Science and Culture Today | Discovering Design in Nature

Today

An Elevator Pitch About What Information Is

_{William A. Dembski
October 2, 2026
5
Intelligent Design}

The conception of information as ruling out possibilities allows for teleological as well as non-teleological processes to generate information.

Miller: Blur at the Edges, Vs. the Blur Everywhere

_{David Klinghoffer
October 1, 2026
2
Faith & Science}

Evidence for intelligent design in nature may be clear to you, while other matters relating to faith remain far more perplexing.

Cultivating Creativity in the Chatbot Age

_{Andrew McDiarmid
October 1, 2026
9
Technology}

if we reach for the Google search or the AI chatbot too quickly, we cede our superpower to a machine.

Dr. Egnor: The “Platonic Turn” in Science

_{David Klinghoffer
October 5, 2026
2
Neuroscience & Mind}

There is a “disconnect” between a physical organ of the body — the brain — and the “immortal mind,” the human spirit, that transcends it.

Meyer versus Dawkins: A Contest Made in Heaven?

_{Neil Thomas
October 5, 2026
10
Intelligent Design}

Much of the response by Dawkins is defensive in tone, and shifts the discussion to one of ethics and philosophy with only a vague gesture towards science.

The Mysterious Million Dollars

_{William A. Dembski
October 5, 2026
5
Computational Sciences}

Imagine trying to explain how Alice came into possession of $1,000,000. It would be one thing to say that, based on skills and effort, she earned $1,000,000.

The Evolution of Specified Complexity

_{William A. Dembski
October 4, 2026
9
Intelligent Design}

Wolfgang Smith’s excitement about conservation of complex specified information or specified complexity was not widely shared.

ID the Future

with Andrew McDiarmid

Restoring the Natural Theology Tradition That Fueled Modern Science

_{2273
Alistair McKitterick
October 5, 2026}

What is the state of the debate over evolution and intelligent design in the UK? And how will Discovery Institute’s new Cambridge initiative impact the debate going forward? On this ID The Future, host Andrew McDiarmid welcomes fellow Scotsman Dr. Alistair McKitterick, a Consulting Fellow at the Center for Science & Culture’s Whewell Center in Cambridge and a Program Director at London School of Theology. The pair will discuss how Alistair got interested in intelligent design, his work at the Whewell Center, and the state of the debate over evolution and intelligent design in the United Kingdom.

Sunlight And Water Are Uniquely Fit to Sustain Life

_{2272
Jonathan McLatchie
October 2, 2026}

If the sun didn’t power the photosynthesis of green plants, we wouldn’t be breathing right now. And without the finely tuned properties of water, Earth would be a frozen, lifeless wasteland. Coincidence? Or is something else at work? On this classic episode of ID The Future out of the archive, host Andrew McDiarmid continues his ongoing series with Dr. Jonathan McLatchie unpacking the many features of our planet and the cosmos that allow for advanced life like ours to exist. Here, the discussion turns to the life-friendly properties of sunlight and water.

Science Suggests Matter and Meaning Are Both Real

_{2271
Eric Hedin
September 30, 2026}

What is the story of everything? Is there a scientific and philosophical basis for meaning? Today on ID The Future, host Andrew McDiarmid continues exploring those questions with physicist and author Dr. Eric Hedin. In Part 2, the conversation turns to the scientific and philosophical basis for meaning in the universe. Dr. Hedin argues that materialism “fails to describe the world we experience.” He explores the problem with reducing life and the universe to their lowest terms. Sure, we boil down to matter in motion at the microscopic level, but we also live a life full of meaning at the macroscopic level. To acknowledge one and not the other, or to say that the one causes an illusion of the other, doesn’t match up with what science is telling us, says Hedin.

Latest Videos

The Immortal Mind with Michael Egnor

_{The Center for Science and Culture
October 5, 2026
Intelligent Design
Secrets of the Human Body}

Can your mind survive if your brain is severely damaged? Acclaimed neurosurgeon Michael Egnor delves into what the science shows, drawing on research of near death experiences and minimally conscious individuals.

