An 1830's Invention that Revolutionized America

I was driving through the state of Virginia recently and drove past a farm that boasted of being the home of Cyrus McCormick. I decided to look him up and see what earned his farm recognition to this day and discovered this man had invented a machine that revolutionized American history. What machine was invented in the 1830s that would forever change America? The mechanical reaper. McCormick, at the age of 22, took over an invention his father had been tinkering with. He wanted to design something that would make bringing in the crops much less labor intensive. Currently it ...

Bits & Atoms

We’re living in a world of bits.  As a computer science guy, I have long been intrigued by the intersection of business and digital technologies. I refer to it as the “bit business.” For me this played out by starting a software company and teaching computer science at the college level for 30 years. It allowed me to observe firsthand the impact bits are having on business development.  To help my students understand this world of bits, I would often compare and contrast bits with something we’re all familiar with from science class—atoms. Atoms make up everything in this world ...

Orbital Mechanics of Spacecraft

Recently, the Parker Solar Probe made history by being the fastest man-made rocket ever. Rocket scientist Jeremy McCauley provides an inside peek at this fascinating launch toward our sun. Thank God He both created the heavens with orbits and chose to make them in a way we can analyze. Because of the way He has designed the heavens, we can use mathematics to produce orbital mechanics.  Orbital mechanics is a wonderful application of mathematics directly to a physical application. Gravitational orbits are well defined and consistent, based upon ellipses with the planet or sun as one of the two focal ...

Meeting a Rocket Scientist at Ark Encounter

“In all your ways acknowledge Him and He shall direct your paths.” This verse from Proverbs has long been a favorite of mine. Each day I ask the Lord to direct my paths to allow me to meet the people He has chosen for that day. I firmly believe God does this. While most days are relatively normal, every now and then God brings about an amazing connection. Such was the day at the Ark Encounter when we met a real live rocket scientist!  Having taken our summer staff to tour the Ark Encounter, we were heading to the parking ...

Fact, Fiction, or Future: The Martian Code

Courtesy of 20th Century Fox   In your face, Neil Armstrong!  –Mark Watney Introduction In 2011, science fiction fans everywhere were treated to a literary feast. Andy Weir’s The Martian became a near instant bestseller and catapulted its obscure author to fame. Four years later, The Martian was adapted into an award-winning film directed by sci fi legend Ridley Scott. The book tells the story of astronaut Mark Watney, a botanist and mechanical engineer of the Ares 3 mission to Mars. During a sandstorm, the crew is forced to abort the mission. In the process, Watney is struck by flying ...

Living as a Christian in a Secular Grad School (Part 1)

by Maxwell Lorentz Do you want to become a scientist? I hope many of you do. The world badly needs top-notch scientists who study science because they love God, and who love God more than anything else. To become a scientist, you need years of college. You start by getting a standard four-year degree (typically called an undergraduate degree). With this degree, you’ll probably have enough knowledge about the subject to get a job applying it. But to become an actual scientist—someone who discovers the science instead of just using it—you’ll need several more years of study (called graduate school, ...

3D Printing Comes to Camp Infinity

Camp Infinity is constantly evaluating the latest technology in an effort to discern when it is appropriate to add something new to our summer STEM camps. This allows the camp to stay on the leading edge. However, the most important goal, as with everything at Camp Infinity, is to prepare campers to excel in their STEM related fields and do so with a biblical viewpoint. To this end, the past summer Camp Infinity is pleased to announce it has purchased two Micro M3D printers for camp. We will use the printers, among other things, to create a three-dimensional puzzle that ...

The Facebook Crisis: Man’s Responsibility and the Role of Government

The news has been abuzz over the last few days regarding Facebook, the Cambridge Analytica breach, and Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg’s testimony before Congress. I’ve been following his testimony on Capitol Hill and, as I’ve been watching, these two biblical concepts have stood out: 1. Purpose of government 2. Evil heart of man For believers, it should come as no surprise that deep down in their core, in their heart-of-hearts, all men are evil. The Bible tells us as much: The heart is deceitful above all things,     and desperately sick;     who can understand it? (Jeremiah 17:9) We’re all sinners in ...

