The Matter/Energy Connection

 Whenever issues of Divine Creation of the universe are raised, some participants in the discussion transition to a discussion of the age of the universe: Is the age of our universe only 6 to 10 thousand years? or did the universe originate in a spectacular creation event known as the Big Bang 13.8 billion years ago? Our stance has been that scientists over the last century have accumulated powerful and virtually incontrovertible evidence for the latter position. This evidence includes proof that the universe has expanded from an infinitely small volume at its origin. We infer this truth according to what we observe about the behavior of light, including red-shift phenomena, the presence of certain types of elements in our present universe, and many other observed characteristics. This evidence is highly congruent with the observed sequence of physical events in the past and present.

The Creation Event describes the origin of time, space, matter, and energy. Before this powerful Creation Event there existed no space, time, matter, and energy. There was no universe as we know it. This is an important metaphysical and theological issue, far beyond the scope of our discussion. Perhaps it is also beyond the scope of our understanding. The time/space connection is an important linkage, as is the linkage of matter/energy. God is the Creator of time/space/matter/energy. Albert Einstein and many other theoretical physicists wrestled with these concepts.

We will not venture into explicit meanings of the famous formula E=mc2: energy equals mass times the speed of light squared. Einstein’s understandings of relativity are fully grasped by only a very few human souls. His proposals have transformed science. At the very least, laypeople subjectively grasp the interrelationships of matter (mass) and energy: God has provided humanity with nearly limitless energy inherent in matter itself. 

God’s creative processes were manifest from early milliseconds of the Big Bang event. Scientists describe a quark-gluon plasma experienced during that early era. Shortly after the initial creation event the cosmos experienced “nucleosynthesis:” nuclei of hydrogen and helium atoms formed consisting of protons and neutrons. After about 20 minutes, nucleosynthesis ceased. Hydrogen, helium, and a few other elements eventually formed about 380,000 years later when the universe had cooled sufficiently to hold electrons in place around the nuclei. Some young earth creationists object to this explanatory scenario. Our Creator, nonetheless, operates outside of, or even within human time frames. Ongoing creation events authored by our timeless God are equally as miraculous as sudden transcendent creation events. For reference:

https://jasscience.blogspot.com/2021/02/ongoing-creation.html

To reinforce our concept of “ongoing creation” we reference historians of cosmology who date the appearance of stars at 100-200 million years after the Big Bang event. Multiple galaxies of stars appeared later, during the first billion years of universe history. Therefore, the matter/energy relationship was established early in the timeline of our 13.8 billion year old universe. 

The statement “Matter and energy form the basis of all objective phenomena” has been used in many profound science discussions. Over the history of cosmic development there have been numerous examples of the matter/energy relationship. For example, a process called the proton-proton chain produces helium from the fusion of two hydrogen nuclei into a helium nucleus. Enormous energy is released. This brief, incomplete description of a physical process explains why our solar companion is a life-sustainer. Solar energy produces many subsequent energy transformations driving multiple processes which sustain life on our planet.

Einstein’s theories posited that matter and energy were different parts of the same thing. Most people are aware that the horrific 1945 atomic blasts which helped conclude World War II released enormous energy from reactions within a small amount of radioactive matter. That explosion destroyed surrounding objects and caused additional harm by releasing lethal ionizing radiation.  

Consider the enormous energy released by the Sun. Our solar companion is really a nuclear furnace. The Sun primarily releases great amounts of visible light and infrared radiation which converts to heat if absorbed. Humans release infrared radiation by virtue of moving electrons in every atom of your body. (Every object in our universe releases infrared constantly—the lower their temperature, the lower the amount of infrared released and vice versa.)

Energy is simply defined as the ability to do work. There are many types of energy. A discussion of the different energy types is a topic for future blog posts. We might say that “Energy makes the world go ‘round”—a take-off on the popular lyrical/musical expression “Love makes the world go ‘round.” 

The Creator of All Things could have produced a universe where energy sources were independent of matter. There would be no matter/energy connection. We may have difficulty imagining such a universe! In His infinite love and wisdom, God produced an ideal linkage for the ultimate good of all living things, especially beings created “In His Image.”

 

 

    

                

     

Official UAP Statement (6/25/2021)

 After reporting on the UAP (formerly UFO) phenomenon at length in ten previous posts from 11/16/19 to 1/30/2020 and one pre-summary review post on 6/9/2021, we present a follow-up. After the release of the official government statement released 6/25/2021 from the “Office of the Director of National Intelligence” entitled “Preliminary Assessment: Unidentified Aerial Phenomena,” we remind our readers of our previous position that UAPs are likely manifestations of the IDH—the Interdimensional Hypothesis (other “realities” or dimensions that co-exist alongside our own). The complete 9-page government document is available on websites.

Discussions and pronouncements on modern UAPs have been ongoing for almost 75 years. Historically, however, many strange sightings of aerial phenomena have persisted for hundreds of years. No doubt visual descriptions have been clouded by time or misperceived. With up-to-date detection technology, our knowledge has been substantially enhanced. It is undeniable that sightings have proliferated the last few decades. More and more officials have recently pronounced the UAP phenomenon to be real, not the product of human imagination or misperception.