…

The Scientific Evidence He Couldn’t Ignore: Dr. Brian Miller’s Journey

_{Brian Miller
September 24, 2026
Intelligent Design}

What happens when the scientific story you’re given seems to leave no room for God? Dr. Brian Miller grew up with a belief in God, but everything changed when he entered MIT and later pursued a PhD in physics at Duke University.

…

Can the Mind Be Explained by the Brain?

_{The Center for Science and Culture
September 22, 2026
Intelligent Design
Secrets of the Human Body}

Is the human mind fully explained by the physical brain? Acclaimed neurosurgeon Michael Egnor explores why there may be a lot more going on with our minds than we think in this episode of Secrets of the Human Body.

…

Dr. Stephen Meyer Answers the Biggest Questions About God & Science

_{Stephen C. Meyer
August 7, 2026
Intelligent Design}

What happens when you follow the evidence wherever it leads? Dr. Kevin Klar sits down with Dr. Stephen Meyer to explore some of the biggest questions at the intersection of science, philosophy, Christianity, and the search for truth.

…

Intelligent Design

Meyer versus Dawkins: A Contest Made in Heaven?

_{Neil Thomas
October 5, 2026
10
Intelligent Design}

Much of the response by Dawkins is defensive in tone, and shifts the discussion to one of ethics and philosophy with only a vague gesture towards science.

The Evolution of Specified Complexity

_{William A. Dembski
October 4, 2026
9
Intelligent Design}

Wolfgang Smith’s excitement about conservation of complex specified information or specified complexity was not widely shared.

Philosophy, Theology, and an Inference to Design

_{William A. Dembski
October 3, 2026
7
Intelligent Design}

My dissertation on the logic of conditionals came to seems like the rock of Sisyphus.

Precursors to the Design Inference

_{William A. Dembski
September 30, 2026
4
Intelligent Design}

For Richard Dawkins, specified complexity required some special effort of explanation, but that effort could be performed by Darwinian natural selection.

Historical Sciences

Origin of Life

Why Life’s Origin Can Only Be Explained by Design

_{Brian Miller
September 8, 2026
5
Origin of Life}

The reagents of the feedstock are never produced by processes as on the early Earth. Production requires substantial energy and controlled industrial procedures

Origin of Life: The Fundamental Challenge

_{Winston Ewert
September 6, 2026
5
Origin of Life}

But what if instead of keyboards, the familiar monkeys were drawing Scrabble tiles?

From Life’s Origin to Cyanobacteria

_{Science & Culture
September 5, 2026
3
Origin of Life}

That’s now just 1 billion years for all the apparatus to hit on the lucky combination randomly, unless we start with design principles.

Evolution

Late Night Fun with Evolution and Oppenheimer

_{Geoffrey Simmons
September 28, 2026
4
Evolution}

Bats by the millions would be falling from the roofs of caves if that ankle-locking design, an all-or-nothing proposition, had not come about all at once

Alfred Russel Wallace, Scientist and Working Man

_{Science & Culture
September 7, 2026
3
Evolution}

Unlike Darwin, Wallace grew up among the middle class and had to work for a living. This dictated the contours of his life and research.

The Problem of Robustness

_{Winston Ewert
September 4, 2026
3
Evolution}

It is surprising to me that the authors of these studies did not consider it more of a priority to understand the mechanics of robustness.

Paleontology

Fossil Explosions Persist, and Other Confirmations

_{Casey Luskin
August 12, 2026
10
Paleontology}

From 2016 until his tragic death in 2025, Bechly made many important contributions to ID literature on the topic of fossil explosions in the history of life.

“Weirdest Theory Yet” for the Cambrian Explosion

_{Casey Luskin
August 6, 2026
5
Paleontology}

First the Oxygen Theory, now the Feces Theory. But how much experience do we really have with feces creating new genetic information?

