Drought Cycles

In the past few months the US has been plagued by droughts and floods. The recent southeastern hurricanes have made us aware of destructive flooding. These flooding events resolve more quickly than droughts, but sometimes result in sudden, tragic death. In contrast, droughts can persist for the short term or long term.

Most of our home state of Iowa was blessed with a growing season of adequate rainfall in the spring and summer of 2024. But after the growing season faded at the close of August, we received less than 0.25 inches of precipitation in the next eight weeks. The U. S. Drought monitor reports that 54.08% of the lower 48 states are experiencing drought at the present time. Drought conditions do not impact every location the same way: Our locality has received 4+ inches of rain since the beginning of November. This region has experienced, therefore, a (1) meteorological drought, now resolved, the least serious of many categories of droughts. More impactful are (2) agricultural droughts resulting in reduced groundwater and reservoir levels, (3) hydrological droughts resulting in serious stream flow deficits, and finally, (4) socioeconomic droughts resulting in negative effects on people’s health, quality of life, and the nation’s economy.

A government agency supplies the “U. S. Drought Monitor” by email each week. This feature supplies information concerning ongoing drought conditions in our country. The site graphically indicates drought levels by color from DO, D1, D2, D3, to D4—none, moderate, severe, extreme, and exceptional.

In researching historic droughts of the 20th and 21st centuries, we discovered three drought episodes, all of which I personally experienced in various ways. In 1940 when I traveled to Oklahoma with my family, my uncles were experiencing the “Dust Bowl” drought. They told of the intense drought and heat of the “Dust Bowl,” a historic time in U. S. History when intense heat baked the plains. The Dust Bowl was exacerbated by the farmers plowing down prairie sod which later was blown away by wind in the intense heat. The events of the Dust Bowl inspired the John Steinbeck novel “The Grapes of Wrath.” Effects of the Dust Bowl extended from 1928 to 1942.

Another drought episode occurred from 1949 to 1957. Still another time metric communicates a drought episode from 1998 to 2014—the early 21st century drought. We recall an intense dry spell in 2012. In order to be considered a drought episode there must be a large geographical area affected along with long time duration. In the physical operating system created by God for Planet Earth, droughts are ubiquitous cyclical events. Understanding the complex interplay of various weather and climate phenomena is a challenging task. Cyclical droughts have been present on Earth for thousands of years. Our Creator has given humanity the ability to manage the effects of drought.

For additional reading, link to the post we submitted in 2012 regarding historic droughts: https://jasscience.blogspot.com/2012/08/responses-in-complex-system.html

 

  

Worldwide Weather Disasters

Recently the Southeastern United States was struck by two powerful hurricanes arriving almost simultaneously. When weather disasters strike, many people are prone to ask, “Is God telling us something?” We posted a blog in 2008 in which we asked if certain weather events were an “Act of God” or rather, an “Act of Man.” We introduce our current discussion by linking our 2008 post:

https://jasscience.blogspot.com/2008/07/act-of-god-or-act-of-man.html

The recent hurricanes Helene in North Carolina, and Milton in Florida have generated substantial loss of life and property. Of all natural disasters, 93% are related to weather. Natural disasters provoke much discussion related to The Maker’s role in creating and sustaining an operating system for our natural world which sometimes includes “natural evil.” The concept of natural evil is a difficult issue to explain in terms of a benevolent God who creates humanity to fellowship with Him and follow His divine instructions for our daily lives. Whenever we discuss such troubling questions we are reminded of Bible passages which propose highly diverse descriptions of creation’s wonders. Scripture relates both desirable and potentially fatal weather events.   

Genesis 1 reminds us five times that God viewed His varied works of creation and pronounced the creation either good or very good. After doing word studies of scripture passages and studying complex weather events in context, we are convinced that the operating system of God’s weather and climate systems can work either for our benefit or detriment. We explain the thoughts expressed in this paragraph as follows: We do not abide in a perfect world. Rather, we live in a good or very good world. 

Our past post of May 18, 2024 was not inspired by the same degree of natural and personal devastation that hurricanes Helene and Milton caused. However, the post dealt with some beneficial effects of unpleasant weather events and how humanity could profit from them:

https://jasscience.blogspot.com/2024/05/in-wake-of-natural-disasters.html

From 1920 to 1960 there were much higher death rates from weather-related events than those from 1960 to 2020. This surprising statistic contradicts some of the alarmism we have experienced from media outlets concerning dangers inherent in climate change. Perhaps modern man has learned to be better prepared with wise building codes and timely publicized meteorological warning systems.

