Fearfully and Wonderfully Made
By: Jim Virkler; ©2010 “I am fearfully and wonderfully made” exults King David in Psalm 139:14. In his extensive commentary on the Psalms, 19th century Prince of Preachers Charles H. Spurgeon wrote that the science of anatomy was quite unknown to David. Had he been aware of the details of nerves, sinews, blood vessels, and…
Read MoreWhat’s in a Code?
By: Jim Virkler; ©2010 In earlier days, before the onset of social networking and ubiquitous electronic gadgetry, many of today’s mature adults were entertained by toy coding devices offered by radio adventure programs or commercial food marketers. These devices enabled us to send intelligent messages using mysterious signals which needed translation in order to “decode”…
Read MoreDesign in Different Contexts
By: Jim Virkler; ©2010 Examining a skyscraper, an automobile, or a fine sculpture, we would have little difficulty recognizing that they are designer-conceived and artisan-executed. One could also admire the “beauty” of each achievement, especially in the case of the sculpture. When we consider a cell in the human body, most people would recognize its…
Read MoreDesigned Structure
By: Jim Virkler; ©2010 When a child receives a new toy, before asking “How does it work?” he may pause to admire its structure and other physical features. Likewise, before considering the function of the cells in our body–that is, what cells accomplish in their role as the fundamental units of life–we may pause to…
Read MoreIntelligent Agency
By: Jim Virkler; ©2010 It is surprising that the concept of intelligent agency in bio-systems or in the cosmos at large is rejected so vehemently by many science professionals. There is no disagreement from that community that the many physical systems we encounter in everyday life fall generally into one of several categories. They may…
Read MoreProblem Solving Cells
By: Jim Virkler; ©2010 Garden hoses have an innate tendency to weave themselves into bewildering, inextricable tangles. Perhaps this is just another manifestation of Murphy’s law. Our body cells solve far more intricate problems than are posed by the most complex garden hose project imaginable. Living cells possess coded information and have the ability to…
Read MoreThe Cell — Small Wonder
By: Jim Virkler; ©2010 Searching through dusty picture albums of my early childhood, I find snapshots of my toddler years do not resemble those taken at my wedding. They bear even less resemblance to my appearance today. Likewise, my high school and college biology textbooks would not compare well with the texts in use today.…
Read MoreBeyond Theory
By: Jim Virkler; ©2010 When a repair or service technician comes to my home, I have the habit of lingering nearby to ask questions. Of course, I ask permission for the privilege. The knowledge I acquire is theoretical, not practical, rather like the knowledge of an enthusiastic baseball fan who never really played the game.…
Read MoreScience Literacy
By: Jim Virkler; ©2010 Literacy is a term with rich and diverse meaning. Without a qualifying adjective, it simply means the ability to read and write. Reading and writing ability suggest comprehension of what is read and the ability to express one’s thoughts in written form. The term scientific literacy is used in a broader…
Read MoreLiking and Disliking Science
By: Jim Virkler; ©2010 When discussions about my involvement with science arise, I am sometimes greeted with sentiments such as “I like science!” I am pleased when someone tells me he or she “likes science” and disappointed when the opposite sentiment is vocalized. It is apparent that many factors contribute to human likes and dislikes,…
Read More