Jac

Polar Meltdown

{Note: This post is the 1st in a series of 12 where I review what Scientific American magazine has called the “12 Events That Will Change Everything”. The purpose of this series is to generate interest and discussion about science, which is the study of God’s creation. If you want a bit more background on why I’m encouraging believers to talk about science, make sure you read the post “A False Dichotomy”. If you want to learn more about the Scientific American article (and you have a high speed internet connection), you can see an interactive display at http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=interactive-12-events .}

The Event: The ice at the north and south poles will continue to melt and cause the ocean levels to rise by 1 metre (100 centimetres) by the year 2100.



The Impact: About 200 million people live on land that would be flooded if this event occurs. This includes 8 of the 10 largest cities in the world and countless small villages in the poorest countries. The type of devastation in New Orleans due to the storm surge caused by hurricane Katrina will be repeated around the world as the water levels rise and start to flood coastal areas.



The Science: Historical records show that since 1900, the oceans have risen by 17 centimetres. This is based on geological records (markings on coastal rocks showing previous water lines) as well as records from harbours and coastal resorts that show a gradual increase in the waterline (and decrease in beach area). More recently, photographs of the polar ice caps have been tracked and the area of ice has noticeably decreased in the past 50 years. Thermal images (measuring temperature) of the ice caps show a gradual temperature rise and a thinning of the ice thickness. The forecast for the continued meltdown is based on the past trends and “global warming” - the increase in the average temperature of the air and oceans.

Jac’s Analysis: I think the science is valid and the Polar Meltdown is very likely. While there has been much debate about global warming, most of the debate has been centred on the role that human activity has contributed to global warming. But from what I have reviewed, the evidence regarding the shrinking size of the polar ice caps and recent increases in the ocean level is not really disputed. The two questions that science is wrestling with is how quickly it will occur and what we can do to prevent it or accommodate it. The Netherlands may be our best hope to mitigate the rising of the oceans. About 20% of their country is already below sea level and the Dutch have become world leaders in building dikes to keep the ocean waters out. By using similar techniques, major cities can likely prevent the damage caused by the rising waters. But smaller communities and poorer countries may not have this option.

Our Reaction? Don’t panic. This won’t happen overnight and we won’t end up like Kevin Costner in the movie Waterworld searching the globe for dry land. But we should consider whether our use of fossil fuels is accelerating this problem, and try to cut back on our energy usage if only to slow it down. We might start keeping this in mind when we provide aid to countries that are in the potential flood zone. Perhaps if we are going to rebuild a coastal community that was recently devastated by a hurricane or tropical storm, we might want to encourage the new buildings to be built on higher ground.

Questions and comments? I’d like to hear your thoughts about this, or answer any questions you might have about the polar meltdown and global warming. Below are a few questions to think about.

1. What do you think about global warming? Is it real? Are we contributing to it? Do you think we can slow it down and possibly reverse it? What are you willing to do to help?
2. What about putting some conditions on providing foreign aid to coastal communities? Do we have the right to dictate where they rebuild? How do you think those residents would feel if they were forced to relocate further inland?

I look forward to seeing some comments on the blog this week. Next week we delve into something more theoretical and complicated – extra dimensions. We are all familiar with 4 dimensions: length, width, depth and time. But there are some theories that suggest there is more to this universe than meets the eye. Stay tuned.

Jac