THE HIDDEN POWER IN LIGHTNING
THE HIDDEN POWER IN LIGHTNING
One Bolt Of Lightning Produces More Electricity Than The USA
At
night, in heavy rain, the sky is suddenly lit up, followed
shortly after
by a violent noise. Do you know how the magnificent lightning
that so
illuminates the sky comes about? Do you know how much light it
emits?
Or how much heat it gives off?
A flash of lightning is the bright light which forms during the release of the electricity in the atmosphere during rainstorms. But when does this bright light form? Lightning can happen when electrical tension in two separate points in the atmosphere-within a single cloud, or between a cloud and the ground, or between two grounds-reaches a high level.
Light bolts happen in the form of at least two strikes. In the first release a negative (-) charge flows from the cloud to the ground. This is not a particularly bright flash. A number of branches can generally be seen spreading out from the main channel. As this first strike reaches the ground, an opposite charge forms at the point it will hit and a second positive charge-bearing current forms from within that same channel directly to the cloud. The two flashes generally meet about 50 metres above the ground. A short circuit forms at the conjunction between the cloud and the ground, as a result of which a very bright strong electric current heads from inside the channel to the cloud. The potential difference in this current between the cloud and the ground is greater than several million volts.
More Electricity Production Than Thousands of Generating Stations
The energy given off by a single bolt of lightning is greater than that produced in all the electricity generating stations in America. The temperature in the channel where the lightning forms can be as high as 10,000 degrees Celsius. The temperature in kilns for melting iron is between 1,050 and 1,100 degrees. The heat given off by the smallest bolt of lightning is ten times this. This terrible heat means that lightning can easily burn and destroy all the elements on Earth. To make another comparison, the surface temperature of the Sun is as much as 700,000 degrees. In other words, the temperature of lightning is 1/70th of that of the surface of the Sun. The light emitted by lightning is greater than that given off by 10 million 100-watt bulbs. For purposes of comparison, a single lightning bolt illuminates its surroundings more than if one bulb is lit in every house in Istanbul. Allah draws attention to this wondrous brightness of lightning in the Qur'an,
. . . The brightness of His lightning almost blinds the sight. (Surat an-Nur: 43)
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The bolt which forms descends to earth very rapidly, at 96,000 kmph. The first strike reaches the conjunction or surface in 20 milliseconds, and the return strike returns to the cloud in 70 microseconds. Lightning lasts a total of up to half a second. The reason for the thunder which accompanies it stems from the sudden heating of the air around the channel. As a result of this, the air expands at a speed greater than that of sound, although the shock wave returns to being a normal sound wave within a few metres. The sound waves are formed according to the later atmospheric air and surface shapes. That is the reason for consecutive thunder and lightning.
When we bear all of these properties of lightning in mind we can see that this phenomenon is a miraculous one. The way that such a tremendous force emerges from positively and negatively charged particles, invisible to the naked eye, shows that lightning is consciously created. Furthermore, the fact that nitrogen molecules, so beneficial to plants, emerge from this force again proves that lightning was created with a particular wisdom. (For details see Harun Yahya, Design in Nature, Taha Publishers, UK, 2001.)
Allah specifically draws our attention to lightning in the Qur'an. The meaning of Surat ar-Rad, one of the Suras of the Qur'an, is actually 'Thunder.' In those verses regarding lightning Allah reveals that He presents lightning to people as a source of fear and hope. Indeed, a lightning strike is a sign that it is about to rain, and rain either brings hope, in the form of plentiful crops, or else frightens people by causing such disasters as flooding or landslides. In Surat ar-Rum Allah reveals that,
Among His Signs is that He shows you lightning, a source of fear and eager hope, and sends down water from the sky, bringing the dead earth back to life by it. There are certainly Signs in that for people who use their intellect. (Surat ar-Rum: 24)
Allah has also revealed that the thunder which arises when lightning strikes glorifies His praise. In that same verse He warns people by stating that when He so wishes He sends lightning to punish unbelievers:
The thunder glorifies His praise, as do the angels, out of fear of Him. He discharges the thunderbolts, striking with them anyone He wills. Yet still they argue about Allah when He is inexorable in His power! (Surat ar-Ra'd:13)
Allah has created a number of signs for us in lightning. We must think and give thanks that thunder, which many people have perhaps never considered in this much detail and which inspires such feelings of fear and hope in man, is a means by which fear of Allah increases and is sent down by Him for specific purposes when He so chooses.
A LIVING PLANET: THE EARTH
A LIVING PLANET: THE EARTH
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Allah created the heavens and the
earth with
truth. There is certainly a Sign in that for the
believers.
(Qur'an, 29:44) |
The earth is a living planet where many complex systems run perfectly without stopping at all. When compared to other planets, it is evident that in all its aspects the earth is specially designed for human life. Built on delicate balances, life prevails in every spot of this planet, from the atmosphere to the depths of the earth.
Exploring only a few of the millions of these delicate balances would be sufficient to show that the world we live in is specially designed for us.
One of the most important balances in our planet is revealed in the atmosphere that surrounds us. The atmosphere of the earth holds the most appropriate gasses in the most appropriate ratio needed for the survival not only of human beings, but also of all the living beings on the earth.
The 77% nitrogen, 21% oxygen and 1% carbon dioxide as well as other gasses readily available in the atmosphere represent the ideal figures necessary for the survival of living beings. Oxygen, a gas that is vital for living beings, helps food to be burned and converted into energy in our bodies.
If the oxygen quantity in the atmosphere were greater than 21%, the cells in our body would soon start to suffer great damages. The vegetation and hydrocarbon molecules needed for life would also be destroyed. If this quantity were less, then this would cause difficulties in our respiration, and the food we eat would not be converted into energy. Therefore, the 21% oxygen in the atmosphere is the most ideal quantity determined for life.
No less than oxygen, other gasses like nitrogen and carbon dioxide are also arranged in the ideal quantity for the needs of living beings and the continuity of life. The amount of nitrogen in the atmosphere has the ideal ratio to balance the harmful and burning effects of oxygen. This ratio represents the most appropriate value required for photosynthesis, which is essential for life's energy supply on the earth. Moreover, the amount of carbon dioxide has the most appropriate value that is needed to maintain the stability of the surface temperature of the earth and to prevent heat loss especially at night time. This gas, comprising 1% of the atmosphere, covers the earth like a quilt and prevents the loss of heat to space. If this amount were greater, the temperature of the earth would increase excessively, causing climatic instability and posing a serious threat against living beings.
