ID the Future Intelligent Design, Evolution, and Science Podcast
Topic

biology

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A Celebrated Life: Colleagues Remember Dr. Jonathan Wells

On this ID The Future, we bring you excerpts from a recent gathering to celebrate the life of biologist Dr. Jonathan Wells, who passed away in September 2024 at the age of 82. Dr. Wells was one of the first fellows of the Discovery Institute’s Center for Science and Culture. In 2000, Wells took the science world by storm with Icons of Evolution, a book showing how biology textbooks routinely promote Darwinism using bogus evidence — icons of evolution like Ernst Haeckel’s faked embryo drawings and peppered moths glued to tree trunks. Dr. Wells's achievements in the field of biology are notable. In this episode you’ll get a glimpse into Dr. Wells’s life and character as well as his relentless search for scientific truth. This episode includes eulogies from Dr. John West, Dr. Paul Nelson, Dr. Richard Sternberg, and Dr. Casey Luskin. Learn more about Jonathan Wells at www.jonathanwells.org. Read More ›
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Pillenwerfer (Pilobolus kleinii) Höhe ca. 3mm
Image Credit: Lothar Lenz - Adobe Stock

Missiles & Jackhammers: How Plants Spread Themselves Far and Wide

Host Andrew McDiarmid welcomes science reporter David Coppedge to the show to explore some fascinating examples of intelligent design in the plant world. They look so helpless tied to the soil, but plants and fungi have perfected technologies for spreading themselves far and wide. Coppedge and McDiarmid unpack the ingenious methods plants and fungi use to disperse their spores. The conversation also touches on the engineering principles behind plant root systems, and how studying these natural designs can inspire advancements in human technology through biomimetics. Read More ›
Jonathan Wells Black Background
Photo by Lázló Bencze, used with permission

Humility and Humor: Richard Sternberg Remembers Jonathan Wells

On this episode of ID The Future, host Andrew McDiarmid continues a series of interviews celebrating the life and legacy of Dr. Jonathan Wells, our close colleague and friend who passed away in 2024 at the age of 82 years old. Dr. Wells was one of the first fellows of Discovery Institute's Center for Science and Culture and made significant contributions to science and to the arguments for intelligent design. Today, evolutionary biologist Dr. Richard Sternberg shares personal anecdotes and insights into Dr. Wells's character, his contributions to biology and epigenetics, and the profound impact he had on those around him. Read More ›
Jonathan Wells Reading in DI Seattle Office Enhanced
Copyright Discovery Institute.

Gutsy and Loyal: The Qualities of My Friend Jonathan Wells

On this episode of ID The Future, philosopher of biology Paul Nelson continues to share his remembrances of our longtime colleague Dr. Jonathan Wells, who passed away in 2024 at 82 years old. Dr. Wells was one of the first fellows at Discovery Institute’s Center for Science & Culture, and his contributions to the intelligent design movement over the last quarter century have been monumental. In Part 2 of the conversation, Dr. Nelson shares another adventure he had with Jonathan, this time at the University of Chicago in the early 2000s. He also discusses the qualities that made Wells such a remarkable man, including his bravery and loyalty. This is Part 2 of a two-part conversation. Read More ›
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Image courtesy Discovery Institute.

Paul Nelson: My Adventures with Jonathan Wells

On this episode of ID The Future, host Andrew McDiarmid welcomes philosopher of biology Paul Nelson to share some of his remembrances of our longtime colleague Dr. Jonathan Wells, who passed away in 2024 at 82 years old. Dr. Wells was one of the first fellows at Discovery Institute’s Center for Science & Culture, and his contributions to the intelligent design movement over the last quarter century have been monumental. In the first half of the conversation, Dr. Nelson takes listeners back to a famous meeting in the history of the modern intelligent design movement. He also shares some humorous stories of his adventures with Jonathan Wells at events in the United States and China. This is Part 1 of a two-part conversation. Read More ›
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Holding hands loving couple stands in the middle of the wheat field at sunrise. A young couple in love touched hands on the first date. Loving couple has a happy relationship. First love concept.
Image Credit: gorynvd - Adobe Stock

Can Meaning and Purpose Emerge From a Darwinian Process?

Did meaning and purpose arise from a bottom-up Darwinian process to give us an evolutionary advantage? Or is the universe infused with meaning and purpose for a deeper reason than survival? On this ID The Future, host Andrew McDiarmid and Dr. Emily Reeves explore whether meaning and purpose can emerge from an unguided evolutionary process. They also discuss the machine metaphor in biology and how it can help us understand and explain living systems. Read More ›
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3d rendered illustration of a motor protein
Image Credit: Sebastian Kaulitzki - Adobe Stock

McLatchie: How Motor Proteins Power Eukaryotic Cell Division

Could the components of the eukaryotic cell division process have arisen through a gradual, unguided process? On this ID The Future, Dr. Jonathan McLatchie casts light on the unlikelihood of this proposition as he continues a four-episode series with host Andrew McDiarmid on the intelligent design and irreducible complexity of eukaryotic cell division. In this segment, McLatchie dives into some of the key molecular machinery responsible for the success of mitosis: the mitotic spindle and the motor proteins that aid in its assembly and function, explaining why their origin is beyond the reach of a Darwinian process. Read More ›
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The God Proofs: An Interview with Author Douglas Ell

In The God Proofs, two friends embark on an epic journey to tackle the ultimate mystery: does God exist? On this ID The Future, host Andrew McDiarmid speaks to author Douglas Ell about his new graphic novel. Ell tells about his own journey from theism to atheism and what convinced him to return to belief in God. He describes how his experience as a successful attorney prepared him to argue the case for God in his books. He also unpacks the three lines of evidence featured in The God Proofs: the numbers proof, the common sense proof, and the logic proof. Whether you’re new to the arguments for intelligent design or have been studying them for years, The God Proofs Read More ›

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High School Students Looking Through Microscope In Biology Class
Image Credit: Monkey Business - Adobe Stock

Private School Students Share Their Experience Learning About Intelligent Design

At Discovery Institute's Center for Science and Culture, we love connecting teachers and students with ID resources and encouraging them to follow the evidence wherever it leads. On today's ID The Future, you'll hear from a group of 10th grade biology students at a private school in North Carolina as they share their experience of learning about the evidence for intelligent design. Their teacher is a graduate of our CSC summer seminar program, where she learned in depth about the scientific evidence for intelligent design. Inspired to bring what she learned to her students, she used the Discovering Intelligent Design textbook with her 10th grade science class to offer a more complete and compelling biology course. Read More ›
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sweet baby foot in mom's hands. Mother massaging her child's foot,
Image Credit: Leka - Adobe Stock

How the Origin of Our Digits Points to Process of Foresight

Let's talk about your digits. No, not your phone number - your fingers and toes, those dangling things on the ends of our hands and feet! Ever wondered how they form during embryonic development? On this ID The Future, host Andrew McDiarmid welcomes back Dr. Jonathan McLatchie to discuss the incredible process of apoptosis that shapes our fingers and toes, and why the operation is better explained by intelligent design than a stepwise evolutionary process. Read More ›