2018: The Year in Science

Science and nature stories permeated the news media again in 2018. This is installment one of three of what we consider the most interesting and popular sciencey stories from the past 365 1/4 days. NOTE: look for a brief comment on the state of science and our 2019 science outlook at the conclusion of installment three.

Stephen Hawking Dies: one of the world’s most well-known scientists died in March of this year. Hawking was known for his contributions to the highly theoretical field of cosmology. His speculations included topics as far-ranging as the origin of the universe, the mechanisms of the space-time continuum, and most notably the context surrounding black holes. His brilliance but maybe even more so his frail wheel-chair bound frame made him an icon for the Big Bang Theory and a powerful popularizer of the current materialist origins narrative. Perhaps Hawking’s most important contribution was his fearlessness. He did not fear being incorrect or having his work refuted scientifically. In fact, many of his predictions have proved incorrect, and I think many more will. If you can stomach it, keep reading from the scientistic establishment here.

Thai Cave Rescue: a team of young Thai soccer players and their coach were trapped in a cave on June 23rd, when water levels inside the cave rose during their exploration. The team, ages 11-16, was celebrating the birthday of a teammate, when wet-season monsoon rains prevented them from exiting the 10 km cavern. The big story here is God’s providence through material provision and through the personal sacrifice of an international team of heroes. The mild temperature, breathability of the cave, and access to good drinking water kept the team in remarkably good health. The Thai government quickly installed a pump outside the cave and cut off all tributary streams to keep water levels from rising. They also called in a team of over one hundred Navy SEALs and began to weigh extraction options. Expert recover divers from the UK, Australia, and the U.S. made up the dive team that successfully sedated, carried on stretchers, and dove each child to safety. These pros expected losing up to five boys. All twelve were brought to safety by July 11, almost three weeks later. Take home message: God spares no expense to care for his creatures. May this team and the Buddhist nation of Thailand see His providence, repent, and believe.

/Installment Two: Alarm over oceans plastic garnered international attention in 2018.

Installment Three: We sent another probe back to Malacandra. We even knowingly dispatched a mission-designed-to-die a fiery death at the center of the solar system. We have a new and better kilogram and we have newly discovered creatures including one immortalizing our illustrious president.