Why ATP? and Trim the Fries | Stars, Cells, and God

Join Fazale “Fuz” Rana and Hugh Ross as they discuss new discoveries taking place at the frontiers of science that have theological and philosophical implications, including the reality of God’s existence.

Why ATP?

Biochemists have long wondered why ATP (adenosine triphosphate) was “selected” as the cell’s energy currency. It has several special properties that make it well-suited for its biochemical role. Recently, a research team from University College London offered an explanation. They argue that ATP assumed the role of the universal energy currency due to how easily it forms under prebiotic conditions. ATP selectively forms under plausible prebiotic conditions because of an unusual and just-right chemical reaction.

In this episode, biochemist Fuz Rana and astrophysicist Hugh Ross discuss how (1) ATP’s role as the cell’s energy currency, (2) insights about its suitability for its role, and (3) the prebiotic formation all work together to demonstrate that a Creator played a role in the origin and design of life.

References:

A Prebiotic Basis for ATP as the Universal Energy Currency

Additional Resources:

Fit for a Purpose: Does the Anthropic Principle Include Biochemistry?

Trim the Fries

The fastest rising health crises of the twenty-first century are anxiety and depression, which now rank as the two most prevalent mental health disorders. A decade ago, scientists discovered a causal link between anxiety and depression and the consumption of sugar, refined grains, fried and processed foods, and beer. Now, a research team led by Anli Wang, in a population-based study of 141,000 UK adults over an 11.3-year period, has identified fried foods and especially fried potatoes as the leading dietary cause of anxiety, depression, and other mental disorders. They showed that fried foods produce acrylamide. This chemical not only induces anxiety and depression, studies show it also disrupts cholesterol and glucose metabolism and produces learning and memory disorders.

References:

High Fried Food Consumption Impacts Anxiety and Depression Due to Lipid Metabolism Disturbance and Neuroinflammation