Planet Earth: Active and Dynamic

 In the last few weeks our home Planet Earth has experienced two events which potentially could have caused severe destruction. We refer to the threat of a tsunami on July 29 and the occurrence of two minor earthquakes in my former home state of New Jersey during the first week of August.

We have mentioned the Japanese term tsunami on several occasions since our blog’s inception but have not discussed the phenomenon in detail. We have referenced other natural disasters in considerable detail: floods, droughts, hurricanes, and tornadoes, for example. All of these phenomena occur on an active planet described as “dynamic” in many of our past posts. Linked below is an early post defining the term “dynamic” in terms of force, power, and energy. Our active planet possesses force, power, and energy to an incredible degree.

https://jasscience.blogspot.com/2008/08/dynamic-planet-earth.html

Wikipedia offers an accurate definition of tsunamis: “A series of waves in a water body caused by displacement of a large volume of water, generally in an ocean or large lake. Earthquakes, volcanic eruptions and underwater explosions (including detonations, landslides, glacier calvings, meteorite impacts and other disturbances) above or below water all have the potential to generate a tsunami.”

We suggest our readers research a historic, mighty planetary event: the tsunami of 2004. On the day after Christmas, December 26, 2004, a destructive tsunami struck several countries in southern Asia in the vicinity of the Indian Ocean. The waves of water were over 30 feet high and caused the death of about 230,000 people along the shoreline of the Indian Ocean. So far it has been the deadliest natural disaster of the 21st century. Dozens of YouTube videos describing this disaster are posted on the Internet.

Our dynamic Planet Earth is alive with activity. We do not live on a lifeless sphere of rock. The planet is composed of many layers—crust, lithosphere, asthenosphere, mantle, outer core, and inner core. These layers have different compositions, temperatures, and malleability. Different conditions within our solid planet are responsible for events on the earth’s surface. Ultimately, events at the surface of our planet are affected by what takes place below the surface—long term events such as movement of crustal plates as well as short term events—earthquakes and tsunamis. Earth scientists specialize in researching the physical components of Planet Earth—its geosphere, hydrosphere, and atmosphere.

Convection currents transfer heat energy. They are best known and best explained in air and water. Heat energy causes thermal expansion in gases and liquids. Pressure differences result in movement of matter from higher density to lower density areas. This is one way to produce a convection current. Such currents also occur in rocks of Earth’s crust because crustal rocks are very slightly malleable and fluid.

Convection currents cause movement of chunks (plates) of the Earth’s crust across Earth’s surface. “Crustal plates” are slowly driven by convection currents generated by decay of radioactive elements in the underlying mantle. The plates collide or slide past each other, triggering earthquakes. If the earthquake occurs under water, waves are generated. The recent tsunami threat did not result in serious destruction, but many waves of various heights occurred over the entire Pacific Ocean basin.

Some events on our active, dynamic Planet Earth result in human tragedy.

Surprisingly, natural disasters account for <1% of human deaths in any given year. Statistics show a 90% decrease in world deaths from natural tragedies in the last century. These statistics do not include deaths from pandemics and warfare. God’s mandate in Genesis 1 to “have dominion” over the earth in terms of creation care has helped humanity produce early warning systems, better infrastructure, and improved agricultural practices. We offer two examples of early warning systems: the July 29, 2025 tsunami waves were preceded by ample warnings by media reporters. Meteorologists publish numerous warnings of imminent tornadoes, hurricanes, and even dangerous thunderstorms.

Planet Earth has been under physical construction for long ages. Our Creator chose to utilize countless eons to create our unique planet. God is no less powerful creating our universe, including our planetary abode, over long periods of time rather than in sudden “bursts.” We call these creation events transformational miracles rather than the rare transcendent miracles and the everyday sustaining miracles. Our Divine Creator is not time limited when He produces miracles. Here is a link to a previous post:

https://jasscience.blogspot.com/2017/11/our-miracle-immersed-planet.html

Earthquakes are the result of the “miracle” of convection currents which enable recycling of Earth’s minerals over eons of time. Tsunamis are caused by underwater earthquakes on our miracle-immersed planet. The same convective forces causing destructive tsunamis also result in rock recycling. Minerals from recycled rock ultimately become fertile soil in which our agricultural crops thrive. 80% of the earth’s crust originated in volcanic material.

We give thanks to our Creator for producing a wealth of divine transformational miracles on our planet! 

