July 17, 2024 • 9 mins
In this episode, we delve into groundbreaking research from Lancaster University that sheds new light on the visual development of babies in the womb. Contrary to the common criticism that the pro-life perspective is anti-science, this study provides compelling evidence of the advanced human characteristics of unborn babies.
Discover how researchers used light patterns to demonstrate that babies at 34 weeks show a preference for face-like stimuli, challenging the notion that an unborn child is anything less than fully human. We'll explore the implications of this research and discuss how science increasingly supports the sanctity of life in the womb.
Join us as we navigate this fascinating topic, highlighting the importance of embracing scientific discoveries to change cultural perceptions and protect life. Don't miss this insightful discussion on the intersection of science and the pro-life movement.
Make A Gift To The LoveX2 Project Music Title: Children of the Son Author: Pipe Choir Souce: www.pipechoir.com Licenses: Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
(00:00):
I'm going to touch on a brand new study that adds one more significant chapter
in what we know scientifically about life in the womb.
This is really important stuff, and I don't want you to miss this because the
pro-life perspective gets thrown under the bus all the time as being anti-science.
You've probably heard that criticism before. I've heard it quite a bit.
(00:23):
It's, you know, if you believe that life in the womb should be protected,
well, you're being anti-science.
I saw a blog post the other day about someone who was trying to boil down progressive
philosophy down into six simple sentences.
And one of the sentences that they drafted is, science is real.
(00:45):
Okay, I'll grant that. Science is real. We're not arguing that point at all.
In fact, science is a powerful reminder of the beauty of life in the womb and
the whole process of motherhood and fatherhood. So it's sort of irritating when
you see a progressive statement come out that says science is real.
Obviously, the indication is if you don't agree with our worldview,
(01:08):
then science is not real to you. Well, that's just simply not true.
But don't miss this point. And this is very important for us to understand in changing the culture.
There are a lot of millennials who view the Christian worldview as anti-science.
So when a progressive states that science is real, this is really playing to the crowd.
(01:30):
This is playing to the anti-science views that many millennials have today.
So from our perspective, let's understand very clearly, a lot of millennials
look at a Christian perspective as anti-science.
But let's not be afraid of science. Let's not avoid the discussion.
Let's dive right in and show how science works.
(01:52):
That affirms the value of life in the womb. Now, I don't know how many of you
have seen this new research that I'm going to talk about today,
but this is something that it's totally fascinating to me.
I think it's going to be to you as well. In fact, more than fascinating.
I think it's just one of those things that we should just be in awe about.
And as I said, it's more evidence that life in the womb is fully human.
(02:14):
Does anyone really argue that point anymore? I mean, I know there's some fringes
out there and, you know, there are the radical professors at the the universities,
for example, that may equate an unborn child to an earthworm on a sidewalk and so forth.
But, you know, seriously, I can't recall the last time I heard someone even
attempt to intelligently deny that an unborn child is fully human.
(02:37):
Now, with more and more research like this, why would they even try?
Science is a really big problem for abortion advocates.
Now, I did read an NPR blog on this new research, and they referred to the research as provocative.
Seriously, NPR called it provocative. Now, let me tell you about the research,
and you decide, as you're listening to this, you decide if provocative is the
(03:02):
description that you would use.
Okay, so here's the deal. Researchers at Lancaster University in the UK just
released the results of a study on the visual development of babies in the womb.
And what they found is that unborn babies at 34 weeks are like newborn babies
in that they prefer face-like stimuli.
(03:23):
Now, listen to this. The research team used a light source to project a pattern
of three dots in the shape of eyes and a mouth through the uterine wall.
And then they measured, using ultrasound, they measured the way the baby responded.
Now, to the surprise of even the lead researcher on this project,
(03:43):
the findings show that babies of 34 weeks will turn their hands to track the face-like pattern.
Now, I can't show you this on a podcast, but imagine in your mind what the researchers
are doing here. Imagine a triangle.
The triangle was used to represent a face-like shape. So in your mind.
(04:05):
Picture a triangle with two dots like eyes at the top and one dot like a mouth
at the bottom of the triangle.
This is what the researchers used to represent face-like stimuli on the uterine wall, and it worked.
Babies in the womb turned their heads in response to this. Absolutely amazing.
Now, of course, there were the naysayers. I guess these are the ones who were
(04:28):
provoked by the provocative research who are trying to say that it has nothing
to do with facial recognition. mission. The babies are just turning their heads
because of the three dots of lights.
Well, that's where it gets better. There was no such movement, no such movement.
When the team, the research team projected three inverted dots in the shape
(04:48):
of a triangle with one dot on the top, two on the bottom.
Apparently, when the inverted triangle lights were on the uterine wall,
the baby paid no attention to it.
