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Ocean Creatures

“The ‘Wonder’ Is What’s Under the Blanket” — a Glimpse of Wonder entry™ —

Some say the blanket octopus is different from other octopuses because it has eleven arms instead of the usual eight. That’s not true — but honestly, if it did, that might be one of the least surprising things about it.   Because the real differences? They’re far more astonishing than a couple of bonus limbs.   Let’s start with what the blanket octopus does share with its relatives — the octopus family is already full of mind-bending wonders. Like others in its group, it has
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The Creeping Things of the Earth

Why Not Eat Insects? — a Glimpse of Wonder entry™— 4 of 4 —

Some things are hard to unsee. Like the time a friend cracked open a protein bar and saw the word “cricket” on the label. He blinked. Read it again. Then quietly folded the wrapper back over and set it on the table like it was radioactive.   “You going to eat that?” I asked. He shook his head. “You?” “…maybe.”   There’s something about insects — even clean, cooked ones — that makes many people instinctively recoil. We know they’re edible. We just don’t want to.
The Creeping Things of the Earth

The Unsung Architects — a Glimpse of Wonder entry™ — — 3 of 4 —

There’s a reason a swarm of bees can cause panic — and it’s not just the stingers. It’s the sound. That synchronized buzz, like a warning that something is happening — fast, focused, and entirely beyond your control.   But step back. Watch longer.   You’ll notice a rhythm. A pattern. A purpose.   Bees don’t waste time — or space. Each one has a role, and together they build something astonishing: combs shaped with mathematical precision, hexagons that maximize stora
The Creeping Things of the Earth

Designed to Decompose — a Glimpse of Wonder entry™ — 2 of 4 —

You can smell it before you see it — that sour-sweet reminder that something has gone soft behind the fridge. Or maybe it’s the compost bin you forgot to empty. Either way, it’s not just gross… it’s active.   But if you step back — maybe plug your nose first — something beautiful is happening.   Decay doesn’t mean defeat. It’s actually the beginning of renewal.   All across creation, Jehovah designed small, tireless workers to carry out one of the most humbling jobs
The Creeping Things of the Earth

Bugs with Benefits — a Glimpse of Wonder entry™ — 1 of 4 —

They even follow us camping. The lantern goes out, you’re zipped up in your sleeping bag, just starting to relax — and then it comes. That inevitable buzz in your ear. You swat at the dark, grumble under your breath, and wonder how something that small can be that annoying. And in the morning? You find out they’ve been eating you. But we’ll get into that in a future entry.   Swatting, spraying, or stomping is often our default response. But maybe — just maybe — we’ve been overlooking s
From Earth to Moon and Back — with Eyes on the Creator

It’s a “Wonder” We Didn’t Know This Already — a Glimpse of Wonder entry™ — Epilogue

We built towers that touched the sky. Then rockets that left it behind. We conquered gravity, crossed the void, and sent human footprints into ancient dust. We reached for the stars — and grabbed hold of the moon.   And yet somehow, the greatest “wonder” wasn’t out there. It was here all along.   Maybe it just took leaving Earth for a little while to finally see it.   When the astronauts looked back — really looked back — they saw our planet with new
From Earth to Moon and Back — with Eyes on the Creator

It’s a “Wonder” Man Returned to Earth — a Glimpse of Wonder entry™ — 5 of 5

It’s one thing to go somewhere no one has gone before. It’s another thing entirely to come back from it.   When the astronauts of Apollo 11 lifted off from the moon, they weren’t celebrating yet. They had only left the surface. They were still a fragile craft orbiting a lifeless satellite, hoping that every component would hold together long enough to reunite with their command module pilot — and then steer home.   Home. That word carried more weight now.   After al
From Earth to Moon and Back — with Eyes on the Creator

