Science and Culture Today | Discovering Design in Nature

Today

Disclosure Day Is Fun, But It Didn’t Rock My Faith

_{Casey Luskin
June 16, 2026
8
Arts}

Spielberg’s message is not only that aliens are real but also that they’re good and they’re our friends. I find that very curious: How is he so sure?

“Accelerating” Toward a Post-Human Future

_{Denyse O’Leary
June 16, 2026
5
Computational Sciences}

There is a lot of AI Apocalypse Now! and AI Utopia Soon! in the news these days.

A Note on the “Compensation” Argument

_{Granville Sewell
June 16, 2026
3
Mathematics}

This debate is not really too complicated for the layman to understand, though it seems to be too simple for many scientists.

Denton Shows UFOs Would Not Exist Without Purpose

_{Casey Luskin
June 17, 2026
9
Intelligent Design}

Fire is a central part of human existence, and it’s a necessary requirement for building technology, whether primitive or complex.

E.T., Phoned In

_{Bethel McGrew
June 15, 2026
6
Faith & Science}

Steve Deace has called the film a direct assault on Christianity. This wasn’t exactly my impression. I didn’t feel assaulted so much as vaguely condescended to.

Spielberg’s Latest Is E.T. Without the Charm

_{David Klinghoffer
June 15, 2026
4
Arts}

Of the two characters in the film whom Steven Spielberg presents to us as the most compassionate and wise, one is a Catholic nun.

Bee-ing There: Innovative Behavior by Bees

_{Eric Cassell
June 15, 2026
6
Intelligent Design}

The design of organisms that have sufficient brain complexity and that produce these goal-directed behaviors requires an intelligent agent.

ID the Future

with Andrew McDiarmid

Stephen Meyer: New Ways to Stream and Share The Story of Everything

_{2227
Stephen C. Meyer
June 17, 2026}

The new documentary film The Story of Everything is no longer available in movie theaters, but there are now new ways to stream and share this intriguing documentary! Host Andrew McDiarmid recently caught up with our friend and colleague Dr. Stephen Meyer to ask him a few questions about how The Story of Everything has been received and the exciting new ways people can enjoy the film.

Still Zero: Why New Fossil Finds Don’t Solve Cambrian Explosion Mystery

_{2226
Casey Luskin
June 15, 2026}

New fossil discoveries from China are being hailed as evidence that could reshape our understanding of the origin of complex animal life. Does the new find solve the mystery of the Cambrian explosion? Are the headlines about these fossils justified? Are these in fact the long-lost ancestors of the Cambrian animals we’ve been looking for? On this ID The Future, host Andrew McDiarmid welcomes Dr. Casey Luskin to the show to to examine the evidence, ambiguity, and ongoing controversy surrounding newly reported Ediacaran bilaterian fossils.

Comedian Evan Sayet on the Failure of the Atheist Origin Myth

_{2225
Evan Sayet
June 12, 2026}

On this classic ID The Future out of the vault, host Andrew McDiarmid welcomes comedian and author Evan Sayet to the podcast to discuss the failure of the atheist origin myth, his journey from liberalism to conservatism, and the role of humor in the scientific debate. His latest book, Magic Soup, Typing Monkeys, and Horny Aliens From Outer Space, takes a cuttingly humorous approach to dismantling the origin myths promoted by atheists to explain away the evidence for design in life and the universe. Philosopher of science Dr. Stephen Meyer calls Sayet’s book “a rambunctious romp…With his trademark humor, Sayet exposes the absurdities of the materialist superstition of our age.”

Latest Videos

Free Will Won’t Be Vanquished — Michael Egnor

_{Michael Egnor
June 15, 2026
Faith & Science
2026 Dallas Conference on Science and Faith}

Against the naysayers, neurosurgeon Michael Egnor offers a multi pronged defense of free will, which he defines as the genuine ability to choose among alternatives.

…

The UFO Disclosure: What Does It Mean for God?

_{Casey Luskin
June 9, 2026
Intelligent Design}

Why are people so fascinated by aliens? Because beneath the UFO stories lie deeper questions.

