Is there evidence in the Rocks for Evolution in past ages? WHAT DO THE FOSSILS TELL US?

TYPES OF ROCKS 1. IGNEOUS – were once molten (as they are more than 50 miles deep down) 1. IGNEOUS – were once molten (as they are more than 50 miles deep down) – contain no fossils! –E.g. granite, basalt, felspar 2. SEDIMENTARY – were laid down as sediment during flood(s) – in layers -Many fossils here -E.g. sandstone, limestone, coal seams, shale

IGNEOUS ROCK – BASALT COLUMNS

SEDIMENTARY ROCK IN LAYERS (STRATA)

FOSSILISED TREE TRUNK

FOSSIL 100 cm x 40 cm

How to become a Fossil ? No! Yes!

THE “GEOLOGICAL COLUMN”

HEAD-LINE CLAIMS ARE - “The fossil record grows more complete all the time, and shows a clear sequence of change.” - from the BBC website 2009

BUT actually … ! " geology assuredly does not reveal any such finely graduated organic chain and this perhaps is the most obvious and gravest objection which can be used against my theory". Charles Darwin, 1859

“I fully agree with your comments on the lack of direct illustration of evolutionary transitions in my book. If I knew of any, fossil or living, I would certainly have included them. I will lay it on the line — there is not one such fossil for which one could make a watertight argument.” In 1979, Colin Patterson, Senior Palaeontologist at the British Museum of Natural History in London, wrote:

“…. in the ‘Origin of Species’ Darwin showed that the record was useless for testing between evolution and special creation because it has great gaps in it. The same argument still applies. Prof. Richard Dawkins, Oxford University, In any case, no real evolutionist uses the fossil record as evidence in favour of the theory of evolution as opposed to special creation.” MISSING LINKS are not there despite the head-line claims

FOSSILS GIVE AGE OF ROCKS? “Because plants and animals evolve over time, we can use fossils to estimate the age of the rocks” (Museum, 2009) “Because plants and animals evolve over time, we can use fossils to estimate the age of the rocks” (Museum, 2009) “The age of the fossil is given by reference to the rock in which it is found” “The age of the fossil is given by reference to the rock in which it is found” “The oldest rocks are estimated to be about 2,000,000,000 years old” “The oldest rocks are estimated to be about 2,000,000,000 years old”

??

How old is the earth? 5 thousand million years?? Measure Radioactivity in some igneous rocks - - rate for uranium to change into lead (half-life)? - - eg 1 g per million yrs per ton - - how much lead now in sample? - eg 25 g per ton - - calculate age = 25 million yrs ! ONLY IF - RATE HASN’T CHANGED OVER 25 MILLION YRS AND IF - THERE WAS NO LEAD IN SAMPLE TO START WITH

EXTRAPOLATION - CAN BE DANGEROUS! “ True here” is not always “True there”! expansion of steel rod, degrees - then 1200 – 2200 degrees?? expansion of steel rod, degrees - then 1200 – 2200 degrees?? growth of child, 1-17 yrs growth of child, 1-17 yrs - then yrs?? in Earth’s present state in Earth’s present state – then at the beginning?? – in outer space??

Examining the Evidence Morphology / Species TimeCambrianPrecambrian Darwinian Model Actual Data Sudden appearance of complex creatures Created after their kind Tree of life

PROBLEMS FOR EVOLUTION THEORY 1. “Earliest” fossils already very complex 1. “Earliest” fossils already very complex – no “simpler” ones exist - the “Cambrian explosion” - the “Cambrian explosion” 2. No missing links – no hybrid life forms 2. No missing links – no hybrid life forms – all defined types – all defined types 3. Column incomplete, many strata inverted, - fossils in “wrong” place 3. Column incomplete, many strata inverted, - fossils in “wrong” place

older than its supposed dinosaur ancestors ! Archaeopteryx

Long time! - is a problem for evolution! Goes towards equilibrium stability Goes towards equilibrium stability = less complexity, not more = less complexity, not more Loss of variety = extinction Loss of variety = extinction Energy becomes less useful Energy becomes less useful “Ice ages” interupt “Ice ages” interupt

Best explanation uses the Biblical story of the Great Flood of Genesis 6-7 Best explanation uses the Biblical story of the Great Flood of Genesis 6-7

FOSSILISATION - Erosion and destruction everywhere Erosion and destruction everywhere Creatures rapidly buried in flood-borne silt Creatures rapidly buried in flood-borne silt - then cementation/petrification More mobile creatures escape longest More mobile creatures escape longest Layers are zones of habitat Layers are zones of habitat – ecological zones – ecological zones - not chronological record

SEA / WATER DRY LAND

FOSSILISATION - Rapid burial in flood-borne silt Rapid burial in flood-borne silt Layers are zones of habitat Layers are zones of habitat - not chronological record - a lot of water not a lot of time! Violent hydrological sorting/stirring Violent hydrological sorting/stirring Huge volcanic activity - changes in strata Huge volcanic activity - changes in strata

HUGE CHANGES AT FLOOD TOPOGRAPHY – higher + deeper TOPOGRAPHY – higher + deeper TECTONICS – drift, separation, volcanoes TECTONICS – drift, separation, volcanoes ATMOSPHERE – water vapour canopy lost (immense rainfall) – less benign climate ATMOSPHERE – water vapour canopy lost (immense rainfall) – less benign climate EXTINCTION – adapt to survive, or perish EXTINCTION – adapt to survive, or perish REPOPULATION – 3 distinct branches of human race REPOPULATION – 3 distinct branches of human race - from 3 couples to 6 billion in ~ 5,000 yrs (average 2.5 children per family in stable times)

VIOLENT – water from above & beneath 40 days of rain - YEAR LONG FLOOD WORLDWIDE CAUSE OF IT EXPLAINED

What do the fossils tell do the fossils tell us? us? God judges sin God provides salvation

A FLOOD-PROOF ARK Warning of judgement – coming soon! Invitation to come on board – plenty room! Guarantee of safety - all the way Rainbow Promise - of blessing

A JUDGEMENT-PROOF SALVATION – Needed?… by me? – Available? … for all? – Guaranteed? … forever?

JESUS CHRIST SAID – “Come to Me … – and I will give you rest” Matthew “Whoever comes to Me – I will never cast them out” John 6.37 “I give to them eternal life – and they shall never perish” John 10.28