“We are not defenseless against disasters: Deaths from disasters have fallen significantly over the last century as a result of early warning systems, better infrastructure, more productive agriculture, and coordinated responses.” (Quote from

Our World in Data.) This improvement has occurred in spite of the quadrupling of world population from 2 billion to 8 billion in the last century.

Climate Change is an ideologically charged political issue. “Instead of considering the objective damage caused by weather events, (media) networks tend to look for disasters that are ‘rife with drama.’ As one New York Times article put it — hurricanes, tornadoes, forest fires, and earthquakes, all make for splashy headlines and captivating visuals.” (Our World in Data)

Worldwide food shortages from hunger and starvation result in even greater sorrow from a humanitarian point of view. News about worldwide food shortages, famine, and starvation is also a human tragedy. We do not wish to trivialize the horrific tragedy of loss of life and property caused by our recent hurricanes. Rather, we must understand the divine operating system designed by our Creator with its occasional physical disasters. 

The future New Creation described in the Book of Revelation 21-22 will be free of disasters and filled with perfection.          

       

Dual Views of Life's Origin

 When we address the topic of Origin of Life, readers most often assume we are speaking about the deep history of life on this planet. Historically, how did life begin? And when did life begin? Did life on Earth originate by naturalistic evolution? Or did life on this planet appear as an act of fiat creation as described in divine Scripture?

Several of our recent posts have discussed naturalistic evolution in contrast to divine creation. These two concepts are diametrically opposite. Some of the most enlivening discussions have occurred among science educators who locate themselves on opposite sides of this question. Curricular materials for students are selected according to the publishers’ and educators’ orientation—evolutionist? or creationist?

The current sharp political divide concerning another question, the question of abortion—its legality, ethicality, morality, and acceptance—is not presented or argued on the same evolutionary terms. Life’s origin, however, is an interconnected issue. For example, the question is framed to enhance the emotional impact of issues such as a woman’s bodily freedom, reproductive rights, privacy rights, and freedom to choose. These concepts are somewhat nebulous but always framed in the most positive terms by advocates of legal abortion. Advocates of abortion work to end life in the womb. The abortion issue is one of the tragedies of our day.

We reproduce nine past posts re-submitted while the  Supreme Court was reconsidering the 1973 Roe vs Wade decision in 2022. When life appeared during Planet Earth’s deep history, we were not privy to the precise methods God used to create life. In the 21st century, however, we are gifted by detailed knowledge of the discipline of developmental biology. What is the mission of developmental biologists? They discover the cellular, molecular, and genetic mechanisms controlling embryonic development. Following are links to several 2014 posts:  

EMERGENCE OF CONSCIOUSNESS: The development of a mature human consciousness is only one of the miracles of human development in the first year of life from conception to infancy.  

https://jasscience.blogspot.com/2014/01/emergence-of-consciousness.html

CONCEPTION TO CONSCIOUSNESS: Denial that the developing entity within the womb is fully human and deserves protection from the moment of conception to the moment of birth and beyond has become a paramount collective sin staining our nation.

https://jasscience.blogspot.com/2014/01/conception-to-consciousness.html

BODY BUILDING BLUEPRINT: Knowledge of the fundamental component of living things—the cell—has exploded. This includes knowledge of genetics and the fundamental secrets of heredity possessed by the incredible DNA molecule.

https://jasscience.blogspot.com/2014/01/body-building-blueprint.html

PRENATAL SCIENCE AND THEOLOGY: The union of a male sperm and female ovum is classic modern knowledge. This union forms the human zygote, a single diploid cell containing two sets of chromosomes—one set from each parent.

https://jasscience.blogspot.com/2014/01/prenatal-science-and-theology.html

LET THE BUILDING BEGIN: The 8-9 day period following conception precedes implantation of the embryo into the mother’s uterine wall. These are important days of preparation for the actual body building project to follow…..The mother is host to the embryo during the 8-9 days prior to implantation.

https://jasscience.blogspot.com/2014/01/let-building-begin.html

EMBRYO TO FETUS: In humans, the child is termed an embryo up until eight weeks. The event sequence of the first few weeks of pregnancy is fascinating almost beyond imagination. The mysteries of embryology still puzzle scientists.

https://jasscience.blogspot.com/2014/01/embryo-to-fetus.html

 

PLOTTING PRENATAL PROGRESS: The astonishing beginning and subsequent development of the human embryo and its transition to the category of fetus at roughly eight weeks is known to medical scientists in stunning detail.

