Science

The Formation of Our Digits Points to a Process with Foresight

Have you ever wondered how our fingers and toes form during embryonic development? Our digits are, in fact, sculpted from a paddle-like structure in the embryo through the process of apoptosis — that is, programmed cell death. During early development, the hands and feet begin as solid, webbed structures. Through carefully controlled apoptosis, the tissue between them is eliminated, facilitating the separation of the digits.

The Formation of Our Digits Points to a Process with Foresight Read More »

The Elegant Spindle Assembly Checkpoint

In a recent article, I discussed the astounding role of motor proteins in eukaryotic cell division. But this is just one of many incredible engineered features associated with mitosis. In this and a subsequent article, I will provide an overview of the elegant molecular mechanisms that underlie the spindle assembly checkpoint and discuss the implications of its dysfunction.

The Elegant Spindle Assembly Checkpoint Read More »

New Paper Argues that Variant Genetic Codes Are Best Explained by Common Design

A popular argument for a universal common ancestor is the near-universality of the conventional genetic code. Critics of common descent often point to deviations from the standard code as evidence against it. A recent paper published in the journal BIO-Complexity, by Winston Ewert, reviews the character and distribution of genetic code variants and the implications these have for common ancestry.

New Paper Argues that Variant Genetic Codes Are Best Explained by Common Design Read More »