Food to Save Humanity

 The human race has always been concerned about food security. Scripture passages in the Old Testament speak of famines experienced by OT residents. Many famines were caused by droughts as described in Genesis and other Old Testament books. Famines described in the Bible were sometimes linked to unrighteous actions by humanity as well as natural events such as drought and pestilence. 

In modern times food security is related to the human population explosion. During thousands of years of earth history world population never exceeded one billion. Since the beginning of the 19th century Earth’s population has grown from one billion to the current 8.25 billion. Depending on how world population is graphically presented we could describe the graph line as roughly horizontal for thousands of years but rising dramatically in the last two centuries.

Our last post highlighted the state of Iowa where we now reside and our state’s anticipation of another bountiful autumn harvest. To follow up on that article we call attention to one of the most gifted agriculturalists in the history of humanity. We speak of Norman Borlaug (1914-2009) whose ancestors migrated from Norway in the 19th century. Borlaug’s parents eventually settled in northeast Iowa. Their son, Norman, was involved in agriculture on the family farm early in his life. Ultimately he earned a PhD in plant pathology and genetics from the University of Minnesota.

Norman Borlaug was one of the most gifted humans of all time. His achievements illustrate the truth of a very popular Old Testament phrase taken from the Book of Esther: “…for such a time as this.” (Esther 4:14)

Borlaug was invited by the Mexican government to help the country increase their food supply. In this position he developed a semi-dwarf variety of wheat that increased Mexican wheat production six-fold and was also disease resistant. From 1944 to 1963 Mexico transitioned from a wheat importer to a wheat exporter. He was subsequently called by India and Pakistan to help with their national food security problem. Borlaug was known as the “Father of the Green Revolution.” The term Green Revolution is defined by Brittanica as follows: “The Green Revolution was a great increase in the production of food grains, especially wheat and rice, that was driven by the introduction of new, high-yield crop varieties into developing countries, beginning in the mid-20th century.”

We close with several personal recollections. My father was a hybrid seed agent in New York State in the 1940s and 1950s. In retrospect, as a young child I recall him speaking of single cross and double cross hybrid corn. He was echoing research discoveries from the hybrid seed company in Pennsylvania for whom he worked. Decades later, my discoveries concerning Norman Borlaug remind me of those early discussions. Borlaug developed new varieties of grain crops during that time. This gifted man is credited with saving upward of a billion human lives, preventing disastrous famine by increasing the supply of food.  

In the very first chapter of the Bible, the Creator of Heaven and Earth encouraged humanity to “…fill the earth and subdue it and have dominion…” Norman Borlaug subdued the earth and defeated hunger. Subdue means defeat in the context of Genesis 1:28. 

In this context have dominion indicates that one entity, humanity, rules over another entity—plants—using plants to serve humanity by providing nourishment to defeat hunger. We are thankful for the special gifts God imparts to humanity to “subdue…and have dominion.”      

 

  

Harvest Time

 When we view row after row of food products at our nearest supermarket, seldom do we focus on the origin of the agricultural products on display. However, a plethora of neatly packaged food products often triggers a worship experience in your blog author. He was blessed to experience life on a farm as a young child. Our family lived next door to the 150-acre farm purchased by my grandfather in 1927 in central New York State. My personal presence was almost a ‘constant’ as I observed the many dimensions of agriculture on that farm. It was basically a dairy farm supported by plots of corn, wheat, oats, and pasturelands for the farm animals. 

After many decades our family is still ‘connected’ to agriculture. Our 30-home housing development in eastern Iowa is embedded in a semi-rural area surrounded by corn and soybean fields. Iowa ranks second in agricultural productivity in the United States—second only to California. We experience a similar sense of worship when we study agricultural production—from initial soil preparation, planting, various stages of growth, and the current drying down of mature plants preliminary to the harvest.

Last spring the corn fields surrounding our housing development were carefully tended by farmers as they progressed from early spring planting to the oncoming autumn harvest. School children in our neighborhood are privileged to live in this semi-rural area. Their teachers are able to discuss both urban and rural life with their students. In addition, they may have triggered student desire to learn some of the basics of plant development and food production. This would be a far cry from being immersed in most social media activity. We are thankful for the public schools’ offerings of Future Farmers of America (FFA) clubs.

Agricultural crops such as corn thrive under the tender care of farmers. Memories of this care are enriched by our personal past experiences observing crop development from beginning to end. Seeds must be planted in correct soil conditions. Depending on latitude, early plantings could be susceptible to frosts or freezes. During the growing season, droughts or floods could impact crop development. Government agricultural agents advise farmers of the presence of fungal diseases or damage from insects and advice on how to respond to those hazards. Agents advise farmers on appropriate types and application of fertilizer—not too much, not too little. Hungry wildlife could also endanger the crop.

