"In the beginning God
created the heavens and the earth"
When
people go on a long journey they often need some kind of direction. So how do
birds, insects, fish and many other animals manage to find their way long distances?
The incredible journeys of fish and butterflies
Wikipedia
photo by Ron Offermans
Wikipedia
photo by Kenneth Dwain Harrelson
Salmon
(top right) begin their lives in rivers or freshwater lakes, but travel to the
ocean, swimming as much as 3200 km (2,000 miles) where they spend up to 4 years
feeding. They then travel back to the river they came from to lay their eggs!
They will even leap up waterfalls if necessary. Scientists don’t fully understand
how they find their way home, but believe the fish are guided by their sense
of smell. European Eels (below right) undertake an incredible 5,000 km
(3,125 mile) journey, from rivers to part of the Atlantic Ocean, known as the
Sargasso Sea. There the females spawn (lay their eggs) and die. The tiny “elvers”
then begin a 300-day swim along the Gulf Stream, back to where their parents
came from. Although many are eaten by predators, some make it back, even wriggling
through wet grass to find the right river or lake. When the eels are mature
they start all over again. How they find their way is a mystery, though some
scientists believe they may follow the earth’s magnetic field.
Wikipedia
photo by Alvesgasper


Monarch
butterflies (top left) are one of nature’s most amazing travellers. Every
year millions of them migrate from Canada to the southern USA and Mexico to
spend the winter — a distance of 4,000 km (2,400 miles) — covering 128 km (80
miles) a day! What is even more amazing is that the butterflies that fly south
have never been there before, and the ones that return the following spring
are not the same ones which flew south in the autumn! This is because the butterflies
only live for a few months. In the spring, as they fly north, the females lay
eggs and die. The eggs hatch, and after going through the caterpillar and chrysalis
stage, the newly-hatched butterflies continue the journey their parents began.
But even this generation won’t live long enough to complete the journey, so
another lot of eggs must hatch. The butterflies which eventually arrive back
where the migration started have never been there, and may be the great-grandchildren
of those that left the previous year! How do these tiny insects find their way
year after year? Scientists have discovered that monarchs have tiny “clocks”
in their feelers (antenna) which help them use the sun’s position to navigate.
But even this doesn’t explain how they can fly to places they have never seen.
They must have been specially created by God with the ability to do this.
Painted Lady butterflies (lower left) breed in early spring in the Sahara
desert of Africa. Millions of them hatch, then they fly north to England and
other parts of western Europe, a journey of about 3,300 km (2,000 miles)., where
they spend the summer. In the Autumn they fly south again to North Africa —
another amazing journey!
Finding the way
We
are all travelling on a journey the journey of life. God has givne
us a choice: to live our own way of His way. In the beginning, Adam and Eve
chose to disobey God, and brought sin, death and suffering into the world.
Living without God is like going on a journey without a map or compass. We
are likely to get lost. But God doesn’t want us to be lost, and sent Jesus,
His Son to earth to be our Friend and Guide, and to die on the cross for our
sin. “God gave his Son so that whoever believes in him
may not be lost, but have eternal life.” (John 3: 16).
Jesus rose from the dead so that all who put their faith in Him will go to
heaven when their life on earth is over. God has also given us a guide-book
that tells us all we need to know for the journey of life — the Bible. Jesus
said “I am the way.” (John 14: 6). So follow Him, and the Bible’s advice,
and you will never lose your way, but will be sure of reaching your destination!
"Our
World" is our quarterly creation paper for children. It is sent out on a donation
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' Our World to the children in your family, church, or fellowship? Back
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Below
are some of the contents of issue No. 98
People
often use maps to help them when they travel a long distance (left). Maps show
us where we are, where we want to go, and how to get there. Where there are
no roads or signposts, a compass can be used. The needle points towards the
North Pole, attracted by the earth’s magnetic field. For centuries sailors used
the sun and stars to navigate. Many drivers now use a “SatNav” (below right),
which receives signals from a satellite orbiting the earth to guide them, showing
the directions on a small screen. Animals use a number of methods to guide them
on some very remarkable journeys.
Also in Our World No. 98
Nature Notes: Rock Pools
Fantastic Fliers: the amazing journeys of birds.
Puzzle Corner
Weird and Wonderful: The Mayfly
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Pigeons
have their own "compass"
For centuries people have wondered how pigeons find their way home over long
distances. Some can fly 500 miles in a day. As long ago as 2,900 BC, the ancient
Egyptians used pigeons to carry “air mail” messages, and they were also used
to send messages during the Second World War. Scientists have now discovered
that pigeons use the earth’s magnetic field to navigate. Using X-Rays these
scientists discovered that pigeons have tiny iron particles in their upper beaks
which change direction like a compass needle.
Compasses
didn’t come into being by chance — they were designed. The pigeons couldn’t
have evolved the “compass” in their beaks. This must have been designed too!
Unless
otherwose stated, Scriptures quoted from the Holy Bible, New Century Version.
Ccopyright © 2005 byThomas Nelson, Inc.. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS:
Graphics on this page from Wikipedia.com, Clipart.com and planet-medien-AG