…

Endowed with the Image of God — Nancy Pearcey

_{Nancy Pearcey
June 8, 2026
Faith & Science
2026 Dallas Conference on Science and Faith}

The debate over intelligent design matters not just for science, but for preserving moral foundations and confidence in human knowledge itself.

…

Created Equal with Dr. Ben Carson

_{John G. West
May 25, 2026
Intelligent Design
2026 Dallas Conference on Science and Faith}

In conversation with John G. West, renowned surgeon Dr. Ben Carson shares his view that faith and science are not in conflict, and that believing in evolution requires more faith than believing in God as creator.

…

Intelligent Design

Denton Shows UFOs Would Not Exist Without Purpose

_{Casey Luskin
June 17, 2026
9
Intelligent Design}

Fire is a central part of human existence, and it’s a necessary requirement for building technology, whether primitive or complex.

Bee-ing There: Innovative Behavior by Bees

_{Eric Cassell
June 15, 2026
6
Intelligent Design}

The design of organisms that have sufficient brain complexity and that produce these goal-directed behaviors requires an intelligent agent.

For Extraterrestrial Life, All Credit to a Creator

_{David Klinghoffer
June 10, 2026
2
Intelligent Design}

As Casey Luskin reminds us, technology-using aliens would — by the intent of the cosmic design — need to live on a planet like ours with a physiology like ours.

If You Care About Faith, Bring on the Aliens!

_{David Klinghoffer
June 9, 2026
3
Intelligent Design}

Luskin: “If alien life does exist, and if it looks or works even remotely like human biology, then it did not arise by blind evolution.”

Historical Sciences

Origin of Life

Time Is an Archenemy of Unguided Origin of Life

_{David Klinghoffer
April 23, 2026
1
Origin of Life}

A video claims to show how the unguided origin of life is easy to envision, involving random chemical “blobs” forming into a replicator, given enough time.

Project Hail Mary Can’t Outrun the God Hypothesis

_{Bethel McGrew
April 13, 2026
6
Biology}

How could something with a structure this complicated have evolved twice? Ryland Grace thinks it couldn’t have.

Postcard from North Carolina

_{Brian Miller
March 2, 2026
3
Faith & Science}

Skepticism should be a last resort rather than a starting point. If truth is knowable, we should pursue it as our highest priority.

Evolution

Evolutionists Need a Refresher Course

_{David Coppedge
June 9, 2026
12
Evolution}

Abuses of the concept of natural selection abound not only in science news but in scientific papers in major journals as well. It’s time for a remedial course.

How Non-Experts Can Assess Scientific Questions

_{Casey Luskin
May 20, 2026
6
Evolution}

A new Long Story Short video tries to answer this question: How can a non-expert assess who is right in a complex scientific debate — specifically on the question “How did life begin?”

Theistic Evolution Book Cites Debunked Icons

_{Casey Luskin
May 19, 2026
11
Evolution}

Professor Kuebler uses a classical argument for common descent, citing the universality of the genetic code.

Paleontology

Cambrian Explosion Is Gift that Keeps on Giving

_{David Coppedge
June 5, 2026
7
Paleontology}

These representative papers show that the Cambrian Explosion remains a huge enigma for evolutionists.

Günter Bechly and the “Species Pair” Problem

_{Granville Sewell
June 2, 2026
7
Paleontology}

Asian elephants (like the one at the top of this page) and their African counterparts apparently diverged about 8 million years ago.

More Challenges to Ediacaran Animal Fossils

_{Casey Luskin
May 17, 2026
8
Paleontology}

Joseph Botting is actually very skeptical of the paper’s purported example of an Ediacaran ctenophore, and he believes it is in fact a cnidarian.

Cosmology

When the Experts Disagree…

_{Eric Hedin
June 11, 2026
5
Cosmology}

As with life, the beginning of our universe entailed special conditions, not only of the laws of physics, but also of the arrangement of its component atoms.

Sean Carroll Revives Nietzsche’s Eternal Return

_{Paul Nelson
June 8, 2026
5
Cosmology}

The point arrives when a philosophy is so unreasonable, so utterly broken, that one can only give it a good strong kick. Argument fails; one must act.

Brian Miller on the Meyer/Halper Debate

_{Science & Culture
June 6, 2026
3
Faith & Science}

“Halper is one of the most formidable proponents of atheism, but he also admits that the discussion with Meyer was ‘the toughest debate I’ve ever had.'”