There are many scriptures instructing us concerning wise agricultural practices. Many instructions extol the value of hard, timely work: Proverbs 10:4, 12:11, and 14:23. Other instructions are more scientific from an observational standpoint, such as the regularity of seasons—cold and warm, summer and winter, day and night, seedtime and harvest: Genesis 8:22. Additional advice relates to planting crops in good soil: Mark 4.

Scripture is full of object lessons from the world of agriculture and horticulture. The references are based on our exercise of faith. We close with personal recollections from a memorable family business. My father was immersed in agriculture and horticulture most of his life. From 1951 to 1985, he developed a unique business after moving from New York State to New Jersey. He cleared a 13-acre plot of land on the farm he purchased primarily to raise sweet corn.

For many years our retail customers enjoyed high quality fresh sweet corn. My wife, a   math teacher, and I, a science teacher, worked on the farm during the summer. At our roadside stand we were always intent on giving God the glory for the miracle of plant growth and the challenge of responsible creation care. Accordingly, during the last few years of our business, we distributed a newsletter to our customers entitled “Kernels of Truth.” After discussing a few issues related to successful sweet corn production, we made spiritual applications in our “Kernels” newsletter. We copy two meaningful paragraphs from our last two “Kernels”:

1984: WHAT IS THE MOST IMPORTANT INGREDIENT IN GROWING CORN?

Faith. Jesus Christ spoke of having faith as small as a grain of mustard seed in order to accomplish great things. To watch a tiny seed grow from insignificance to maturity and fruitfulness demands a considerable measure of faith. The same Jesus Christ spoke of an even more significant sphere in which we can exercise our faith when He said, “The true Bread is a Person — the one sent by God from heaven, and He gives life to the world…..I am the Bread of Life.” John 6:33 (The Living Bible) 

     

1985: CLOSING COMMENT

While God has intended for us to have a satisfying life in this temporal sphere, including the best food treats, He has also provided abundantly in the sphere of the eternal. God’s word is fertile with agricultural and gastronomic object lessons. He wants us to have correct priorities. Jesus said, “Do not work for the food that spoils but for food that lasts to life eternal, such as the Son of Man will furnish you; for God the Father has placed His seal of approval on Him.” John 6:27 (Modern Language Version) 

  

 

  

   

Data vs. Information

We live in “The Age of Information.” Many historians claim the modern Age of Information began in mid 20th century. In researching how and when this age began, we encountered several important precursors of the Age of Information such as the modern computer. We also live in “The Computer Age.”

As we researched this topic and focused on what our personal computers accomplish, we were struck by the difference between data and information. Our PCs deal with huge amounts of data. Information is developed by the people who process these data.   

An important precursor of The Computer Age is the transistor. This device enabled our citizens to access huge quantities of data. In 1947 scientists at Bell Labs in New Jersey developed and demonstrated the world’s first transistor. This invention fundamentally changed the electronic landscape. Transistors are amplifying and switching devices. Modern computers could not function without transistors. (We recall a Christmas gift presented by friends back in the late 1950s—a small transistor radio.)

Primitive computers existed before the transistor. However, these early computers operated with vacuum tubes, consumed enormous voltage, and were huge. ENIAC, an enormous computer developed in 1946 weighed 3000 tons. Today’s computers rely on transistors—solid state devices paving the way for integrated circuits, also known as microchips made of silicon. These chips may be as tiny as a few square millimeters. Without our current microchip technology our “Age of Information” and the “Computer Age” may still be in its primitive stages.    

Our lives rely on information. Sometimes we suffer from data and information overload. Information always begins with and is derived from data. The distinction between information and data is important. “Data are simple text and numbers while information is processed and interpreted data…..Information is considered more valuable than data, as a proper analysis is conducted to convert data into information.” (Quote from keydifferences website)

Our universe may be described in terms of matter, energy, force, and space. These four entities comprise the “stuff” of our universe. Physical science defines our universe in terms of these four entities. The entities may be described quantitatively. Computers generally focus on data. Theoretical physicist/astrobiologist Paul Davies states, “Information is more than just a description of our universe and the stuff in it: it is the most basic currency of existence.” Davies terms information the “ontological basement” of reality. Even though Davies claims to be an atheist, he looks out at the universe and claims “…the impression of design is overwhelming.”      

Our modern computers supply plentiful data about our planet, our Solar System, and our universe. Computers reveal almost unlimited data about the matter, energy, forces, and space inherent in our vast universe. Modern scientists have studied these data and have derived exceedingly relevant information: Our universe is “fine tuned” to support life, especially human life. If our universe is “fine tuned,” there must be a Fine Tuner—another term for the Creator of All Things whose creation work is described in the first verse of Genesis (Genesis 1:1). God’s fine tuned creation work is described in Psalm 8:3-4 and Psalm 19:1-2:

When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars which you have set in place, what is man that you are mindful of him, and the son of man that you care for him? (Psalm 8:3-4 ESV)

The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork. Day to day pours out speech, and night to night reveals knowledge. (Psalm 19:1-2 ESV)

 

    

    

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