The DNA code is made up of codons (3-letter words) derived from 64 different arrangements of bases linking the two DNA strands. Yet these 64 combinations code for only 20 amino acids and a stop signal. Thus, different codons are able to produce the same amino acid. The phenomenon is described as the genetic code having “redundancy”. In the early years of molecular biology, this redundancy was perceived as an evolutionary accident, unworthy of detailed research but fortunate because it meant that any damaging effects of point mutations were cushioned. However, the evidence has been accumulating that “redundancy” is a misleading word. “Scientists have known about this redundancy for 50 years, but in recent years, as more and more genomes Read More ›

I’m allergic to bee stings, and was recently stung by a bee in our home because we have a bee infestation in our attic. My hand swelled up and I was in pain for almost a week. (I couldn’t even play the piano!) As a result of this, I checked out Internet links on bee extermination. Here we learn: Ever wonder why bees use hexagons to make beehives? Two reasons. First, bees want to enclose the largest possible space with the least amount of wax. With this in mind, a circle would be best. So why don’t they use circular combs? Because hexagons are the shape with the most sides that “tesselate”. In other words, if you put a bunch Read More ›

We are constantly reminded that our intellectual betters overwhelmingly believe the Darwinist party line and undoubtedly that is true.  So what?  It was not that many years ago that all fashionable intellectuals believed another party line, which, in retrospect, only a fool would believe.  I thought about that as I read this (which also might account for the sometimes hysterical tone our opponents take): [The anti-anticommunists at Time magazine] believed a number of things. Foremost among them was the belief that peace could be preserved, World War III could be averted only by conciliating the Soviet Union. For this no price was too high to pay, including the price of willful historical self-delusion. Yet they had just fiercely supported a war [i.e., Read More ›

This is troubling to watch. Maybe it’s because the misrepresentations are in a living color video rather than the usual black-and-white text. Maybe it’s because Schloss is so well-spoken. Maybe it’s because it is a friend doing the misrepresenting. Maybe it is because it was probably something like this that Schloss presented last week in NYC, which Christianity Today referred to as “elegant” and what no doubt so impressed the largely non scientific crowd, save NT Wright hopefully. At the [0.34] mark the Professor and Chair of Biology at Westmont College explains:  Read more

A few days back, Dr Hunter highlighted here and at his own blog, a suggestion in PLoS that CaMKII-MT “bytes” are used in neurons to store six-bit coded information. (BTW, “byte” can be used for short bit arrays, not just eight-bit ones.) Let’s look at an illustration:   Clipping the Author Summary of the PLoS article by Travis J. A. Craddock1*, Jack A. Tuszynski1,2, & Stuart Hameroff: Memory is understood as strengthened synaptic connections among neurons. Paradoxically components of synaptic membranes are relatively short-lived and frequently re-cycled while memories can last a lifetime. This suggests synaptic information is encoded at a deeper, finer-grained scale of molecular information within post-synaptic neurons. Long-term memory requires genetic expression, protein synthesis, and delivery of Read More ›