Human Origins

It Was Technology, Not Human Mind, that Advanced

_{Denyse O’Leary
May 29, 2026
4
Human Origins and Anthropology}

At one time, we were encouraged to interpret ancient humans as a long, slow, Darwinian ascent of man. But maybe that didn’t really happen.

Let’s Catch Up with the Neanderthals!

_{Denyse O’Leary
May 27, 2026
5
Human Origins and Anthropology}

Remember the famous Neanderthal brain that was supposed to be inferior to the modern one, rendering them the big, dumb brutes of legend?

Human Evolution Quote: Grok, Is This True?

_{Casey Luskin
May 23, 2026
6
Human Origins and Anthropology}

People are always welcome to change their views in response to what they feel is convincing new evidence.

Archaeology

More Discoveries Point to Neanderthal Intelligence

_{Denyse O’Leary
December 5, 2024
5
Archaeology}

This very ancient people we know the most about can’t be the missing link that many paleontologists are looking for.

The Joy of (Neanderthal) Cooking

_{Denyse O’Leary
July 30, 2024
5
Archaeology}

The Darwinian account of the human race would be much easier to believe in good faith if scientists could point to a clearly inferior and clearly human being.

Dallas Conference: Archaeology & the Life of Jesus

_{Titus Kennedy
January 19, 2024
1
Archaeology}

My presentation will explore archaeological discoveries illuminating a major event in the life of Jesus — his trial in Jerusalem.

History of Science

Darwin’s Atheism and a Question of Terminology

_{Michael Flannery
May 26, 2026
8
History of Science}

Calling Gibberson, Miller, McGrath, and others theistic evolutionists is inaccurate because it fails to distinguish them from genuinely theistic evolutionists.

Paradigm Lost: Darwinism and the Idea of Progress

_{Neil Thomas
May 12, 2026
17
History of Science}

The notion of progress is now of course increasingly questioned, especially after what has come to be known as “the calamitous 20th century.”

Contest of Cosmic Stories “Isn’t a Fair Fight”

_{David Klinghoffer
April 13, 2026
3
History of Science}

As Bethel McGrew notes, the tradition of seeing the stars, planets, and the rest of space as pointing to a creator has a distinguished scientific history.

Geology

As an Idea, the “Anthropocene” Era Is Dead

_{Science & Culture
November 25, 2025
3
Geology}

In a world where pundits regularly accuse us all of being too anthropocentric, the naming of a new geological epoch would enshrine that view forever in science.

The Wonders of a Hard Mineral

_{David Coppedge
September 5, 2025
11
Geology}

Explore the features of a remarkable mineral erupted from volcanoes that is found in our teeth. How did it get there?

Plate Tectonics and Scientific Discovery

_{Guillermo Gonzalez
September 3, 2024
4
Geology}

Plate tectonics is important for advanced life in multiple ways and planets with plate tectonics are very rare.

Life Sciences

Fireweed: An Example of Intelligent Latent Design

_{Eric Hedin
February 5, 2025
7
Life Sciences}

The photo with fireweed in the foreground at the top of this article was taken by my father, Robert Hedin, at Mount Shuksan in Washington State.

Biological Information in Static Electricity

_{David Coppedge
December 5, 2024
5
Life Sciences}

The influence of static charge in pollination is one demonstrable case — not only for bees, but for moths and hummingbirds as well.

Plant Missile Technology: A Peek in the Armory

_{David Coppedge
December 2, 2024
5
Life Sciences}

Ballistic missiles are common in plants and fungi. Take a look at how they launch their payloads.

Neuroscience

“Mind as an Illusion” Makes No Sense

_{Denyse O’Leary
June 13, 2026
5
Neuroscience & Mind}

Philosophers of mind using their minds to prove that there is no mind do not help the credibility of their discipline.

Wishing Away the Hard Problem of Consciousness

_{Denyse O’Leary
June 12, 2026
5
Neuroscience & Mind}

Recently Carlo Rovelli fell into an all-too-common trap for creative thinkers. He offered an opinion on a subject outside his discipline.