But when it was flipped and you had the two dots on the top,
one dot representing the mouth at the bottom, the babies turn their heads.
It's the first time that this type of research has ever been done.
(05:10):
The first time that it's been explored like this, ever.
And what it reveals is the baby's clear preference for face-like shapes.
Now, the lead researcher on this project was a Professor Vincent Reed.
And Professor Reed had this to say.
There was the possibility that the fetus would find any shape interesting due
to the novelty of the stimulus. If this was the case, we would get no difference
(05:34):
in how they responded to the upright or the upside down versions of the stimuli.
But as it turned out, they responded in a very different way that was very similar to infants.
Now, Professor Reed continued to say,
this rules out the idea of filial imprinting in the way that ducklings imprint
on their mother because we have shown that the preference for face-like shapes
(05:59):
is already present before birth.
The preference for face-like shapes is already present before birth in an unborn child.
Now, honestly, is there anything more human than facial recognition?
This is the amazing science of life in the womb. This is not fairytale stuff.
(06:20):
This is not make-believe. This is the science of human life made possible by
a rapidly advancing technology such as 4D ultrasound.
For those of us working to protect and nurture life, science is in our corner.
This is one more study that drives that point home.
You want science? We've got science. We don't need to run away from the scientific debate on this.
(06:42):
Science is affirming increasingly the humanity of life in the womb.
Now, let's jump back really quick to NPR and its labeling of this research as
provocative. You know what?
Maybe it is. Maybe NPR nailed it.
Maybe provocative is the right word, since the more we learn about the science
(07:05):
of life in the womb, the more we understand that in every single abortion,
a human life is being destroyed.
So is it provocative to the culture? I'd have to say yes, it's very provocative to the culture.
Now, let me leave you with this thought. Have you ever held a newborn baby?
I mean a really newborn baby.
(07:27):
Then you know what I mean when I say their little eyes will study your face
with a look of innocence and wonder that you will not find in anything else
on the face of the earth. Why is that?
Where does this preference for facial recognition come from?
(07:48):
Well, I'll tell you what I think.
I think it comes from seeing the face of God, the same God who knits us together
in the womb, the same God that tells us we are fearfully and wonderfully made.
Maybe you think that sounds crazy. I think it's a beautiful thing.
(08:09):
Thanks for listening to the official podcast of the
love times two project be sure to subscribe to the
podcast so you never miss an episode and never forget change the culture and.
Music.
The politics will follow are you looking for the perfect speaker for your next
event or conference Look no further than the new Love x2 Speakers Bureau,
(08:33):
your go-to source for great pro-life speakers.
We have a roster of renowned experts who can inspire, educate,
and entertain your audience.
Our speakers are ready to unleash their expertise and make your event a resounding
success. Scheduling a pro-life speaker has never been easier.
Visit lovetimes2.org and schedule a pro-life speaker.
(08:55):
Music.
I'm going to touch on a brand new study that adds one more significant chapter
in what we know scientifically about life in the womb.
This is really important stuff, and I don't want you to miss this because the
pro-life perspective gets thrown under the bus all the time as being anti-science.
You've probably heard that criticism before. I've heard it quite a bit.
(00:23):
It's, you know, if you believe that life in the womb should be protected,
well, you're being anti-science.
I saw a blog post the other day about someone who was trying to boil down progressive
philosophy down into six simple sentences.
And one of the sentences that they drafted is, science is real.
(00:45):
Okay, I'll grant that. Science is real. We're not arguing that point at all.
In fact, science is a powerful reminder of the beauty of life in the womb and
the whole process of motherhood and fatherhood. So it's sort of irritating when
you see a progressive statement come out that says science is real.
Obviously, the indication is if you don't agree with our worldview,
(01:08):
then science is not real to you. Well, that's just simply not true.
But don't miss this point. And this is very important for us to understand in changing the culture.
There are a lot of millennials who view the Christian worldview as anti-science.
So when a progressive states that science is real, this is really playing to the crowd.
(01:30):
This is playing to the anti-science views that many millennials have today.
So from our perspective, let's understand very clearly, a lot of millennials
look at a Christian perspective as anti-science.
But let's not be afraid of science. Let's not avoid the discussion.
Let's dive right in and show how science works.
(01:52):
That affirms the value of life in the womb. Now, I don't know how many of you
have seen this new research that I'm going to talk about today,
but this is something that it's totally fascinating to me.
I think it's going to be to you as well. In fact, more than fascinating.
I think it's just one of those things that we should just be in awe about.
And as I said, it's more evidence that life in the womb is fully human.
(02:14):
Does anyone really argue that point anymore? I mean, I know there's some fringes
out there and, you know, there are the radical professors at the the universities,
for example, that may equate an unborn child to an earthworm on a sidewalk and so forth.
