Stars, Cells, and God

Skeptics have called it a huge mistake: the enzyme behind nearly all the food you eat. Is Rubisco really a bad design? In this episode of Stars, Cells, and God, Fazale “Fuz” Rana and Hugh Ross examine Rubisco—the most abundant enzyme in the biosphere, which captures carbon dioxide during photosynthesis. A new study of hornworts, small land plants with an unusual “molecular Velcro” on their Rubisco, offers a surprising step forward—and a fresh look at the bad-design charge. In this episode they discuss: Why skeptics call Rubisco a flawed enzyme How algae and hornworts concentrate carbon dioxide What the “molecular Velcro” discovery means for crops Why distinguishing oxygen from carbon dioxide is so hard Whether believing in design stops science What the ostrich in Job 39 reveals about apparent bad design How God uses our weaknesses RESOURCES: The papers discussed in this episode: https://doi.org/10.1126/science.aea0150 https://btiscience.org/this-odd-little-plant-could-help-turbocharge-crop-yields/ DIVE DEEPER: Uprooting a “Bad Design” Argument

What are the mysterious "Little Red Dots" appearing in some of the earliest regions of the universe? And do they pose a serious problem for the Big Bang? Join Fazale “Fuz” Rana and Hugh Ross for a special LIVE recorded episode of Stars, Cells, & God featuring an in-studio audience as we explore one of the most fascinating discoveries from the James Webb Telescope. We'll investigate: What exactly are the mysterious Little Red Dots discovered by JWST? Why did these discoveries raise questions about the Big Bang? How can massive black holes form so early in the universe's history? What do new computer simulations reveal about the formation of the earliest galaxies? Does this new research strengthen the evidence for the biblical creation model? Head over to our YouTube channel to watch this LIVE recorded episode and discover what the latest astronomical research reveals about the origins and design of our universe.

Our Sun may have swallowed a planet more than five times Earth’s mass. If so, what does that say about the fine-tuning of our solar system? In this episode of Stars, Cells, and God, Hugh Ross and Fazale “Fuz” Rana unpack a new study suggesting that the young Sun engulfed a super-Earth—a rocky planet larger than Earth, the most common type astronomers find around other stars, yet missing from our own solar system. The idea could help explain several puzzling features of the Sun. In this episode, they discuss: Why astronomers haven’t found a twin of the Sun What makes the Sun and its rocky planets unusual How a swallowed super-Earth could explain several anomalies Why the explanation still requires fine-tuning How the Roman Space Telescope could test the claim Why Mars’s small size matters for astronomy What it all says about God’s love for you RESOURCES: The paper discussed in this episode DIG DEEPER: Designed to the Core by Hugh Ross

“I am a worm and not a man,” David writes in Psalm 22:6. But which worm did he have in mind? In this episode of Stars, Cells, and God, Fazale “Fuz” Rana and Hugh Ross explore a discovery from a Judean Desert. Cave researchers discovered a wool fragment about two centimeters across, dyed with kermes—the scarlet dye the ancient world produced from a scale insect known as the crimson worm. The find provides physical evidence for a dye the Old Testament connects to the tabernacle, the priests’ garments, and rites of cleansing—long before David wrote his psalm. Fuz and Hugh explain why biblical archaeology matters, how Psalm 22 foreshadows the crucifixion, why death and life are interwoven throughout creation, and how fulfilled prophecy points to the Bible’s reliability. In this episode, they also discuss: How archaeologists identified a 3,800-year-old red dye What the Bible’s “scarlet worm” meant to ancient readers How Psalm 22 describes Jesus’s crucifixion in remarkable detail Why David’s word for “worm” matters How life through death runs through creation and the gospel   RESOURCES: Read the paper discussed in the episode HERE   DIG DEEPER: 10 Prophecies of Jesus’s Birth in the Old Testament: Was Jesus a Real Person? Fulfilled Prophecy: Evidence for the Reliability of the Bible Spotlight on Fulfilled Prophecy Are Scientific Predictions Like Biblical Prophecy?

The young Sun may have hurled 1,000 to 10 million times more energetic particles at early Earth than it does today. So how did life survive? In this episode of Stars, Cells, and God, Hugh Ross and Fazale “Fuz” Rana examine two new studies and what they reveal about the Moon’s surprising role in protecting early life. They also explore why Earth’s Moon is so unusual, how its formation and timing appear to align with the presence of the earliest life, and why proposed naturalistic workarounds still seem to require design. In this episode: How the young Sun’s wind compares with today’s What MAVEN is teaching us about Mars’s disappearing atmosphere How the Moon may have helped shield early Earth Why a stable tilt and steady seasons depend on the Moon Whether the universe is friendly or hostile to life Why naturalistic workarounds still require design Why Christians have nothing to fear from science What the Bible says about creation beyond Genesis RESOURCES: The papers discussed in this episode  https://doi.org/10.1093/mnras/stag1238 https://arxiv.org/abs/2605.00170 DIVE DEEPER: Designed to the Core by Hugh Ross: https://support.reasons.org/category/featured-products/designed-to-the-core Improbable Planet by Hugh Ross: https://a.co/d/0296qZMN

