The Living Corkscrew

Matthew 13:4
“And when he sowed, some seeds fell by the way side, and the fowls came and devoured them up:”

If you have never opened a bottle of wine, let me give you a little instruction on how to use a corkscrew. First, you puncture the cork with the corkscrew’s tip. Then you turn the handle, forcing the metal screw deeper and deeper into the cork. Finally, when it is deep inside the cork, you pull on the handle of the corkscrew, removing the cork from the bottle and spilling wine all over your white shirt!

Well, what would you think if I told you that there is a seed that is shaped like a corkscrew and that it can literally plant itself in the soil! The seed of the redstem filaree is indeed a wonder to behold, especially when you see it in time-lapse photography!

As the seed dries, it changes shape and launches itself from the parent plant by a spring-type mechanism. As it falls, its corkscrew-shaped tail starts it spinning so it lands farther away from the parent plant. Once it lands, the seed pokes its head into the soil. Then its whole length starts turning in a counter-clockwise direction. With each revolution, it bores itself deeper and deeper into the soil. If the seed encounters an obstacle, it simply reverses direction, backs out and finds a better path!

All right, evolutionists, answer this question: Which came first – the seed’s corkscrew shape or its “knowledge” of how to turn in the right direction until it has planted itself in the soil at the right depth? Can’t answer that? Then perhaps you should ask a creationist for the answer.

Prayer: Heavenly Father, whenever I look at Your creation, I can’t help but stand in amazement and praise You for Your wonderful works! Amen.

Author: Steven J. Schwartz
Ref: http://theawesomer.com/the-self-planting-seed/313970/. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Erodium_cicutarium. “The mechanics of explosive dispersal and self-burial in the seeds of the filaree, Erodium cicutarium (Geraniaceae)”. Journal of Experimental Biology 214 (4): 521–529. doi:10.1242/jeb.050567. Photo: Erodium cicutarium seeds at the Museum of Toulouse in France. Courtesy of Didier Descouens. (CC-BY-SA 4.0 INTERNATIONAL)

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