Methanotrophic Symbionts Show Design
TNRTB Archive – Retained for reference information
A team of Dutch scientists has found additional evidence of supernatural design in how biological organisms interact with the earth’s environment to maintain a suitable habitat for life. The sun gets brighter as it ages and, therefore, deposits more energy on Earth. One way to prevent the runaway greenhouse heating of the atmosphere expected from this extra energy is to reduce the amount of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. The researchers discovered that certain bacteria in wetlands oxidize the abundant methane gas produced there and this oxidized methane serves as a carbon source for mosses. The symbiotic relationship of the mosses and bacteria removes methane from the atmosphere and buries significant amounts of carbon (thus removing carbon dioxide), both of which would otherwise contribute to greenhouse heating. This high degree of interaction between biological organisms and the physical environment to maintain a suitable habitat for life is expected if a supernatural Designer is responsible for Earth and its life.
- Ashna A. Raghoebarsing et al., “Methanotrophic Symbionts Provide Carbon for Photosynthesis in Peat Bogs,” Nature 436 (2005): 1153-56.
- https://www.nature.com/nature/journal/v436/n7054/abs/nature03802.html%20
- Related Resource
- Product Spotlight
- The Creator and the Cosmos, 3rd ed., by Hugh Ross