These proportions remain constant thanks to a perfect system. The vegetation covering the earth converts carbon dioxide to oxygen, producing 190 billion tons of oxygen every day. The proportion of other gasses is always kept constant on the earth by the help of interconnected complex systems. Life is thus sustained.
In addition to the establishment of the ideal gas mixture required for life on the earth, the mechanisms needed to preserve and maintain this order are created alongside with it. Any break in the balance, though instantaneous, or any change in the ratios even for a very short time period, would mean the total destruction of life. Yet, this does not happen. The formation of these gasses in the atmosphere just in the amount people need, and the constant preservation of these ratios indicate a planned creation.
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The creation of the heavens and earth
is far
greater
than the creation of mankind. But most of mankind do not know it. (Qur'an, 40:57) |
At the same time, the earth has the ideal size in terms of magnitude to possess an atmosphere. If the mass of the earth were a little less, then its gravitational force would be insufficient and the atmosphere would be dispersed in space. If its mass were a little greater, then the gravitational force would be too much and the earth would absorb all gasses in the atmosphere. There is an incredibly high number of conditions required for the formation of an atmosphere such as the one our world currently has and all of these conditions should exist altogether to be able to talk of life.
The creation of these delicate proportions and
balances
in the sky is mentioned in the 7th verse of Surat ar-Rahman:
He erected heaven and established the balance. (Qur'an, 55:7)
The majority of people spend their lives without being aware of the delicate balances and subtle adjustments in the gas composition of the atmosphere, the distance of the world to the sun or the movements of planets. They are ignorant of the great significance of these balances and adjustments to their own lives. However, even a minor deviation in any one of these arrangements would create very severe problems regarding the existence and survival of humankind.
There are many other balances established on earth for the continuity of life:
For instance, if the surface gravity were stronger than its current value, the atmosphere would retain too much ammonia and methane gasses, which would mean the end of life. If it were weaker, the planet's atmosphere would lose too much water, and life on earth would be impossible.
The thickness of the earth's crust constitutes another one of the delicate balances in the earth. If the earth's crust were thicker, too much oxygen would be transferred from the atmosphere to the crust and this would have severe effects on human life.
If the opposite were true, that is, if the earth's crust were thinner, volcanic and tectonic activity would be too great to permit life on earth.
Another crucial balance for human life is the ozone level in the atmosphere. If it were greater than its current value, the surface temperatures would be too low. If it were less, surface temperatures would be too high, and there would be too much ultraviolet radiation at the surface.
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Everything in the heavens and every
creature on
the earth prostrates to Allah, as do the angels. They
are not
puffed up with pride.
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In fact, the absence of even a single of these balances would set the end to life on earth. However, Allah has created the universe with infinite wisdom and power and designed the earth specially for human life. Despite this fact, the majority of people lead their lives in total ignorance of these events. In the Qur'an, Allah reminds people of His blessings in the 13th verse of Surat al-Fatir:
(Allah) makes night merge into day and day merge into night, and He has made the sun and moon subservient, each one running until a specified time. That is Allah, your Lord. The Kingdom is His. Those you call on besides Him have no power over even the smallest speck. (Qur'an, 35:13)
It is sufficient look at millions of dead planets in space in order to understand that the delicate balances required for life on earth is not a result of random coincidences. The conditions essential for life are too complicated to have been formed 'on their own' and at random, and these conditions are specially created for life alone.
These balances we have briefly described so far are only a few of the millions of intricate, interrelated balances and orders established so that people can live in peace and safety on the earth.
Examining only a part of the balances and harmony on the earth is enough to comprehend the superior being of Allah and grasp the existence of a planned creation in every detail of the universe. It is no doubt impossible for a person or any other living being to build such an enormous balance and order. Nor are the components of this order such as atoms, elements, molecules, and gasses capable of establishing an order based on such intricate and extremely delicate calculations and measurements, and such fine tunings. This is because activities like planning, ordering, arranging, calculating, and proportioning can only be realized by beings that possess wisdom, knowledge and power. The Exalted Being Who orders, plans and balances the entire universe to be fit for life of human beings on a planet like earth and Who sustains it with dramatically delicate measures and balances is Allah, Who has Infinite Wisdom, Knowledge and Power.
In the Qur'an, it is stated that those people who are able to realize these facts are only 'people with intelligence':
In the creation of the heavens and the earth, and the alternation of night and day, there are Signs for people with intelligence: those who remember Allah, standing, sitting and lying on their sides, and reflect on the creation of the heavens and the earth: "Our Lord, You have not created this for nothing. Glory be to You! So safeguard us from the punishment of the Fire." (Qur'an, 3:190-191)
GREATEST DESIGN: UNIVERSE
GREATEST DESIGN: UNIVERSE
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"He Who created the seven heavens in layers. You will not find any flaw in the creation of the All-Merciful. Look again-do you see any gaps? Then look again and again. Your sight will return to you dazzled and exhausted!" (Qur'an, 67:3-4) |
There are unchangeable fundamental laws in the universe, which affect all animate and inanimate beings alike. These laws are proofs that illustrate the perfection in the creation of the universe just as are the flawless creatures that live therein. Today, these hints are presented to us as laws of physics as discovered largely by physicists. The laws ordinarily accepted as 'laws of physics' are nothing but the evidence of the perfection in creation of Allah. (For detailed information refer to: Harun Yahya, The Creation of the Universe).
Let us give just a few examples of the perfection of design in the universe.
For instance, let us examine one of a dozen crucial properties of rainwater: the 'viscosity of water'.
Different liquids have different degrees of velocity. However, the viscosity of water is perfect for the use of all creatures. If it was a little higher than it is, plants could not have used it for transporting the nutrients vitally important for survival within their capillary tubes.
If the viscosity of water were lower than it is, the flow of rivers would have been a great deal different, hence the mountain formations would have changed, valleys and plateaus would not have formed, and rocks could not have disintegrated to form soil.
Water also facilitates the circulation of the red blood cells that defend our bodies against microbes and dangerous substances. If water's viscosity were greater, the movement of these cells within the vessels would have been totally impossible, the heart would have been overwhelmed in pumping the blood and would possibly have failed to obtain the energy necessary for this job.
Even these few examples sufficiently illustrate that water is a fluid that has been especially created for living beings. Allah, in reference to water, states in a verse:
It is He Who sends down water from the sky. From it you drink and from it come the shrubs among which you graze your herds. And by it He makes crops grow for you and olives and dates and grapes and fruit of every kind. There is certainly a Sign in that for people who reflect. (Surat an-Nahl: 10-11)
Balance of Forces
What would happen if the gravitational force were greater than it is today? Running or walking would be impossible. Humans and animals would spend much more energy moving about, which would diminish the energy resources of the earth. What if gravity were less powerful? Light objects could not maintain their state of balance. For instance, dust particles picked up by breezes would float in the air for long periods. The speed of raindrops would decrease, and they possibly would evaporate before reaching the ground. Rivers would flow more slowly and hence electricity would not be generated at the same rate.