It’s a “Wonder” Man Made It off the Moon — a Glimpse of Wonder entry™ — 4 of 5

There’s a reason why nearly every story ends with the characters heading home. That’s when the relief sets in — when the tension breaks, the dust settles, and you can finally exhale. But for those who actually went to the moon, the story wasn’t over once they arrived. In some ways, that’s when the danger peaked.   The Eagle had landed. The world rejoiced. But the crew of Apollo 11 — and every crew after them — still had to pull off something far more delicate than the landing. They had
From Earth to Moon and Back — with Eyes on the Creator

It’s a “Wonder” Man Made It on the Moon — a Glimpse of Wonder entry™ — 3 of 5

The moon had always been distant — a cold companion admired from afar. Poets described it, farmers relied on it, and children pointed toward it from their backyards. But no one had ever touched it. Not until now.   Apollo 11 changed that. With fuel nearly spent and alarms flashing, the lunar module skimmed across the surface like a skipping stone. A boulder field loomed beneath them — ancient, cratered, uninviting. Neil Armstrong, calm and precise, scanned for a flat patch. Buzz Aldrin
From Earth to Moon and Back — with Eyes on the Creator

It’s a “Wonder” Man Made It to the Moon — a Glimpse of Wonder entry™ — 2 of 5

It wasn’t the launch that made people nervous. Rockets had launched before. We’d already sent satellites, dogs, chimps, and a few very brave humans into orbit. But what kept the world holding its breath this time was what came after the roar — when the engines shut down and the silence of space took over.   From Earth to Moon is about 240,000 miles — give or take a few depending on the day. But the real distance wasn’t just in miles. It was in complexity. In courage. In math. They had
From Earth to Moon and Back — with Eyes on the Creator

It’s a “Wonder” Man Made It Off the Planet — a Glimpse of Wonder entry™ — 1 of 5

Long before rockets thundered into the sky, humans watched birds. We craned our necks, followed contrails with our eyes, folded paper planes, and built balsa-wood models just to see them float. One astronaut recalled getting his first ride in a barnstormer’s airplane as a child — a single loop around the family farm — and thinking this is it. That moment changed him. But flying wasn’t enough. Not forever.   You can see it in their eyes — the men who became astronauts. Even before they
Daily Life & Design

Green Companions — a Glimpse of Wonder entry™ —

There’s something oddly calming about wiping the dust off a leaf.   It doesn’t make much noise. It doesn’t require a degree. And the plant doesn’t respond with a thank-you card or a parade. But in that quiet moment—just you, a damp cloth, and a stubborn layer of fuzz—you feel it: a sense of order returning. A little beauty restored. Something inside you exhales.   That reaction isn’t random.   Jehovah’s first assignment to humans wasn’t to build cities or name const
Avian Design

These Birds Named Their Children — a Glimpse of Wonder entry™ —

In the forests and savannas of South America, there lives a tiny, emerald-green bird no bigger than a thumb. It’s called the green-rumped parrotlet. Cute, chatty, and utterly unremarkable to most who pass by — unless, of course, you listen a little closer.   While studying these birds in the wild, Dr. Karl Berg and his colleagues discovered something extraordinary. These parrotlets don’t just squawk or chirp — they name each other. Each adult bird has a unique, learned call that functi
Hidden Wonders

We Glow in the Dark —a Glimpse of Wonder entry™—

It sounds like a sci-fi headline: Humans glow in the dark! But tucked behind the dramatic claim is a quiet, beautiful truth — one that most people have never heard.   Japanese researchers equipped with ultrasensitive cameras set out to photograph something nearly impossible to see. Not heat. Not infrared. But visible light — light produced by the human body itself. And what they found is astonishing.   Our skin emits a natural glow. It’s called ultraweak photon emission — not
Measuring Integrity

Zero Means Nothing… Right? — a Glimpse of Wonder entry™ —

The label on the mint says sugar-free. The can of spray says fat-free. The cracker box boasts zero trans fat. Sounds healthy—until you read the fine print.   Here’s the catch: In the U.S., if a serving contains less than 0.5 grams of something like sugar, fat, or trans fat, companies are legally allowed to round that down to zero. That’s right—trace amounts don’t count… as long as they’re tiny per serving.   Take a “sugar-free” Tic Tac. It’s made with sugar. But because a sin
Brain Food

