News to Note, November 25, 2006

1. National Geographic News: Genetic breakthrough that reveals the differences between humans

In an astonishing discovery, scientists have determined that it's not only variation in genes that makes us different; it's also repetition of certain genes. “The research also suggests that humans have less DNA in common with chimpanzees, our closest living relative, than is widely supposed,” National Geographic News explains.

What's unsurprising, of course, is one geneticist's suspicion that “we're just seeing the very early stages of a new way to think about evolution.”

2. Associated Press: Global warming already killing species, analysis says

This Associated Press article reviews species extinctions and adaptations that are being blamed on global warming. But interestingly enough, despite biologist Camille Parmesan's claim that “We are seeing a lot of evolution now,” the article also explains that “no new gene mutations have shown themselves.” Though Parmesan says this is because such mutations could take millions of years, we believe a better explanation is that the type of mutations evolutionists expect-information-adding ones-never actually occur in nature (which is why evolutionists can't produce a single example of them!).

3. ScienceDaily: Origins Of Life: New Approach Helps Expand Study Of Living Fossils

Dr. Miriam Andres is making new progress in the ongoing study of the origin of life-or so says a study published in the journal Geology. Andres is studying stromatolites, a type of “macrofossil” that appear similar to coral reefs. But despite high hopes for finding the secrets to the origin of life in stromatolites, Dr. Andres explains that incorrect assumptions have been made when studying stromatolites in the past, that “direct evidence of microbial activity is lacking;” that “no study to date has documented [the microbial “fingerprinting”] process for modern marine stromatolites;” that Andres' team observed the exact opposite of what they expected in carbon isotopes; and, finally, that the team “still doesn't understand how stromatolites calcify.”

All we can say is, it's good to know that the search for how life could have appeared by chance is making such astounding progress.

4. Oliver Thomas Denies Religious Credibility

Baptist minister Oliver “Buzz” Thomas, in a USA TODAY opinion piece, takes aim at those who take aim at homosexuality, suggesting that such anti-homosexual statements by churches are causing religion to “lose its credibility.”