All this is rooted in the property of the gravitational pull of masses. Newton's law of gravitation states that the force of the gravitational attraction between objects depends on their masses and the distance between them. Hence, if the distance between two stars is increased three times, the gravitational force is decreased by a factor of nine, or if the distance is decreased to half, the force of gravity is increased four times.
This law helps explain the current positions of the earth, moon and planets. If the law of gravitation were different, for example, if the gravitational force were increased as the distance increased, the orbits of the planets would not be elliptical and they would collapse into the sun. If it were weaker, the earth would be set on a course steadily away from the sun. So, if the force of gravity did not have precisely the value it does, the earth would either collide with the sun or be lost in the depths of space.
What If Planck's Constant Were
Different?
We encounter different forms of energy all the time. For instance, even the heat that we sense in front of the fire has been created with intricate balances.
In physics, energy is assumed to radiate not as a wave but in small particular amounts called 'quanta'. In calculating the radiant energy, a certain unchanging value called Planck's Constant is used. This number is generally small enough to be considered negligible. This number is one of the fundamental and unchanging indices in nature, which is approximately expressed as 6.626x10-34. In any situation involving radiation, if the energy of a photon is divided by its frequency the result will always equal this constant. All forms of electromagnetic energy, i.e. heat, light, etc. are governed by Planck's Constant.
If this minute number were a different size, then the heat we sense in front of a fire would have been much stronger. Either, at one extreme, the smallest fire could have contained enough energy to burn us up or at the other extreme, even a giant fireball the size of the sun would not have been sufficient to warm the earth.
Frictional Force
Frictional forces are generally considered inconveniences, as they are encountered especially while moving things in our daily lives. However, what would the world be like if frictional forces were completely eliminated? Pens and papers would slip out of our hands and fall down from the table to the floor, tables would slide to the corners of rooms, and in short all objects would fall and roll until everything finally came to a stop at the lowest point. In a frictionless world, all knots would untie, screws and nails would come off, no cars could ever brake, while sounds would never die but echo endlessly.
All of these laws of physics are clear proofs that the universe, just like all the creatures within it, is a product of divine design. In fact, the laws of physics are nothing but human explanations and descriptions of the divine order that Allah has created. Allah has created the unchanging laws of order in the universe and put them in the service of humans so that man will reflect upon and understand the Sovereignty of Allah and give thanks for His blessings.
One can continue giving
countless
examples in illustration of the order in the creation of
Allah. Every
created thing since the formation of the universe millions
of years
ago has been brought into existence by nothing other than
the Omniscience
and Sovereignty of Allah.
PART 1 PROOFS OF ALLAH'S EXISTENCE THE CREATION OF THE UNIVER
PART 1
PROOFS OF ALLAH'S EXISTENCE
THE CREATION OF THE UNIVERSE and THE EQUILIBRIUM IN THE EXPLOSION
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| Allah created the heavens and the earth with truth. There is certainly a Sign in that for the believers. (Qur'an, 29:44) |
A century ago, the creation of the universe was a concept that astronomers as a rule ignored. The reason was the general acceptance of the idea that the universe existed in infinite time. Examining the universe, scientists supposed that it was just a conglomeration of matter and imagined that it had no beginning. There was no moment of "creation"-a moment when the universe and everything in it came into being.
This notion of an infinite universe fit in very well with atheism. It is not hard to see why. To hold that the universe had a beginning could imply that it was created and that, of course requires a Creator-that is, Allah. It was much more convenient and safer to circumvent the issue by putting forward the idea that "the universe exists for eternity", even though there was not the slightest scientific basis for making such a claim.
Unsurprisingly, the discoveries in the 20th century proved with compelling evidence that at some time, all the matter in the universe was compacted in a single point-mass that had "zero volume" because of its immense gravitational force. Our universe came into being as the result of the explosion of this point-mass that had zero volume. This explosion has come to be called the "the Big Bang" and its existence has repeatedly been confirmed by observational evidence.
There was another truth that the Big Bang pointed to. To say that something has zero volume is tantamount to saying that it is "nothing". The whole universe was created from this "nothing". And furthermore this universe had a beginning, contrary to the view of materialism, which holds that "the universe has existed for eternity".
With the Big Bang's victory, the myth of 'eternal matter' that constituted the basis of the materialist philosophy is thrown into the trash-heap of history. What, then, was before the Big Bang and what was the power that brought the universe into 'being' with this big explosion when it was previously 'non-existent'? This question certainly implies, though terribly disturbing for the materialists, the existence of a Creator. The renowned atheist philosopher Antony Flew comments on the issue. He says:
Notoriously, confession is good for the soul. I will therefore begin by confessing that the Stratonician atheist has to be embarrassed by the contemporary cosmological consensus. For it seems that the cosmologists are providing a scientific proof, that the universe had a beginning. So long as the universe can be comfortably thought of as being not only without end but also without beginning, it remains easy to urge that its brute existence, and whatever are found to be its most fundamental features, should be accepted as the explanatory ultimates. Although I believe that it remains still correct, it certainly is neither easy nor comfortable to maintain this position in the face of the Big Bang story.1
Many scientists who do not blindly condition themselves to be atheists have admitted the role of an almighty Creator in the creation of the universe. This Creator must be a Being Who has created both matter and time, yet Who is independent of both. Well-known astrophysicist Hugh Ross has this to say:
If time's beginning is concurrent with the beginning of the universe, as the space-theorem says, then the cause of the universe must be some entity operating in a time dimension completely independent of and preexistent to the time dimension of the cosmos. This conclusion tells us that God is not the universe itself, nor is God contained within the universe.2
Yes, matter and time are created by the almighty Creator Who is independent of all these notions. This Creator is Allah, Who is the Lord of the heavens and the earth.
In truth, the Big Bang caused much greater trouble for the materialists than the above confessions of the atheist philosopher, Antony Flew. For the Big Bang not only proves that the universe was created out of nothing, but also that it was brought into being in a very planned, systematic and controlled manner.
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The Big Bang took place with the explosion of the point which contained all the matter and energy of the universe and its dispersion into space in all directions with a terrifying speed. Out of this matter and energy, there came about a great balance containing galaxies, stars, the sun, the earth and all other heavenly bodies. Moreover, laws were formed called the 'laws of physics', which are uniform throughout the whole universe and do not change. All these indicate that a perfect order arose after the Big Bang.
