Wonder on the Web

Issue 28: Links to amazing stuff

Resurrection Mosses

“Will life-forms that can survive a century without water help us develop resilient crops for a drought-ridden future?” So scientists ask of Tortula ruralis, a moss that can preserve itself through exceptionally long dry spells, reviving within seconds of contacting water. Enjoy this beautiful three-minute video, and, while you’re at it, get lost in the whole Deep Look series.

The Secret Work of Your Sleep

That dormant state we all mysteriously submit to for a third of our lives—or, for most of us, more like a quarter—accomplishes more than we can know. The New Yorker explores some of what our brains are up to while we rest, such as forming concrete memories. In the two other parts of this series, learn why most of us can’t fall asleep and how our exhaustion affects our work.

Lewis and Tolkien’s Predecessor

We’ve previously mentioned Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland. Since the imaginative classic recently turned 150, it’s been in the media a lot. What is not talked about often enough, says Karen Swallow Prior, is the faith of its writer, Charles Dodgson (whose pen name was Lewis Carroll):

While writers like Lewis and Tolkien address grand religious themes that require lions and lords, Dodgson depicts whimsies wrought by a creator who delights in his creation: the power and magic of words, the way truth is gnarled by human perspective, the constant footrace taking place in the human mind between imagination and reason, and the simple wonder of seeing the world through the eyes of a child.

History of New Horizons

If you enjoyed reading about Pluto and New Horizons in this issue, you may want to scroll through this photo essay from The Atlantic chronicling some of the project’s history. One image shows a canister affixed to the spacecraft with unusual contents: the ashes of Clyde Tombaugh, the astronomer who discovered Pluto 85 years ago.

Our Latest

Wire Story

Study: Evangelical Churches Aren’t Particularly Political

Even if members are politically active and many leaders are often outspoken about issues and candidates they support, most congregations make great efforts to keep politics out of the church when they gather.

News

Investigation to Look at 82 Years of Missionary School Abuse

Adult alumni “commanded a seat at the table” to negotiate for full inquiry.

Have Yourself an Enchanted Little Advent

Angels are everywhere in the Bible. The Christmas season reminds us to take them seriously.

News

Western North Carolina’s Weary Hearts Rejoice for Christmas

The holiday isn’t the same with flooded tree farms and damaged churches from Helene, but locals find cheer in recovery.

News

In Italy, Evangelicals Wage a Quiet War on Christmas

Born-again Christians say the holiday is too Catholic and the celebration of Jesus’ birth isn’t based on the Bible.

The Bulletin

Exalting Every Valley with Charles King

The Bulletin welcomes historian Charles King for a conversation with Clarissa Moll about the modern relevance of Handel’s Messiah

News

After Assad: Jihad or Liberty?

A coalition of rebel fighters promises to respect Syria’s religious minorities.

Egypt’s Redemption—and Ours

The flight of the holy family is more than a historical curiosity. It points us toward the breadth and beauty of God’s redemption.

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