Age of the EarthAge of the EarthEvidence:Evidence:

““The earth is older than man’s The earth is older than man’s recorded history.”recorded history.”

David A. Eakin, Ph.D.David A. Eakin, Ph.D.19851985

““If oak trees and If oak trees and humans share a humans share a common ancestor,common ancestor,that ancestor had to that ancestor had to live very long ago.”live very long ago.”Karl D. Feser, in the Karl D. Feser, in the Review of Thirty-One Creationist BooksReview of Thirty-One Creationist Books, Stan , Stan

Weinberg, ed., National Center for Science Education, 1984, p. 69Weinberg, ed., National Center for Science Education, 1984, p. 69

General Evolution NeedsGeneral Evolution NeedsLots of TimeLots of Time

““Time is the hero of the plot. The time with Time is the hero of the plot. The time with which we have to deal is in the order of two which we have to deal is in the order of two billion years. What we regard as impossible billion years. What we regard as impossible on the basis of human experience is on the basis of human experience is meaningless here. Given so much time, the meaningless here. Given so much time, the ‘impossible’ becomes possible, the possible ‘impossible’ becomes possible, the possible probable, and the probable virtually certain. probable, and the probable virtually certain. One has only to wait: time performs the One has only to wait: time performs the miracles.”miracles.”

George Wald, George Wald, Scientific AmericanScientific AmericanVVol. 191, Aug. 1954, p. 48.ol. 191, Aug. 1954, p. 48.

Time Performs the MiraclesTime Performs the Miracles

““By this time the alternative By this time the alternative to special creation, namely to special creation, namely the idea of continuity and the idea of continuity and historical succession, or historical succession, or evolution, had occurred to a evolution, had occurred to a number of thinkers. Some number of thinkers. Some of these recognized that any of these recognized that any concept of evolution concept of evolution demanded an earth of demanded an earth of sufficiently great age, and sufficiently great age, and they set out to estimate this they set out to estimate this age.”age.”

Estimating the Age of the EarthEstimating the Age of the Earth

Biblical GenealogiesBiblical Genealogies

1. Significance of “BEGAT”1. Significance of “BEGAT” - Gen. 11:26 -BTB- Gen. 11:26 -BTB

2. Skip Generations2. Skip Generations - 2 Kings 9:2, 20- 2 Kings 9:2, 20 - Compare - Compare

Units of local applicationUnits of local application

AssumptionsAssumptionsof Dating Methodsof Dating Methods• Initial Initial ConditionCondition

• Final Final ConditionCondition

• Rate of DecayRate of Decay

Basic Assumption in DatingBasic Assumption in Dating

Gentry’s Conclusions:Gentry’s Conclusions:

““The half-life of polonium 214 is only 164 micro-seconds. The half-life of polonium 214 is only 164 micro-seconds. According to one theory of the planet’s origin, the earth According to one theory of the planet’s origin, the earth cooled down from a hot gaseous mass and gradually cooled down from a hot gaseous mass and gradually solidified over a period of hundreds of millions of years.solidified over a period of hundreds of millions of years.If this were so, polonium halos could not possibly have If this were so, polonium halos could not possibly have formed because all the polonium would have decayed soon formed because all the polonium would have decayed soon after it was synthesized and would have been extinct when after it was synthesized and would have been extinct when the crustal rocks formed . . .Unless the creation of the the crustal rocks formed . . .Unless the creation of the radioactivity and rocks were simultaneous there would be radioactivity and rocks were simultaneous there would be no picture - no variant pleochroic halos. Further, by no picture - no variant pleochroic halos. Further, by virtue of the very short half-life, the radioactivity and virtue of the very short half-life, the radioactivity and formation of the rocks must be almost instantaneous.”formation of the rocks must be almost instantaneous.”

Robert Robert GentryGentry

Short-Lived Radioactive Isotopes

One could rightly ask why we should believe dates that One could rightly ask why we should believe dates that have not had their assumptions validated when so many have not had their assumptions validated when so many dates that can be checked for accuracy are wrong, dates that can be checked for accuracy are wrong, sometimes ludicrously so. For example:sometimes ludicrously so. For example:

1. Living mollusks (snails, etc.) have had their shells 1. Living mollusks (snails, etc.) have had their shells dated by thedated by the C-14 method up to 2,300 years. C-14 method up to 2,300 years.2. New wood from actively growing trees has been 2. New wood from actively growing trees has been dated by thedated by the same method at 10,000 years! same method at 10,000 years!3. Mortar from the Oxford Castle in England was 3. Mortar from the Oxford Castle in England was assigned an ageassigned an age by C-14 of 7,370 years, but the castle was built by C-14 of 7,370 years, but the castle was built only 785 yearsonly 785 years ago. ago.4. Freshly killed seals have been dated at 1,300 4. Freshly killed seals have been dated at 1,300 years, andyears, and mummified seals dead no longer than 30 years mummified seals dead no longer than 30 years have beenhave been dated up to 4,600 years. dated up to 4,600 years.

Creationist ExamplesCreationist Examples

““The evidence that radioclocks have actually been The evidence that radioclocks have actually been deranged is clear from the many dating errors of objects of deranged is clear from the many dating errors of objects of known age. We previously mentioned the 6,000 year spread of known age. We previously mentioned the 6,000 year spread of dates for Jarmo which was known to be inhabited for only 500 dates for Jarmo which was known to be inhabited for only 500 years, as well as other C-14 errors. Errors with the potassium years, as well as other C-14 errors. Errors with the potassium and uranium methods are equally striking. For example, lava and uranium methods are equally striking. For example, lava from Hawaiian and other volcanoes around the world that is from Hawaiian and other volcanoes around the world that is known to have flowed within the last two hundred years has known to have flowed within the last two hundred years has been dated by the potassium-argon andbeen dated by the potassium-argon anduranium-lead methodsuranium-lead methodsat thousands of millions at thousands of millions of years! Surely this of years! Surely this demonstrates that the demonstrates that the assumptions used in dating assumptions used in dating techniques are not only truly techniques are not only truly assumptions, but often assumptions, but often truly wrong.”truly wrong.”

Pillow LavaPillow Lava

TIME or PROCESSTIME or PROCESS

Ja’ldskjf’a;kl

Lkds’akj

Kaj’klj

Kerkut has also noted several disappointing Kerkut has also noted several disappointing errors in various dating results. Some errors in various dating results. Some

examples are:examples are:1. A deposit in the Colorado Caribou Mime 1. A deposit in the Colorado Caribou Mime dated by uranium-lead yielded an error of dated by uranium-lead yielded an error of

700 million years.700 million years.2. Swedish kolm was dated by uranium-lead 2. Swedish kolm was dated by uranium-lead from 380 million years to 800 million years.from 380 million years to 800 million years.

3. Potassium-argon methods have dated 3. Potassium-argon methods have dated “Cambrium” rocks 200 million years older “Cambrium” rocks 200 million years older

than a previous estimate.than a previous estimate. Read, in a presentation to a California State Board Read, in a presentation to a California State Board of Education Meeting, revealed the finds of his of Education Meeting, revealed the finds of his research in the scientific literature dealing with research in the scientific literature dealing with moon datings. Apollo sample material dated by moon datings. Apollo sample material dated by uranium-thorium-lead, agglutinate, and potassium-uranium-thorium-lead, agglutinate, and potassium-argon methods gave ages from two million years to argon methods gave ages from two million years to 28 billion years.28 billion years.