Explosions that we are normally familiar with, however, do not bring about order. All of the observable explosions tend to harm, disintegrate, and destroy what is present. For example, the atom and hydrogen bomb explosions, fire-damp explosions, volcanic explosions, natural gas explosions, solar explosions: they all have destructive effects.
Sir Fred Hoyle, the world-renowned astronomer, who finally had to accept the Big Bang theory after many years of opposition, expresses this situation very well. He says:
The big bang theory holds that the universe began with a single explosion. Yet as can be seen, an explosion merely throws matter apart, while the big bang has mysteriously produced the opposite effect - with matter clumping together in the form of galaxies.3
Another aspect of this extraordinary order formed in the universe following the Big Bang is the creation of a 'habitable universe'. The conditions for the formation of a habitable planet are so many and so complex that it is impossible to think that this formation is coincidental.
Paul Davies, a renowned professor of theoretical physics, calculated how 'fine tuned' the pace of expansion after the Big Bang was, and he reached an incredible conclusion. According to Davies, if the rate of expansion after the Big Bang had been different even by the ratio of one over a billion times a billion, no habitable star type, and therefore any form of life, would have been formed. Paul Davies says:
Careful measurement puts the rate of expansion very close to a critical value at which the universe will just escape its own gravity and expand forever. A little slower and the cosmos would collapse, a little faster and the cosmic material would have long ago completely dispersed. It is interesting to ask precisely how delicately the rate of expansion has been 'fine-tuned' to fall on this narrow dividing line between two catastrophes. If at the time the pattern of expansion was already firmly established, the expansion rate had differed from its actual value by more than one in a billion billion, it would have been sufficient to throw the delicate balance out. The big bang was not, evidently, any old bang, but an explosion of exquisitely arranged magnitude.4
The laws of physics that emerged together with the Big Bang have not changed at all over a period of 15 billion years. Furthermore, these laws stand on calculations so scrupulous that even a millimetre's variation from their current values can result in the destruction of the whole structure and configuration of the universe.
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| We created the heavens and the earth, and everything between them, in six days and We were not affected by fatigue. (Qur'an, 50:38) |
The famous physicist Prof. Stephen Hawking states in his book A Brief History of Time, that the universe is set on calculations and balances more finely tuned than we can conceive. Hawking states with reference to the rate of expansion of the universe:
If the rate of expansion one second after the big bang had been smaller by even one part in a hundred thousand million million, the universe would have recollapsed before it ever reached its present size.5
Paul Davies also explains the unavoidable consequence to be derived from these incredibly precise balances and calculations:
It is hard to resist the impression that the present structure of the universe, apparently so sensitive to minor alterations in the numbers, has been rather carefully thought out… The seemingly miraculous concurrence of numerical values that nature has assigned to her fundamental constants must remain the most compelling evidence for an element of cosmic design.6
In relation to the same fact, an American professor of Astronomy, George Greenstein, writes in his book The Symbiotic Universe:
How could this possibly have come to pass [that the laws of physics conform themselves to life]?.. As we survey all the evidence, the thought insistently arises that some supernatural agency must be involved.7
In fact in order to recognize that the universe is not a "product of coincidences" one does not really need any of these calculations at all. Simply by looking around himself, a person can easily perceive the fact of creation in even the tiniest details of what he sees. How could a universe like this, perfect in its systems, the sun, the earth, people, houses, cars, trees, flowers, insects, and all the other things in it ever have come into existence as the result of atoms falling together by chance after an explosion? Every detail we peer at shows the evidence of Allah's existence and supreme power. Only people who reflect can grasp these signs.
In the creation of the heavens and earth, and the alternation of the night and day, and the ships which sail the seas to people's benefit, and the water which Allah sends down from the sky- by which He brings the earth to life when it was dead and scatters about in it creatures of every kind-and the varying direction of the winds, and the clouds subservient between heaven and earth, there are Signs for people who use their intellect. (Qur'an, 2: 164)
Doubtlessly, the design of the universe is evidence of Allah's power to establish. The precise balances and all the human beings and other creatures are the evidence of Allah's supreme power and act of creation. This result discovered by modern science is just a reworking of a truth revealed fourteen centuries ago in the Qur'an:
Your Lord is Allah, Who created the heavens and the earth in six days and then settled Himself firmly on the Throne. He covers the day with the night and, each pursuing the other urgently; and the sun and moon and stars are subservient to His command. Both creation and command belong to Him. Blessed be Allah, the Lord of all worlds. (Qur'an, 7:54)
1 Henry Margenau, Roy Abraham Vargesse, Cosmos,
Bios, Theos, La Salle IL: Open Court Publishing, 1992, p. 241
2 Hugh Ross, The Creator and the Cosmos: How Greatest
Scientific
Discoveries of The Century Reveal God, Colorado: NavPress, revised
edition,
1995, p. 76
3 Fred Hoyle, The Intelligent Universe, London, 1984,
pp. 184-185
4 Paul Davies, Superforce: The Search for a Grand
Unified Theory
of Nature, 1984, p. 184
5 Stephen Hawking, A Brief History Of Time, Bantam
Press, London:
1988, pp. 121-125
6 Paul Davies, God and the New Physics, New York:
Simon &
Schuster, 1983, p. 189
7 George Greenstein, The Symbiotic Universe, p. 27
A TOPIC EVOLUTION CANNOT EXPLAIN: COLOURS IN NATURE
A TOPIC EVOLUTION CANNOT EXPLAIN: COLOURS IN NATURE
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When we look at nature, we see that every plant and every animal have their own particular colours and patterns exclusive to their kind. Furthermore, each of these colours and patterns have different meanings for living things: an invitation to mate, expression of aggression, a warning against danger and many notions like these acquire a meaning among animals from the perception of colours and patterns.
The theory of evolution, which claims that everything has come into being by random coincidence, has reached a total impasse because of the artistry, diversity of colours and harmony exhibited in nature. Charles Darwin, the founder of the theory in the form in which we have it today, also had to confess the situation he faced because of the design evident in living beings. Darwin stated that he could not understand why the colours of living creatures have particular meanings:
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My difficulty is, why are caterpillars sometimes so beautifully and artistically coloured? Seeing that many are coloured to escape danger, I can hardly attribute their bright colour in other cases to mere physical conditions.1
Certainly, it is impossible for colours and order in nature to have come into being by natural selection.
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Let us verify with an example that it is impossible for the colours of living beings and systems of transformation of colour to come about by natural selection. Let us take chameleons for an example. Chameleons are animals capable of adapting to the colours present in the environment and changing their colours according to the surroundings. While resting on a green leaf, they assume a green colour, while moving onto a brown branch, their skin changes to brown in a very short time. Let us think together over how this process of colour change takes place.
