The bdella is an impressive microscopic chemist. During its short four-hour life span, it manages to survive in environments as diverse as fresh water, salt water, or raw sewage. In the first stage of its life cycle, it uses a flagellum (a long whiplike tail) to swim ten times faster than its favorite food, E. coli bacteria. When a bdella spots an E. coli, it rams the bacterium and uses at least six different enzymes to bore a hole through the outer membrane of the bacterium. The bdella then drops its flagellum, penetrates the bacterium, and starts the second stage of its life.
As soon as the bdella gets between the inner and outer membrane of the bacterium, it injects a chemical into the bacterium that kills it. In order to keep the dead bacterium for its own use, the resourceful parasite injects yet another chemical into the bacteria's cell membrane that causes the outer coat of its prey to harden so that no other bdella can enter the bacterium. Over the next two to three hours the bdella eats the bacterium and reproduces. The new bdellas break through the dead bacterium's hardened membrane to start the cycle all over again. Even in our fallen world the evidence for design is undeniable.
What enormous faith to believe all of this is a result of random mutations! No wonder Scripture says that only the foolish can deny that God exists [Psalm 14, Psalm 53].
From A Closer Look at the Evidence by Kleiss, March 17.
