The Seven Series with Gregg Davidson

Young Earth advocates claim that dating methods using tree rings, annual sediment layers (varves), or carbon-14 cannot be trusted because they are all based on untestable assumptions. In fact, geologists have ways of testing ALL assumptions using the methods of empirical science. In this episode, I'll share my own contributions to the subject showing how tree rings, sediment varves, and carbon-14 can be combined in really, really cool ways to demonstrate that counts of tree rings and varves yield valid ages. 

To read more, check out the paper I wrote with fellow geologist and Christian brother, Ken Wolgemuth: Testing and Verifying Old Age Evidence: Lake Suigetsu Varves, Tree Rings, and Carbon-14.

In the second of a two part conversation with embryologist Dr. Jeff Hardin, we get into the ethical/moral implications of experimentation with embryos, how a human embryo should be treated in terms of its human nature or capacity, fixing vs enhancing genes, creating trans-species chimeras, and attempts to make humanzes (human-chimp embryos. Wild times in which we live!

In this two part conversation, I am joined by Dr. Jeff Hardin, a zoologist at the University of Wisconsin and co-author of the textbook World of the Cell. In part 1, we spend most of the discussion on the amazing and sometimes mind-boggling science of the embryo, including splitting an embryo to create two or more fully developing individuals, two or more embryos merging to form one chimera, trans-species chimeras, glow-in-the-dark cells, gene editing, clones, and designer babies. With lots of mention of movies and sci fi!

Materialists argue we are essentially brains with legs - what your brain does is who you are. No brain function - no person. This episode is part 2 of a conversation with neuroscientist and Christian, Dr. Paul LaPenna, for a fascinating conversation on the relationship between brain function and who we are as soul-bearing individuals. What does it mean if someone’s personality changes after brain trauma? Does existence continue in the absence of brain function? What about near death experiences or end of life stories of encounters with the supernatural? What does it mean if dementia wipes out memories of coming to Christ? And is there such a thing as gendered brains? 

Materialists argue we are essentially brains with legs - what your brain does is who you are. No brain function - no person. In this episode and the next, I am joined by neuroscientist and Christian, Dr. Paul LaPenna, for a fascinating conversation on the relationship between brain function and who we are as soul-bearing individuals. What does it mean if someone’s personality changes after brain trauma? Does existence continue in the absence of brain function? What about near death experiences or end of life stories of encounters with the supernatural? What does it mean if dementia wipes out memories of coming to Christ? And is there such a thing as gendered brains?

Science is frequently described as advancing as religious belief is overcome. I am joined by Dr. Ted Davis, a historian of science and Christian faith, to talk about the development of scientific though in pre-Christian/pre-Western cultures, the interplay of faith and science during the Scientific Revolution, and the drift from open expressions of appreciation of God in the opening pages of scientific texts to the modern ban on any reference to the divine. From there the conversation moves into assessments of materialist claims in belief in facts over faith (such as Jerry Coyne or Richard Dawkins), whether religious belief is decreasing among modern scientists (it is not), and interesting observations of more Christians in the hard sciences than in the social sciences.

In this first episode in a new series on the Web of Science & Christian Faith, I am joined by archaeologist Dr. Steven Ortiz from Lipscomb University. Dr. Ortiz has led many digs in Israel and surrounding lands and was a contributor to the book Do Historical Matters Matter to Faith. Topics include expectations and the reality of archaeological evidence for the Exodus, a Jewish kingdom at the time of David, and the mixed remnants of occupation of Jerusalem - all with respect to the question of whether the Bible is true.  

Final episode in the 7-part mini-series Designed for Discovery!

The creation has not just been designed to explore the history of our planet, but others as well. In this episode, I am joined by Planetary Scientist Dr. Roger Wiens to talk about things like how we can tell a meteorite on earth came from a planet 100 million miles away, and how we can decipher the history of water on the Martian surface that has been gone for billions of years! 

Mary Schweitzer is best know for the discovery of surviving organic tissues in 65 million year old dinosaur fossils. Her story is fascinating, for she started her educational journey as a young earth creationist intent on disproving evolution, but studying actual fossils not only convinced life had truly adapted over time, but also that modern birds trace their origins back to theropod dinosaurs. More importantly, she never lost her faith in Christ or the truth of the Bible. You will hear some of that story in this episode!

Whales and hippos share a common terrestrial ancestor? And we can tell that how? 

In this episode, I talk with Dr. Ryan Bebej about the story of discovery of whale evolution from a four-legged land ancestor. The conversation takes us from early speculation on the origin of whales, the discovery of transitional fossils in the Middle East, and how the discovery of ankle bones allow competing hypotheses to be put to the test.