A living creature changes its colour as a consequence of highly complex processes taking place in its body. It is impossible for a man to change either his own colour or another living being's colour, because the human body is not equipped with the proper systems for such an operation. Nor is it possible for a human to develop such a system on his own because it is not like a piece of equipment to be developed and installed. In short, for a living creature to be able to change its colour, it is imperative for this creature to come into being with such a colour change mechanism.
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Let us think about the first chameleon on the earth. What would happen if this creature did not have the ability to change colour? First, the chameleon would be easy prey since it could not hide. Besides, since it would be easily recognised, hunting would be very difficult for it. This would finally cause a chameleon devoid of any other defence mechanism to die or starve and, after a while, to become extinct. Yet, the existence of chameleons in the world today evidently proves that such an event has never taken place. So, chameleons possessed this perfect system from the first moment they appeared on earth.
Evolutionists claim that chameleons have developed this system over time. This would make some questions occur to our minds: why have chameleons chosen to develop such a complex system such as changing colour instead of an easier defence mechanism? Why has it chosen changing colour while there are so many kinds of defence mechanisms? How has such a mechanism, providing for all the chemical processes necessary for colour change, been formed in the chameleon? Is it possible for a reptile to think of such a mechanism and then develop the necessary systems in its body? More, is it possible for a reptile to encode the information necessary for colour change in the DNA present in its cells?
 Do you not see that Allah sends down water from the sky and by it We bring forth fruits of varying colours?... (Qur'an, 35:27) |
Unquestionably, this is impossible. The conclusion to be drawn from the answers given to such questions as above will be one and the same: it is impossible for a living creature to develop such a complex system that allows it to change its own colour.
 And also the things of varying colours He has created for you in the earth. There is certainly a Sign in that for people who pay heed. (Qur'an, 16:13) |
Not only systems of colour change, but also the diversities of colour and pattern in living beings deserve focus. It is impossible for the bright colours in parrots, the diverse colours in fish, the symmetry in the wings of butterflies, the fascinating patterns in flowers and the colours of other living things to have been formed on their own. Such perfect patterns, colours and figures, which serve very important purposes in the lives of living things, are concrete evidence of creation. It is obvious that there is a superior design in the formation of the colours around us.
Let us make it clear with an example: let us suppose that we are designing a product consisting of squares. Even to draw one of them, we need to make a small calculation and make sure that all four sides are linear and equal and the square has 90-degree angles at the corners. We can draw the square only after making some calculations and adjustments. As seen, even drawing a single square requires some knowledge and skill.
Let us apply the same reasoning to living creatures around us and ponder on them. There is perfect harmony, order and plan in living beings. A person who appreciates the necessity of knowledge and skill in drawing a simple square, will understand right away that origination of the order, harmony, colours and design in the universe is also a product of infinite knowledge and skill. Therefore there is no reasonable or scientific ground for claiming that a system such as the universe has come into existence by chance. Allah, the Most Powerful, has created the entire universe. Allah is the One Who fashions everything He creates most beautifully.
except what You have taught us. You are the
All-Knowing, the All-Wise.'
(Surat al-Baqara: 32)
1. Francis Darwin, Life and Letters of Charles Darwin, vol. II, p. 275.
DARWINIST MISREPRESENTATIONS ABOUT THE HUMAN GENOME PROJECT
DARWINIST MISREPRESENTATIONS ABOUT THE HUMAN GENOME PROJECT
THE APE-MAN SIMILARITY IS A TALE!
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The completion of human's gene map today does not yield the result that man and ape are relatives. One need not be deceived by evolutionists' attempts to exploit this new scientific development just as they do with all others.
As known, the recent completion of the human gene map within the scope of the Human Genome Project has been a very important scientific improvement. However, some results of this project are being distorted in some evolutionist publications. It is claimed that the genes of chimpanzees have a similarity to human genes by 98 % and this is promoted as an evidence to the claim that apes are close to humans, and therefore, to the theory of evolution. In truth, this is a "fake" evidence put forward by evolutionists who benefit from the lack of knowledge of society about this subject.
98 % Similarity Claim Is A Misleading Propaganda
First, it should be stated that the 98% similarity concept, frequently advanced by evolutionists about the DNAs of man and chimpanzee, is deceptive.
In order to claim that the genetic make-ups of man and chimpanzee bear 98 % similarity, the genome of the chimpanzee also has to be mapped just as that of man's, the two has to be compared, and the result of this comparison has to be obtained. However no such result is available, because so far, only the gene of mankind has been mapped. No such research is yet done for the chimpanzee.
In reality, the 98 % similarity between the genes of man and ape, which now and then becomes an agenda item, is a propaganda oriented slogan deliberately invented years ago. This similarity is an extraordinarily exaggerated generalisation grounded on the similarity in the amino acid sequences of some 30-40 basic proteins present in man and chimpanzee. A sequence analysis has been made with a method named "DNA hybridization" on the DNA sequences that are correlated with these proteins and only those limited number of proteins have been compared.
However there are about hundred thousand genes, and therefore 100 thousand proteins coded by these genes in humans. For that reason, there is no scientific basis for claiming that all the genes of man and ape are 98 % similar only because of the similarity in 40 out of 100.000 proteins.
On the other hand, the DNA comparison carried out on those 40 proteins is also controversial. This comparison was made in 1987 by two biologists named Sibley and Ahlquist and published in the periodical named Journal of Molecular Evolution.1 However another scientist named Sarich who examined the data obtained by these two scientists concluded that the reliability of the method they used is controversial and that the data has been exaggeratedly interpreted. 2 Dr. Don Batten, another biologist, also analysed the issue in 1996 and concluded that the real similarity rate is 96.2%, not 98 %.3
Human DNA Is Also Similar To That Of The Worm, Mosquito And Chicken!
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Moreover, the above mentioned basic proteins are common vital molecules present in various other living beings. The structure of the same kinds of proteins present not only in chimpanzee, but also in completely different living beings, is very similar to that in the humans.
For example, the genetic analyses published in New Scientist have revealed a 75 % similarity between the DNAs of nematode worms and man.4 This definitely does not mean that there is only a 25% difference between man and these worms! According to the family tree made by evolutionists, the Chordata phylum, in which man is included, and Nematoda phylum were different from each other even 530 million years ago.
