Join biochemist Fazale “Fuz” Rana and astrophysicist Hugh Ross as they discuss new discoveries with theological and philosophical implications that point to the reality of God’s existence. Who were the Neanderthals? How do they fit into the biblical account of human origins? Were they image-bearers like us? Or were they “soulish” animals? In this episode, biochemist Fuz Rana details how recent work by researchers from the UK on the origin of Chiari type 1 malformations (brain abnormalities) offers insight into these questions. Also in this episode, Hugh Ross explains field experiments that provide further evidence of human exceptionalism—highlighting infant-directed communication as a unique tool for rapid, complex language acquisition. Unlike great apes, adult humans use specialized gestures, sign language, and acoustic and structural verbal features when communicating with their infants. As a result, human infants can easily distinguish between adult and infant-directed communication. Moreover, they receive significantly more infant-directed input than their great ape counterparts, further accelerating their linguistic development. LINKS AND RESOURCES Evolutionary Hypothesis for Chiari Type I Malformation A Test of the Archaic Homo Introgression Hypothesis for the Chiari Malformation Type I The Evolution of Infant-Directed Communication: Comparing Vocal Input Across All Great Apes

Join astrophysicists Hugh Ross and Jeff Zweerink as they discuss new discoveries with theological and philosophical implications that point to the reality of God’s existence. Researchers have reconstructed ancient lake temperatures in the Qaidam Basin (western China)to show that either 11.0 or 7.6 million years ago, the northern Tibetan Plateau rose by 1,650 or 1,525 meters in less than 500,000 years. Hugh Ross explains how this final major event in the collision of the Indian subcontinent with Asia created a “third pole” of ice covering 1 million square miles. This pole made global human civilization possible. The fact that the event occurred 7.6 million years ago means the resultant tectonic activity has subsided to a nonthreatening level for human civilization.   While today’s AIs still lack skills humans possess, advances continually push AI technology to accomplish things we thought only humans could do. Jeff Zweerink discusses how a recent studyindicates that AI may one day do science as well as humans. However, if we focus only on efficiency, we could miss the reason why we do science—that God designed us to learn how to relate to him and learn about him through his revelation in creation.  LINKS AND RESOURCES: Terrestrial Temperature History Reveals Late Miocene Rapid Uplift of the Northern Tibetan Plateau Flow-Driven Data Intensification to Accelerate Autonomous Inorganic Materials Discovery This AI-Powered Lab Runs Itself—and Discovers New Materials 10x Faster Representation of Locomotive Action Affordances in Human Behavior, Brains, and Deep Neural Networks Affordances in the Brain: The Human Superpower AI Hasn’t Mastered

Join biochemists Fazale “Fuz” Rana and Richard Gunasekera, research professor of nanomedicine and biochemistry at Biola University, as they discuss scientific discoveries with philosophical implications that point to the reality of God’s existence. Dr. Richard Gunasekera explores advances in nanomedicine, including nanomachines that kill antibiotic-resistant microbes, dendrimer carriers that may cross the blood-brain barrier, and plant-based noble metal nanoparticles that target cancer and microbes. Drawing from his work at Biola University and decades of research in cancer biology and bioactive plant compounds, he examines how these breakthroughs show scientific ingenuity and evidence of intelligent design in nature. Richard and Fuz also discuss recent peer-reviewed case studies investigating medically documented instances of divine healings, proposing a framework where cutting-edge science and faith are not at odds but together point to a Creator who heals by design. LINKS & RESOURCES: One Human Race: Scientific and Scriptural Views on the Single Origin of Humans Molecular Mechanisms Lead to Sex-Specific COVID-19 Prognosis and Targeted Therapies Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Sex-Specific COVID-19 Clinical Outcomes Molecular Nanomachines Can Destroy Tissue or Kill Multicellular Eukaryotes Does COVID-19 Spread Through Droplets Alone? Biopsychosocial and Spiritual Implications of Patients with COVID-19 Dying in Isolation  Delayed Interventions, Low Compliance, and Health Disparities Amplified the Early Spread of COVID-19 Near-Infrared Light Activates Molecular Nanomachines to Drill into and Kill Cells Molecular Nanomachines Disrupt Bacterial Cell Wall, Increasing Sensitivity of Extensively Drug-Resistant Klebsiella pneumonia to Meropenem Lutein Inhibits Growth of Human Prostate Cancer Cells and Potentiates Capsaicin, Curcumin, and the Traditional Chemotherapy Agent, Campothecin Phyto-Bioactive Food Pyramid© A Healthy Dietary Plan for Preventing Certain Common Cancers Bioactive Molecules from Fruits and Vegetables Significantly Potentiate Traditional Chemotherapy Lycopene and Lutein Inhibit Proliferation in Rat Prostate Carcinoma Cells Differential Phosphorylations of Constitutive NFkB and Cell Growth of MDA-MB 231 Human Breast Cancer Cell Line by Limonins Bioflavone Alpha Increases Chemotherapeutic Activity of Antitumor Drug Campothecin Influence of Harvest Time on Citrus Pectin and Its In Vitro Inhibition of Fibroblast Growth Factor Signal Transduction Citrus Pectin: Characterization and Inhibitory Effect on Fibroblast Growth Factor-Receptor Interaction Characterization of Citrus Pectin and Inhibition of Fibroblast Growth Factor Signal Transduction Process