Neanderthal Babies Developed Like Modern Humans

_{Casey Luskin
July 6, 2026
2
Paleontology}

Don’t miss the words of Professor Uthmeier: “both human forms.” What he’s saying is that both Neanderthals and modern humans were “human forms.”

Cosmology

Three Replies to “Who Designed the Designer?”

_{Stephen C. Meyer
September 29, 2026
5
Intelligent Design}

Suppose scientists did formulate a viable materialistic explanation for the origin of life. Couldn’t someone ask for an account of the origin of matter itself?

Endless Competing Models Are a Warning Sign

_{Denyse O’Leary
September 29, 2026
5
Origin of Life}

Some of us are old enough to remember when the origin of life was a question that science would answer — soon. But that was hundreds of promising theories ago.

So, You Say No Cosmologists Ever Made This Claim?

_{Bruce Gordon
September 23, 2026
6
Cosmology}

Like mighty Samson of old, in a single-handed effort physicist Bruce Gordon responded to 1,870+ comments.

Human Origins

Human Evolution Needs Subhumans, Needs Them Badly

_{Denyse O’Leary
August 15, 2026
6
Human Origins and Anthropology}

Excavation of Neanderthal and other sites is leveling even further the fabled Ascent of Man.

Biological Origins Is Entering a Surreal Stage

_{Science & Culture
August 14, 2026
2
Human Origins and Anthropology}

No biological history and no biological beginning: are you seeing the trend? Both seem to be responses to being battered by the evidence.

Neanderthals Progress from Brute to Beaut

_{Denyse O’Leary
July 23, 2026
2
Human Origins and Anthropology}

We must be ready to ask some questions about many of the evolution stories we have taken for granted.

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

What C. W. Howell Left Out of His “History” of ID

_{Andrew McDiarmid
September 17, 2026
2
History of Science}

I conclude my conversation with Dr. Casey Luskin about his critique of a recent book from New York University Press, by C. W. Howell.

Lamarck’s Contribution to Evolutionary Thought

_{Michael Flannery
July 9, 2026
6
History of Science}

The rehabilitation of Lamarck and the important work of scholars of the past (i.e., Sinnott) and present (i.e., Turner) suggest an interesting conclusion.

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.

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

Plant Cognition Defies Evolutionary Hierarchy

_{Denyse O’Leary
August 25, 2026
5
Life Sciences}

It’s a familiar concept: the long, slow march from mud to mind meant that only toward the upper tier would we find such developments as cognition.

The Latest: Plants as “Non-Human Persons”

_{Denyse O’Leary
June 19, 2026
5
Life Sciences}

The need to see humans as equivalent to animals has now spread to the need to see us as equivalent to plants.

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.

Neuroscience

Dr. Egnor: The “Platonic Turn” in Science

_{David Klinghoffer
October 5, 2026
2
Neuroscience & Mind}

There is a “disconnect” between a physical organ of the body — the brain — and the “immortal mind,” the human spirit, that transcends it.

Remarkable Engineering and the “Two Brains” Myth

_{Science & Culture
September 28, 2026
3
Neuroscience & Mind}

Did two brains evolve into one? This is not a left brain/right brain thing. It is more like claims for a reptilian brain underlying our mammalian one.

Slime Molds Are Smarter than You Thought

_{Denyse O’Leary
September 28, 2026
5
Neuroscience & Mind}

Some want to claim that slime molds poses a threat to the idea that humans are exceptional.

Medicine

Beware of These Two Sources of Bad Medical Advice

_{Science & Culture
September 30, 2026
3
Medicine}

The bots are more likely to accept planted nonsense if it appears in clinical documents — not unlike some people we know, to be honest.