On the other hand, in another finding which also appeared in the Turkish media, it was stated that the comparisons carried out between the genes of fruit fly belonging to the Drosophila species and human genes yielded a similarity of 60%.5 On the other hand, the analyses done on some proteins show man as close to some very different living beings. In a survey carried out by the researchers in Cambridge University, some proteins of land dwelling animals were compared. Amazingly, in nearly all samples, man and chicken were paired as the closest relatives. The next closest relative was crocodile.6
Another example used by evolutionists on "the genetic similarity between man and ape", is the presence of 48 chromosomes in chimpanzees and gorillas versus 46 chromosomes in man. Evolutionists regard the closeness of the number of chromosomes as indication of an evolutionary relationship. However, if this logic used by evolutionists were true, then man should have an even closer relative than chimpanzee: "the potato"!. Because the number of chromosomes in potatoes is the same as that of man: 46
These examples certify that the concept of genetic similarity does not constitute evidence for the theory of evolution. This is because the genetic similarities are not in line with the alleged evolution schemes, and on the contrary, they yield completely opposite results.
Genetic Similarities Upset The "Evolution Scheme" That Is Sought To Be Constituted
 He created the heavens and the earth with truth and formed you, giving you the best of forms. And He is your final destination. (Qur'an, 64:3) |
Unsurprisingly, when the issue is evaluated as a whole, it is seen that the subject of "bio-chemical similarities" does not constitute an evidence for evolution, but on the contrary leaves the theory in the lurch. Dr. Christian Schwabe, a biochemistry researcher from the Medical Faculty of South Carolina University, is an evolutionist scientist who has spent years to find evidence for evolution in the molecular domain. He particularly did researches on insulin and relaxin-type proteins and tried to establish evolutionary relationships between living beings. However, he had to confess for many times that he could not find any evidence for evolution at any point in his studies. In an article published in Science magazine, he said;
"Molecular evolution is about to be accepted as a method superior to palaeontology for the discovery of evolutionary relationships. As a molecular evolutionist I should be elated. Instead it seems disconcerting that many exceptions exist to the orderly progression of species as determined by molecular homologies; so many in fact that I think the exception, the quirks, may carry the more important message"7
Based on the recent findings obtained in the field of molecular biology, the renowned biochemist Prof. Michael Denton made the following comments;
"Each class at molecular level is unique, isolated and unlinked by intermediates. Thus, molecules, like fossils, have failed to provide the elusive intermediates so long sought by evolutionary biology… At a molecular level, no organism is "ancestral" or "primitive" or "advanced" compared with its relatives… There is little doubt that if this molecular evidence had been available a century ago… the idea of organic evolution might never have been accepted." 8
Similarities Are Not Evidence For Evolution But For Creation
It is surely natural for the human body to bear some molecular similarities to other living beings, because they all are made up of the same molecules, they all use the same water and atmosphere, and they all consume foods consisting of the same molecules. Certainly, their metabolisms and therefore genetic make-ups would resemble to one another. This, however, is not evidence that they evolved from a common ancestor.
This "common material" is not the result of an evolution but of "common design", that is, their being created upon the same plan.
It is possible to explain this subject with an example; all constructions in the world are done with similar materials (brick, iron, cement, etc.). This, however, does not mean that these buildings "evolved" from each other. They are constructed separately by using common materials. The same is true for living beings as well.
Life did not originate as a result of unconscious coincidences as evolution claims, but as the result of the creation of God, the Almighty, the owner of infinite knowledge and wisdom.
1. Journal of Molecular Evolution, v. 26
pp.99-1212.
2. Sarich et al, 1989, Cladisticts 5:3-32.
3. CEN, 19 (1); 21-22 December 1996-February 1997.
4. New Scientist, 15 May 1999, p. 27.
5. Hurriyet, 24 February 2000.
6. New Scientist v.103, 16 August 1984, p.19.
7. Christian Schwabe, "On the Validity of Molecular
Evolution",
Trends in Biochemical Sciences, v. 11, July 1986.
8. Michael Denton, Evolution: A Theory in Crisis,
London; Burnett
Books 1985, pp.290-291.
CLONING IS NO EVIDENCE FOR EVOLUTION
CLONING IS NO EVIDENCE FOR EVOLUTION
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The fact that such a question as whether such a scientific advance as cloning "supports evolution" is asked or even comes to mind actually reveals a very important truth. This is the cheapness of the propaganda that evolutionists resort to to get people to accept their theory. Since the subject of cloning has nothing to do with the theory of evolution, it cannot be a matter of concern for any professional evolutionist. However, some of those who blindly support evolution at whatever cost, and particularly certain circles within media organizations, have even tried to turn such a totally unconnected matter as cloning into propaganda for evolution.
What Does Cloning A Living Thing Mean?
The DNA of the living thing that is proposed to be copied is used in the cloning process. The DNA is extracted from any cell belonging to the organism in question, and then placed into an egg cell belonging to another organism of the same species. A shock is then given immediately afterwards, which prompts the egg cell to start dividing. The embryo is then placed into a living thing's womb, where it continues to divide. Scientists then await its development and birth.
Why Has Cloning Nothing To Do With Evolution?
The concepts of cloning and evolution are completely different. The theory of evolution is built on the claim that inanimate matter turned into living matter by chance. (There is not the slightest scientific proof that this could actually happen.) Cloning, on the other hand, is the copying of a living thing by using genetic material from that creature's cells. The new organism starts from a single cell, and a biological process is transferred to the laboratory and repeated there. In other words, there is no question of such a process happening by "chance"-the basic claim of the theory of evolution-nor of "lifeless matter coming to life."
The cloning process is no evidence for evolution whatsoever. It is, however, clear evidence of a biological law that totally undermines evolution. That is the famous principle that "Life can only come from life," put forward by the famous scientist Louis Pasteur towards the end of the nineteenth century. The fact that cloning is presented as evidence for evolution, despite that open truth, is a deception being carried out by the media.
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Advances in many branches of science over the last 30 years have demonstrated that the emergence of life cannot be explained in terms of chance. Evolutionists' scientific errors and one-sided comments have been well-documented, and the theory of evolution has become indefensible within the realm of science. This fact has propelled some evolutionists to look in other areas. That is why scientific advances such as "cloning," or "test-tube babies," have been so fanatically used as evidence for evolution in the recent past.
Evolutionists have nothing more to say to society in the name of science, and so take refuge in the gaps in people's scientific knowledge and try to prolong the theory's life in that way, even though that merely brings the theory to a pitiable state. Just like all other scientific advances, cloning is a very important and revealing scientific advance that also sheds light on the fact that life was created.
Another misunderstanding that people have fallen into as regards cloning is the idea that cloning can "create human beings." However, cloning bears no such interpretation. Cloning consists of adding genetic information which already exists to a living reproduction mechanism that also already exists. No new mechanism or genetic information is created in the process. Genetic information is taken from someone who already exists and is placed inside a female womb. This enables the child that is eventually born to be the "identical twin" of the person from whom the genetic information was taken.