Join biochemist Fazale “Fuz” Rana and astrophysicist Hugh Ross as they discuss new discoveries with theological and philosophical implications that point to the reality of God’s existence. Researchers from China recently determined the identity of a hominin dubbed 'Dragon Man' that had been classified as a distinct species called Homo longi. However, new evidence places them in the category of the Denisovans—the mysterious hominins known from ancient DNA they left behind in nondescript fossils.In this episode, biochemist Fuz Rana describes how these scientists determined the Denisovans’ identity and what this insight means for RTB’s human origins model. For the first time, astronomers have observed atmospheric sputtering—where atoms or molecules are ejected from a planet’s atmosphere due to impacts by energetic particles—at Mars. Using 9+ years of argon isotope measures at Martian altitudes from 250–400 kilometers, astronomers determined that the argon sputtering rate was more than four times higher than model predictions, and especially high during solar storms. Astrophysicist Hugh Ross explains that the sputtering rates shed light on how, when, and why Mars quickly lost its water and nearly all its atmosphere, and why Earth was able to retain both. LINKS AND RESOURCES: Denisovan Mitochondrial DNA from Dental Calculus of the >146,000-Year-Old Harbin Cranium The Proteome of the Late Middle Pleistocene Harbin Individual First Direct Observations of Atmospheric Sputtering at Mars Designed to the Core

Join biochemist Fazale “Fuz” Rana and astrophysicist Jeff Zweerink as they discuss discoveries with theological and philosophical implications that point to the reality of God’s existence. A recent MIT study determined that the composition of cell membranes dynamically adjusts so that cells maintain a constant surface area-to-volume ratio. In this episode, biochemist Fuz Rana describes this work and explores the design implications for God’s existence and role in life’sorigin and design. We tend to think of AI as completely rational, objective, and unswayed by emotion, but current AIs don’t match this perception. Astrophysicist Jeff Zweerink discusses how large-language model AIs (like ChatGPT and Llama) often reflect human foibles such as overconfidence, biases, malicious behavior, and data fabrication. A recent study demonstrated that AI overconfidence resembles a human speech disorder known as Wernicke’s aphasia. The research paves the way for novel techniques to detect the disorder in humans and may help with future treatments. LINKS AND RESOURCES: Plasma Membrane Folding Enables Constant Surface Area-to-Volume Ratio in Growing Mammalian Cells Membrane Curvature and Mechanisms of Dynamic Cell Membrane Remodelling AI Overconfidence Mirrors Human Brain Condition Comparison of Large Language Model with Aphasia