  

 

   

     

 

 

Fireflies and Bioluminescence

One of the joys of the summer season is the sighting of fireflies, sometimes called “lightning bugs.” This post was inspired by our recent first sighting of fireflies outside our Eastern Iowa home. The firefly phenomenon holds many pleasant memories. “Lightning in a bottle” could refer to capturing these amazing creatures in a jar for young children as long as we adhere to the principle of catch and release.

The light organ producing the visible light from a firefly is called the lantern. The visible light glows from the translucent exoskeleton of the insect at the rear of the abdomen. Light generating cells in the lantern contain the enzyme luciferin. Another enzyme, luciferase, acts as a catalyst on luciferin to generate an “excited” chemical state when  oxygen is supplied. Oxygen is the element necessary for oxidation, defined as the loss of one or more electrons (charged electrical particles).

Sometimes oxidation results in combustion—rapid burning. At other times oxidation is slow. In firefly bioluminescence the oxidation is a slow process. Firefly bioluminescence is exothermic: Energy is released, but the energy is in the form of light—not heat.  The light generated by lightning bugs is termed “cold light.”

Our research affirmed the complex subject of taxonomy whereby bioscientists describe and categorize living animals according to characteristics distinguishing them from all other living animals. Taxonomists developed a hierarchical system beginning with major categories of animals and expanded the system to describe more specific and detailed information highlighting the wondrous diversity among living creatures. This hierarchy proceeds from about 35 major phyla to several million named species according to the traditional hierarchy. Fireflies are beetles. Surprisingly, about 25% of all recognized species on Earth are beetles. They are included among insects which represent 80% of recognized animal species on Planet Earth.   

There are about 2 million different animal species classified so far on Earth. Millions more have yet to be formally classified. Bioluminescent fireflies exemplify the remarkable diversity of characteristics among Earth’s living species.

 

Bioluminescence is merely one of the astonishing characteristics of a small percentage  of living things on our planet. When we search, examine, and analyze this evidence and the characteristics of Planet Earth creatures, we perceive that God, the Creator of All Things had almost limitless ideas about what sorts of physical traits, behaviors, and operating systems He would create. Translation: God did not stop creating with only one species of fireflies. He created 2000 species of fireflies!

We conclude this post with a few more facts related to fireflies. Some species are diminishing in number because of habitat loss, pesticides, and light pollution. Fireflies use their bioluminescence to attract mates. They prefer almost complete darkness to demonstrate their light production ability. Three states have selected fireflies as their state insect—Indiana, Tennessee, and Pennsylvania.  Worldwide, there are roughly 2000 species in the family of lympyridae (fireflies). Most of these species are bioluminescent.

We link a past post: to expand upon our discussion of “taxonomy:”

https://jasscience.blogspot.com/2018/10/insect-profusion.html

Here is a link to our past post concerning our “sense of wonder:”

https://jasscience.blogspot.com/2007/11/sense-of-wonder.html

Finally, a link to our post on the “Science Wow Factor” as we marvel at one insect’s bioluminescence:

https://jasscience.blogspot.com/2008/07/wow-factor.html

 

 

        

  

  

 

Texas Tragedy

 This post is dedicated to the memory of several hundred lives lost in the Texas flash flood over the July 4, 2025 weekend. We submit to the omniscient Creator of All Things, confessing our weakness, frailty, and lack of ability to explain tragic events beyond our control. We read in scripture a detailed account of the righteous Old Testament figure Job who experienced incomprehensible fatal tragedies relating to his large family. Job 1:22 states, “In all this Job did not sin or charge God with wrong.”

After searching through our blog archive, we uncovered a past post that deals in much greater depth with the issues raised in the above paragraph. We link it here:

https://jasscience.blogspot.com/2011/05/what-we-dont-know.html

The subject of this post is appropriate with respect to our inability to comprehend such a horrific disaster. As of this writing, about 300 people have perished or are missing. Several dozen were young children at Camp Mystic, inundated along the Guadalupe River in an area known as “flash flood alley.” We cite several excerpts from the above linked post:

“The Book of Job deals with natural tragedies—what they mean, why they occur, and perhaps broader questions of why discomfort, grief, tragedy, and sin could even exist at all.

“Job confessed he did not understand many of the wonders described and could not answer the questions posed.

“These (tragic) events were permitted by the Lord. If God, the Creator, is in sovereign control of our universe, we must acknowledge that any event is under his purview. 

