Belated Realization

Have you ever tried to imagine what a world without grasses would look like? The scenery might well look pretty bleak, with extensive patches of bare soil. We see good examples of this in illustrations of di­nosaurs in their natural surroundings ­scientists have long declared that there were no grasses present in dinosaur com­munities. The plant-eating dinosaurs had to make do, we have been assured, with cy­cads, ferns, horsetails and trees of flowering plants such as palms and magnolias.

Lives lived, choices made

The world is full of apologists for all sorts of points of view. Among academics today there are humanists, atheists, agnos­tics, and even some who are officially Christian, Jewish, Muslim or adherents of any one of a vast array of Eastern religions. Nev­ertheless most scientists ignore any religious implications for their disciplines. There are, of course, exceptions, some of them well known. The stories of why these people made the choices that they did, are often very interesting.

The Wow Factor in Human DNA

Are you turned off from exploring the topic of DNA because of all the scientific jargon used? This article shows that the topic is of great interest, and is understandable once the jargon has been "de-coded." The author explains what a chromosome is, and introduces you to some of your own chromosomes. The detail and sophistication of a single human cell is so amazing that it incites us to praise the Creator of everything.

The Environmentalist Way, Mandate In Haste, Repent In Lesure

The Montreal Protocol was achieved twenty years ago. This was the first major international agreement on an envi­ronmental issue of global concern. According to the agreement, major industrial nations agreed to phase out the manufacture of chlorofluorocarbons, chemicals used in cooling systems (re­frigerators) and other important industrial applications. As time has passed however, this environmental success story seems to have turned to ashes. Questions abound. Was such drastic action justified at the time? Armed with more re­cent information, would we pursue a similar course today?

Why animals don't get lost

Since the advent of global positioning satellites, or at least since their availability for civilians, scientists have found many uses for these devices. One of the more in­teresting applications is to track animals. Of obvious popular appeal are programs such as "fish with chips." Scientists have been astonished to dis­cover how far these and many other ani­mals migrate. This article explores some examples.

Anniversaries worth celebrating

This year we celebrate the 300th anniversary of the birth of Carl Linnaeus, and next year we celebrate the 250th anniversary of his ground breaking system for naming and catego­rizing plants and animals. Prior to the time of Linnaeus, natu­ralists had a terrible time dealing with the creation's incredible biodiversity (variety of organisms). They even had prob­lems trying to discover what name, if any, had been applied to a given organ­ism. Linnaeus developed a system that eliminated the chaos. To this day, we have enjoyed the results of his efforts.

Classy connections

Influential environmentalists tell us that nature is interconnected. What they mean is that an impact, good or bad, on one population in an ecosystem, will affect the whole array of organisms. There are, however, other ways in which organisms may be interconnected. One fascinating situation involves certain parasites or disease causing organisms. In several cases, a parasite passes through two entirely different kinds of host in or­der to continue its nasty parasitic existence.

Box jellyfish: Potent paradoxes

For biologists there are no simple topics or uncomplicated organisms or situations to deal with anymore. Nowhere is this more apparent than in re­cent discoveries concerning cubozoans or box jellyfish. Although they may be beautiful in appearance, jellyfish are predators armed with uniquely nasty stinging cells. Apart from these special cells however, jellyfish initially were considered to be simple in structure. Despite this apparently simple struc­ture, these organisms are not simple blobs.

Fit to Serve … at Every Age and Stage of Life A Mother and Daughter Perspective

This article considers what it means to live a life of service in the various ages and stages of life. It first gives an overview of 1 Corinthians 12 and what it means to be the body of Christ. Then it examines Philippians 2, showing Christ as the great example of humble servanthood. Then it gives some practical examples of where servanthood is vital among God's people.

Making a Milestone

In his death, as in his life, Dr. Garrett Hardin did things his way. Apparently on September 14, 2003 this 88-year-old envi­ronmentalist, along with his wife, commit­ted suicide. The event was no great surprise, since the couple had long been members of the End-of-Life Choices group formerly known as the Hemlock Society. Our interest lies in the fact that this was a man who, far more than most, impacted American values during the 1970s, 80s and 90s. Dr.

How the Nose Knows

Some wonders of the human body, we take almost for granted. Of the five senses that keep us in touch with the world, most of us are particularly aware of eyesight and hearing. Of course we are very thankful for these gifts. One sense that we tend to take for granted, however, is the sense of smell. This sense does not seem very compli­cated or amazing. Nevertheless a little re­search reveals that our sense of smell is not only exquisitely designed, but it is also poorly understood by biologists. Of all our senses, that of smell seems to be the most complicated.

Green Roofs: Ancient Solutions to Modern Problems

It is difficult enough to plant a beauti­ful garden in a favorable location with good soil. The difficulties escalate, obvi­ously, in less suitable sites such as a rooftop. So it is not for nothing that the an­cient Hanging Gardens of Babylon are considered one of the Seven Wonders of the World. Ancient historians attribute these wonderful rooftop gardens to Mesopotamia's famous King Nebuchad­nezzar (604-562 BC) who wanted to please his Persian wife Amytis.

A Play In One Catastrophic Act

Nestled on the southern shore of the Gaspe Peninsula on the northern shore of the Bay of Chaleur, sits a world class museum about which most Cana­dians are entirely ignorant. The museum is in a small provincial park consisting of land overlooking the bay, fossil bearing cliffs and the beach below. Purchased by the Quebec government in the 1970s to protect a spectacular assemblage of fossil fishes, the land was designated a provin­cial park (Parc national de Miguasha) in 1985. A few years later this park was also designated a UNESCO World Her­itage Site.

The Lord Loves a Cheerful Giver

Our giving is, in one sense, a private matter. Jesus spoke of "not doing your charitable deeds before men," and "not letting your left hand know what your right hand is doing" (Matthew 6:3). We should avoid seeking public accolades for our giving, and in that sense giving is a private matter between us and our Lord. For others, avoiding the topic of giving might simply be a way of hiding their greed and selfishness, and their lack of generosity.

"It May Be…’’ Winning Isn't on Us but God does want Us to Show Up

What should motivate Christians to stand against homosexuality, abortion and other things which are contrary to God’s word? This article explains that faith and obedience is what motivates Christians, not victory. How? From 1 Samuel 14:6 this article explains how this so by looking at the life of Jonathan.

A Canadian Cambrian Fossil Story An Explosion of Complexity

This article is about a collection of soft-bodied fossils from the Burgess Shale in British Columbia, and likened such fossils to an explosion; hence the name, "Cambrian Explosion." The article considers how such an explosion may have happened. It also considers the discovery of other soft-bodied fossils in the world, and how these complex animals leave evolutionits scratching their heads. It concludes by suggesting these animals were pre-flood, and suddenly buried when the flood came.