HOW OLD IS THE EARTH?

Both creationists and evolutionists spend a great deal of time trying to

find the exact age of the earth, and for a good reason. As extensive

evidence continues to unfold that indicates the earth is less than

10,000 years old, the evolutionary theory falls apart. If the earth is

truly less than 10,000 years old, it would be impossible for man to have

evolved from a lower order in that amount of time.

Let's look for a moment, at how evolutionists date the age of the

earth.

HOW THE RADIOCARBON DATING METHOD WORKS

The radiocarbon dating method was developed by Professor Willard Libby

from California, for which he was awarded a Nobel prize. It is quite

accurate in many applications for which the specimens are only a few

thousand years old.

Here is how it works. The stratosphere above our earth is bombarded

with cosmic rays from the sun, which converts the N14 in the

stratosphere to radioactive carbon, or C14. This weak isotope is a part

of our environment, and is absorbed by all living organisms (plants and

animals) along with another version of carbon, C12, which is not

radioactive. As long as the organism is alive, the ratio of C12 to C14

in the organism is theoretically the same as that of the environment;

that is, the organism is in balance with the environment.

Once the organism dies, there is no longer a carbon intake. The

amount of C12 in the organism remains constant, but the radioactive C14

decomposes with a half life of 5730 years into nitrogen. Nitrogen is a

gas, which leaves the organism. This means after 5730 years, there will

only be half as much C14 as when the organism died. Thus, by measuring

the ratio of C12 to C14, one can (at least theoretically) determine when

the organism died.

For practical reality, however, this doesn't always work.

Researchers testing the shell of a live clam showed this live clam had

been dead for 300 years. Dried up seal- carcasses only thirty years old

have tested as old as 4600 years. Fresh carcasses often date as old as

1300 years.

Why is this so? Radiocarbon dating makes several

assumptions. If any of these is wrong, the results can be in error.

Assumption 1: The Living Organism is in Balance with the Environment

This method assumes the C14 is absorbed by the organism at the same rate

as the C12 from the environment. This is not always true. Some organisms

have some type of internal metabolism that can reject the C14 more

effectively than the C12. At death, then, these organisms have

abnormally low C14 levels and appear much older than they really are.

In addition, while living the organism may eat and metabolize

organic material that is old, thus loading their own system with the

outdated organic material that returns the false reading.

Assumption 2: The C12/C14 Level of the Atmosphere has remained constant.

Another assumption made in radiocarbon dating is that the ratio of

C12 to the radioactive C14 has remained constant for thousands of years.

Scientists today have a growing conviction that this ratio has not been

constant. Immanuel Velikovsky and other scientists believe that

cataclysmic events in the history of the earth could have radically

altered the stratosphere, affecting the amount of C14 created.

Velikovsky, writing in WORLDS IN COLLISION, believed that the

history of the earth was dramatically altered by the close approaches of

Mars and Venus. The book described Venus as originally a planet which

passed the earth as a comet only 3500 years ago and was captured by our

solar system. Velikovsky believed the flood, the parting of the Red Sea

as the Israelites escaped Egypt, the manna from heaven, and the day the

sun stood still as the Israelites battled their enemies were all related

to natural events.

For years several noted astronomers vigorously blocked the

publishing of this book by Macmillan, as these concepts were

contradictory to their own theories and the publishing would have

affected their own income and status. With the landing of the astronauts

on the moon, however, the dust levels that should have been several feet

high for the Big Bang theory were found as only a few inches high,

giving credence to Velikovsky's theories and giving him fresh

recognition during the last years of his life.

Today more and more scientific evidence gives proof to Velikovsky's

theories. The Bible describes the long life- times of early man, perhaps

due to the increased cloud cover at that time. The lower levels of C14

at that time would make the current samples appear older than they

actually are. Evidence exists that the earth's magnetic poles switch

occasionally, as old samples often show magnetic patterns that do not

match with he current magnetic alignment. Tropical plants have been

found buried in Sweden that could not have there unless Sweden was, at

one time, a lush tropical paradise. Velikovsky's theories would also

Assumption 3: The dating method assumes the sample is in a closed

system.

Once the organism has died, the theory assumes the only continuing

process is the decay of the C14. This, in fact, is seldom true. Ground

water can leach C14 from a rock. Heat, changes in the magnetic field,

and other factors can affect the ratio of C12 to C14.

Assumption 4: There are no daughter elements in the sample originally.

There is no way to know how much radioactive daughter elements are

actually in the sample at death. Other elements can affect the ratio.