Real Science, Medicine Behind Oppenheimer’s Demon

_{Andrew McDiarmid
September 3, 2026
2
Medicine}

Novelist Geoffrey Simmons explains how he drew on his background as an ER doctor and disaster preparedness expert to make his story real and plausible.

Great News! Scientists Used AI to Create Viruses

_{Wesley J. Smith
August 10, 2026
3
Medicine}

What about attempts to test their virulence in humans? The approach in the Stanford lab sure sounds like a new form of gain-of-function research to me.

Biology

Science, Science Abuse, and the “Jewish Question”

_{David Klinghoffer
September 30, 2026
5
Genetics}

Tucker Carlson has called for everyone in Israel to have a DNA test, to sort out the real from the false of “Abram’s descendants.”

Remarkable Engineering and the “Two Brains” Myth

_{Science & Culture
September 28, 2026
3
Neuroscience & Mind}

Did two brains evolve into one? This is not a left brain/right brain thing. It is more like claims for a reptilian brain underlying our mammalian one.

Agency as the Emerging Naturalist Paradigm

_{Stephen J. Iacoboni
September 18, 2026
8
Biology}

Jaques Monod, along with other champions of 20th-century scientism, was entirely mistaken.

Physical Sciences

Physics

So, You Say No Cosmologists Ever Made This Claim?

_{Bruce Gordon
September 23, 2026
6
Cosmology}

Like mighty Samson of old, in a single-handed effort physicist Bruce Gordon responded to 1,870+ comments.

Fine-Tuning — for the Universe or for Life?

_{Eric Hedin
September 21, 2026
6
Cosmology}

Teetering on the brink of science fiction is the supposition that advanced civilizations would utilize black holes for energy sources.

The Wow! Signal and a Project in Design Detection

_{Winston Ewert
September 14, 2026
3
Intelligent Design}

The search for extraterrestrial intelligence searches through evidence from outer space in the hopes of finding something that indicates intelligent ET life.

Chemistry

Why Life’s Origin Can Only Be Explained by Design

_{Brian Miller
September 8, 2026
5
Origin of Life}

The reagents of the feedstock are never produced by processes as on the early Earth. Production requires substantial energy and controlled industrial procedures

Illusion of Progress in Origin-of-Life Research

_{Brian Miller
September 3, 2026
5
Origin of Life}

This paper contains the imaginative storytelling, speculative leaps, and inflated claims that have become staples of the origin-of-life literature.

High School Science with an ID Perspective? Yes!

_{Andrew McDiarmid
July 24, 2026
2
Science Education}

Kristin Marais and Summer Edwards explain why they’re so passionate about teaching their subject and how the courses are designed with maximum flexibility.

Astronomy

The Heavens Declare, and the Sky Tells

_{David Klinghoffer
September 17, 2026
2
Astronomy}

Our contributor Kirk Durston takes gorgeous astronomy and other nature photos. He graciously agreed to let me share these, with his captions.

New Light on Dark Energy

_{Eric Hedin
August 17, 2026
7
Cosmology}

Modern astronomy relies not only on bigger telescopes and more sophisticated instruments, but upon computational power.

“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.

Fine-Tuning

Answering Objections to Cosmic Fine-Tuning

_{Andrew McDiarmid
September 28, 2026
3
Fine-tuning}

Fine-tuning strongly favors theism because it predicts a life-permitting order in advance, while naturalism only retrofits explanations after the fact.

New Light on Dark Energy

_{Eric Hedin
August 17, 2026
7
Cosmology}

Modern astronomy relies not only on bigger telescopes and more sophisticated instruments, but upon computational power.

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.

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

Nature Rights — Now Coming to the United Nations

_{Wesley J. Smith
September 30, 2026
4
Human Exceptionalism}

The potential harm to human thriving and to our self-perception as an exceptional species cannot be overstated.

Ice with That? Latest Madness from Nature Rights

_{Wesley J. Smith
September 24, 2026
7
Human Exceptionalism}

Ice has no agency. It is frozen water. Water contains minerals and other elements. Do they have rights, too?