Scientists Discover New Organ in the Human Body

For centuries, researchers and scientists have been studying the human body and its processes to get a better of understanding of how we were designed. But, no matter how much they study, they never come to an end of discoveries to marvel over. And this year is no exception. Recently researchers announced they have discovered an organ inside our bodies that was previously unknown. When scientists are studying the human body, they often drain away bodily fluids in order to study the sample under a microscope. Because of this preparation method, scientists missed a fluid-filled organ, one of the largest ...

Amateur Astronomer Finds Missing NASA Satellite

Have you ever lost something important? Your wallet, phone, or an expensive textbook? Well, how about losing a 132-million-dollar satellite? Whoops! Well, that’s what NASA did 13 years ago. In 2005, they lost track of their Image for Magnetopause-to-Aurora Global Exploration (IMAGE) satellite. This satellite, which was part of a $132 million project, was on a mission to observe earth’s magnetic field and how solar winds from the sun interact with it. But the satellite vanished—until just recently. An amateur astronomer located the rogue satellite and reported his find to NASA. Their investigations confirmed it was indeed IMAGE and that ...

Astronaut Food Made from Astronaut Waste

Last summer, for Ci 4.0, our camp theme was “space” and some of our campers even got to meet and chat with a real astronaut, Barry Wilmore, a captain of the International Space Station who has done a spacewalk. Hearing him talk about living in space is exciting and his passion for God’s creation is contagious. But there are some not-so-glamourous aspects of being an astronaut—like the food. One of the STEM activities we did last summer involved planning a trip to Mars and coming up with proposed solutions to some of the problems such a long trip would entail. ...

Why Did Women Stop Programming?

Are you a girl who loves computers? You’re not alone! Especially if you look back to the beginnings of computers and computer programming. According to a podcast by NPR, many women were leaders in computer science in the early days, between 1970 and 1984. But something changed in the mid 80’s and their representation in the field of programming dropped dramatically. But a similar drop wasn’t seen in any other scientific or technical field. What happened? Well, in a word—advertising. In the 1980’s personal computers were starting to become a “thing” (and not the computers like we have today! These ...

Fact, Fiction, or Future: Deep Impact

Introduction Have you ever attended an old fashioned shooting gallery? A staple of old time films and popular novels, this type of entertainment was a popular attraction at most carnivals. At the booth, a rifle is fired to destroy targets at various distances in a variety of shapes. Sometimes the targets move; especially hard to hit, these garner a great deal of satisfaction when successfully taken down. This is all good, clean fun, but did you realize that the earth itself is a target in the middle of a gigantic shooting gallery? Our planet is but one of countless asteroids, ...

Tech Engineer Starts New Church to Worship AI

Tech engineering mastermind Anthony Levandowski, formerly an executive with both Google and Uber, claims to be serious about starting a religion based on artificial intelligence. This new church, “Way of the Future,” will focus on “the realization, acceptance and worship of a Godhead based on Artificial Intelligence (AI) developed through computer hardware and software.” Apparently, AI deserves to be worshipped as God because, according to Levandowski, it will eventually be many times smarter than humans. In an interview he says, “It’s not a god in the sense that it makes lightning or causes hurricanes. But if there is something a ...

Fact, Fiction, or Future: The Ringworld Hypothesis

Introduction It has been called the game that sold the Xbox. When it released, Halo: Combat Evolved revolutionized the modern first person shooter genre and set the benchmark for many games that would follow. The titular “halo” of the name comes from a massive space station that is the setting of the game.  It is a megastructure shaped like a giant wedding ring. Halo with its grand scale, earthlike climate, and aura of mystery is one of the most familiar fictional locations of all time. However, is this just fiction? Could we build a halo ring? The Definition of BIG ...

Why Celebrate STEM on National STEM/STEAM Day?

Today is National STEM/STEAM Day here in the United States. This is a day meant to encourage and inspire kids to explore their interests and passions in STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Mathematics). Why is this celebration of STEM so important? Occupations in STEM related fields are expected to grow a whopping 70% faster than other occupations. As technology advances and jobs progressively become automated, STEM skills will become increasingly vital in the workplace and those people who possess STEM skills and knowledge will become increasingly valuable to employers. Many kids have a natural interest in all things STEM—after ...

