Star, Cells, and God—100th Episode!

Join Hugh Ross in this breaking News of the Day episode of Stars, Cells, and God. Hugh describes a discovery that may resolve a long-standing mystery about dark matter. Primordial Black Holes Resolve Dark Matter Mystery? Dark matter is matter that doesn’t interact with light or interacts at an extremely weak level. The quantity of dark matter that exists and its locations in the universe are not mysteries. Dark matter’s composition is a mystery that has stymied astronomers and physicists for 5 decades. Leading candidates for dark matter’s composition are axions and sterile neutrinos, but neither of these particles has been detected. Physicists Elba Alonso-Monsalve and David Kaiser propose that primordial black holes (PBHs) could make up all or a large fraction of dark matter if they formed previous to a tenth of a quadrillionth of a second after the cosmic creation event. These PBHs would take two forms: atom-sized bodies with masses equal to that Deimos and Phobos; bodies a ten thousandth the diameter of a proton with masses equal to a ton, with only the first form possibly existing to the present time. Observable tests for these PBHs include the degree to which they would 1) shift the balance between protons and neutrons, 2) cause ripples in the cosmic spacetime fabric, and 3) affect the amount of helium produced during the universe’s first 3 minutes. Resources:  Primordial Black Holes with QCD Color Change Quantum Gravity Constraints Affirm Cosmic Creator

Join astrophysicist Hugh Ross in this breaking News of the Day episode of Stars, Cells, and God. Hugh describes the discovery of the important role interstellar space clouds played in establishing the current ice age cyclethat made our advanced civilization possible. Join us as we explore why we must be in an ice age cycle and: How rare it is for the solar system to traverse cold, dense interstellar clouds, How the entry of the solar system into a cold dense interstellar cloud about 2.5 million years ago sustained the cooling effect initiated by the Eltanin collider, How modeling of 21-centimeter data from the HI4PI survey revealed the velocity of the solar system across the Local Ribbon of Cold Clouds (LRCC), How the solar system’s traverse of the LRCC drastically affected the heliosphere and cooled Earth’s climate, How geological evidence for iron-60 and plutonium-244 isotopes affirms Earth’s traverse across cold, dense interstellar clouds, and How measurements reveal the solar system will exit the local interstellar cloud in the next few thousand years. This episode is packed with astronomical and geological revelations that explain why our current global, high-technology civilization is uniquely possible. Resources:  A Possible Direct Exposure of the Earth to the Cold Dense Interstellar Medium 2–3 Myr Ago Hugh Ross, Weathering Climate Change, 57–227.

Join Hugh Ross in this breaking News of the Day episode of Stars, Cells, and God. Hugh describes the discovery of the most distant known galaxy and what the characteristics of this galaxy imply for the cosmic dawn and the big bang creation model. Distant Galaxy and the Big Bang Join us as we explore: The astounding measurement of galaxy JADES-GS-z14-0 at a redshift of 14.32, revealing a glimpse into the universe just 280 million years after the cosmic creation event. Insights into the size and brightness of this newly discovered galaxy, with its light spanning over 1,600 light-years, predominantly from young stars rather than a supermassive black hole. The implications of JWST observations on the big bang model, sparking discussions among young-earth creationists and other astrophysicists about potential overhauls to our understanding of cosmic origins. The standard big bang creation model and its components—including dark energy, exotic dark matter, and ordinary matter—and how JWST’s mission aims to detail the masses and populations of the universe’s first stars. How JWST’s latest findings support the biblically predicted big bang cosmic model and strengthen the evidence for a universe finely tuned by a cosmic Creator. This episode is packed with astronomical insights and cosmic revelations! Links & Resources: A Shining Cosmic Dawn: Spectroscopic Confirmation of Two Luminous Galaxies at z ~14 JWST/MIRI Photometric Detection at 7.7 µm of the Stellar Continuum and Nebular Emission in a Galaxy at z > 14 JWST Glowingly Affirms Big Bang Creation Event What Does the Bible Say about the Big Bang?    

