The Bombardier Beetle Blows Up Evolution!

By Dr. Farid Abu Rahme

The bombardier beetle is a half inch long beetle found throughout the temperate zone of the world today. It has a very complex defence mechanism. When an enemy tries to attack, the beetle shoots very hot irritating gases out of its tail enabling it to escape unharmed!

Scientists spent a long time studying the beetle through methods including microsurgery, to understand how it operates. Chemicals were extracted from the beetle to discover what sort of chemistry it uses.

It was discovered that the bombardier beetle has a double set of apparatus. It has twin chambers to store two chemicals: hydroquinone and hydrogen peroxide dissolved in water. The beetle then adds a mysterious inhibitor, which prevents the hydrogen peroxide from oxidizing the hydroquinone.

When the beetle is threatened, it squirts the solution of chemicals from the two storage chambers into two combustion tubes. In the tubes the beetle provides two enzymes which cause the extremely rapid conversion of hydrogen peroxide into water and oxygen. The ultimate result is a noxious irritating gas, which the beetle shoots out at 100 degrees C with great force. It can repeat it 1 5-20 times in just few minutes and can swivel through 360 degrees and never misses.

Imagine for a moment that evolution is true! The attacker comes and the beetle mixes the wrong amounts of gases... and boom! It blows itself up. Then one has to wait several million years for a new beetle to evolve… and so on.

The bombardier beetle indeed shows that evolution is a non starter. For the beetle to survive it should have all the elements of the mechanism functioning from day one.

The apparatus, the storage chambers, an inhibitor, combustion tubes that take high heat and do not rupture under high pressure, a set of muscles to enable it to swivel and two special enzymes all fitting within this half inch sized beetle! Indeed those who reject creation "are without excuse" (Romans 1v20).

God who created the whole universe created this amazing beetle. He also created you and me in His own image. When sin came and God's wrath fell on all because all have sinned. God did not leave us without hope. The creator came down to this earth to die at Calvary's cross to give us forgiveness of sin and everlasting life, If we confess our sins and believe that the Lord Jesus Christ died at the cross in our place, then this great Creator becomes our own personal Saviour and we will live with Him eternally.