“A SERMON FROM SCIENCE“ UNDERWATER SOUNDS IN THE SEA MOODY BIBLE INSTITUTE 49514

Produced by the Moody Institute of Science (MIS), a production company for the pro-creationism Moody Bible Institute and headed by pastor Irwin A. Moon, A Sermon From Science is a late 1960s or early 1970s educational film that shows the developments made in recording the underwater sounds of the seas (while situating it in a Christian context). The film opens with a shot of the sun sitting just above the sea, reflecting off the water; this is followed by footage of coastal scenes and underwater shots of schools of fish swimming around reefs. The film features some close-up shots of certain fish, including lionfish, jellyfish, and seahorses. As the narrator discusses the sounds from the different cultures of man, the film shows footage from a number of different cities from around the world (02:28), as well as clips of people playing music and dancing. Viewers then see an early prototype of a vacuum tube and microphone (04:14), which would lead to the hydrophone. A man lowers a hydrophone into the water to record sound. A croaker fish swims by a hydrophone (07:13). A team from the Moody Science Institute rides out from L.A. on a boat (07:33); a diver puts on diving gear and goes below the water to make an underwater recording of the ocean’s sounds. Footage shows schools of fish and includes corresponding audio; viewers see dolphins and a sea turtle (which bites at a hydrophone). At the University of Rhode Island’s Narragansett Marine Laboratory (09:42), scientists analyze and catalog the sounds of sea life. The film shows more fish and plays their audio recordings, including the sounds of a toadfish (11:03). A researcher looks at a fish’s swim bladder, which is used to make drumming sounds. The film presents the sounds of various fish and sea animals, including a Sea Robin (12:19), a burr fish, a spiny lobster (13:08), and snapping shrimp. A dolphin at Marine Land of the Pacific in California has its sounds recorded (14:27); the dolphin retrieves rings using sonar. At the U.S. Navy Marine Biology facility at Point Mugu, CA, a researcher tests a dolphin to see if it can identify a copper target over other types of metal targets (17:43). Another researcher monitors a screen as the experiment is recorded. Footage shows several dolphins with calves. A humpback whale breeches the surface of the water (20:16); a pilot whale swims while singing. An orca, Namu, is captured off the coast of Seattle (21:35); it is the third-ever captured orca. A researcher lowers a hydrophone into the water in the Arctic (22:33). Walruses swim while making bell noises (23:01). The film then ends with Irwin A. Moon speaking to the camera from his office about the relation of the science realm and spiritual realm. We encourage viewers to add comments and, especially, to provide additional information about our videos by adding a comment! See something interesting? Tell people what it is and what they can see by writing something for example: “01:00:12:00 -- President Roosevelt is seen meeting with Winston Churchill at the Quebec Conference.“ This film is part of the Periscope Film LLC archive, one of the largest historic military, transportation, and aviation stock footage collections in the USA. Entirely film backed, this material is available for licensing in 24p HD, 2k and 4k. For more information visit
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