Armed with the knowledge that government officials are no longer bent on denial, analysts speculated with several statements uttered a few days prior to the official release of the “preliminary assessment.” In each case the analysts said the report would retain the description “UNIDENTIFIED.” Military personnel cannot explain the mystery of UAPs scientifically. They do not possess knowledge of who pilots them, what their purpose is, how they are propelled as they move in a random manner at incredible speeds, how they stop suddenly, and many other mysteries surrounding their behavior. The laws of physics by which Earth residents have operated do not apply to UAPs. Government personnel and the lay public have not achieved the answers they sought. This is incredibly frustrating for residents desiring straightforward cause and effect explanations. In short, there are no official answers to expectant questions about UAPs, notwithstanding the public ferment.

The “Preliminary Assessment…” nevertheless attempts to answer common questions. Government officials still cannot offer firm conclusions about the nature and intent of UAPs. They say UAPs “Probably DO represent physical objects.” This information is based on multiple sensors—radar, infrared, electro-optical, weapon seekers, and last but not least, visual observation. Officials describe their highly unusual behavior as caused by (1) airborne clutter (swarms of birds, balloons, unmanned aerial vehicles), (2) natural atmospheric phenomena (ice crystals, thermal fluctuations), (3) USG or US industry developmental programs, (4) foreign adversary systems, or (5) OTHER (the catchall phrase). The last category allows for factors about which we do not yet know. It is interesting that categories 1-4 have been addressed and eliminated as possible causes, but category 5 still remains a mystery. The US public anticipated answers under the category 5 umbrella.

The report deals with 144 events observed from 2004 to 2021. Officials continue to analyze these events. 80 events were observed with multiple sensors. 21 of the 144 events demonstrated advanced (or perhaps unfamiliar or unknown) technology. Some situations interrupted pre-planned training or military activity. Naval personnel claimed there were eleven “near misses.” Flight safety and national security were jeopardized, according to the military observers.

We quote two authoritative sources on whom we have depended. Both authors are respected for their conservative, scriptural viewpoints. One source is Dr. Hugh Ross, president of Reasons to Believe. In 2002 Ross, Kenneth Samples, and Mark Clark  authored Lights in the Sky and Little Green Men, A Rational Christian Look at UFOs and Extraterrestrials, published by NavPress. The somewhat humorous title belies the serious, scholarly, and theological nature of the volume’s contents. The second authoritative source is a book by Dr. John Ankerberg and Mark Weldon, The Facts on UFOs, 2011, published by ATRI. 

Dr. Ankerberg states in The Facts on UFOs, “After 20 years the extent and depth of our research now constitutes for us a conclusion that has become a virtual certainty: that UFOs constitute a spiritistic (demonic) phenomenon. We believe that such a conclusion may affect us all.” Again, In a Google Wikipedia article entitled “Interdimensional Hypothesis,” Dr. Ankerberg and John Weldon, “…advocate IDH because it fits the explanation of UFOs as a spiritistic phenomenon.”

Dr. Ross writes at length on dimensions beyond the familiar ones in which we have existed. The UAPs (UFOs) described in the above-mentioned “Preliminary Assessment” are not subject exclusively to our dimensions of space and time. Many residents were looking forward to the UAP report to explain the phenomena according to their traditional experience with dimensionality and physical laws. But Ross also declares in his volume, “The authors of this book are fully convinced that both science and scripture point to the supradimensional beings known as demons as the malevolent sources of the (UAP) phenomena.”

From the Bible we learn of two distinctive spiritual types of created beings—humans, and angels. A majority of the latter have remained obedient to God. But a sizable minority rebelled against God. These still exist as evil spirits, or demons. We offer the reality of UAPs as a sort of “proof.” Theologically, this mystery may be revealed by the Creator at the End of Time. Familiar dimensionality of time, space, and matter governs activities of the human population while some spirit beings have access to and are capable of operating within unfamiliar dimensions beyond ours. 

Given the stark contrast between good angels (ministering spirits) and fallen (evil or malevolent) angels, some residual—unexplained—aerial phenomena may be categorized as supradimensional AND evil. These spiritual beings do NOT call attention to the goodness and love of the righteous Creator described in Holy Scripture. Instead, they often work against the righteous Creator.

One reason why government experts and laypeople alike have not suggested the possibility of UAPs as demon manifestations may owe to avoidance by the secular world to connect science with ANY spiritual or theological explanations. For the goal of acquiring truth concerning UAPs, this avoidance does not serve us well. Hugh Ross closes Chapter 11 of the above volume with a powerful statement: “One reason why research scientists and others may be reluctant to say specifically that demons exist with respect to residual UFOs is because such an answer points too directly to a Christian interpretation of the problem. However, the only defense to be found against the evil, deception, and supernatural powers manifested in residual UFOs is in Christianity and the Bible.”