Why Do We Shiver When We Have a Fever? 5 Thoughts to Ponder

Is it logical to shiver when we have a fever?

Have you ever wondered why we get a fever when we're sick?

Normally, body temperature remains constant (around 36.5 degrees Celsius), controlled by the hypothalamus in the brain (the brain's "thermostat"). During illness, the immune system sends out millions of soldiers (macrophages) to kill invading bacteria. Besides their direct action against foreign invaders, they release proteins (interleukins) that can cross the blood-brain barrier and prompt the hypothalamus to raise body temperature to levels where many bacteria and viruses cannot survive or reproduce.

In other words, the fever is a response from the immune system fighting bacteria and viruses. The difference between 37 and 38.5 degrees Celsius is critical, as many viruses and bacteria causing common winter diseases, such as the flu, cannot withstand such temperatures. Even if they are not destroyed, their reproduction rate decreases at higher body temperatures. Thus, when fever occurs, it indicates response and action against pathogens.

So why do we shiver when we have a fever? Could it be a malfunction in the body systems?!

Following the previous explanation, the hypothalamus senses body temperature and compares it to the desired set temperature. If the current body temperature differs from the desired temperature, the hypothalamus corrects it by sending neural signals causing us to sweat if hot or shiver and warm up if cold. Sweating cools the body, while shivering warms it.

This is why we shiver when we have a fever. We suffer from high temperature, sweat, yet feel cold, and hide under blankets. Later, when the fever reaches the new set temperature, the hypothalamus signals that body temperature is normal, and we don't feel cold anymore. This is the time we remove the blankets, and after a while, the hypothalamus lowers the temperature back to its regular value.

It turns out that what feels like a "design flaw" is indeed the body's natural way to fight infections. Who designed this marvelous mechanism?

How can they not see the Creator of the world?

One of the phenomena that fascinates me is how doctors and scientists, who are deeply familiar with the wonders of the human body and our amazing world, do not believe in a Creator? How do some even speak against this belief?

It's easy to acknowledge a Creator, as the entire creation shouts "there is a Creator." Just listening to our heartbeat can reveal something magnificent beyond us! Yet, if everything is so evident, why do many people not accept this simple truth? Why do some not pause to think and appreciate the wondrous creation?

Firstly, the endless chase after worldly distractions leaves no time for reflection. People are preoccupied with money, food, desires, honor, productivity, achievements, and chasing success, leaving no time for contemplation! This world "hides" the truth!

Secondly, people take the gifts from the Creator for granted. They grow up seeing, hearing, functioning, with a roof over their head and parents caring for them. They're used to these blessings, feeling they're natural and inevitable, failing to realize they need to express gratitude.

Thirdly, life failures cause ingratitude to the Creator - challenges faced by non-believers (that come justly and benefit them) lead to anger and complaints against the Creator, leading to ingratitude.

Finally, pride makes people believe the blessings are deserved, feeling no need to express gratitude to the Creator.

Therefore, when encountering scientists and doctors making statements against faith, let us not lose heart or view their expertise as justification for disbelief. We must continuously observe the wisdom and supervision of the Creator in our lives and creation, express gratitude for all the good bestowed upon us, and accept our role in serving the Creator who sustains us every moment.

Noise. Commotion. Shouts. Chaos!

The baby is in the mother's womb. The atmosphere is pleasant, food is available, and there's no noise or commotion. It's like a five-star hotel. But what happens after birth? The baby might suddenly be exposed to a million stimuli: seeing many people greeting them, hearing shouts and cries, smelling unfamiliar scents, and dealing with touches from people holding, hugging, and kissing them—all new and not necessarily pleasant.

Imagine the new experiences a baby must process at once. All their senses might ignite at once! What will become of them? Can they truly perceive with all senses and process this information? How will they survive this sudden transition? How will they feel secure in this new world?

What did the Creator do to prevent discomfort? Of the senses, the baby enters this world with well-developed senses of touch and taste, crucial at this stage (babies are born with a very developed sense of touch, especially in the fingertips and mouth area. Touch is existentially needed. Taste is also developed, with a clear preference for sweet tastes, like lactose in mother's milk. Lactose is vital, providing energy for the fast-growing body and brain, enhancing calcium absorption, etc.). In contrast, some senses are not fully developed initially but evolve later (for instance, the visual system: babies are born nearsighted, seeing a blurry world in low-definition and gray shades).

Amazing how babies enter this world without all senses fully active at once, a kindness from the Creator to protect them during this sudden transition...

"Even the stork in the sky knows her appointed times" (Jeremiah 8:7)

Bird migration is a wondrous natural phenomenon. They travel from place to place in fixed cycles and routes to escape harsh climates and seek food.

Bird migration raises many questions: How do birds know when to start? How do they know where to migrate? How do they navigate and find their way? How do they endure tough journeys and survive long distances? It's astounding: a tiny bird weighing about 20 grams, with a brain weighing only half a gram, can migrate thousands of kilometers annually without losing its path, returning to its origin.

In research, scientists discovered a sort of "internal clock" in birds that detects changes in light and darkness. As days shorten and nights lengthen, a change occurs in their hunger mechanism. Due to this change, birds eat about 40% more than during other seasons. This allows them to build large fat reserves for the long flight. After "fueling up," the birds gather and set off.

Secondly, birds learn to recognize prominent features en route: rivers, lakes, mountains, sounds, and scents. The birds' aerial view and excellent visual memory help them navigate and repeat the same route every year. Celestial bodies even aid bird navigation. The sun's direction and relative elevation assist in orienting themselves. At night, fixed stars help guide birds.

Another way birds navigate is through the Earth's magnetic field. The Earth's poles have strong magnetic forces, decreasing as one moves away from the poles. The birds' instinct allows them to sense the changing magnetic force, helping them determine north and south and their location along the migration path.

Researchers also discovered migratory birds have unique biological features suited for migration. They have longer wings relative to body size than non-migratory relatives. The shape of their wings is also adapted for migration: certain migratory birds have tapered wing ends, providing more speed and preventing energy waste, crucial for long-distance travel.

Despite extensive research on bird migration, many mysteries remain unsolved. Human intellect cannot fully explain the astounding marvels of a small bird migrating vast distances...

Who beautifully arranged the leaves around the stem?

Almost all plants have leaves with diverse shapes: heart-shaped, clover, feather, finger, alternate leaves (one leaf per stem node), opposite leaves (a pair per stem node), or whorls (more than two leaves per node). But all share the same role - photosynthesis. Sowhy, despite the similar role, do plants have differently shaped leaves?

Examining different leaf shapes and arrangements reveals adaptations for maximum light energy absorption. Even if leaves seem randomly arranged, they are not. Leaves are organized in a defined and consistent order on plant stems, allowing each leaf to fulfill its role and capture the required light. Each plant species has a specific, stable leaf arrangement called "phyllotaxis" - a botanical term describing optimal leaf arrangement for maximum solar energy absorption.

Remarkably, leaf arrangements on branches and stems, set in a defined and consistent pattern, enable each leaf to fulfill its role and capture just the right amount of light needed for one of life's essential processes, photosynthesis, which releases the oxygen we breathe!

What are the lines on tree leaves?

Leaves display fine lines, their veins, acting like thin transport pipes reaching every leaf corner. Just as human veins carry blood nourishing every body part, sap travels through leaf veins nourishing them. There are parallel veins, aligned side by side; arched veins, arranged in curves; and network veins, forming a mesh.

Everything is beautifully arranged, symmetrical, with a clear purpose. So who designed this architecture? Who skillfully installed these transport pipes ("veins") in the plant so perfectly?