The fossils 

The Fossils which are found around the world give scien-

tists an accurate picture of species which existed in the past.

Fossils are generally found in sedimentary rocks. Most scientists

believe that these rock deposits were formed over many millions

of years.

A classification system has been devised which dates

rocks by the type of fossils in them. Specific fossil remains are

used to classify and date each layer of rock. The less complex

early forms of life would be found in the oldest rocks. Inverti-

brates would be in rocks older than those containing vertebrates.

The fossils used for this dating method are called index fossils.

The resulting layers of rock and their corresponding dates are

called the Geologic Column.

The Geologic Column is generally represented vertically

with the oldest rocks appearing at the bottom. Each layer repres-

ents a time period in the earth's history. Scientists generally

feel that it has taken hundreds of millions of years for these

layers of fossils to have accumulated. It should be mentioned at

this point that the Geologic Column is not found in its entirety

throughout the world. In many places there are large gaps and dis-

continuities in the column. At other locations the oldest rock

strata appear on the surface and the younger layers are in an

inverted order below the surface. (Morris-Parker 198)

The oldest sedimentary rocks known to contain any preserved

remains are the Cambrian Rocks. These rocks are considered to be

as old as six hundred million years. These rocks contain life forms

such as corals, jellyfish, crustaceans, trilobites, and brachiopods.

In fact, scientists have found every one of the major invertibrate

life forms in the Cambrian Rocks. Many of these fossils are highly

complex.

Researchers have also found trilobites with their eyes in

excellent fossilized condition (Levi-Setti 24). Trilobites are remark-

able creatures which are now extinct. They are marine invertebrates

which varied in size from several inches to over one foot. Scien-

tists have used the electron microscope to study the remains of

these prehistoric animals. The geometric precision of their eyes

is starling (Levi-Setti 33).

Some authorities believe that the

trilobite had vision which was as good as we have today (Gish WFSI).

What an amazingly intricate organism to find in the Cambrian Rock

layer! Darwin believed that one of the major obstacles to his

theory was "organs of extreme perfection and complication "(Darwin

223). He marveled at the eye's ability to focus and adjust for various

levels of light, as well as its corrections for sperical and

chromatic aberration (Darwin 224).

The discovery of the complexity of trilobites is remarkable

when it is considered that Cambrian Rocks are the oldest sediment-

ary rocks and should therefore have the simplest forms of life.

Based on the evolution model the oldest rocks will have fossils

of primitive life forms. This does not appear to follow the evolu-

tion model. Scientists are hard pressed to explain the appearance

of such a complex species in such extremely old rocks. How does

this discovery fit in with the requirements of the creation model?

The creationist believes that highly intricate forms of life

appeared abruptly. This finding is favorable to the position of

the creationist.

If the Cambrian Rocks contain the oldest known fossil

remains, what can we expect to find in Precambrian Rocks? Before

answering that question, let's consider what might be possible

based on our two model approach to origins. Evolution requires long

time periods and slow gradual change. Therefore, based on the evolu-

tion model we would expect to find simple forms of life which lived

prior to Cambrian times. The older rocks should contain evidence

of the ancestors of trilobites and brachiopods. The continuity of

slow and gradual change should be maintained in the evidence found

in the sedimentary rocks.

On the other hand, the creation model

would suggest a sudden appearance of complicated forms of life.

Considering the creation model further , the Precambrian Rocks

might contain other complex life forms or possibly no life forms

at all. In fact scientists have not found any fossils in Precambian

Rock (Gish 45). This supports the creation model and leaves evolution

with a lack of data.