When Bumblebees Cheat at Games

_{Science & Culture
June 11, 2026
2
Neuroscience & Mind}

Perhaps the most significant aspect of the findings is in light of the fact that the bumblebee has only about one million neurons (humans have 86 billion).

Medicine

Mission to Kill Dementia Patients Moves Forward

_{Wesley J. Smith
June 4, 2026
2
Medicine}

By all means, prohibit forced feeding, but also provide that patients be given all nourishment they want.

Gender Reassignment Harmed Mental Health

_{Wesley J. Smith
April 15, 2026
4
Medicine}

Hopefully, this study will aid the many lawsuits being filed by childhood victims (detransitioners).

Western Medicine’s Utilitarian Drift

_{Wesley J. Smith
April 14, 2026
5
Medicine}

At least in some sense, once the girl was deemed killable, her body parts became the primary factor in her care.

Biology

Bee-ing There: Innovative Behavior by Bees

_{Eric Cassell
June 15, 2026
6
Intelligent Design}

The design of organisms that have sufficient brain complexity and that produce these goal-directed behaviors requires an intelligent agent.

When Bumblebees Cheat at Games

_{Science & Culture
June 11, 2026
2
Neuroscience & Mind}

Perhaps the most significant aspect of the findings is in light of the fact that the bumblebee has only about one million neurons (humans have 86 billion).

We Have Liftoff: Engineering Solutions in Muscle

_{Andrew McDiarmid
June 9, 2026
2
Biology}

The very act of generating force creates a formidable engineering challenge. How is this problem solved?

Physical Sciences

Physics

When the Experts Disagree…

_{Eric Hedin
June 11, 2026
5
Cosmology}

As with life, the beginning of our universe entailed special conditions, not only of the laws of physics, but also of the arrangement of its component atoms.

New Physics Is Always Tentative; Here’s Why

_{Eric Hedin
June 8, 2026
6
Physics}

The prime example of all difficulties for new theories in physics relates to the ultimate origin of everything.

Why Meaning Overcomes the Materialist View

_{Eric Hedin
June 3, 2026
5
Physics}

The quasi-scientific abstraction that glibly asserts our being “nothing more” than particle interactions is as wrong as it is right.

Chemistry

The Messy Reality of Prebiotic Chemistry

_{Andrew McDiarmid
January 15, 2026
2
Origin of Life}

The interview explores the professional risks faced by scientists who question the standard evolutionary paradigm.

Organic Chemistry Without Intelligence

_{Andrew McDiarmid
January 13, 2026
2
Origin of Life}

While amino acids can be produced in experiments or found on meteorites, they are often consumed by side reactions that create non-living tar.

When Science Degenerates into a Spoils System

_{Denyse O’Leary
November 2, 2025
5
Scientific Freedom}

Chemistry professor Anna Krylov forces us to look at that in discouraging detail.

Astronomy

“Cosmic Signposts” Pointing to Intelligent Design

_{Andrew McDiarmid
April 29, 2026
2
Physics}

Dr. Salviander was deeply influenced by science fiction and by the popular astronomer and science communicator Carl Sagan.

Should Mysterious Signals Be Attributed to ET?

_{David Coppedge
January 27, 2026
4
Astronomy}

Intelligent design advocates agree that you don’t infer intelligence until there is sufficient reason to reject chance and natural law.

Astrobiology as a Secular Quest for Meaning

_{Denyse O’Leary
November 13, 2025
6
Astronomy}

I don’t think this stuff does any harm — as long as it is understood as drama and not given undue importance in science or philosophy.

Fine-Tuning

Inscrutable Dice and Cosmological Fine-Tuning

_{Bruce Gordon
May 19, 2026
14
Physics}

Phil Halper has argued against a position that no one holds, and his argument as a whole lays claim to the very capacity his objection denies.

The Story of Everything…or of Nothing?

_{George Montañez
April 21, 2026
9
Faith & Science}

The movie is respectful in how it addresses questions. It doesn’t preach. But it challenges perspectives at the heart of who we are.

Objective Probability of the Fine-Tuning Evidence

_{Bruce Gordon
March 27, 2026
10
Fine-tuning}

Science and philosophy aim to explain aspects of the world and of our experience, and both offer judgments about what is correct or incorrect.