Join biochemist Fazale “Fuz” Rana and Christian philosopher and apologist Tricia Scribner, as they discuss theological and philosophical implications that point to the reality of God’s existence. Theistic evolution is increasingly popular among Christians, and it’s not surprising. Theistic evolutionists argue that their origins view reconciles the Christian faith with science. But what if affirming theistic evolution diminishes, distorts, or denies one or more of God’s divine attributes? This is a question few Christians have given much thought to, even though an accurate understanding of God’s attributes is crucial to our worshipping God in truth. So, let’s think through what theistic evolution claims not only about the origin and diversification of living things but also about the God who employed evolutionary mechanisms to bring all living things into existence, even humans as divine image-bearers. LINKS & RESOURCES:  Aquinas and Evolution BioLogos Darwin’s Black Box: The Biochemical Challenge to Evolution I Love Jesus and I Accept Evolution God After Einstein: What’s Really Going On in the Universe? Mapping the Origins Debate: Six Models of the Beginning of Everything Theistic Evolution: A Scientific, Philosophical, and Theological Critique Thomistic Evolution: A Catholic Approach to Understanding Evolution in the Light of Faith Tricia Scribner’s Resources General Apologetics: Answering the Music Man: Dan Barker’s Arguments Against Christianity LifeGivers Apologetics: Women Designed and Equipped to Share Reasons for the Hope Within

Join astrophysicists Hugh Ross and Jeff Zweerink as they discuss new discoveries with theological and philosophical implications that point to the reality of God’s existence. The early universe may produce dark photon dark matter via inflation fluctuations, parametric resonances, or the decay of cosmic strings. The Sun’s vast plasma, extending out to Earth’s orbit, yields the best environment for detecting dark photons converting into photons. The Parker Solar Probe’s orbit (0.046–1.000 AU) and receiver (70 kHz–20 MHz) provide the most sensitive test for dark photons. Initial observations establish a dark photon constraint 20,000 times superior to the previous best from maps of the cosmic microwave background radiation. AI that recognizes and responds properly to emotions would play a valuable role in helping us take care of others. However, this skill also comes with the danger that some people might replace important human relationships with the emotional mimicry of AI. Knowing how AI works and the limitations it faces (training data, biases in algorithms, being black boxes, etc.) can help us think properly about developing AI technology so that we can enjoy the benefits without falling prey to the perils.  LINKS AND RESOURCES: In Situ Measurements of Dark Photon Dark Matter Using Parker Solar Probe: Going Beyond the Radio Window Dark Photon Limits from Patchy Dark Screening of the Cosmic Microwave Background Could AI Understand Emotions Better Than We Do? Large Language Models are Proficient in Solving and Creating Emotional Intelligence Tests

Join astrophysicists Hugh Ross and Jeff Zweerink as they discuss new discoveries with theological and philosophical implications that point to the reality of God’s existence. Human skin contains several amazing features that explain our long lifespans and ability for rapid global technological advance: high resilience, high toughness, self-adhesion, self-healing, high ionic conductivity, dynamic functionality, mechanical robustness, and stability. Scientists have designed and manufactured a water/glycerol binary solvent containing bismuth ions that yields an artificial skin that comes close to matching several of the functions and capabilities of human skin. This close match shows how well-designed the “real thing” is. A growing body of evidence indicates that Mars had water on its surface nearly 4 billion years ago, which raises the obvious question of whether this Martian water ever hosted life. A recent study of the Martian water cycle—specifically how it differs from Earth’s—reveals that surface water on the red planet was likely even more transient than originally thought. Studies like these also reveal how remarkably designed Earth is, as it hosts an abundant array of life today. LINKS AND RESOURCES:  A Skin-Mimicking Multifunctional Hydrogel Via Hierarchical, Reversible Noncovalent Interactions Thinking About Evolution Missing Link in Early Martian Water Cycle Discovered Infiltration Dynamics on Early Mars: Geomorphic, Climatic, and Water Storage Implication

When considering how science and the Bible integrate, we face the risk of reading scientific concepts into the text. Biochemist Fazale “Fuz” Rana and Christian apologist Steve Anonsen discuss how critics who read ancient, incorrect scientific views into the Bible are actually reading bad science into the Bible. This episode discusses the fun exercise of how to interpret the Bible well.

Join astrophysicist Jeff Zweerink and ophthalmologist Andy Moyes as they discuss discoveries with theological and philosophical implications that point to the reality of God’s existence. For decades, the human eye has been at the center of the creation/evolution debate. Even Charles Darwin recognized its apparent design despite arguing that evolution produced this vital sensory organ. Ophthalmologist Andrew Moyes brings his expertise in eye diseases to bear on this debate, making a case that the latest research shows the elegant and near-perfect design of the human eye. LINKS AND RESOURCES: Evolution of the Eye A Pessimistic Estimate of the Time Required for an Eye to Evolve Is Our Retina Really Upside Down?  