Many people who do not fully understand what cloning is have all kinds of fantastic ideas about it. For instance, they imagine that a cell can be taken from a 30-year-old man and another 30-year-old can be created that same day. Such an example of cloning is only to be found in science fiction, and is not and never will be possible. Cloning basically consists of bringing a person's "identical twin" to life by natural methods (in other words in a mother's womb).This has nothing to do with the theory of evolution, nor with the concept of "creating man."
Creating a human being or any other living thing-in other words bringing something into existence out of nothing-is a power peculiar to God. Scientific advances confirm the same thing by showing that this creation cannot be done by man. This is expressed in a verse:
The Originator of the heavens and Earth. When He decides on something, He just says to it, "Be!" and it is. (Qur'an, 2: 117)
DIFFERENT RACES ARE NOT EVIDENCE FOR EVOLUTION
DIFFERENT RACES ARE NOT EVIDENCE FOR EVOLUTION
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Some evolutionists try to put the existence of different races forward as evidence for evolution. In fact, this claim is more frequently expressed by amateur evolutionists who have a less than sufficient knowledge of the theory they defend.
The thesis proposed by those who defend this claim is based on the question, "If, as divine sources say, life began with one man and one woman, how could different races have emerged?" Another way of putting it is: "Since Adam and Eve's height, colour, and other features were those of only two people, how could races with entirely different features have emerged?"
In fact, the problem lying beneath all these questions or objections is an insufficient knowledge of the laws of genetics, or the ignoring of them. In order to understand the reason for the differences between the races in today's world, it will be necessary to have some idea of the subject of "variation," which is closely linked to this question.
Variation, a term used in genetics, refers to a genetic event that causes the individuals or groups of a certain type or species to possess different characteristics from one another. The source of this variation is the genetic information possessed by the individuals within that species. As a result of breeding between those individuals, that genetic information comes together in later generations in different combinations. There is an exchange of genetic material between the mother's and father's chromosomes. Genes thus get mixed up with one another. The result of this is a wide variety of individual features.
 No matter what their height, skin colour and skull volume, all races are part of the human species. |
The different physical features between human races are due to variations within the human race. All the people on Earth carry basically the same genetic information, yet some have slanted eyes, some have red hair, some have long noses, and others are short of stature, all depending on the extent of the variation potential of this genetic information.
In order to understand the variation potential, let us consider a society in which brunette, brown-eyed people predominate over blond, blue-eyed individuals. As a result of the two communities intermingling and marrying over time, new generations which are brunette but blue-eyed will be seen. In other words, the physical characteristics of both groups will come together in subsequent generations and produce new appearances. When one imagines other physical characteristics mixing in the same way, it is clear that a great variety will emerge.
The important point that must be understood here is this: There are two genes that rule every physical feature. One may dominate the other, or they may both influence matters to an equal extent. For instance, two genes determine the colour of a person's eyes. One comes from the mother, the other from the father. Whichever gene is the dominant one, the individual's eye colour will be determined by that gene. In general, dark colours dominate lighter ones. In this way, if a person possesses genes for brown and for green eyes, his eyes will be brown because the brown eye gene is dominant. However, the recessive green colour can be passed down the generations and emerge at a later time. In other words, parents with brown eyes can have a green-eyed child. That is because that colour gene is recessive in both parents.
This law applies to all other physical features and the genes which govern them. Hundreds, or even thousands, of physical features, such as the ears, nose, the shape of the mouth, height, bone structure, and organ structure, shape, and characteristics, are all controlled in the same way. Thanks to this, all the limitless information in the genetic structure can be passed on to subsequent generations without becoming outwardly visible. Adam, the first human being, and Eve, were able to pass the rich information in their genetic structure on to subsequent generations even though only a part of it was reflected in their physical appearance. Geographical isolation that had happened over human history has led to an atmosphere where different physical features came together in different groups. Over a long period of time, this led to different groups having different bone structures, skin colour, height, and skull volumes. This eventually led to the different races.
However, this long period did not change one thing, of course. No matter what their height, skin colour and skull volume, all races are part of the human species.
YET ANOTHER BLOW TO THE MYTH OF "VESTIGIAL ORGANS"
YET ANOTHER BLOW TO THE MYTH OF "VESTIGIAL ORGANS"
Darwinism considers all life on Earth as a product of chance mutations and natural selection and, as an a priori commitment, excludes intelligent design. In order to argue against design, the Darwinist mind seeks for flaws in the biological systems. From Darwin to Dawkins, over and over, this dogmatic stance has led the evolutionist to insist on the existence of imaginary flaws and "useless" vestigial organs in living systems. However, over and over, these bold claims by evolutionists turned out to be manifestations of ignorance. The allegedly vestigial organs were discovered to be performing very important functions and the whole "vestigial organ" argument turned out to be a fallacy.
The history of science documents a steady reduction in the number of the so-called vestigial organs. The allegedly non-functional organs, one by one, turned out to be organs whose functions had not yet been discovered. A list of vestigial organs that was made by the German Anatomist R. Wiedersheim in 1895 included approximately 100 structures, including the appendix and the coccyx. As science progressed, it was discovered that all of the organs in Wiedersheim's list in fact had very important functions. For instance, it was discovered that the appendix, which was supposed to be a "vestigial organ," was in fact a part of the lymphatic system. A medical publication notes in 1997 that "other bodily organs and tissues-the thymus, liver, spleen, appendix, bone marrow, and small collections of lymphatic tissue such as the tonsils in the throat and Peyer's patch in the small intestine-are also part of the lymphatic system. They too help the body fight infection."1
It was also discovered that the tonsils, which were also included in Wiedersheim's list of vestigial organs, had a significant role in protecting the throat against infections, particularly until adolescence. It was found that the coccyx at the lower end of the vertebral column supports the bones around the pelvis and is the convergence point of some small muscles and for this reason, it would not be possible to sit comfortably without a coccyx.
In the years that followed, it was realized that the thymus triggered the immune system in the human body by activating the T cells, that the pineal gland was in charge of the secretion of some important hormones, that the thyroid gland was effective in providing steady growth in babies and children, and that the pituitary gland controlled the correct functioning of many hormone glands. All of these were once considered to be "vestigial organs." Finally, the semi-lunar fold in the eye, which was referred to as a vestigial organ by Darwin, has been found in fact to be in charge of cleansing and lubricating the eye.