Meet Sophia, the First Robot Citizen

The kingdom of Saudi Arabia recently bestowed citizenship on a seemingly unlikely candidate…a legless robot with an expressive face named Sophia. This is a historic first for AI (artificial intelligence) and represents part of a shift in thinking about what makes us unique and what makes us human. As AI becomes increasingly intelligent it almost seems to become eerily human. But is our intelligence what makes us human? Intelligence = Consciousness? Writing for Business Insider, reporter Becky Peterson comments on her meeting with Sophia, whom she describes as seemingly speaking with “emotional intelligence.” At the end of the presentation Sophia ...

When it Comes to Technology, Don’t Discount Discernment for Your Digital Native

Do you remember the days before cell phones and the Internet? I can remember as a young person asking my grandma, “What was life like before you had a television?” She chuckled a bit and answered that she had no idea what was missing. Many of today’s young people probably can ask us the question, “What was it like having to watch TV for entertainment?” If you’re anything like me, you grew up in a time before cellphones and the Internet. We are “digital immigrants.” The closest thing I ever got to communicating with anyone on the other side of ...

Diamonds, Nuclear Waste, and Batteries?

What do diamonds, nuclear waste, and batteries all have in common? They may just be part of “an entirely new kind of electrical generation system.” Let me explain, borrowing from this helpful article on Seeker.com: A group of chemists and physicists at the University of Bristol, in the UK, developed a way to harness nuclear power and turn it into battery energy. In British nuclear power plants, blocks of graphite are used for energy production. But, when they’ve been used up, they are highly radioactive and, as with any radioactive material, difficult to discard and store. This team from Bristol ...

Fact, Fiction, or Future: A Look at the More Fantastic Side of Popular Culture

Introduction Almost everyone has a favorite television show, movie, or book. There are many genres; two of the most famous being science fiction and fantasy. Giants like Star Wars and The Lord of the Rings permeate our cultural imagination. For most, these are modes of entertainment, a way to relax from life and its stresses. It is called fiction after all, meaning not reality, but could it ever be? What happens when the science fiction we view on our television screens loses the second word? Fact, Fiction, or Future? Fact, Fiction, or Future is a unique discussion created by Camp ...

3 Ways to Build a Love of STEM in Your Kids

STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) fields are the jobs of the future. We need to encourage young people who are interested to pursue study and careers in these rewarding fields. Here are three ways you, as a parent, can encourage a love of STEM in your kids: Do STEM activities outside school. Your young person shouldn’t just be doing science, technology, engineering, and mathematics within the four walls of his or her school. Foster a love of learning and experimentation within your home through coding apps, cooking or baking, experiments, or even playing Lego. Visit museums and science centers. ...

May the Fourth Be with You

Now, we won’t be fighting droids with light sabers or protecting the galaxy from unbridled evil, but we will be programming robots and looking to see what God’s Word says about the idea of extraterrestrial life. Each of our campers who attend any of our summer camps (teen overnight, teen day, kids camp, and family camp) will get to travel off to far away galaxies and stars themselves through the immersive experience of the Stargazer’s Planetarium at the Creation Museum. And those who attend teen overnight or family camp will also get to use world-class telescopes to look at the ...

Fighting the Curse: Soft Robot Could Help Hearts Beat

Your heart pumps around 2,000 gallons of blood throughout your body each day, probably without you ever giving it much thought. But for those who have had a heart attack, or perhaps who have heart disease or heart problems, it’s hard work for the heart to get that blood where it needs to go. Thankfully, technology has come a long way in helping hearts do their job in a sin-cursed world where things so often go awry. But most heart-helping mechanical technology is rather invasive and involves touching the blood within the blood vessels. This can cause clots so users ...