Join Fazale “Fuz” Rana, Hugh Ross, and Jeff Zweerink for a conversation celebrating the 100th episode of Stars, Cells, and God. They answer questions submitted by our dedicated listeners and dive deeper into topics where science and faith intersect.   For 100 episodes, this podcast has served as a space for deep conversation with leaders in the science-faith arena to explore how the latest scientific discoveries provide evidence for God’s existence, the reliability of Scripture, and the credibility of the Christian worldview. We’re honored to have our listeners participate in this episode by posing great questions on YouTube to our three scholars.   We look forward to the next 100episodes with you!      Timestamps: 7:32 –  Question from @EmaManfred on AI image generators replacing artists You can listen to the full episode on this topic HERE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lhe5OxN6k3s   22:16 – Question from @whyaskwhybuddry on plants on Earth before the Sun, insects, and birds You can listen to the full episode on this topic HERE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5jA0XVjNSZw   28:58 – Question from @SamytheGreek on humans having Neanderthal DNA You can listen to the full episode on this topic HERE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jXUmCr_Ct1E   41:14 – Question from @johnbaker2755 on animals learning tactical capabilities You can listen to the full episode on this topic HERE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mxyACrh2sUU   50:15 – Question from @pierreabbat6157 on vitamins in lab-grown meat You can listen to the full episode on this topic HERE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Gu3WtT3vAU  

Join Fazale “Fuz” Rana and Jeff Zweerink as they discuss new discoveries taking place at the frontiers of science that have theological and philosophical implications, including the reality of God’s existence.   Biological Basis for Belief? As human beings, our religious nature defines us. Treating it as a scientific question, many scientists wonder, how do we account for human spirituality and religiosity? Are there brain structures and processes that explain this behavior? Using lesion mapping, a research team from Harvard Medical School and Brigham and Women’s Hospital recently determined the brain regions and neural circuits that account for religiosity and spirituality.   This study (amongst others) raises troubling questions for Christians.   Is our spirituality and response to religion based on our brain’s biology? Is there a materialistic, mechanistic explanation for religious acceptance? Do people really experience God?   In this episode, biochemist Fuz Rana addresses these questions and presents a model that accommodates these scientific findings, while retaining a biblical view of human nature.   Woke at the University During the 2023–2024 academic year, Rice University offered a course called “Afrochemistry” that claimed to “apply chemical tools and analysis to understand Black life in the US.” From January 16 to May 16, 2024, AcademicJobsOnline.org advertised a job for the University of Victoria’s physics and astronomy department that was only open to an indigenous person. Both examples show how a worldview subversive to the scientific enterprise is spreading into the scientific community. This view of contemporary critical theory sees the world in terms of oppressors and oppressed. In contrast, the Judeo-Christian worldview sees all people as valuable and worthy of God’s and our love. Additionally, the Judeo-Christian worldview buttresses and supports the foundation needed for the scientific enterprise to flourish.   YOUTUBE LINKS:   Michael A. Ferguson et al., “A Neural Circuit for Spirituality and Religiosity Derived from Patients with Brain Lesions,” https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34454698/   Additional Resources   Fazale Rana, “Is There a Biological Basis for Belief?,” https://reasons.org/explore/publications/articles/is-there-a-biological-basis-for-belief   Fazale Rana, “Is There a Biological Basis for Belief? A Follow Up,” https://reasons.org/explore/publications/articles/is-there-a-biological-basis-for-belief-a-follow-up   Fazale Rana, “Does Oxytocin Cause Spiritual Experiences?,” https://reasons.org/explore/blogs/the-cells-design/does-oxytocin-cause-spiritual-experiences   PODCAST LINKS:   University of Victoria, Department of Physics and Astronomy New ‘Afrochemistry’ Course Widely Panned as Identity Politics Dumbing Down Hard Sciences   YOUTUBE LINKS:   AcademicJobsOnline, “University of Victoria, Department of Physics and Astronomy,” posted January 16, 2024, https://academicjobsonline.org/ajo/jobs/27010   Jennifer Kabbany, “New ‘Afrochemistry’ Course Widely Panned as Identity Politics Dumbing Down Hard Sciences,” https://www.thecollegefix.com/new-afrochemistry-course-widely-panned-as-identity-politics-dumbing-down-hard-sciences/