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.

Arts

Late Night Fun with Evolution and Oppenheimer

_{Geoffrey Simmons
September 28, 2026
4
Evolution}

Bats by the millions would be falling from the roofs of caves if that ankle-locking design, an all-or-nothing proposition, had not come about all at once

Learning about Technology from Wendell Berry

_{Andrew McDiarmid
September 20, 2026
10
Technology}

Berry describes the beautiful working relationship he had with his wife, Tanya. She typed his work on a Royal standard typewriter.

How Best to Appreciate Paleolithic Cave Art

_{Science & Culture
September 19, 2026
3
Cultural Anthropology}

Of course, the experience wouldn’t be really complete without simulating the threat of a cave bear trapping the artists.

Ethics

Nature Rights — Now Coming to the United Nations

_{Wesley J. Smith
September 30, 2026
4
Human Exceptionalism}

The potential harm to human thriving and to our self-perception as an exceptional species cannot be overstated.

Science, Science Abuse, and the “Jewish Question”

_{David Klinghoffer
September 30, 2026
5
Genetics}

Tucker Carlson has called for everyone in Israel to have a DNA test, to sort out the real from the false of “Abram’s descendants.”

Ice with That? Latest Madness from Nature Rights

_{Wesley J. Smith
September 24, 2026
7
Human Exceptionalism}

Ice has no agency. It is frozen water. Water contains minerals and other elements. Do they have rights, too?

Social Sciences

Consequences of an Abandonment of Books

_{Denyse O’Leary
October 2, 2026
6
Technology}

If we reach the point where most people cannot muster that level of sustained attention, changes unwelcome to many of us are inevitable.

How Best to Appreciate Paleolithic Cave Art

_{Science & Culture
September 19, 2026
3
Cultural Anthropology}

Of course, the experience wouldn’t be really complete without simulating the threat of a cave bear trapping the artists.

Empower Scientists to Rule on Income and Wealth?

_{Wesley J. Smith
September 15, 2026
4
Scientific Reasoning}

Reframing subjective policy issues as questions of objective “science” makes it easier to justify relying on “experts” for policy answers.

Faith and Science

A Slapdash Take on “Catholic Evolutionism”

_{Michael Flannery
September 25, 2026
5
Faith & Science}

When Pope Pius IX awarded St. George Jackson Mivart a doctorate, he was not by implication casting his imprimatur or approval on evolution.

Two Decades Later, “New Atheists” Debate Is Over

_{David Klinghoffer
September 22, 2026
3
Faith & Science}

In the Philippine jungles after World War II, a few lonely Japanese soldiers carried on fighting for decades, not realizing the war was over.

The Darwinian Revolution: A Historical Perspective

_{Neil Thomas
September 16, 2026
21
Faith & Science}

It is well enough known that our remote ancestors, the Anglo-Saxons, were originally polytheists who had voyaged over the English Channel.

Science Education

A Hub of Intelligent Design in Africa

_{Tova Levengood
September 3, 2026
3
Science Education}

Not only does the space enable regular study, but also it hosts ID discussion forums, faculty or departmental workshops, and club training.

Moving ID Forward: A Seminar to Remember

_{Terrell Clemmons
August 11, 2026
8
Science Education}

Graduates won’t be alone. A bonus for Seminar grads is the opportunity to be connected with a mentor who will help them navigate the hostile environment ahead.

High School Science with an ID Perspective? Yes!

_{Andrew McDiarmid
July 24, 2026
2
Science Education}

Kristin Marais and Summer Edwards explain why they’re so passionate about teaching their subject and how the courses are designed with maximum flexibility.

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

Scientific American Starts Sober, Quickly Relapses

_{Brian Miller
September 24, 2026
6
Science Reporting}

A proposal by University of Washington planetary scientist David Catling addresses what origin-of-life researchers call the phosphate problem.

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.