Earth Sciences

Geophysics

Aurora Borealis: Scientific and Aesthetic Design

_{Casey Luskin
May 12, 2024
9
Astronomy}

You appreciate the aurora borealis or aurora australis because you were not created by strictly material evolutionary processes.

Geoengineering on an Intelligently Designed Planet

_{Tova Levengood
August 30, 2023
4
Intelligent Design}

Scientists are still discovering how many systems, controls, and other aspects of planetary fine-tuning are in place to ensure that we have abundant life.

No Iron, No Life: Design in Iron Availability

_{Science & Culture
January 25, 2022
9
Biology}

As an exercise, count the number of lucky breaks that had to occur for the evolutionary story to work.

Environment

Journal Trumpets Glaciers’ “Right to Exist”

_{Wesley J. Smith
June 2, 2026
4
Environment & Climate}

Glaciers are made up of snow that over millennia compacted into ice. They grow or shrink based on climate. They are geological features.

Great Science Cancellation Continues

_{David Klinghoffer
September 18, 2025
3
Scientific Freedom}

In the domination of science by ideology, by the myth of “settled science,” the stakes couldn’t be more profound.

COSM Will Feature Nobel Laureate John F. Clauser

_{Science & Culture
September 12, 2025
5
Physics}

Discovery Institute’s upcoming COSM 2025 tech conference will feature something a little different.

Rare Earth

Stephen Meyer on the Meaning of Artemis II Mission

_{David Klinghoffer
April 8, 2026
3
Rare Earth}

Aboard the lunar spacecraft, astronaut Victor Glover spoke movingly about what some have called our Privileged Planet.

Study: Geological Habitability Parameters

_{Casey Luskin
August 14, 2024
8
Rare Earth}

One thing that is likely to get some pushback is the study’s claim that modern-style plate tectonics on Earth did not commence until the Neoproterozoic.

Earth and Mars — A Rare Gem and a Sharp Contrast

_{Eric Hedin
August 5, 2024
9
Rare Earth}

Apparently, simple living organisms must exist for eons on a planet before more advanced life can thrive.

Planetology

The Search for ETs: Keeping Hope Alive

_{Denyse O’Leary
October 15, 2025
5
Planetology}

The question looms: How much can science avoid facts while retaining the character of science?

Rights for Planets, Moons, and Space Microbes?

_{Wesley J. Smith
September 29, 2025
3
Planetology}

The ultimate purpose in granting such rights would be to disincentivize investments in space exploration and keep us Gaia-bound.

Hope for Mars Life Is Dashed Again

_{David Coppedge
March 4, 2025
1
Planetology}

Subsequent landers discovered a high concentration of perchlorates in the soil. Perchlorates are chlorinated salts, often used in fireworks.

Culture

Human Exceptionalism

Tree Rights Advocacy Is Based on Irrationality

_{Wesley J. Smith
March 17, 2026
5
Human Exceptionalism}

We protect trees and woodlands with laws and regulations without resorting to irrational ideological justifications and materially impeding human thriving.

Why AI Won’t Replace Us Spiritually

_{George Montañez
March 12, 2026
6
Human Exceptionalism}

AI systems increasingly resemble human intelligence. But resemblance alone does not make them image bearers. It cannot. AI systems do not represent God.

Are We Just Animals? A Tempting Delusion

_{J. Budziszewski
February 5, 2026
5
Human Exceptionalism}

Some of my students argue that humans should be wiped off the face of the earth to make room for the other species.

Arts

E.T., Phoned In

_{Bethel McGrew
June 15, 2026
6
Faith & Science}

Steve Deace has called the film a direct assault on Christianity. This wasn’t exactly my impression. I didn’t feel assaulted so much as vaguely condescended to.

Spielberg’s Latest Is E.T. Without the Charm

_{David Klinghoffer
June 15, 2026
4
Arts}

Of the two characters in the film whom Steven Spielberg presents to us as the most compassionate and wise, one is a Catholic nun.

A Surprise Conversation About, Well, Everything

_{Andrew McDiarmid
May 29, 2026
4
Arts}

As I walked out of the theater after the movie, I heard a familiar voice. I smiled as I realized it was our colleague Jay Richards.