Our Minds—Shaped by Information Tools

It’s just a few weeks after the new year began. Most of us probably began the year with resolutions to eat healthier, exercise more, or start training for that marathon we’ve always wanted to run. The most common new years resolutions (which are usually quickly broken!) use physical tools to change and shape our bodies. This brings us to truth number seven in our truths of technology series. Our body is changed by physical tools; our mind is changed by informational tools.  The physical tools we have designed shape our bodies. For example, riding in a car or sitting in front ...

Technology—Fighting the Curse

The Bible tells us why. God created a perfect world (Genesis 1:31) but mankind rebelled against God. This rebellion brought death and suffering into Creation (Genesis 3). It broke what God had made perfect. As part of the punishment for sin, God cursed creation. All of creation now suffers and groan under this Curse (Romans ). In His mercy, God has provided ways for us to have temporary relief from the effects of the Curse. This brings us to our sixth truth of technology in our nine-part series: Technology can only give us temporary salvation from the immediate effects of ...

"Technology Made Me Do It!"

When God called them out for their sin, Adam shifted the blame to his wife and, ultimately, God: “The woman whom You gave to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I ate” (Genesis 3:12). When God challenged Eve, she pointed the finger at the serpent that tempted and deceived her, “The serpent deceived me, and I ate” (Genesis 3:13). But did God accept their excuses? No way. He punished the serpent, Eve, and Adam for their sin. They bore the blame for their part in the wrongdoing. In our technological age it might be easy to blame technology ...

Technology—A Substitute for God?

Mankind has accomplished much in the few thousand years we’ve been on this planet. Just the amount we’ve done in the last few decades is astounding and there’s no end in sight. It may seem like we can accomplish anything, that there are no limits. For those of us who love STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) this mindset can be a big temptation. That leads us to the eighth truth in our Truths of Technology series: One of the greatest temptations we face with technology is to use it as a substitute for God.  It’s tempting to replace God, ...

Farmbot: Fighting the Thorns and Thistles of the Curse

I recently came across a really neat video on Facebook featuring something called “Farmbot.” This is a robot, described on their website as “humanity’s first open-source CNC farming machine,” that plants and tends to a vegetable garden in your backyard. You use a smart phone, computer, or tablet to program and control your Farmbot. This robot makes me seriously want to consider getting a 3D printer for Camp Infinity and building one of these! Apparently this machine, if used all year, can grow enough food to feed one person for a year and can even be taken off the grid ...

New Technology, New Choices

In a series of blog posts I’ve been sharing the nine truths of technology we teach campers. Truth number five is: New technology gives us new choices we never had before. New technology continually gives us new ways to solve problems. For example, robots are increasingly replacing the skilled hand of the surgeon to help reduce the risk of complications and recovery time after surgery. Many of the problems we face in our generation—pollution, ever increasing amounts of plastic waste, energy consumption—will surely be answered by new technologies just waiting to be developed. But with these new technologies come new ...

There’s No Such Thing As Perfect Technology

But, despite all the awe-inspiring things we’ve made, the effects of the Curse taint all technology—there is no perfect technology. The past few weeks we’ve been looking at nine truths of technology and this blog brings us to number three—there is no perfect technology. Hammers still give us blisters; computers fail; rovers get stuck. Since technology is made by sinful humans beings living in a sin-cursed world, fighting the Curse, it’s no surprise that there’s no such thing as perfect technology. Humans have a tendency to want things to be perfect. Read reviews of any product out there and you’ll ...

Technology, Culture, and Change

In my blog we’ve been looking at what I call the “truths of technology.” At Camp Infinity, we use these nine truths to help young people develop a biblical worldview about technology. Last time we saw that: God is working through the tools of the day to accomplish His redemptive plan for mankind. The second technology truth is: A change in technology always results in a change in our culture. A cursory look at history shows that as technology changes, so does the culture. The Industrial Revolution, and all that has quickly followed, has allowed for those in the first world ...

God’s Plan and Technology

I posted a blog recently about the truths of technology. We use these nine truths to help young people at Camp Infinity develop a biblical worldview about technology, an increasingly important part of our lives. As technology develops ethical questions arise: Should we try and clone humans? How and where should we utilize renewable resources? What about stem cell research? Young people are the future of developing technology and they need to know how to think biblically about it. Our first truth of technology is: God is working through the tools of the day to accomplish His redemptive plan for ...