https://jasscience.blogspot.com/2014/02/plotting-prenatal-progress.html

IMAGERIES OF BUILDING: Quality building materials must be selected. Construction materials must be utilized at the proper time and place and in the appropriate manner…..Applying this imagery to human reproduction, the foundation of an embryo, its transition to a fetus and finally, the arrival of the birth of a child are events which are coordinated precisely by the Creator.

https://jasscience.blogspot.com/2014/02/imageries-of-building.html

MYSTERY OF REPRODUCTION: A Highlight of the Genesis account is the creation of man…..In Chapter One, the initial mention of the vast array of the creation of life forms concludes with, “So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him, male and female he created them.”

https://jasscience.blogspot.com/2014/02/mystery-of-reproduction.html 

The Book of Psalms contains a familiar devotional passage we may characterize as the “developmental biology passage.” It is found in Psalm 139.

“For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well. My frame was not hidden from you, when I was being made in secret, intricately woven in the depths of the earth. Your eyes saw my unformed substance…” (Psalm 139:13-16a ESV)    

Origin of Life

The characteristics of life are well known to bioscientists. The topic of the origin of life is often posed in connection with the wonder of life’s characteristics. How did these wonders originate? The question is answered in one of two ways: (1) life evolved, or (2) life was divinely created.

Following are the frequently publicized characteristics of living things.  (1) Organized into cells  (2) Capable of metabolism  (3) Responsive to stimuli  (4) Possess homeostasis  (5) Able to grow and develop  (6) Able to reproduce, and  (7) Able to adapt. This list highlights a set of characteristics impossible to explain except as a result of the creative action of God described in the Book of Genesis, chapters 1-2.

Some science journalists include ability to evolve in their lists of characteristics of life. The authors of these lists should not include the controversial theory of evolution as a characteristic of living things.

The theory of organic evolution of Earth’s millions of different species is relentlessly promoted in the literature of science. A majority of professional scientists endorse the  theory of naturalistic evolution of life. They have developed a complex theory, especially since the publication of Charles Darwin’s epic The Evolution of Species in 1859. Darwin acknowledged that life’s origin presented a knotty problem for bioscientists of his day. He conceded that life probably originated by unknown natural causes. Scientific literature is replete with expressions of uncertainty or ignorance concerning the origin of life. Conservative theologians rely on the first few chapters of Holy Scripture to develop their concept of theo-history, an account proposing that the biblical Creator is the Author of life on this planet—an example of a transcendent miracle.

Genesis 1 gives a brief theo-history of the origin of life. The Earth was a formless void, “and darkness was over the face of the deep.” In just a few words, we are given minimal detail about the initial creation event which may have occurred suddenly. This was followed by a formless mass, later to become a water world swathed in darkness. Then God said “Let there be light,” and there was light (verse 3). Verses 6-8 may refer to the beginnings of a stable water cycle.

Modern scientists know that life soon appeared in the water world in the form of bacteria. One form of bacteria was cyanobacteria. We have discovered fossilized cyanobacteria in Australia. This form of bacteria needed light for its existence and its ability to produce oxygen. Note the reference to the fossil cyanobacteria discovery by paleobiologist J. William Schopf in this link:

https://jasscience.blogspot.com/2008/05/earths-sudden-life-enigma.html

A more recent post speaks of the role of water in our primordial Earth’s “Water World”:

https://jasscience.blogspot.com/2012/02/earth-water-world.html

The initial eight verses of the Bible briefly outlines millions of years of events on Planet Earth. During this interval plentiful cyanobacteria appeared in the water of our oceans. Cyanobacteria use light energy plus water to synthesize their own food. This process is known as oxygenetic photosynthesis. The oxygen first eliminated the poisonous methane atmosphere and ultimately supplied an atmosphere of life-giving oxygen in preparation for life forms which later populated the Earth. This is known as the “Great Oxygenation Event” which prepared Planet Earth for a profusion of advanced life known as the Cambrian Explosion beginning about 530 million years ago. Many phyla appeared on Earth with relative suddenness. Most of these phyla still exist today.

 

Today’s life on Earth would be impossible without the element oxygen—21% of Earth’s atmosphere. Even though most advanced life originated at the onset of the Cambrian explosion, we might say that life originated with ancient bacteria. How did ancient bacterial life begin? We propose bacterial life began in a transcendent, divine miracle.  

The Apostle Peter quoted Genesis 1 in II Peter 3: “For they deliberately overlook this fact, that the heavens existed long ago, and the earth was formed out of water and through water by the word of God, and that by means of these the world that then existed was deluged with water and perished…but do not overlook this one fact, beloved, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years and a thousand years is one day” (II Peter 3 ESV). These verses in II Peter refer to the ancient water world from which sprang life-giving atmospheric oxygen which later resulted in the Cambrian Explosion of animal and plant life we still enjoy in our day. These verses also refer to our timeless Creator. His creative activity has extended back many eons in the past.

