During October 17-18 2024 the first Nordic Creation Research Conference was held in Malmö in which Researchers from different countries gave lectures on developments within their field of research. The conference was planned to be the first of its kind where creation organizations from different Nordic countries will take turns hosting. The conference was presented by the Swedish Creationist Society Genesis in cooperation with the School of Theology in Uppsala.
The following speakers participated:
- Tomi Aalto (Finland).
- Peter Borger (Germany).
- Nigel Crompton (USA).
- Ola Hössjer (Sweden).
- Frank Karlsen (Norway).
- Andy McIntosh (UK).
- Boris Schmidtgall (Germany).
This first conference had its primarily focus on the advancements in modern genetics regarding species boundaries and mechanisms of speciation. Here are the excerpts of the lectures:
Tomi Aalto: Organismal Variation in a Post-Genesis World in the Light of Epigenetics
Change occurring in organisms is a visually observable fact. Organisms adapt to changing environmental conditions effectively and rapidly. In the process of adaptation, the phenotype of organisms (the entity of an individual’s observable characteristics) often changes so significantly that researchers designate new species.
Epigenetics is a relatively recent field in molecular biology that studies the effects of additional layers of instructions that lie on top of or outside of DNA on the adaptation and change of organisms. DNA methylation, histone epigenetic markers, and non-coding RNA molecules are key factors in epigenetic regulation. The most significant cellular mechanisms contributing to biodiversity are alternative splicing and RNA editing, both controlled by epigenetic mechanisms and factors. An organism’s epigenome, the comprehensive network of epigenetic mechanisms and factors working together, acts as a processor for signals from the environment, guiding the epigenetic regulation of the organism’s cells and the adaptation of organisms.
The three most significant mechanisms for variation in organisms are: (1) Epigenetic regulation without changes in DNA, (2) DNA sequence changes caused by epigenetic regulation and unintended errors, leading to DNA rearrangement and a loss of information, and (3) Intentional changes in the DNA base sequence.
Epigenetic regulation adds mutational stress to the cell’s genome, leading to inevitable genetic degradation. In all organisms, the GC content of the genome inevitably shifts to AT content due to the absence of a specific DNA repair mechanism. This shift results in genetic errors and the collapse of gene regulatory regions, causing genes to become non-functional, leading to so-called pseudogenes. The conversion of methylated cytosine to thymine, related to thermodynamic laws and exacerbated by increased temperatures, accelerates the loss of biodiversity especially as global temperatures arise.
This phenomenon is evident in nature, including humans, particularly affecting CpG islands and gene regulatory areas. The cell lacks a mechanism for re-building CpG islands, so imaginary evolution has no chance of overcoming this inevitable genetic entropy. Consequently, when genes cease to function, organisms rearrange their DNA, resulting in observable phenotypic changes that is called speciation. However, this variation, stemming from information loss, is not evolution.
It is important and enlightening to understand the truthfulness of the Biblical creation account. God created organisms in their basic types (bara min (hebr.), after their kinds) and designed sophisticated mechanisms within them, enabling organisms to adapt to a changing environment.
Peter Borger: Variation inducing genetic elements – a new “old” look at transposable and transposed elements
Peter Borger’s VIGE hypothesis and Barbara McClintock’s discovery of transposable elements both emphasize the significant role of mobile genetic elements in generating genetic variability. While McClintock identified transposons as mechanisms for genetic change, Borger extends this concept, proposing that such elements are the primary drivers of purposeful genetic variation and rapid adaptation in organisms. The VIGE (Variation-Inducing Genetic Elements) hypothesis posits that genetic variability is driven primarily by mobile genetic elements rather than random mutations. According to this hypothesis, these elements, such as transposons and retrotransposons, play a crucial role in the rapid adaptation and speciation processes of organisms, because of their functional actions as genetic switches, elements for recombination and chromosomal restructuring. Borger suggests that VIGEs are designed to induce specific, beneficial variations within the genome, thereby facilitating the adaptations and speciation events. This stands in contrast to the traditional Darwinian view, which emphasizes gradual change through random mutations and natural selection. The VIGE hypothesis implies a more dynamic and purposeful mechanism of genetic change, potentially explaining phenomena such as rapid speciation and the presence of complex genetic patterns that are difficult to account for by random mutations alone. The VIGE hypothesis explains diseases and death through the malfunction and/or excessive activity of variation-inducing genetic elements, leading to detrimental genetic changes or disruptions in normal cellular functions. These harmful variations might induce genomic instability or inappropriate gene expression, contributing to the onset of diseases and ultimately impacting organismal viability. In his presentation, Borger discusses how increasingly empirical investigations support the main tenets of his thesis and how it has sparked interest and debate within the scientific community, prompting further research into the mechanisms of genetic variation.
Nigel Crompton: Mendelian Speciation and the Origin of Species
It is apparent in the world around us that species are robust. Species retain their identity over many generations, even closely related species. Nevertheless, in the past these species must have arisen. Numerous examples of adaptive radiations where speciation has been prolific are known. On islands, various novel terrestrial species; and in lakes, various novel aquatic species are often observed. However, on continents with large populations and extensive space, established species are observed to be less prone to change. It is also apparent that from their first appearance novel species thrive; though susceptible to disease they otherwise enjoy vibrant health. Complex novel phenotypes are observed, and in many cases these arise in more than one species within a family, yet independently of each other. Furthermore, in situations where many species have arisen during an adaptive radiation they all appear equally fit. Any explanation for what is observed in the natural world based on multiple beneficial mutations is highly implausible. These manifold features are not what mutation events are expected to cause. However, an explanation based on Mendel’s findings; where recombination results in enormous genetic diversity, and loss of heterozygosity resulting from reproductive isolation results in species fixation, depending on population size, automatically gives rise to all of these features.
