Young Dinosaur Fossils, DNA Discoveries and Fossilized Squid Ink

Since Darwin proposed a theory called evolution in his book, “The Origin of the Species,” the worldview and assumptions of most of the scientists have argued that our Earth is billions of years old.  We should not forget Darwin’s widely-held belief that dinosaurs were considered a “prehistoric” animal.  Methods of dating which are built on assumptions and guesses have staunchly argued for an Earth that is billions of years old and dinosaur fossils that are millions of years old.  However, findings in the last 15 years have shaken these ideas to their core.  These findings have fueled the debate as to whether we live on an “old” Earth (billions of years old) or a “young” Earth (thousands of years old according to The Holy Bible).

The Word of God has stated the same premise for thousands of years, that in the beginning, God created it all.  Now, perhaps mainstream science may start to get the message.

BLOOD VESSELS, BLOOD CELLS AND PROTEINS

A center of controversy for evolutionists came from the Hell Creek region of eastern Montana.  Paleontologist Mary Schweitzer published a paper regarding the findings of a most unusual femur from a Tyrannosaurus Rex found there. The outer shell of this bone appeared to be fossilized and was dated at 60-70 millions years old.  Inside the thigh bone were features that one would expect to find in the bone of a specimen that had just recently expired.  Upon additional examination and testing, flexible blood vessels were found, and even red blood cells.

Performing more testing, Schweitzer later produced a second paper stating that there were intact proteins in the same samples that were extracted.  Collagen, a resilient biomolicule found in many fossils, was found in the specimen.  However, “in bones, hydrolysis (breakdown) of the main protein component, collagen, is even more rapid and little intact collagen remains after only 1-3×10⁴ [10,000 to 30,000] years, except in bones in cool or dry depositional environments.”

A few years later, similar findings were discovered in the bone of yet a different T-rex.

Schweitzer, a scientist who believes in an “old” Earth and evolution, had this to say about her findings a few years later:  “I looked at this and I looked at this and I thought, this can’t be. Red blood cells don’t preserve.”  In a separate interview, she has also been quoted as saying, “I am quite aware that according to conventional wisdom and models of fossilization, these structures aren’t supposed to be there, but there they are. I was pretty shocked.”

This area of Montana was once again a cornucopia of astounding findings described in a paper by Schweitzer in 2009.  The fossil of a hadrosaur, a duck-billed dinosaur, was discovered in the Judith River Formation (below Hell Creek) that was 80 million years old.  This specimen revealed two types of collagen, more flexible blood vessels with more red blood cells, and more interesting findings.

Predictably, some of her peers have tried to discredit her findings, claiming that the soft tissues were made by bacteria, which would not fit the observed data. In their recent study, Schweitzer’s team confirmed the presence of an amino acid called hydroxyproline, a component of vertebrate collagen and which bacteria do not manufacture. Other scientists have claimed that perhaps Schweitzer’s techniques were to blame for these discoveries.  In answer to this, Schweitzer had the hadrosaur tissues and proteins retested in “a second set of experiments, conducted in a separate lab.”  The same results were found on the second set of samples.

The dating of dinosaur fossils as being millions of years old has long been the hallmark of many scientists to “prove” that our Earth is an “old” Earth (billions of years old) as opposed to being a “young” Earth (thousands of years old) as claimed by most creationists.  The shocking findings of these discoveries undercut and bring to question the dating processes that are used to claim that our Earth is billions of years old.  However, the findings of these three fossils are not all that make these times a great time to be a “young” Earth creationist.

MUMMIFIED SKIN AND FOOD

In addition to the evidence of the three fossils described above, yet a different hadrosaur fossil was discovered in Malta, Montana in 2000 which was mummified.  Not only was the skin of this creature called “Leonardo” mummified, this herbivore even has a mummified stomach containing magnolia, fern, and conifer vegetation.

The hurdles for “old” Earth promoters obviously include answering the question of how Leonardo’s remains were not eaten by another dinosaur, as indicated by his mummified skin being intact.  Additionally, we must ask why the remains in Leonardo’s stomach were not yet digested, let alone why they were not rotted like every other fossil that has been discovered.

This phenomenon certainly puzzles old Earth scientists, who are obviously attempting to find a way to explain away these findings that are contrary to their teachings.  But these findings do not puzzle young earth creationists, who know that God created the world just a few thousand years ago, and have stood for that principle which is plainly, simply and literally stated in Genesis.

PRESERVED DNA IN SPECIMENS “MILLIONS” OF YEARS OLD

According to an article in Nature magazine, a wet “fossil” magnolia, dated to be over 17 million years old, yielded DNA material that was 800 base pairs long.  What is especially remarkable is that water will quickly degrade DNA, yet this wet specimen had viable, nearly complete DNA material after 17 million years.

Just like in Jurassic Park, Science magazine from May 1995 reports that a microbiologist in California dissected a 25 to 40 million year old Dominican stingless bee from amber.  Taking careful steps to avoid contamination, Dr. Cano, the discoverer, found spores of bacteria inside the bee that grew when placed in the proper medium.  It was discovered that this DNA was much like the DNA found in bacteria growing in bees today.  But if evolutionary change is assumed to be true, are we to believe that bacteria have not evolved any in over 25 million years?  And how did this DNA survive the millions of years of degradation processes?  Or is this yet more evidence that our planet is “young” and not “old”? 

AWWWW, IT’S A SQUID

An August 2009 article posted on Archaeology Daily News.com reveals yet another startling discovery.  Dr. Phil Wilby led an excavation team who discovered a “150 million year old” squid that had a one inch long ink sac.  The ink was still black, and according to Wilby, “the ink was fossilized so beautifully well that you can actually still write with it. It still looks as if it is modern squid ink.  It’s absolutely incredible to find something like this.”  Wilby went on to comment about other creatures similarly preserved nearby, stating, “throughout the world there are perhaps a few dozen examples of soft parts being preserved, but this is really special. I can dissect them as if they are living animals. You can even tell whether it was a fast or slow swimmer, by looking at all the muscle fibers.”

The squid ink discovery is only “absolutely incredible” if present geologic processes are presumed to have formed the rock record. If the various strata represent millions and millions of years, then “modern squid ink” in a fossil would be absolutely incredible. In contrast, according to the creation science model, most of the earth’s sedimentary strata were formed during the year-long great Flood.

CONCLUSION

The supposed age of dinosaur fossils have long been the main sticking point for evolutionists to prove that the earth is billions of years old.  However, recent discovery such as the red blood cells, viable blood vessels, proteins and more in dinosaur fossils in Montana pose very serious questions about the long-held beliefs of an old earth.  If you add in the discovery of mummified dinosaur skin and food, the intact DNA and viscous squid ink, then the balance of the scales of evidence starts to tip definitively on the side of young earth creationists.

The Word of God has stated the same premise for thousands of years, that in the beginning, God created it all.  Now, perhaps mainstream science may start to get the message.