Wonder on the Web

Paper Microscope

In the "what are humans … that you have made them a little less than the angels" (Ps. 8) department, a Stanford bioengineer created a 50-cent microscope. The creator, Manu Prakash, was concerned that poor regions of the world didn't have the technology to detect many diseases that afflicted them. "I wanted to make the best possible disease-detection instrument that we could almost distribute for free," says Prakash. "What came out of this project is what we call use-and-throw microscopy." It's not only cheap; it's also nearly indestructible. You can throw it off a building, stomp on it, and dunk it in water, and it still works.

How to Get Over Yourself

It appears that awe doesn't just feel good; it leads to useful behavior. A recent study shows that as children are exposed to wonders beyond their comprehension, they become less self-absorbed and more civic-minded. We imagine the correlation works for adults as well. And we're guessing that's one reason God regularly commands us to praise his glory—and why loving God and neighbor work hand in hand.

Letting Another Fight the Good Fight

Here's some good news for those who, despite regular encounters with awe, still find themselves overly self-absorbed. That would be all of us. While we're called to strive with "the flesh" in all its forms, we are wise to remember that "Paul does not speak of the Christian struggle with sin in Romans 7. He describes a battle already lost, long ago in Adam. Nevertheless, in sheer wonder, the long-lost battle has been decided in our favor by God in Christ." This in an excerpt from Perspectives On Our Struggle with Sin.

"The Ultimate Batting Practice"

In honor of the baseball season now in full swing, you have to check out this short video. This may not be why God invented baseball, but it shows human sport's ingenuity at its best. But the real ingenuity is this: it's fake! And the fact that such a thing can be faked today is almost as amazing.

Awesome Travel

Still trying to figure out what to do this summer vacation? You could do worse than planning to see one or more of "The Most Awe-Inspiring Natural Wonders in America."

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