Thoughts from a scientist who is a Christian (not a Christian Scientist)
As anyone who has been reading this blog for a while knows, I am fascinated by the phenomenon of symbiosis: two or more species living together in a relationship. In my opinion, the most interesting form of symbiosis is mutualism: two or more species living together in such a way that each species benefits. I … Continue reading “Another Example of Three-Way Mutualism”
Over two years ago, I wrote about an interesting three-way mutualistic relationship between a virus, a fungus, and a plant. Less than a year later, I wrote about how people are actually walking ecosystems, participating in a huge number of mutualistic relationships with many different species of bacteria. Last night, while reading the scientific literature, … Continue reading “Another Example of Three-Way Mutualism. Is This Just the Tip of the Iceberg?”
I write and speak a lot about mutualism (see here, here, here, here, and here, for example). Not only do I find it to be incredibly fascinating, but I also think it is a clear indication that the living things we see around us have been designed. Indeed, the various ways in which two or … Continue reading “More on Mutualism”
I came across an article I had pulled out of the journal Science back in 2007, and it reminded me of a very interesting form of mutualism that I had completely forgotten about. In case you aren’t familiar with the term, mutualism is a situation in which two or more organisms work together so that … Continue reading “Three-Way Mutualism: A Clue to Pre-Fall Viruses”
For more than 140 years, scientists have taught that lichens are the result of a relationship between a fungus and an alga (singular of algae). The fungus gives the lichen most of its visible characteristics and provides a protected place for the alga to grow. In exchange, the alga does photosynthesis and shares what it … Continue reading “Lichen Hid This Secret From Scientists for More Than 140 Years!”
Writing about coral in the Journal Science, paleontologist Dr. George D. Stanley noted: Symbiosis is the most relevant and enduring biological theme in the history of our planet. If you aren’t familiar with the term, “symbiosis” refers to organisms of different species living together. There are three general forms: (1) Parasitic symbiosis, in which one … Continue reading “Even Eyes Contain Bacteria!”
Corals are amazing animals that form reefs which are teeming with life. They eat things that are floating in the water around them, but they also have a mutualistic relationship with algae called “zooxanthellae.” The corals provide the algae with housing, and in exchange, the algae give the corals chemicals they need. It’s a wonderful … Continue reading “The Global Warming Alarmists Were Wrong (Again)”
In 1586, a Portuguese missionary named João dos Santos began ministering to the people of Mozambique. While his focus was evangelism, he also studied the people and observed the colonization process. His detailed observations were reported in a monograph entitled Ethiopia Oriental, which was published in 1891. One of the interesting things documented in his … Continue reading “Wild Birds and People Work Together in Mozambique”
If you have been reading this blog for a while, you know that I am fascinated by mutualism – the phenomenon where two organisms of different species work together to benefit one another (see here, here, here, here, and here, for example). Creationists expect such relationships to be common throughout nature, and at least one … Continue reading “Lichen Kept This Secret from Scientists for Almost 150 Years!”
I do a lot of scuba diving, and I love coral reefs. They are probably the most beautiful things you can see under water, and they are usually teeming with fish and other wildlife. While there are other wonderful things to see in the ocean, I can’t think of anything better than nearly depleting a … Continue reading “Coral Bleaching: A Death Sentence or An Adaptive Mechanism?”