For years, George has been saying that Cosmic Rays have been guided here to Earth from the far reaches of the universe. I think that the source of George’s Cosmic Rays may have been located 3 billion light years away.
In a global observation campaign, scientist have for the first time located a source of high-energy cosmic neutrinos, ghostly elementary particles that travel billions of light years through the universe, flying unaffected through stars, planets and entire galaxies. Telescopes on earth and in space were able to determine that the exotic particle had originated in a galaxy over three billion light years away, in the constellation of Orion, where a gigantic black hole serves as a natural particle accelerator.
To provide just a little more background behind Patrick’s introductory sentences…
While at BioLogos, discussing God-guided Evolution, I was challenged to explain how God would provide this guidance.
While there is a considerable chain of cause and effect that might be subject to god’s miraculous and/or natural influences . . . I immediately pondered what would be the most natural ways to trigger a genetic mutation.
And so I posted upon the idea that God could easily affect DNA and RNA molecules by means of Cosmic rays. He could also use all sorts of energy sources closer at hand.
While some invoked humor at the proposition - - the point I was making is that it would be virtually impossible to ever know whether a cosmic ray had been “poofed” into existence by God … or had been well-planned as a naturally produced mutagen.
Well now we know. It is a massive black hole in the center of a galaxy 3 billion light years away with it jets precisely aimed at Earth. Just think that a cosmic ray left the Quasar 3 billion years ago and could hit one of my skin cells, changing an A to G in just one of my cells, giving me skin cancer. So I had better put on SPF 86 sun screen on my face, neck, and arms for protection during my walk by the beach this morning.
Note that as an atheist, I can’t pray to a non-existant God to have the 3 billion year old cosmic ray miss my leg. Nor can I blame God for directing the cosmic ray to me giving me skin cancer for not believing in Him. So, I need to use sun screen and go to yearly skin cancer screening by my young attractive dermotolgist.
George, my friend, just in case there is no God protecting you, you should do the same and wear a hat if fair skinned and thinning hair line.
Now, that’s what you’d have to call REALLY good aim on God’s part, Patrick.
Are you claiming to have some scientific refutation of George’s proposal, or is this basically a “neener neener” waste of time blogpost? Based upon absolutely no scientific counterevidence?
Or, is this an argument based upon mere incredulity? Careful, you might accidentally stoop to the level of how you see ID argumentation as taking place.
Frankly, it would be great if you stopped discussing God-led mutations. You have nothing to contribute to the idea.
Getting back to the science this find is really impressive. They were able to line up gamma ray emmissions from a blazar with a single neutrino that hit a detector. Then they did a reanalysis of historic detector data and found an additional twelve neutrinos from the same blazar. Pretty amazing that the level of accuracy has progressed to this point, and how a single particle detected in a giant underground vat if liquid can elucidate so much.
Yes, that is impressive --and not the stuff of neener neenerism.
Excuse me if you just meant to be whimsical, rather than provoking, @Patrick
You make it really hard to tell sometimes.
I never said one word about God-led mutations. Any God-guided anything is yours.
Yes, purposely.
Good, then you’ll expect it from me in return, at times?
Sure, but I won’t tell you if I laugh or not. You are going to have to guess whether I thought it was funny or not.
Huh? : )