THAT TROUBLING LARYNGEAL NERVE
by Frank Sherwin, M.S.FROM SWORD & TROWEL 2005 No
2 from Acts & Facts, May 2005 Institute for Creation
Research
The recurrent laryngeal nerve (RLN) in man is found branching off the tenth
cranial nerve (vagus) in the chest cavity. The twelve cranial nerves are part of the
beautifully designed autonomic nervous system (ANS) that controls involuntary body
processes, including digestion, heart rate, and respiration. Evolutionists claim the Creator
is a bad engineer, having the RLN dropping into the chest and looping around a ligament
of the lung before going back up to the larynx (voice box). Evolutionist Michael Denton
states, ‘The recurrent laryngeal nerve loops around the aorta and back up to the larynx
instead of taking a more direct route.’[1] In other words, ‘Why not just have the nerve extend directly from the brain to the larynx?’
Before answering this, creationists are reminded of other past ‘bad design’
arguments used by evolutionists that have since received good, scientific answers.
Examples include the poorly designed thumb of the panda bear. The late S J
Gould[2] repeatedly cited this allegedly corrupt feature, but he ignored the fact that panda bears have been doing just fine with this supposedly inferior structure. (For a fascinating discussion of this ‘pseudo-thumb’ see Nature 397:309.)
In past decades, evolutionists, such as Richard Dawkins, have maintained the
retina of our eyes was actually ‘wired backward.’ If a Creator existed, He certainly would
not have done it that way with photoreceptor cells oriented so their sensory ends are
directed away from incident light. Today we hear virtually nothing about this allegedly
imperfect manner of wiring. Why? Because scientists have shown our retinas are
designed exactly the way they should be in order to receive photons (light) and direct the
impulses via the optic nerves to the back of the brain where they are made into images.
Indeed, if the eye was designed to Darwinist specifications, we would be blind. (See
also:http://www.trueorigin.org/retina.asp)
Why did the Creator design the loop of the RLN? To the secular biologist, it is
both strange and unnecessary, basing these judgements on the corrupt philosophy of
Darwinism (macroevolution). But creation scientists and medical doctors are
investigating and have several ideas. There are branches of the RLN going above and
below the larynx (both branch off the vagus) that would allow some preservation of
function if either one is severed. The RLN passes tightly under the aorta (the large, main
artery coming from the left ventricle of the heart). Perhaps variation in the diameter of the
aorta could alter the function of the RLN.
Of course, the amazing and complex field of neuroanatomy and physiology
itself is an affront to Darwinism. The origin (not the present operation) of life’s amazing
complexity is seemingly not within the reach of merely natural processes. Let the
evolutionist explain the origin and gradual evolution of our 3-pound brain from ‘simple’
life forms while the creationist continues to investigate the puzzling RLN route. I believe
we will have our answer first.
Footnote [1]Denton, Michael J, Nature’s Destiny, Free Press, 1998, p. 260.
Footnote [2]Gould, S J, ‘The Panda’s Thumb of Technology’, Natural History, January 1987, p 14.
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