Creation Moment 4/12/2026 - 100 trillion connections

I will praise Thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are Thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well. Psalm 139:14

"The trend continues: as we learn more about the body, we realize it is even more complex than we once assumed.
Long-range chemical signaling in vivo is regulated by mechanical signals (Pillai et al., Nature Materials, 19 Jan 2026). This paper explains how brain development proceeds with touch-sensitive channels called Piezo proteins. The Abstract ends,

"...in vivo stiffening of soft brain regions induces ectopic Sema3A

production via a Piezo1-dependent mechanism. Overall, these findings demonstrate that tissue mechanics locally modulates the availability of diffusive, long-range chemical signals, thus influencing cell function at sites distant from the mechanical cue."

The human brain is described by neurologists as the most complex machine in the universe. One reason is that several hundred-million-dollar research projects have failed to fully map the brains’ 86 billion neurons, roughly 85 billion other cells and over 100 trillion connections.

These “other cells” include glial cells—non-neuronal nervous system cells that outnumber neurons and provide essential structural support, insulation (myelin), and metabolic regulation. The function of the brain is judged/considered by neuroscientists to be even more complex than its cellular composition because it gives rise to perhaps its greatest mystery: consciousness.

The challenge lies in understanding how cells composed of protoplasm enable us to be conscious beings with thoughts, ideas, memories and the ability to form mental images. How the brain accomplishes this remains unknown.

Neurologists now, as a result of new research, recognize that the human brain is even more complex than once thought. As the brain grows and develops, neurons grow long extensions, projections called axons, which connect to different regions of the brain. On average, each one of these neurons connects to thousands of other neurons, resulting in an estimated 100 trillion connections.

It is well known that neuron growth relies on chemical cues to help

guide neurons to their targets. However, new research has shown that the system directing neurons to their destinations is more complex than previously assumed: the brain’s physical properties help to shape these signaling pathways. For example, the physical characteristics of tissue can trigger the production of “guidance molecules” through a force-sensing protein called/known as Piezo1. This protein “not only detects mechanical forces but also helps maintain the structure of brain tissue. The discovery reveals a powerful link between the brain’s physical environment and how its wiring is built.”

This discovery adds an entirely new dimension to our understanding of brain development. It indicates that neural wiring may be influenced by an intricate combination of chemical signals, physical structures, and mechanical forces working together. Far from simplifying our understanding, this finding highlights yet another layer of complexity in how the brain is formed—underscoring how much remains to be discovered.

According to the authors, this discovery is so significant that it represents a “paradigm shift” in neurobiology—one that may require textbooks to be rewritten. So far the research team has avoided attempting to explain this newly identified system in evolutionary terms. 

As they wrote, “Despite the tremendous progress that has been made in understanding the brain, its staggering complexity means that we are still a long way off from fully understanding its structure and even further away from fully understanding the way it functions.”

*In light of this, it follows that we are now even further from being able to explain how such a system could have originate by some mutation natural selection driven evolutionary process." 

CEH