Re:Age of the Earth
Vernon Jenkins (vernon.jenkins@virgin.net)
Mon, 24 Aug 1998 21:53:25 +0100Pim,
Concerning the questionable use of 'radiometric clocks' in estimating
the Earth's age, I came across the following interesting analogy:
"We can compare radioactive dating methods to the melting of an ice
cube. If we know how fast ice cubes melt and we are presented with a
tray of water that is alleged to have been derived from the ice, we
could calculate how large the original ice cube was and how long it took
to melt. But what if we don't know if all the water we are presented
with has come from the ice? What if water was already present in the pan
before the cube was put there to begin melting? Or what if water was
added to or removed from the pan during the course of the melting? What
if we don't know if the ice cube was melting under the exact conditions
we used to determine the rate of melting, i.e. what if the conditions
were warmer, colder or windier than the conditions used to determine
cube 'half-life'? Are we sure that some of the ice did not sublimate, or
some of the water in the pan evaporate? Was the water in this cube as
pure as the water in the cube we determined cube 'half-life' on?
"... If one were to argue that the age of the pan could be absolutely
determined by ice cube decay he would certainly be on tenuous grounds
unless he could answer with certainty each of the questions raised
above.
"... Until the assumptions in a dating method are known and scrutinized,
the calculated data cannot be given serious consideration."(R.L.Wysong).
Do you consider this a fair analogy? If so, perhaps you will admit that
the 'old earth' scenario stands on shaky ground. If not, perhaps you
would care to identify the divergencies.
In your last posting to me you asked for evidences of a 'young earth'.
But the fact that you so aggressively challenge as you do suggests that
you are widely read and au fait with both sides of the argument. Surely,
therefore, you must be aware of a few examples. However, in case not,
here are some: oil gushers, atmospheric helium, ocean concentrations,
ocean sediments, comet decay, etc, etc.
Vernon