But, you know, seriously, I can't recall the last time I heard someone even
attempt to intelligently deny that an unborn child is fully human.
(02:37):
Now, with more and more research like this, why would they even try?
Science is a really big problem for abortion advocates.
Now, I did read an NPR blog on this new research, and they referred to the research as provocative.
Seriously, NPR called it provocative. Now, let me tell you about the research,
and you decide, as you're listening to this, you decide if provocative is the
(03:02):
description that you would use.
Okay, so here's the deal. Researchers at Lancaster University in the UK just
released the results of a study on the visual development of babies in the womb.
And what they found is that unborn babies at 34 weeks are like newborn babies
in that they prefer face-like stimuli.
(03:23):
Now, listen to this. The research team used a light source to project a pattern
of three dots in the shape of eyes and a mouth through the uterine wall.
And then they measured, using ultrasound, they measured the way the baby responded.
Now, to the surprise of even the lead researcher on this project,
(03:43):
the findings show that babies of 34 weeks will turn their hands to track the face-like pattern.
Now, I can't show you this on a podcast, but imagine in your mind what the researchers
are doing here. Imagine a triangle.
The triangle was used to represent a face-like shape. So in your mind.
(04:05):
Picture a triangle with two dots like eyes at the top and one dot like a mouth
at the bottom of the triangle.
This is what the researchers used to represent face-like stimuli on the uterine wall, and it worked.
Babies in the womb turned their heads in response to this. Absolutely amazing.
Now, of course, there were the naysayers. I guess these are the ones who were
(04:28):
provoked by the provocative research who are trying to say that it has nothing
to do with facial recognition. mission. The babies are just turning their heads
because of the three dots of lights.
Well, that's where it gets better. There was no such movement, no such movement.
When the team, the research team projected three inverted dots in the shape
(04:48):
of a triangle with one dot on the top, two on the bottom.
Apparently, when the inverted triangle lights were on the uterine wall,
the baby paid no attention to it.
But when it was flipped and you had the two dots on the top,
one dot representing the mouth at the bottom, the babies turn their heads.
It's the first time that this type of research has ever been done.
(05:10):
The first time that it's been explored like this, ever.
And what it reveals is the baby's clear preference for face-like shapes.
Now, the lead researcher on this project was a Professor Vincent Reed.
And Professor Reed had this to say.
There was the possibility that the fetus would find any shape interesting due
to the novelty of the stimulus. If this was the case, we would get no difference
(05:34):
in how they responded to the upright or the upside down versions of the stimuli.
But as it turned out, they responded in a very different way that was very similar to infants.
Now, Professor Reed continued to say,
this rules out the idea of filial imprinting in the way that ducklings imprint
on their mother because we have shown that the preference for face-like shapes
(05:59):
is already present before birth.
The preference for face-like shapes is already present before birth in an unborn child.
Now, honestly, is there anything more human than facial recognition?
This is the amazing science of life in the womb. This is not fairytale stuff.
(06:20):
This is not make-believe. This is the science of human life made possible by
a rapidly advancing technology such as 4D ultrasound.
For those of us working to protect and nurture life, science is in our corner.
This is one more study that drives that point home.
You want science? We've got science. We don't need to run away from the scientific debate on this.
(06:42):
Science is affirming increasingly the humanity of life in the womb.
Now, let's jump back really quick to NPR and its labeling of this research as
provocative. You know what?
Maybe it is. Maybe NPR nailed it.
Maybe provocative is the right word, since the more we learn about the science
(07:05):
of life in the womb, the more we understand that in every single abortion,
a human life is being destroyed.
So is it provocative to the culture? I'd have to say yes, it's very provocative to the culture.
Now, let me leave you with this thought. Have you ever held a newborn baby?
I mean a really newborn baby.
(07:27):
Then you know what I mean when I say their little eyes will study your face
with a look of innocence and wonder that you will not find in anything else
on the face of the earth. Why is that?
Where does this preference for facial recognition come from?
(07:48):
Well, I'll tell you what I think.
I think it comes from seeing the face of God, the same God who knits us together
in the womb, the same God that tells us we are fearfully and wonderfully made.
Maybe you think that sounds crazy. I think it's a beautiful thing.
(08:09):
Thanks for listening to the official podcast of the
love times two project be sure to subscribe to the
podcast so you never miss an episode and never forget change the culture and.
Music.
The politics will follow are you looking for the perfect speaker for your next
event or conference Look no further than the new Love x2 Speakers Bureau,
(08:33):
your go-to source for great pro-life speakers.
We have a roster of renowned experts who can inspire, educate,
and entertain your audience.
Our speakers are ready to unleash their expertise and make your event a resounding
success. Scheduling a pro-life speaker has never been easier.
Visit lovetimes2.org and schedule a pro-life speaker.
(08:55):
Music.
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