THE ASTOUNDING BOMBARDIER BEETLE (Brachinus Species) Firing a Bomb and Tear Gas from abdomen!

​Written by, Sarpong Boateng Josiah (Director, Lovers of Creation Science, LOCS)

I have been greatly baffled after reading and researching about the Amazing Bombardier Beetle. One of the greatest evidences against evolution and unplanned creation in the field of entomology, if not the greatest. More recently on February 25, 1985, Time Magazine reported:

 “…the bombardier (beetle) does appear to be unique in the animal kingdom. Its defense system is extraordinarily intricate, a cross between tear gas and a tommy gun.” 

The bombardier beetles are found in woodlands and grasslands in temperate zones. Typically they are found on all continents of the world except Antarctica.

When attacked by ants, spiders, frogs etc., brachinus points two little tubes in his tail at the enemy, a miniature explosion is heard, and hot noxious fumes (smoke) are blasted into the attacker’s face.

Perhaps the greatest research that was first done was that which was reported in the time magazine on Nov. 24, 1961. Time reported the research of German chemist Dr. Hermann Schildknecht into the surprising capabilities of the little bombardier beetle or brachinus. 
Upon microscopically dissecting the bombardier beetle, he found them to contain two sets of glands, storage sacks, combustion chambers, and tubes. The glands produce a liquid which is stored in the sacks and forced into the combustion chambers when needed. An immediate explosion ensues which forces the products through the tubes. Microchemical analysis of the liquid reveals it to consist of 10% hydroquinone and 23% hydrogen peroxide — a fantastic mixture from a chemist’s point of view, for such a mixture explodes in a test tube. 

The Amazing Defense Mechanism

When threatened,

1. Muscles surrounding the reservoir or storage sacks contract and pushes the mixture to the combustion chamber. (Inside the storage chambers, inhibitor chemicals prevent any combustive reaction).

2. Inside the combustion chamber oxidative enzymes (catalases and peroxidases) lining the walls of the chamber causes the breakdown of hydrogen peroxide into oxygen and water. as shown: 2H2O2 —> 2H2O + O2

The peroxidase enzyme also the oxidizes the hydroquinone into p-benzoquinone and hydrogen as shown: C6H4(OH)2 —> C6H4O2 +H2

The net reaction is very exothermic and raises the temperature of the mixture to nearly 100OC, vaporizing about a fifth of it. The boiling, partially vaporized gas which has a foul smell is released through an outlet valve with a loud popping sound. The beetles stores enough chemicals to enable it release the explosive about 20 times.

Now, it will amaze you to know that according to Thomas Eisner, an American Cornell biologist who worked extensively on beetles,

 the flow of the reactants into the combustion chamber occurs in a series of about 70 pulses at a rate of 500-1000 pulses per second. The whole sequence of events therefore lasts only a fraction of a second. 

Wow! 

 A deeper study reveals lot other amazing mechanism occurs to protect the beetle from the explosive effect from the inside, among these include an inner thick cuticular lining and reinforcing system and an immediate replacement of used chemicals with a fresh one having a normal temperature. Biologist and engineers across the world are still researching into this amazing mechanisms of the bombardier beetle in order to enable them design variants of self-protective explosive and propulsion systems.
Evolutionist Mark Isaak writes: Do bombardier beetles look designed? Yes; they look like they were designed by evolution. Their features, behaviors, and distribution nicely fit the kinds of patterns that evolution creates. Nobody has yet found anything about any bombardier beetle which is incompatible with evolution. 

 
Very roguish! Isn’t it? How does evolution, a mindless, undirected, purposeless, random chance process “create?” As Jewish scholar, Dr. Lee Spetner, writes: 

Randomness is an essential feature of NDT [neo-Darwinian theory]. There is no known physical or chemical mechanism to generate heritable variations that will improve adaptivity or increase the complexity of living organisms. The neo-Darwinians, therefore, had to choose randomness to produce the variations they needed. In this way they hoped that, through the direction afforded by natural selection, they could describe an evolutionary process that could account for a natural origin and development of life.

Upon probing into the amazing defense mechanism of this beetle, I am convinced  beyond reasonable doubt that, no process of gradual change from generation to generation, could possibly create such an apparatus, Jehovah God intricately designed it for His own Glory. 

You are worthy, Oh Lord, to receive glory and honour and power;for You created all things  and by Your will they exist and were created. Rev 4:11

REFERENCES

Eisner.;et al(1999). “Spray aiming in the bombardier beetle: photographic evidence. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA. 

Lee Spetner, Not By Chance! (Brooklyn: Judaica Press, 1998), p. 209.

 Mark Isaak; “Bombardier Beetles and the Argument of Design,” b@ http://www.talkorigins.org/faqs/

Natalie Angier reported by Rick Thompson/SanFrancisco, Time Magazine (February 25, 1985), p. 70.