Ola Hössjer: Review of created kinds and baraminology
Ola talks about baraminology; the study of created kinds described in the first chapter of Genesis. After an introduction and historical background we analyze the three main goals of baraminology, 1) to identify created kinds, 2) to characterize created diversity and mechanisms of change within each kind, and 3) to find the ancestral history of each kind. Recent availability of large amounts of molecular data has given researchers new tools to reach the overall goal of baraminology; to find a creationist taxonomy in harmony with Scripture. As a result, traditional methods for identifying kinds, based on hybridization experiments and analysis morphological data, are complemented by modern methods that rely on DNA and protein data. Sequence alignment of genomes, the use of ancient DNA and careful choice of molecular features that are diagnostic and tend to separate kinds, are valuable tools for reaching the first goal of baraminology. For the second goal, recent research reveals that many mechanisms of change within kinds are designed in order to enable rapid adaptation to changed environments, within the timeline of a Young Earth Creationist framework. For the third goal, the genetic history of many kinds can be retrieved through analysis of mitochondrial and Y-chromosome DNA. We predict that the active research on baraminology over the last few decades will continue, and that the prospect for future progress is great.
You can watch Dr. Ola Hössjer’s lecture through this link.
Frank Karlsen: A new theory on how God created the Elomics – a possible deeper understanding on how the Trinity created and organized the ultimate diversity of biological, bioecological and molecular biological events within 6 days
The diversity found in the whole atmosphere, the whole ocean and the whole earth had to come in place during minutes and hours – This includes all possible internal, local, and global symbiosis. The Elomics is Gods own system of systems that is operating billion of different variables that has nearly unlimited complexes but at the same time is interdependent. In my studies, I have discovered that all chemical reactions, biophysical interactions, molecular reactions, interdependent symbiosis, purification, regulation of concentrations had to be in balance to secure optimal living conditions for all the created organisms. It means that the biodiversity or the system of chemical reactions found in the atmospheric layers had to be in balance with the earth and the ocean to secure full protection from the sun, stars and universe including right pressure, right condition and right temperature. God the Father creates everything with his own word and with unlimited intelligence – Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit had to work and organize all the created matters in functional Elomics within the first three days of creation. When the Holy Spirit hovered over the deep and God said let there be light the Trinity introduced the beginning of time, intelligent energy, intelligent work, intelligent organization and the construction of matters. This was the start of the plan for salvation running 4000 years until he said it was fulfilled on the cross. This creation and work to put in place the Elomics had to happen within 6 days and not a minute more. The process and systems of activating the whole Elomics around the whole earth had to happen within minutes and hours. The right humidity, the right concentration of gases, chemical and particles in all the atmospheric layer had to be established as soon as possible within the same time as the symbiosis of all microbiota and all plants came in place on day 2 and day 3. The law of physics, chemistry and mathematics had to work together with the law of Love and the law of the Spirit.
Andy McIntosh: Some observations concerning the thermodynamic implications of the endergonic bonds in living systems
Coded instructions are neither matter nor energy and yet are real and vital to all that exists in living systems. In this review he shows that language / coded instructions constrain the local thermodynamics and not the other way round. Thus there is a top-down flow of control such that the thermodynamics is essentially governed by software in a remarkably similar way to man-made digital computers being controlled by programmed algorithms originating from intelligent minds. The information within all living systems expressed through the non-material DNA coding is a product of a Mind confirming John 1:1 “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” Scripture teaches that intelligence comes before matter, and living systems demonstrate this principle. Furthermore there is a thermodynamic implication when any information is stored on a substrate. It is known that there is a minimum energy transfer (the Landauer limit) involved in the erasure of any coded instruction. In the same way, this also applies when information is stored in an ordered system through the codon triplets on the DNA (the substrate in living systems), and we make some initial observations concerning the thermodynamics of this system. It has been found that for each codon, there is a small but significant energy input required to raise the free energy and to make the endergonic bonds (and thus a non-spontaneous process) across the nucleotide pairs of DNA. Remarkably this energy input required is very close to the minimum Landauer limit. This of course is but one example of the myriads of precise endergonic bonds needed in all the biochemistry of living systems, and shows that exquisite systems design is required to cause these specific energy pathways to operate effectively, and to use the energy flow so efficiently.
Boris Schmidtgal: Review: Created diversity in life’s light harvesting systems
The ability to harness light energy for vital functions is a fundamental property found in all domains of life. It is based on a number of different light-harvesting proteins or protein ensembles that can convert light energy into other forms of energy. Comparisons of these energy conversion systems reveal a rich diversity and striking differences in the structure and function of these nano-machines. The persistent failure of attempts to arrange these proteins and macromolecular systems in evolutionary lineages confirms the assumption that the different types of light-harvesting systems represent a striking example of created diversity in God’s creation. Key concepts: photosynthesis, light-driven proton- and electron-pumps.
The goal is to also present the lectures online on genesis.nu.
Noot van de redactie: Het bovenstaande verslag is in het Engels. We hopen dit, als de Heere het geeft, ook in het Nederlands te vertalen. Deze en komende maand willen we echter ook de lezingen delen via deze website, dan is het handig om eerst de bovenstaande abstracts gelezen te hebben. Zo zijn de lezingen beter te volgen.