A small army of PhD scientists spent 17 years building a protein motor that limps 11 steps down a DNA strand. Your cells build billions of motors—perfectly, instantly, with no research budget. Coincidence, or design? Astronomer Hugh Ross and biochemist Fazale “Fuz” Rana unpack a Nature Nanotechnology study from Lund University, where a synthetic protein “walking machine” called Tumbleweed was engineered from scratch to move along DNA. They break down how it works—and why it makes a compelling case for a Creator. In this episode we discuss: How Tumbleweed was built, and why it needed a precisely timed chemical wash just to wobble 11 steps Why AI (AlphaFold) was needed to do what natural motors do flawlessly on their own Why this experiment weakens the “evolution cobbled it together” argument What it means to be made in God’s image, and why humans alone do science What this discovery means for the biblical case for a Creator The future of nanotech medicine __________________________ 📄 The paper discussed in this episode: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41565-026-02211-3 📖 The Cell’s Design: How Chemistry Reveals the Creator’s Artistry https://support.reasons.org/purchase/the-cells-design 📖 Creating Life in the Lab: How New Discoveries in Synthetic Biology Make a Case for the Creator https://support.reasons.org/purchase/creating-life-in-the-lab

For a billion years, life on Earth survived without the one process it can no longer live without. The moment that changed might be the clearest evidence yet that we’re not here by accident. In this episode, Hugh Ross and Fazale “Fuz” Rana explore a discovery published in Science Advances that raises a fascinating question: Was the emergence of biological nitrogen fixation simply the result of natural processes, or does its timing point to something more? In this episode we discuss: The dramatic rise in the abundance and diversity of life The transition from prokaryotes to complex eukaryotic life The “hard steps” that had to occur for humanity to appear eventually Why nitrogen fixation represents such an extraordinary biological challenge for evolution Skeptical objections and alternative explanations What Psalm 104 reveals about God’s purposes in creation How Earth’s history reveals not only God’s power but also his profound care and love for humanity __________________________ 📄 The Science Advances paper discussed in this episode: https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/sciadv.aec4450   🌐 Nitrogen Fixation Processes https://reasons.org/creation/earth/nitrogen-fixation-processes Get Hugh & Fuz’s book Origins of Life HERE: https://support.reasons.org/purchase/origins-of-life

Join biochemist Fazale “Fuz” Rana and physician Steve Willing as they discuss discoveries with theological and philosophical implications that point to the reality of God’s existence. Why do people fight so much? In a world fractured by political polarization, misinformation, and tribal conflict, this question demands answers. Scripture identifies pride as “the first sin” and the root of human moral failure. Contemporary research now provides extensive empirical validation for this biblical insight, demonstrating how pride operates as both a moral failing and cognitive distortion—and how Christians are uniquely positioned to address the divisions plaguing contemporary society. Drawing on over 140 peer-reviewed studies from psychology, neuroscience, and social science, this presentation explores how research confirms biblical warnings about pride across multiple domains. Studies consistently show that humans systematically overestimate their abilities, inflate their moral qualities, and maintain illusions of control—thereby directly validating Proverbs 21:2: “Every way of a man is right in his own eyes.” This science-faith synergy offers Christians a framework for serving a broken world. By recognizing the distinctive hallmarks of pride, believers can model humility in apologetics, discipleship, and public witness—reflecting Christ’s light through both rigorous truth-seeking and humble acknowledgment of our own personal limitations. LINKS AND RESOURCES:  Superbia: The Perils of Pride, The Power of Humility

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. Junk DNA has long posed a strong challenge to the design argument. Why would a Creator fill genomes with seemingly useless sequences—especially when these sequences appear in the same locations across related organisms? For many, the clearest answer has been evolution, but that conclusion is weakening. Evidence continues to show that so-called junk DNA performs important functions, including a new study by Chinese researchers revealing a role for Alu sequences in organizing gene expression. Biosignatures are physical or chemical evidence of life, whether from living organisms or their remains. Although markers like phosphine and disulfides were once considered indicators, they have proven inconclusive. Because life chemistry is complex and biological synthesis is governed by metabolism and functional demand—rather than by thermodynamics and reaction kinetics—researchers have identified a more reliable biosignature. This includes a distinctly higher number of amino and fatty acid species, plus a more uniform relative abundance of these acids. This biosignature also stands as proof that life did not evolve naturally.   In this episode, biochemist Fuz Rana explores both studies and their implications for the case for a Creator. LINKS AND RESOURCES:  Alu Repeat-Containing RNAs Spatially Organize Actively Transcribed Genomic Regions Around Nuclear Speckles   Molecular Diversity as a Biosignature   Origins of Life

Join biochemist Fazale “Fuz” Rana and Ryan Pauly, founder and president of Think Well, as they discuss discoveries with theological and philosophical implications that point to the reality of God’s existence. Artificial intelligence is transforming every area of human life. Whether we use it to help or harm, its very existence is shaping us physically, intellectually, spiritually, and relationally. Rather than avoiding technological advances or embracing them uncritically, Christians are called to approach them with biblical wisdom and faithful stewardship. That begins with stewarding the way we think and speak about AI, then applying biblical truth to develop a theology of technology. The central question is discerning how to engage AI in ways that honor God, reflect biblical truth, and promote genuine human flourishing.