The steady reduction in the list of vestigial organs results from the fact that this is an argument from ignorance. Some wiser evolutionists also came to realize this fact. S. R. Scadding, an evolutionist himself, once wrote in his article "Can vestigial organs constitute evidence for evolution?" published in the journal Evolutionary Theory:
Since it is not possible to unambiguously identify useless structures, and since the structure of the argument used is not scientifically valid, I conclude that "vestigial organs" provide no special evidence for the theory of evolution. 2
THE LEG OF THE HORSE
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The latest blow to the myth of vestigial organs comes from a recent study on the leg of the horse. In an article in the 20-27 December 2001 issue of the journal Nature, titled "Biomechanics: Damper for bad vibrations," it is noted that "Some muscle fibres in the legs of horses seem to be evolutionary leftovers with no function. But in fact they may act to damp damaging vibrations generated in the leg as the horse runs." The article reads as follows:
Horses and camels have muscles in their legs with tendons more than 600 millimetres long connected to muscle fibres less than 6 millimetres long. Such short muscles can change length only by a few millimetres as the animal moves, and seem unlikely to be of much use to large mammals. The tendons function as passive springs, and it has been assumed that the short muscle fibres are redundant, the remnants of longer fibres that have lost their function over the course of evolution. But Wilson and colleagues argue… that these fibres might protect bones and tendons from potentially damaging vibrations….
 Michael Behe |
Their experiments show that short muscle fibers can damp the damaging vibrations following the impact of a foot on the ground. When the foot of a running animal hits the ground, the impact sets the leg vibrating; the frequency of the vibrations is relatively high-for example, 30-40 Hz in horses-so many cycles of vibration would occur while the foot was on the ground if there were no damping.
The vibrations might cause damage, because bone and tendon are susceptible to fatigue failure. Fatigue in bones and tendons is the accumulation of damage resulting from repeated application of stresses. Bone fatigue is responsible for the stress fractures suffered by both human athletes and racehorses, and tendon fatigue may explain at least some cases of tendonitis. Wilson et al. suggest that the very short muscle fibres protect both bones and tendons from fatigue damage by damping out vibrations…3
In short, a closer loot at the anatomy of the horse revealed that the structures that have been considered as nonfunctional by evolutionists have very important functions.
In other words, scientific progress demonstrated that what was considered to be evidence for evolution is in fact evidence for design. Evolutionists should take a hint from this fact, if they are willing to do so. The Nature commentator seems to be reasonable:
Wilson et al. have found an important role for a muscle that seemed to be the relic of a structure that had lost its function in the course of evolution. Their work makes us wonder whether other vestiges (such as the human appendix) are as useless as they seem.4
This is not surprising. The more we learn about nature, the more we see the evidence for creation. As Michael Behe notes, "the conclusion of design comes not from what we do not know, but from what we have learned over the past 50 years."5 And Darwinism turns out to be an argument from ignorance, or, in other words, an "atheism of the gaps."
1. The Merck Manual of Medical Information,
Home edition, Merck & Co., Inc. The Merck Publishing Group,
Rahway, New Jersey,
1997.
2. S. R. Scadding, "Do 'Vestigial Organs' Provide
Evidence for
Evolution?", Evolutionary Theory, vol. 5, May 1981, p. 173.
3. R. Mcneill Alexander, "Biomechanics: Damper For Bad
Vibrations",
Nature, 20-27 December 2001.
4. Ibid..
5. Behe's Seminar in Princeton, 1997.
THE ORIGIN OF MAN
THE ORIGIN OF MAN
 There is no scientific evidence for the claim that man evolved. What is put forward as "proof" is nothing but one-sided comment on a few fossils. |
Darwin put forward his claim that human beings and apes descended from a common ancestor in his book The Descent of Man, published in 1871. From that time until now, the followers of Darwin's path have tried to support this claim. But despite all the research that has been carried out, the claim of "human evolution" has not been backed up by any concrete scientific discovery, particularly in the fossil field.
The man in the street is for the most part unaware of this fact, and thinks that the claim of human evolution is supported by a great deal of firm evidence. The reason for this incorrect opinion is that the subject is frequently discussed in the media and presented as a proven fact. But real experts on the subject are aware that there is no scientific foundation for the claim of human evolution. David Pilbeam, a Harvard University paleoanthropologist, says:
If you brought in a smart scientist from another discipline and showed him the meagre evidence we've got he'd surely say, "forget it; there isn't enough to go on."1
And William Fix, the author of an important book on the subject of paleoanthropology, makes this comment:
As we have seen, there are numerous scientists and popularizers today who have the temerity to tell us that there is 'no doubt' how man originated. If only they had the evidence...2
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This claim of evolution, which "lacks any evidence," starts the human family tree with a group of apes that have been claimed to constitute a distinct genus, Australopithecus. According to the claim, Australopithecus gradually began to walk upright, his brain grew, and he passed through a series of stages until he arrived at man's present state (Homo sapiens). But the fossil record does not support this scenario. Despite the claim that all kinds of intermediate forms exist, there is an impassable barrier between the fossil remains of man and those of apes. Furthermore, it has been revealed that the species which are portrayed as each other's ancestors are actually contemporary species that lived in the same period. Ernst Mayr, one of the most important proponents of the theory of evolution in the twentieth century, contends in his book One Long Argument that "particularly historical [puzzles] such as the origin of life or of Homo sapiens, are extremely difficult and may even resist a final, satisfying explanation."3
But what is the basis for the human evolution thesis put forward by evolutionists? It is the existence of plenty of fossils on which evolutionists are able to build imaginary interpretations. Throughout history, more than 6,000 species of ape have lived, and most of them have become extinct. Today, only 120 species live on the earth. These 6,000 or so species of ape, most of which are extinct, constitute a rich resource for the evolutionists.
On the other hand, there are considerable differences in the anatomic makeup of the various human races. Furthermore, the differences were even greater between prehistoric races, because as time has passed the human races have to some extent mixed with each other and become assimilated. Despite this, important differences are still seen between different population groups living in the world today, such as, for example, Scandinavians, African pygmies, Inuits, native Australians, and many others.
There is no evidence to show that the fossils called hominid by evolutionary paleontologists do not actually belong to different species of ape or to vanished races of humans. To put it another way, no example of a transitional form between mankind and apes has been found.
1. Richard E. Leakey, The Making of Mankind,
Sphere Books Limited, Barcelona, 1982, p. 43.
2. William R. Fix, The Bone Peddlers, Macmillan
Publishing Company,
New York, 1984, pp. 150-153.
3. "Could science be brought to an end by scientists'
belief
that they have final answers or by society's reluctance to pay the
bills?" Scientific
American, December 1992, p. 20.