Join biochemist Fazale “Fuz” Rana and astrophysicist Hugh Ross as they discuss new discoveries with theological and philosophical implications that point to the reality of God’s existence. Young-earth creationists claim that humans and dinosaurs coexisted. One key line of evidence they cite in support of this claim concerns the depictions of “dinosaurs” in art made by humans before paleontologists discovered dinosaur remains. In this episode, biochemist Fuz Rana demonstrates why the appearance of dinosaurs in ancient art fails to support a young-earth view. A 3D reconstruction of Earth’s magnetosphere during the Laschamps event (a geomagnetic excursion 41,000 years ago) shows that for 300 years, Earth’s magnetic field strength weakened to less than 10% of its present level and the aurora oval (ring-shaped zone around Earth’s magnetic poles) expanded and moved to lower latitudes. Hugh Ross tells us how this event was catastrophic for Neanderthals and Denisovans, but not for humans because they had sunscreen and made clothing. Note: Stars, Cells, and God will be on hiatus for the month of June, but don’t worry—we’ll be back with new episodes in July! LINKS AND RESOURCES: A Remarkable Assemblage of Petroglyphs and Dinosaur Footprints in Northeast Brazil A Possible Later Stone Age Painting of a Dicynodont (Synapsida) from the South African Karoo Wandering of the Aurora Oval 41,000 Years Ago Life and Magnetic Field Variations

Join biochemist Fazale “Fuz” Rana and astrophysicist Jeff Zweerink as they discuss new discoveries with theological and philosophical implications that point to the reality of God’s existence. Many anthropologists believe that the earliest modern humans’ production and interaction with cave art was a deeply spiritual experience. Interestingly, anthropologists often find children’s footprints and handprints associated with ancient cave art. But why? Archaeologists from the University of Tel Aviv argue that the earliest modern humans regarded children as liminal (transitional) agents between the physical and spiritual realms. In this episode, biochemist Fuz Rana explains how this insight can be marshaled to make a scientific case that human beings bear the image of God. Life’s abundance on Earth raises the question of whether other bodies in our solar system might host life. Besides Mars, proposed candidates include the moons Europa, Enceladus, and Titan because they have a large ocean underneath a surface layer of ice. Recently, scientists applied a model for life that considers metabolic pathways, moon conditions, and available chemical compounds to assess how much life Titan might host. Given reasonable values for these parameters, astrophysicist Jeff Zweerink explains how this model demonstrates that Titan might host a few kilograms of life in its ocean and what it means. LINKS & RESOURCES: Child in Time: Children as Liminal Agents in Upper Paleolithic Decorated Caves Saturn’s Moon Titan Could Harbor Life, but Only a Tiny Amount, Study Finds The Viability of Glycine Fermentation in Titan’s Subsurface Ocean

Join astrophysicists Hugh Ross and Jeff Zweerink as they discuss new discoveries with theological and philosophical implications that point to the reality of God’s existence. Engineers have designed two types of robotic hands: rigid ones that move precisely and can be carefully controlled, and soft ones that are flexible and resilient. Hugh Ross describes how these robotics, modeled after the human hand’s musculoskeletal system, can play a piano and pick up and twirl an egg without breaking it. The teleological argument, often expressed through fine-tuning, serves as a powerful way to point to the God of the Bible. However, Christians need to be diligent about keeping the specific examples up to date with the best scientific understanding. In this episode, Jeff Zweerink notes how we should use the cosmological constant to demonstrate both the power of the fine-tuning and the pitfalls to avoid when making the argument. LINKS AND RESOURCES: Biomimetic Rigid-Soft Finger Design for Highly Dexterous and Adaptive Robotic Hands Thinking About Evolution The Cosmological Constant