Nine Truths of Technology

We want to teach the next generation to think biblically about technology. One way we do that is by teaching them principles that they can apply to questions about technology. We call these the “truths of technology.” They help campers look to God’s Word for wisdom and discernment on the use of technology. Here are the nine truths of technology we teach campers at Camp Infinity: 1. God is working through the tools of the day to accomplish His redemptive plan for mankind. (read more ...) 2. A change in technology always results in a change in our culture. (read ...

Technology and Creativity

Computer programs help artists create something beautiful, cameras capture moments in time or allow directors, actors, and producers to work together to make a production, recording equipment preserves the talent of musicians, and 3D modeling helps architects and designers plan buildings. Even the process of inventing technology is an outlet of creativity. Creation displays God’s creativity and, as image bearers of the Creator, it's no surprise humans are incredibly creative. I recently saw this video and it immediately reminded me of how humans use technology to express creativity: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Viwwetf0gU These guys rigged a drone to carry a useable, running chainsaw (not ...

The Pokémon Go Craze and Your Heart

By now you or dozens of your friends with smartphones have downloaded the Pokémon Go app. The augmented reality mobile game that was released in the United States on July 6, yes, just over a week ago, has already been downloaded onto over 7.5 million Android and iOS devices. The game has overtaken Twitter in the number of daily active users. So, what’s the big deal, and is Pokémon Go something you, or your children, should participate in playing? How Do You Play? Pokémon Go is a free app that’s very simple to download on either Google Play or iTunes. You ...

Biblical Creationist Invents Life-Saving Technology

Just a few days ago I had my semi-annual brain scan using Dr. Damadian’s world-changing invention, the MRI scanner. His technology worked. Using a strong magnet, a magnetic field, and pulses of radio wave energy, the scanner takes pictures of internal structures such as organs. As the body is scanned, radio waves force naturally occurring hydrogen atoms to realign themselves. As they straighten back into position, they emit energy that the MRI scanner is then able to capture and turn into an image. This method of scanning does not do any damage to the body and is completely non-invasive. It ...

Fighting the Curse

Our theology of technology says that technology exists to help us temporarily fight against the immediate effects of the Curse. Everyday people struggle with poor health or medical issues, environmental calamities that make living and growing food difficult, and life-threatening emergencies. These are all effects of the Curse on creation that was brought about by sin. Our best efforts can temporarily fight these effects but they can never fully cure them. This helps us realize God has provided the only permanent solution to the Curse through Jesus Christ. Health care technology is an excellent example. As a type 2 diabetic, ...

GPS: Life-saving Technology

GPS is one of the technologies we have highlighted at Ci in the past. Here’s how it works, according to Garmin, a major producer of GPS systems: GPS relies on information from highly precise satellites in orbit around the Earth to track the exact location of the user. The satellites send information to GPS receivers, which compare the time the signal left the satellite with the time it reached the GPS receiver. The more satellites the GPS can contact, the more accurate the information, but it must contact at least three. Using the information from all three (or more) satellites ...

Is STEM Just for Boys?

Dr. Georgia Purdom, a molecular geneticist who works at Answers in Genesis, recently sent me an excellent article about girls in STEM. The author writes, “Many well-meaning teachers still have a misconception that boys are better at math or are more likely to have higher IQ’s. These ideas have been proven false by research and can be very harmful to students who might otherwise excel in math and science.” The author goes on to say that girls are often discouraged from showing interest in STEM and eventually they just lose interest. Also, research shows that biases and negative stereotypes affect girls’ ...

Why I took a Drone Apart (3 Times) So You Don't Have To!

Director Dan’s Notes: “I took a Typhoon Q500 4K drone apart 3 times, so you don’t have to!”  In the case of learning about drones and the lingo associated with the technology behind them, I took one apart and rebuilt it. In so doing, I’ve learned about ESC’s, motors, firmware updates for drones, controller and cameras, gyroscopes, GPSs, satellites, barometers, wifi networks (yes, there’s more than one per drone), ESC/motor assignment, compass calibration, and so much more.  We're going to have a great time this summer using some of the new terms and flying skills I've been learning . . . ...

