In Designing New Technology U.S. Military Looks to Birds

Evolution over millions of years credited for the birds’ internal compasses.

DARPA (The U.S. Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency) thinks that if it can discover exactly how birds migrate, it can use the knowledge to develop new sensor technology for the military.

DARPA’s QuBE (Quantum Effects in Biological Environment) program first did a study on how electromagnetic noises produced by electronics such as cellphones, televisions and radios could be interfering with the biological compasses of migratory birds. Scientists know that birds which migrate at night have an internal magnetic compass that guides them during the spring and fall migration seasons. The question has been whether or not artificial electrical and magnetic fields created by electronic devices could be affecting the compasses and other biological processes used by birds and other animals for migration.

In a study published May 7 in the journal Nature, the researchers report finding that electromagnetic noise in a modern urban landscape can indeed disrupt the finely tuned biological systems of birds, reptiles and mammals. Between 2005 and 2011, the scientists did tests using European robins. They discovered the birds could not orient themselves correctly when exposed to electromagnetic noise. However, when the robins were shielded from the noise or were tested in rural areas far from major sources of the electromagnetic noise, the birds had no problems with orientating their internal compasses.

Matt Goodman, the QuBE program manager explained why DARPA is interested in bird migration. "Nature is an extraordinary testbed. We think it's possible that over millions of years of evolution, biological organisms have developed systems that exploit quantum physics. The QuBE program is designed to test this hypothesis. The work we're pursuing questions fundamental assumptions about how biological processes work. The time and cost to develop many of the traditional sensors that the Department of Defense uses is substantial. Nature, on the other hand, has already evolved extraordinary capabilities — think of a dog's sense of smell."

What Goodman’s comments suggest is that if his team can figure out how magnetic navigation works or what could prevent it from working, their discoveries could lead to new, cutting-edge technologies including better sensors. Goodman added that biological systems tend to be durable and robust and natural sensors are highly selective. "We're hoping to follow nature's lead to capture those qualities in man-made sensor systems,” he said.

Mr. Goodman’s comments again show the faith secular scientists have in the theory of evolution and millions of years of time. Here an unguided process — natural selection — has supposedly developed durable, robust and very selective natural sensors that humans, reportedly the most highly evolved species, can only dream about. Secularists are left to hope we can learn something from these more primitive animals. Another question arises. How did the birds survive before they developed their migration systems, and, if they did fine at first without them, why would they see a need to learn to migrate in the first place? 

A study of so-called living fossils would seemingly put Mr. Goodman’s faith in evolution into serious question. Living fossils are fossils of plants and animals which, though they may be allegedly “millions of years old,” look exactly or very similar to their modern counterparts. Evolution is all about major changes. So why is it that these plants or animals have changed little, or not at all, in the so-called millions of years. Although we probably can’t learn a whole lot about an animal’s habits or thought processes from a fossil, if its physical attributes have not evolved, why should we think its habits or thought processes have evolved?

Some evolutionists admit living fossils are a problem for their theory. Some others try to explain away living fossils by contending only some members of a lineage evolved while the rest stayed where they were. Yet, this seems like too easy of an answer, and, the lack of transitional fossils puts a damper on that attempt to explain away the problem anyway.

Migrating birds have been gifted with their amazing internal compasses and other migratory talents. There is no reason to believe they didn’t have them from the moment they were created. When we think about those scientists who see evidence of intelligent design in their daily work but ignore it, one is tempted to believe these people will be among those who will have the least credible excuse for their worldly unbelief when they must face Jesus on Judgment Day. They should know better.

“For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse” (Romans 1:20). Let’s pray that these scientists will allow their brains and hearts to follow what their eyes are telling them and search out the world’s Creator and Savior, Whom they will discover in the pages of the Holy Bible. 

Reference: Elizabeth Palermo, “Migrating Birds Could Inspire New Military Tech,” Live Science
  
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QUESTION OF THE DAY

Pit bulls have an undeserved bad reputation, but what are some things to like about them?

Pit bulls developed when boxers and terriers were cross-bred. As a result they have the strength of a boxer and the smarts of a terrier. Pit bulls actually are attentive and patient around young children. With proper training, they can be very calm animals.

Source: Cesar Millan, quoted in Parade (April 13, 2014)

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