Feeding Your Brain a Sugar Rush? — a Glimpse of Wonder entry™ —

If you’ve ever joked that your snack habit is just “fuel for your brain,” you’re not entirely wrong.   The human brain—though only about 2% of your body weight—uses roughly 20% of your daily energy, most of it in the form of glucose, a simple sugar. It’s the primary fuel for your neurons, which need a constant supply to transmit signals, form thoughts, store memories, and keep your entire nervous system in sync.   So yes, your brain loves sugar. But not in the way that soda a
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Human Development, Designed by Love

Before There Was Breath

Before There Was Breath — a Glimpse of Wonder entry™ —   We’ve followed the journey of a human life from spark to cry—from invisible instructions to audible arrival.   And now, looking back, it’s almost too much to take in.   Nine steps. Nine glimpses. Yet none of them tells the whole story. Not one entry could carry the weight of it all: the planning, the layering, the sequencing, the protection, the timing. All of it set into motion—not by accident or adaptat
Human Development, Designed by Love

First Breath, First Cry — a Glimpse of Wonder entry™ (Part 9 of 9) —

First Breath, First Cry — a Glimpse of Wonder entry™ (Part 9 of 9) —   Everything has been leading to this.   The lungs are primed. The heart is ready. The body is aligned. And then—after months of silence—a moment shatters the stillness.   A cry.   But how does it happen?   As the baby exits the birth canal, its world changes instantly. Warmth becomes cold. Liquid becomes air. Pressure shifts. And in that moment, a cascade of events unfolds
Human Development, Designed by Love

Heart of the Matter — a Glimpse of Wonder entry™ (Part 8 of 9) —

Heart of the Matter — a Glimpse of Wonder entry™ (Part 8 of 9) —   The human heart starts beating just three weeks after conception. Before the brain forms. Before the limbs take shape. Before the mother even knows she’s pregnant… a tiny pulse begins.   But what begins as a flicker becomes a thunderous transformation.   Inside the womb, the baby’s heart doesn’t function like yours does. Not yet. It’s running a temporary, alternate design—tailored for a world wh
Human Development, Designed by Love

The Breath Before the Breath — a Glimpse of Wonder entry™ (Part 7 of 9) —

The Breath Before the Breath — a Glimpse of Wonder entry™ (Part 7 of 9) —   A baby’s first breath is a moment we celebrate. Cameras flash. Applause erupts. Tears flow. But long before that air ever fills the lungs, the body is preparing—in ways we’re only beginning to understand.   Inside the womb, a baby does not breathe air. Oxygen arrives through the umbilical cord, carried in the mother’s blood, passed through the placenta. The lungs? For now, they’re closed for busi
Human Development, Designed by Love

Silent Witnesses — a Glimpse of Wonder entry™ (Part 6 of 9) —

Silent Witnesses — a Glimpse of Wonder entry™ (Part 6 of 9) —   Inside the womb, a child develops in secret. No breath. No sound. And yet… not alone.   From the earliest days of pregnancy, a complex conversation begins between mother and child. Not with words or thoughts, but with molecules. Proteins. Signals. Each one sent and received in precise timing.   Some of these silent exchanges are expected—hormones that help the placenta grow, blood vessels that dila
Human Development, Designed by Love

When Balance Breaks — a Glimpse of Wonder entry™ (Part 5 of 9) —

When Balance Breaks — a Glimpse of Wonder entry™ (Part 5 of 9) —   When everything works as it should, pregnancy is a marvel of cooperation—a mother’s body nurturing a genetically distinct life with perfect timing and grace. But what happens when that quiet agreement falters?   The results can be catastrophic… or revealing.   Some of the most dangerous pregnancy complications arise when the carefully calibrated dance between maternal and paternal genes, hormone

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