You’ll Know How to “Speak Drone” After Reading This

Director Dan’s Notes: “Don’t ever be too proud to ask ‘What does that mean?’” New technologies create new cultures of people who embrace them. Think about it, 15 years ago, only a small percentage of Internet users even knew what the term “Google it” meant! On top of that, learning the acronyms associated with language can be just as crucial–we see that efficiency every day when we send text messages! When learning new acronyms, don’t ever be too proud to ask “What does that mean?” We all know what LOL means now, but there was a time when some of ...

Bionic Ears

For over twenty years, my hearing had been progressively declining. I could not hear birds sing, crickets chirp, or my young daughter whisper. Hearing aids weren’t enough. I couldn’t even do the simplest things, like having a conversation in a restaurant or talking on the phone. They were nearly impossible. When I was a child, my ears functioned normally. They faithfully performed the incredible task of translating sound waves into electrical signals, then sending them to my brain. First, the outer ear collected the sounds and directed them to an amplifier in the middle ear. These vibrations then moved to ...

STEM Jobs in Demand

One of the most challenging, not to mention, rewarding roles we have as parents is to help our children see how they may use their talents and gifts for service in God’s Kingdom.  Recently, as I was preparing a talk for a Christian school state teacher's conference, I came across this graphic which stated that for every 1 unemployed person, there are 1.7 STEM-related jobs available (Conversely, in the area of non-STEM jobs, there are 4.1 unemployed persons for every job). While I was aware the demand for STEM employees was growing, I hadn't realized the extent to which it has ...

Science & Economics of Genetically Modified Seeds

I love spending time here in the cornfields of central Ohio. My most recent trip I received an education on the science and economics of GMO seeds (genetically modified organisms). I smell a future Ci camp program in the works!! Here's a simple overview of how it all works: The positive side of the story: Seed companies learned how to make seeds that were resistant to herbicides (a.k.a., RoundUp) and insects. They applied for and received patents to protect their discovery. Farmers saw an economic benefit to using GMO seeds. Now the twist: The bugs and the weeds adapted. This ...

Turing Test Has Been Passed After 64 Years?

Since 1950, when the famous mathmetician and computer scientist Alan Turing proposed a test of computer intelligence named the Turing Test, one of the most intreguing questions about the future of computers has been "Will a computer become as intelligent as a human?". According to some sources like the Washington Post, Foxnews , the famous Turing Test was passed by a computer this past Saturday.  Turing's original question was "Can machines think?" The challenge with this question is coming up with a clear & measureable definition of what it means to "think." So Turing modified his original question with this one "Are there ...

STEM’s Synergy

STEM is not just doing an activity or lesson that involves science, technology, engineering or mathematics.  STEM is taking the benefits that come from implementing all four of those content areas into an activity.  You are no longer isolating content that is just scientific or mathematical.  The synergy of STEM occurs when the core academic content of the nature and process of Science, the application of Technology, the designing qualities of Engineering, and the universal language of Mathematics interacts to produce a combined effect greater than the sum of their separate effects. These effects should increase the STEM literacy for ...

An Introduction to the Theology of Technology Blog

We live in a culture driven by technology. It touches everything around us. It plays a critical role in our daily productivity. In short, technology can either make or break the individual. The purpose of this blog is an extension of one of the goals of the Camp Infinity. We want to educate the believer in the proper use of technology for God's glory. This may mean several things: Celebrating the AdvancesIf you're looking for a blog that looks down on new technology, you've come to the wrong place. God has gifted us with extraordinary technological advances over the years. ...

Developing a Theology of Technology

New technology does not force me to do anything, however it does give me new choices I never had before. This thought leads me to say, this is why it is incumbent upon parents to teach their children discernment. How to make those choices. Our children will face more and more of these choices during their lifetime. We must help them learn what is technology and what is their responsibility.Camp Infinity exists to partner with Christian parents to help equip their children to have solid Bible answers to these questions. I call these the theology of technology. Here are a ...