Join biochemist Fazale “Fuz” Rana and astrophysicist Hugh Ross as they discuss new discoveries with theological and philosophical implications that point to the reality of God’s existence. A team of German researchers discovered that genes located in bacterial chromosomes assume a precise order based on their function. Biochemist Fuz Rana explains why this discovery evinces a Creator’s role in the origin and design of life. Astrophysicist Hugh Ross comments on how the internet has blown up with blogs announcing astronomers have discovered signs of life on a distant planet called K2-18b. The reason for the excitement stems from a 99.7% probable detection of a molecule, dimethyl sulfide, in the planet’s atmosphere that might have been generated by living things. As an example, all of Earth’s dimethyl sulfide comes from marine microbes. However, several factors have been overlooked amidst the optimism: (1) Astronomers have found dimethyl sulfide in a comet and in the interstellar medium that’s indisputably nonbiological, (2) Astronomers question the detection, and (3) This distant planet and its host star’s physical characteristics rule out any possibility of physical life. Links and Resources: Most Bacterial Gene Families Are Biased Toward Specific Chromosomal Positions New Constraints on DMS and DMDS in the Atmosphere of K2-18b from JWST MIRI Signs of Life on a Distant Planet? Not So Fast, Say These Astronomers On the Abiotic Origin of Dimethyl Sulfide: Discovery of Dimethyl Sulfide in the Interstellar Medium Evidence for Abiotic Dimethyl Sulfide in Cometary Matter A Comprehensive Reanalysis of K2-18b’s JWST NIRISS+NIRSpec Transmission Spectrum Designed to the Core (chapters 9–11)

Join biochemist Fazale “Fuz” Rana and astrophysicist Jeff Zweerink as they discuss new discoveries with theological and philosophical implications that point to the reality of God’s existence. Scientists used CRISPR gene editing and modified in vitro fertilization techniques to create mice with two dads and no mother. How should Christians respond to these types of studies? Biochemist Fuz Rana discusses how this research team accomplished this feat and why scientists would do this work.  As scientists design new telescopes to search for habitable, or even inhabited, exoplanets, they also recognize that our searches may not find any signs of life. As they try to quantify what a lack of life measurements means, it benefits Christians to think about how we use the scientific data to argue for the truth of Christianity. Astrophysicist Jeff Zweerink examines what the science shows and how to use the current scientific data to argue for God’s robust design of Earth.  Links and Resources: Adult Bi-Paternal Offspring Generated Through Direct Modification of Imprinted Genes in Mammals What If We Find Nothing in Our Search for Life Beyond Earth? What If We Find Nothing? Bayesian Analysis of the Statistical Information of Null Results in Future Exoplanet Habitability and Biosignature Surveys

Join biochemist Fazale “Fuz” Rana and astrophysicist Hugh Ross as they discuss discoveries with theological and philosophical implications that point to the reality of God’s existence. Is it possible to mount a scientific defense showing that humans uniquely bear God’s image as Scripture teaches? In this episode, biochemist Fuz Rana discusses recent research from MIT that estimates the timing of the origin of human language and demonstrates that these results support the biblical account of humanity’s beginning. Astrophysicist Hugh Ross discusses the feasibility of obtaining solar power from space. Researchers have devised a system where large satellites collect and convert solar power to electricity and transmit the electricity to Earth wirelessly. Previously, the system costs were prohibitive. Technological advances—lightweight collectors that can be folded and unraveled robotically and dynamically controlled for high precision and stability—now make space solar power an economically viable, fossil-fuel-free, continuously available solution for humanity’s energy needs. Links and Resources: Linguistic Capacity Was Present in the Homo sapiens Population 135 Thousand Years Ago Rigid-Flexible Coupling Dynamics Modeling and Fractional-Order Sliding Mode Control for Large Space Solar Power Stations Wireless Power Transfer in Space Using Flexible, Lightweight, Coherent Arrays A Comprehensive Review on Space Solar Power Satellite: An Idiosyncratic Approach Weathering Climate Change: A Fresh Approach