We believe that Genesis 1:2 provides an occasion for worship: “…the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters.” This historic event is affirmed by inspired scripture as well as by scientific discoveries concerning the history of cyanobacteria. Holy Scripture and paleo history both speak about the origin of life!

  

 

    

Shedding Light on Sight

A letter from a missionary couple recently arrived at our home. They began their letter with a fascinating story. The couple drove over a hill on their way home from their workplace venue. They were amazed by a unique sight—a rainbow displaying its spectral colors. The author of the missionary letter stated, “I sometimes geek out (emphasis mine) about the never ending rich and vibrant colors and types of birds, fish, flowers, and butterflies. And how God created our bodies to receive and process these amazing wavelengths of colorful light. It is to his perfectly wonderful creativity that we owe the joy of light and color. They point to and praise our Creator…..”

Topics of light and sight were highlighted in the missionary letter. Light and sight are scientific concepts often used in scriptural illustrations and metaphors. Let us fill the remaining space in this post with a brief discussion of (1) Light, and (2) Sight.

Light is a form of electromagnetic energy in which we are immersed each moment of our lives. Visible light is only a tiny portion of what is called the electromagnetic (EM) spectrum. Spectral colors are produced by different wavelengths of EM energy. Direct or reflected red light wavelengths are almost twice as long as violet wavelengths.

At the beach we may define wavelength as the distance between successive wave crests. Longer or shorter wavelengths have different effects on swimmers. Likewise, different electromagnetic wavelengths affect human observers differently, observable as different spectral colors. Electromagnetic wavelengths range from extremely short and energetic to extremely long and less energetic.

What is electric and what is magnetic about EM waves? Electricity and magnetism are

related. James Clerk Maxwell discovered this relationship in a burst of God-given insight during the 19th century. Our world is alive with electric and magnetic fields interacting with each other to produce physical phenomena sustaining our lives moment by moment. The complete range of electromagnetic waves (radio, microwaves, infrared, visible light, ultraviolet, X-rays, and gamma rays) is known as the electromagnetic spectrum. The color spectrum of visible light is but a tiny segment of the entire range of the EM spectrum. For your more extensive reading:

https://jasscience.blogspot.com/2015/03/electromagnetic-reality.html

The EM spectrum is easier to describe than to explain. How does it work? In the New Creation, also known as the New Jerusalem in Revelation 21, we might conclude that divine laws governing events in the new heaven (Rev. 21:1) may be altered substantially. The operating system may be vastly superior to anything we experience in our current sphere. Manifestations of energy such as the electromagnetic spectrum in our present world, however, inspire awe at God’s creative power. 

We conclude with expressions of wonder and awe not only in reference to physical light, but also in reference to human ability to perceive and process the light. Our Creator has gifted us with sight. Vertebrates possess the most highly developed sense of sight but lower biological phyla also possess ability to sense light, color, and shape. When God created living things, He created them with ability to connect with, enjoy, and even revel in their environment.

Human sight organs process information laden electromagnetic waves and send visual information about the environment to our brains for interpretation. Visual scientists have informed us about the eye and humanity’s complex visual system—a component of our central nervous system. The information processing system of the human eye and brain is awe inspiring. 

Electromagnetic light waves pass through the cornea, aqueous humor, lens, and vitreous humor before striking the retina at the back of the eyeball. Retinal tissue is analogous to a screen in a movie theater. In more recent times the tissue is analogous to photographic film or an image sensor in modern digital cameras. Visible light striking the retinal image sensor initiates a cascade of chemical and electrical events. The electrical events are sometimes called action potentials—explosions of electrical activity. In our digital age, we might say that the electrical activity is either digitally “on” or “off.”

Millions of neurons carry digital signals to the brain’s visual cortex, the body’s visual center. The human brain “figures out” what the billions of digital signals mean and imprint the results on our human consciousness.

In 1844, Samuel F. B. Morse, inventor of the telegraph, sent his initial electronic message between Washington, DC and Baltimore, MD. The message contained a phrase from the OT Book of Numbers which affirms the creative ability of God: “What Hath God Wrought?” (Numbers 23:23) Our treatment of light and sight in this post barely scratches the surface of our current knowledge of light and sight. We link a past post dealing with the topic of sight:

https://jasscience.blogspot.com/2012/12/getting-picture.html