“Earthquakes, tsunamis, tornadoes, and floods have occurred….. along with the far more common tranquil events. The latter outnumber the violent, tragic events by orders of magnitude…..The events of Job 1-2 could now be said to have led to fulfilling God’s higher purpose. We may speculate on what that higher purpose was, but we may never understand it from a human standpoint. Job was not vindicated by his righteousness, but by his recognition of God’s sovereignty. God triumphs over Satan. God triumphs over evil. At the end of time, the triumph is not only in the hearts of believers, but also in an ultimate sense as outlined in the Book of Revelation 21-22.”

The Old Testament Book of Job is a favorite for many Christians. It has many science and faith commentaries and insights. In its final chapter, the author confesses and repents: “I know that you can do all things; no plan of yours can be thwarted. You asked, ‘Who is this that obscures my counsel without knowledge?’ Surely I spoke of things I did not understand, things too wonderful for me to know. You said, ‘Listen now, and I will speak; I will question you, and you shall answer me.’ My ears had heard of you but now my eyes have seen you. Therefore I despise myself and repent in dust and ashes. (Job 42:1-6 NIV).

The Texas tragedy reminds us that our Sovereign God’s ways are not our ways. We may say that a “just” God should do this, or shouldn’t do that. Old Testament prophet Isaiah states, “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord” (Isa. 55:8).

  

     

   

 

Time Scale of the Universe

 Our recent post dealing with the Hubble Space Telescope (HST) launched in 1990 and the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) launched in 2021 help clarify our beliefs about when our universe was created. Cosmologists have dated the beginning of the universe at about 13.7 billion years.

Theologians have discussed the time scale of the creation event for many years. Creationists are categorized as “Old Earth Creationists” (OEC) or “Young Earth Creationists” (YEC). Young Earth Creationists experienced a revival since the mid-20th century. Henry Morris and John C. Whitcomb authored a popular book entitled “The Genesis Flood” in 1961. It was followed by other volumes, such as “Scientific Creationism” by Henry Morris in 1974. Morris and Whitcomb were staunch believers in a young universe, not a 13.7 billion year old universe. Their scientific interpretations were substantially different from mainstream scientists of the 21st century with respect to the age of the universe and Planet Earth. 

It is our view that the telescopes mentioned in our opening paragraph reveal scientific proof that God’s initial creative act occurred 13.7 billion years ago at the moment of the “Big Bang.” This event marked the beginning of time, space, matter, and energy. It was a true beginning of all things. We have used the following description of God: THE CREATOR OF ALL THINGS. One of the four dimensions mentioned above—time—is mentioned several times in scripture: I Cor. 2:7, II Tim. 1:9, Titus 1:2, and Eph. 1:4. These passages contain phrases such as before time began, before the beginning of time, or before the ages began.

For Young Earth Creationists (YEC) the age of Planet Earth is only six to ten thousand years based on their interpretations of both science and Hebrew scripture. It is our belief that science discoveries concerning the enormous age of our universe are correct beyond any doubt. Exegesis of the Hebrew word “YOM” (day) permits various time scales. 

God could have produced our universe in a brief instant. Instead, astrophysicists have discovered the extended timeline of many events which took place in our vast universe since time began to produce the unique life-plentiful planet we enjoy today. cThe JWST is able to look back in time even farther than the HST. We look back in time when we view distant objects through the JWST, HST, and other telescopes. We are able to visually perceive events from the past and calculate how long ago the events occurred in Earth years. For example, Andromeda galaxy is visible to the naked eye as a faint, fuzzy patch in the heavens. It is visible through a fine telescope as a beautiful spiral galaxy. It is roughly 2.5 million light years away and is composed of billions of stars. When we view Andromeda Galaxy we see an event that happened 2.5 million years ago. Therefore, we conclude that the universe existed 2.5 million years ago.

The Creator is not confined to human time frames. He creates, however, within human time frames. We may better understand verses such as II Peter 3:8b: “…with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.” This passage suggests that the Creator of All Things acts creatively over long time scales. Our post of 11/13/17 entitled “Our Miracle Immersed Planet” listed three types of miracles—transcendent, transformational, and sustaining. We copy our definition of transformational miracles here:

“…(Transformational miracles involve) God’s direct action to refashion a particular aspect of his created realm to produce something of much higher complexity and functionality. These miracles took place within the laws of physics and space-time dimensions of the universe.”

The HST and JWST telescopes are able to look back in time to dozens of past events where transformational miracles occurred.