Join astrophysicists Hugh Ross and Jeff Zweerink as they discuss new discoveries with theological and philosophical implications pointing to the reality of God’s existence. Astrophysicist Hugh Ross discusses the James Webb Space Telescope’s confirmation that a galaxy called JADES-GS-z14-0 is the farthest one ever found. We’re seeing it as it looked just 291 million years after the big bang—13.48 billion light-years from us. By analyzing light from the galaxy, scientists found signs of a specific type of oxygen (called OIII), and hints of dust. The presence of heavy elements in the galaxy means that many massive stars must have formed just 200 to 290 million years after the universe began. Does the presence of these metals challenge the big bang? Without Earth’s magnetic field, cosmic rays would sputter our atmosphere into space. Yet, scientists recently found that the magnetic field virtually collapsed for more than 20 million years as life transitioned from single-celled to complex, multicellular creatures. Astrophysicist Jeff Zweerink explains how detailed studies of Earth’s magnetic field direction and strength, coupled with measurements of the Earth’s core and the history of life, provide compelling evidence that Earth’s capacity to support life requires critical events occurring at precisely the right time. Such evidence points to a God who fashioned and developed our planet so life can thrive—particularly human life. Links and Resources: Photometric Detection at 7.7 µm of a Galaxy Beyond Redshift 14 with JWST/MIRI Spectroscopic Confirmation of Two Luminous Galaxies at a Redshift of 14 Earth’s Magnetic Dipole Collapses, and Life Explodes Is the Big Bang Theory in Trouble?

Join astrophysicists Hugh Ross and Jeff Zweerink as they discuss new discoveries with theological and philosophical implications pointing to the reality of God’s existence. For decades, young-earth creationists have used the existence of comets to argue that the earth can’t be a few billion years old. At first glance, this argument appears to have merit because comets are relatively short-lived phenomena. However, a closer examination of how comets formed and acquired orbits that bring them close to the Sun supports an old Earth. Even more importantly, cometary research provides strong evidence of God’s design in preparing Earth to support human life. Links and Resources: What 2024’s Bright Comet May Reveal About the Age of the Solar System Size and Albedo of the Largest Detected Oort-Cloud Object: Comet C/2014 UN271 (Bernardinelli-Bernstein)

Join biochemist Fazale “Fuz” Rana and astrophysicist Jeff Zweerink as they discuss new discoveries with theological and philosophical implications pointing to the reality of God’s existence. Can biotechnologists resurrect animals from extinction? Researchers from Colossal Bioscience have moved one step closer to making the woolly mammoth’s de-extinction a reality by gene-editing mice to exhibit woolly mammoth features. In this episode, biochemist Fuz Rana discusses this work and offers a Christian perspective on de-extinctions. In the late 1960s, scientists theoretically worked out how to build a new class of materials that use the structure of the material (rather than the substance) to manipulate sound waves. It took another three decades to develop the technology to design and build them. Yet we find numerous examples of animals utilizing these novel-to-human materials. In this episode, we’ll discuss the science behind the durability of the mantis shrimp’s dactyl club (punching fist), which it uses to deliver blows without harming itself, and highlight the apologetic significance of these well-designed features found in nature. LINKS & RESOURCES: Rui Chen et al., “Multiplex-Edited Mice Recapitulate Woolly Mammoth Hair Phenotypes,” https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.03.03.641227v1 Pablo D. Zavattieri, “Naturally Twisted to Sieve Stress,” https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.adv3100 A. Alderete et al., “Does the Mantis Shrimp Pack a Phononic Shield?,” https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.adq7100

Join biochemist Fazale “Fuz” Rana and astrophysicist Hugh Ross as they discuss discoveries with theological and philosophical implications pointing to the reality of God’s existence. In this episode, biochemist Fuz Rana describes recent work from researchers at Rockefeller University. The researchers edited specific mouse genes to express the human version of the protein NOVA1, and they believe their research explains human language capability. Their findings add evidence for the exceptional nature of human beings and, consequently, the image of God. Hugh discusses how four astrobiologists assert that intelligent life is the natural outcome of a hospitable environment. They note that the origin of life and every advance in Earth’s life occurred when physical and chemical conditions first permitted their appearance. Hence, they conclude that these appearances of life must be naturalistically straightforward and rapid. The team proposed a test of their hypothesis: exoplanets with the necessary physical and chemical conditions for each “hard step” in the origin and history of life will prove to be common and, in each case, chemical signatures for that life step will be found. Do the findings support their hypothesis?   Links & Resources:  A Humanized NOVA1 Splicing Factor Alters Mouse Vocal Communications A Reassessment of the “Hard-Steps” Model for the Evolution of Intelligent Life Who Was Adam? A Creation Model Approach to the Origin of Humanity