Wyoming Fossils: Coming to Grips with the Absurdity of the Flood Geology Model of Fossil Origins
The sedimentary rocks of the Earth hold vast quantities of fossils. Hundreds of years of careful observations have shown that fossils are far from random in their distribution but rather they appear in the geological column in a distinct pattern or order referred to as fossil succession. How can we explain the observed distribution of fossils in … [Read More...]
Recent Articles
European Peat Bogs as Natural Recorders of Human History
Peat bogs are a repository of the passage of time. They record changes in the earth's atmosphere and dramatic events such as ash falls from volcanic … [Continue reading...]
Origins and Extinctions: A Lesson from the Penguins of the Northern Hemisphere
Question: What kind of bird is flightless, waddles standing upright on the ground, is an excellent swimmer, breeds in colonies on rocky shores, lives … [Continue reading...]
The Amazing Killdeer: Designed for Deception, a Good Creation, or Both?
Birds, like all organisms, employ many strategies to ensure that their offspring will survive, thereby allowing the continued existence of the … [Continue reading...]
Observing God’s Good Creation: The Fascinating Life History of Killdeer
Killdeer (Charadrius vociferous) birds are masters of deception. They lay eggs on the ground—right in plain sight—except that they are hard to see. … [Continue reading...]
The World’s Largest Rock Tumbler is an Unusual Testimony to an Ancient Earth
Evidence that some features of earth's landscape are the product of processes acting over longer periods of time can be found everywhere we look. … [Continue reading...]
NH Favorites
An Ancient and Alien Forest Reconstructed: A Fossil Challenge for Young-earth Creationists
Fossils often provide us with only a fragmentary view of the distant past but sometimes collections of fossils record ancient and seemingly alien worlds in stunning clarity. In the past decade … .
On the Origin of Thorns: The Prelapsarian Acacia and the Good Creation
Thorns, prickles, spines and needles provide an effective means of protection for plants against many herbivores which would otherwise find them to be a source of nourishment. A common perception of … .
Ken Ham’s Ark Encounter to Usher in a Modern Day Reformation?
Ken Ham would have us believe that the modern reincarnation of the young-earth creationist movement, which he claims began only 55 years ago, is the real deal this time. Unlike previous attempts over … .
My Letter to the Host of a Local Creation Conference
For many pastors and their congregations, questions about the intersection of science and faith are difficult because of their unfamiliarity with the scientific evidence and the extensive theological … .
A 60,000 Year Varve Record from Japan Refutes the Young-Earth Interpretation of Earth’s History
Do places on Earth exist where annual records have been stored for tens of thousands of years and can be accessed today? Ice-cores and tree rings can preserve long records of yearly events but some … .
The Toba Super-Eruption: The Global Catastrophe that Creationists Ignore
Sudden catastrophic events are not unknown in Earth’s history. Large craters are evidence of past cosmic impacts. Widespread layers of volcanic ash are a testimony of massive … [Read More...]
Juvenile Dinosaurs Found Huddling in a Nest: A Local or Global Catastrophe?
We live in a new golden age of fossil discoveries. It seems that every week a new and dramatic fossil find is revealed. This fossil renaissance can be attributed to the opening … [Read More...]
Finding Mars on Earth: A Conversation about Martian Meteorites
Maybe you missed it last week with all the excitement of the pictures from Curiosity and its analysis of the rocks on Mars (See my last post: Curious Geology: Stunning Images … [Read More...]
William Buckland: Minister and Geologist Grappling with Fossil Feces, Deep Time and the Age of Reptiles
The Reverend William Buckland (1784-1856) was one of the last in a line of influential natural theologians following in the footsteps of John Ray (late 1600s) and William Paley … [Read More...]
A 60,000 Year Varve Record from Japan Refutes the Young-Earth Interpretation of Earth’s History
Do places on Earth exist where annual records have been stored for tens of thousands of years and can be accessed today? Ice-cores and tree rings can preserve long records of … [Read More...]
Consider the Ostrich: Literal-Day Creationists Unsure about the Ostrich’s Created Condition
Ostriches are curious creatures. They are very large birds that, although they have large wings, are … [Read More...]
The Prelapsarian Ostrich: Paradise Lost or Portrait of a Good Creation?
What was the ecological state at the beginning of creation? Were perfectly suited plants and animals … [Read More...]
Pulling Teeth and Plucking Feathers – Ancient Birds and Young-Earth Creationists
A few weeks ago I criticized Ken Ham and several of his Answers in Genesis' colleagues for stating … [Read More...]
Consider the Ostrich—Comparing Theistic Models of Biological Origins
Some passages of scripture contain detailed natural history information about animals. The book of … [Read More...]
Consider the Ostrich: Job 39 and God’s Commentary on His Creation
The book of Job contains the most descriptive language about the natural world in all of Scripture. … [Read More...]
Creationism and the Church
The Prelapsarian Ostrich: Paradise Lost or Portrait of a Good Creation?
What was the ecological state at the beginning of creation? Were perfectly suited plants and animals created for a … [Read More...]
Consider the Ostrich—Comparing Theistic Models of Biological Origins
Some passages of scripture contain detailed natural history information about animals. The book of Job, in particular, … [Read More...]
Consider the Ostrich: Job 39 and God’s Commentary on His Creation
The book of Job contains the most descriptive language about the natural world in all of Scripture. In Job 39 alone, we … [Read More...]
Estimating Ark Encounter Attendance from Data Provided by Ken Ham
Ken Ham continues to beat the drum over record-breaking attendance at the Ark Encounter and Creation Museum. On a … [Read More...]
A Million and Counting: Assessing the First Year of the Ark Encounter
The young-earth inspired attraction, the Ark Encounter, opened one year ago near a small town in Kentucky. When it … [Read More...]
Natural History Notes
Interpreting Genesis
Wisdom from the Past
John Ray in 1695: The Flood, Fossils, and Extinction
John Ray, one of England's greatest 17th century natural theologians, spent much time pondering the meaning of fossils or "formed stones" as they were called then. I have shared some of his thoughts … .
Testing Book-smarts with Observation: John Ray (1735) on the Value of Knowledge Creation
Should professors at Universities be active participants in generating and testing ideas or should they be content to be teachers of what is already known? Most higher educational institutions, such … .
John Ray on Flood Geology in 1695: Words that Still Apply Today
Modern young-earth creationism has deep roots. The essential elements of flood geology were established in the 1600s though much of what passed as flood geology at that time might be difficult to … .
NH Notes: John Ray on the Purpose of Creation in “The Wisdom of God”
The Englishman and natural historian John Ray is best known for his book, The Wisdom of God. Like many other books of the 18th century, he continually revised and reissued his book until the time of … .
NH Notes: The Scientific Enterprise and Paradise Gained
I’m sitting in the Boston Airport on my way to a conference at Gordon College but I have enough time for a natural history note while I wait for a colleague to arrive. On my flight from Ohio I read … .
