Beetle bifocals discovered, according to articles in Current Biology Volume 20, p1482, 5 August 2010, and Live Science and ScienceDaily 24 Aug 2010. Researchers at the University of Cincinnati have discovered the larvae of the diving beetle Thermonectus marmoratus has the first truly bifocal lenses ever found to exist in a living animal. The larva has two pairs of large eyes on the front of its head, called primary eyes, and four pairs of small eyes – twelve eyes altogether. The researchers were studying one pair of the primary eyes and found they are two eyes rolled into one. The eyes have truly bifocal lenses, i.e. they focus light in two separate planes, and have two retinae – one at each focal plane. (The retina is a layer of light sensitive cells that converts light to electrical signals.) The researchers say their findings could help develop better imaging technology.
Editorial Comment: It is an intriguing question as to why such an obscure, ephemeral little creature has such amazing eyes. However, now that we have discovered them we have no excuse for ignoring the brilliant design in their eye structure, particularly because our rapidly developing world of “Imaging Technology” has taken, and continues to take the time effort and intelligence of some of our most creative design engineers.
But here is the rub – it means we are fools to not give the Designer of this bifocal system the glory due to His name. It’s also a reminder as to why the secular scientist rejects the ID movement – not because ID arguments are unscientific, but because the secular scientist does not want even the possibility of a creator they must acknowledge. But we do give thanks to this Creator who is Jesus Christ and we invite you to do so with us and one way to do this is to use what we have learned from this well designed beetle so we can make better imaging technology to help those people who need it. (Ref. vision, optics, design, bio-engineering)
Evidence News 15 Dec 2010