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"Microbiology" Article Items

Willful Blindness
RNA and DNA are very similar in structure although they perform different functions in the cell.

Posted on February 23, 2021 by

Categories: Intelligent Design, Philosophical

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Willful Blindness Preconceived notions can prevent otherwise intelligent and discerning people from observing the obvious. The editor of an obscure journal Proceedings of the Biological Society of Washington decided to publish a paper making the case for intelligent design.  Intelligent design is a controversial theory that suggests that life is too complex to have been self-assembled by accident.  Instead – as with all extremely complex machines that perform a function – it was put together by an intelligent designer. The Smithsonian Institute helps to fund and run this journal, and within hours voiced its intense displeasure that any favor would… Read More »

Irreducible Complexity
The origin of life has been a hotly debated topic for years; scientists are no closer to explaining how life could have started on earth.

Posted on February 1, 2021 by

Categories: Biology, Science

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Irreducible Complexity The theory of natural selection proposes that small changes over millions of years can gradually produce increasing amounts of complexity through the gradual accumulation of beneficial mutations. The incremental accumulation of beneficial mutations gradually producing increasingly complex structures or pathways.  Those mutations which are not beneficial will lessen the organism’s ability to survive and will be gradually bred out. The gradual accumulation of increasingly complex functionality might produce some beneficial changes over long time frames – theoretically. The atheist Richard Dawkins has attempted to provide computer evidence that evolution could spontaneously produce new information in a closed system…. Read More »

Spontaneous Generation
Biologist have known for decades that life cannot come for non-life.

Posted on May 19, 2020 by

Categories: Biology, Science

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Spontaneous generation is the belief that life can spring from dead material.  Belief in the spontaneous generation of life has been shared by many civilizations for thousands of years and took centuries to disprove.  It seems to be a common observational event that dead organic material can spontaneously sprout living things, like maggots and bacteria. Aristotle popularized the concept as noted in his fourth century BC work, History of Animals, With animals, some spring from parent animals according to their kind, whilst others grow spontaneously and not from kindred stock; and of these instances of spontaneous generation some come from putrefying… Read More »

Molecular Biology Confirms Intelligent Design
Molecular biology confirms intelligent design. Increasing complexity of life strongly suggests an intelligence.

Posted on December 15, 2019 by

Categories: Biology, Intelligent Design, Philosophical, Science

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The increasing complexity of life discovered by molecular biology confirms intelligent design theory. Molecular biology came of age in the 1990s with the development of new investigation tools. These tools for the first time in human history allowed the investigation of the inner workings of cells.  Advances in molecular biology confirm intelligent design theories rather than natural origins. It has been the hope of research scientists and their funding agencies that these new tools will enable new advances. The informed treatment of cancer and other genetic diseases becomes possible. The past thirty years has seen an explosion of knowledge about… Read More »

Prebiotic Soup
The prebiotic soup is thought to have come from comets and meteors over millions of years.

Posted on December 4, 2019 by

Categories: Biology, Science

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The prebiotic soup is the mixture of chemicals in the ancient Earth which produced the first life. It is commonly known throughout our culture, so much so that it was a theme of a Star Trek episode. In this episode, Captain Picard is taken back to ancient Earth to witness the prebiotic soup from which all life came. Generations of high school students have been taught the prebiotic soup is the organic chemical mixture of common chemical. Energy in the form of light and heat produce chemical reactions in the soup that with enough time produced the earliest life form…. Read More »

Origin of Functional Proteins
The origin of functional proteins is difficult to understand using only chance.

Posted on December 3, 2019 by

Categories: Biology, Science

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The origin of functional proteins is a hot topic among the origin of life specialists. There are many speculations as to how functional proteins came to but none has provided much success so far. Amino acids link together in a chain called a “polypeptide” in a certain order. All amino acids in life proteins are made of the left-handed variety of proteins. The way in which only left-handed amino acids were included in life proteins is also under intense investigation. All amino acids except for the most simple variety, glycine, come in two basic varieties – a right-handed and a… Read More »

Origin of Life with Cell Membranes
The origin of life with cell membranes is very difficult to envision. They are very difficult to make, maintain, and then figure how to replicate.

Posted on December 2, 2019 by

Categories: Biology, Science

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Origin of life with cell membranes occurred very early in life formation. Membranes mark the boundary between the cell and its environment. They are in bacterial cells to human cells, and are everywhere in nature. The cell membrane separates what is inside the cell such as the nucleus, ribosomes, and chemistry from the outside world. Membranes are also very important in keeping harmful chemicals from the cell. They are also important in bringing in certain chemicals and nutrients into the cell. Without these cell membranes, advanced life would be impossible Membrane Structure Cell membranes are more than just a simple… Read More »

Origin of Life Molecules
Origin of life molecules can not be explained using natural science.

Posted on December 1, 2019 by

Categories: Biology, Science

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Origin of life molecules are those molecules that are required for even the simplest life.  They may form part of the structure of proteins (such as amino acids), or of DNA or RNA (such as the sugar ribose). The start of these origin of life molecules has never been explained. These molecules are formed in too low concentrations or not formed at all in natural conditions. Some origin of life molecules needs to be entirely of either the right or left-handed variety. One of the factors needed to make the molecular machinery work correctly is the right kind of molecules… Read More »

Bad Design Features
design

Posted on June 2, 2019 by

Categories: Biology, Science

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Bad Design Features The late Stephen Gould presented examples of what he considered “bad design” as an argument against a creator.  The best-known example was that of the panda’s thumb which he described as being clumsy.  The other example of allegedly poor design is the human retina which seems to be inverted with the light sensing cells behind a membrane. The Panda’s Thumb as a Bad Design Feature The crux of Gould’s argument concerning the “thumb” of a panda is that it is not optimally designed for its purpose.  Apparently, the panda uses its thumb to strip the bark off… Read More »

Extraterrestrial Life
Picture of Mars

Posted on May 30, 2019 by

Categories: Biology, Science

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It is very likely that life will be discovered on some other solar system body even though a naturalistic origin of life seems to be quite impossible. Life on earth has been very abundant on Earth for about 3.8 billion years.  We have some form of life everywhere; down to the very depths of the oceans, underneath ice caps, in deserts, and deep into the earth.  There is life from intense freezing cold to near boiling water near ocean vents. As said in Jurassic Park – life finds a way. When life does get discovered on another solar system object… Read More »