Ethics

On Morality of Suicide, Wide Disparity of Opinion

_{Wesley J. Smith
June 14, 2026
3
Bioethics}

Close to a majority, 49 percent, answered that committing suicide with a doctor’s help is morally acceptable, while 45 percent responded that it is not.

A Plague of Phony Citations Generated by AI

_{Science & Culture
June 10, 2026
2
Scientific Reasoning}

Ironically, the public has been taught to worry that AI is taking over and will do everything better than humans.

Mission to Kill Dementia Patients Moves Forward

_{Wesley J. Smith
June 4, 2026
2
Medicine}

By all means, prohibit forced feeding, but also provide that patients be given all nourishment they want.

Social Sciences

Paper on Human Behavior: No “‘Souped-Up’ Ape”

_{Casey Luskin
June 12, 2026
6
Cultural Anthropology}

How do we explain all the “mind-boggling sweep” of time-consuming behavior that isn’t directly necessary for survival?

Human Equality in a Neurosurgeon’s View

_{David Klinghoffer
June 1, 2026
2
Neuroscience & Mind}

You could draw a comparison to looking under the hood of your car, versus looking under the hood of mine.

The Flip Side of a Faulty Evolutionary Theory

_{David Klinghoffer
May 29, 2026
5
Political Science}

Mayor Katie’s father is David Sloan Wilson, an esteemed evolutionary biologist at Binghamton University.

Faith and Science

E.T., Phoned In

_{Bethel McGrew
June 15, 2026
6
Faith & Science}

Steve Deace has called the film a direct assault on Christianity. This wasn’t exactly my impression. I didn’t feel assaulted so much as vaguely condescended to.

Science Isn’t God, but It Does Point to God

_{David Klinghoffer
June 8, 2026
3
Faith & Science}

As you are driving on Interstate 5 just north of downtown Seattle, a home with purple floor-to-ceiling windows stands out prominently.

Brian Miller on the Meyer/Halper Debate

_{Science & Culture
June 6, 2026
3
Faith & Science}

“Halper is one of the most formidable proponents of atheism, but he also admits that the discussion with Meyer was ‘the toughest debate I’ve ever had.'”

Science Education

“My Public Education Was Ruined,” Weeps Dover Grad

_{David Klinghoffer
January 8, 2026
2
Science Education}

A bit melodramatic, perhaps? Attorney and geologist Casey Luskin, who was present for part of the Dover trial, has this to say.

Creepy Crawly Complexity: The Design of Insects

_{Andrew McDiarmid
December 22, 2025
2
Science Education}

Far from being mere nuisances, these creatures function as tiny engineers that elegantly solve complex problems to sustain global ecosystems.

Myth No. 5: “Discovery Supported Dover Policy”

_{Sarah Chaffee
December 17, 2025
6
Science Education}

Both Judge John E. Jones and the media have promoted the myth that Discovery was somehow behind the events that sparked the case.

Scientific Freedom

The Wrong Tool to Fix Woke Science Journals

_{Wesley J. Smith
May 3, 2025
2}

The government has no business pressuring medical journals about their content — no matter how biased.

Hysteria in the Science Sector Over DOGE

_{Wesley J. Smith
March 30, 2025
4}

Whatever problems now exist for the public medical research funding sector, the disappointing Francis Collins helped create them.

Stand Up for Science or… for Naked Ideology?

_{Wesley J. Smith
March 12, 2025
4}

“Stand Up for Science 2025” protests were clearly aimed at reaffirming control by the now discredited science establishment.

Science Reporting

Wall Street Journal Welcomes Story of Everything

_{David Klinghoffer
April 17, 2026
4
Science Reporting}

My colleague asked, “Has that happened before?” Not that I recall. Is something changing? Perhaps.

On the Origin of Our New Name

_{Andrew McDiarmid
September 27, 2025
3
Science Reporting}

First, the conversation delves into the site’s launch in December 2004, when the modern intelligent design movement and the Internet were both relatively new.

On Genetic (Dis)Similarity, Give Credit Where Due

_{David Klinghoffer
September 10, 2025
4
Science Reporting}

Would anyone know that the 1 percent icon has finally fallen, if we hadn’t broken the story? It seems not.