Some evolutionists who believed in the necessity of upholding a theory that had reached an impasse set up a new model. Neo-Darwinism. When, however, it was proved that the mechanisms proposed by Neo-Darwinism were invalid and minor changes were not sufficient for the formation of living forms, evolutionists went on to look for new models. They developed a new model called "punctuated equilibrium" that does not have rational or scientific grounds. This model held that living forms suddenly evolved into another species without any transitional forms, hence writing off the need to find missing links like writing off a bad debt in a business.
In other words, species with no evolutionary "ancestors" suddenly appeared. This was a way of describing creation, though evolutionists would be loath to admit this. The just-so narratives multiplied. For instance, apparently the first bird in history suddenly and inexplicably popped out of a reptile egg. The same theory also held that carnivorous land-dwelling animals could have turned into giant whales, having undergone a sudden and comprehensive transformation.
These claims, totally contradicting all the rules of genetics, biophysics, and biochemistry are as scientific as fairy-tales of frogs turning into princes!
Nevertheless, being distressed by the crisis of the Neo-Darwinist assertion, some evolutionist palaeontologists embraced this theory, which has the distinction of being even more bizarre than Neo-Darwinism itself.
The only purpose of this model was to provide an explanation for the gaps in the fossil record that the Neo-Darwinist model could not explain. However, it is hardly rational to attempt to explain the gap in the fossil record of the evolution of birds with a claim that "a bird popped out of a reptile egg", because, by the evolutionists' own admission, the evolution of a species to another species requires a great and advantageous change in genetic information.
However, no mutation whatsoever improves the genetic information or adds new information to it. Mutations only derange existing genetic information. Thus, the "gross mutations" imagined by the punctuated equilibrium model, would only cause "gross" reductions and impairments in the genetic information.
The model of punctuated equilibrium was never put forward as a consistent model, but rather used as an escape in cases that plainly did not fit the model of gradual evolution. Since evolutionists today realize that complex organs such as eyes, wings, lungs, brain and others explicitly refute the model of gradual evolution, in these particular points they are compelled to take shelter in the fantastic interpretations of the model of punctuated equilibrium.
Teeth and skulls
Vertebrates are classified as carnivores or herbivores according to teeth and skull shape. However many herbivores including some bats, grizzly bears, pandas, have teeth that one would expect to find in meat-eaters. It is therefore not correct to classify dinosaurs with ‘carnivore’ teeth as carnivores.
The fossil record
R West, Kansas State University, said: “Contrary to what most scientists write, the fossil record does not support the Darwinian theory of evolution because it is this theory which we use to interpret the fossil record. By doing so we are guilty of circular reasoning if we then say the fossil record supports the theory.”
Put plainly, if the theory is used to interpret the fossil record, one cannot use the fossil record to support the theory.
Millions and billions of years.
Young earth creationists suggest that the earth was created some 6000 years ago as described in Genesis. The years are calculated using the genealogies back to Adam. Old earth creationists set the age of the earth in line with the Big Bang theory, and suggest that the days of creation in Genesis 1 are not literal days.
Both sides have valid arguments and use different data to prove their case. The areas of agreement, however are greater that the disagreements, the chief one being, that the cosmos was created, and not evolved. The age of the earth must not become a dividing topic. Scientific research has not as yet brought forth all the detail, but as the years pass the case for a creator becomes stronger. During the years following Darwin’s life till the mid 20th century the case for evolution was very strong because of a lack of scientific information.
Further discussion on old or young earth deserves a whole book on it’s own.
The Geologic record
Geology (from Greek "earth" and "study") is the science comprising the study of solid Earth, the rocks of which it is composed, and the processes by which it evolves. Geology gives insight into the history of the earth. Within the layers of rock are found fossilized remains of life forms (fossil record), and the study of these is called paleontology.
It is asserted that the fossil record is the best evidence of evolution. However, the data is the same for everyone, so it is in the interpretation that opinions differ. The fossils exist in the present, and the interpretation is about the past. No fossil, rock layer, or dating method has anything to say about evolution. Presuppositions used to interpret the data will affect the conclusion. Biblical catastrophism, as described by Noah’s flood was replaced in the sciences by uniformitarianism.
Uniformitarianism: natural processes resulting in the geologic record from the historic past were similar to present day natural processes. This is an unverifiable assumption, that as geologic and environment are today, so they always were, and has been applied to most scientific fields.
Catastrophism: changes in the geologic record are a result of natural processes operating at rates that are radically higher than observed today.
The belief that geologic time and eras cover millions and billions of years is foundation to evolutionary theory. If this did not occur, and if the assumption of uniformitarianism is incorrect, then evolution could not have occurred. If the geologic record together with fossils was laid down gradually, there would in fact be no fossil record. Any organic or skeletal deposits left by dead life forms would decompose, be consumed by other life forms, or be disassembled, leaving no fossil record.
Rapid Fossilization
Creationists, using the same fossils and an opposing interpretation, conclude they are evidence for a young earth. As the remains of plants and animals are covered by sediment, fossils are created. The compressed remains are preserved and converted into minerals, leaving an imprint in stone. In order for an organism to be fossilized, the remains must be covered quickly under special conditions involving rapid, immediate burial in mud just like Noah’s Flood would have provided.
There are many fossils, such as polystrate fossils, that can only be explained by a worldwide Flood. Since theCreation Today
idea of uniformitarianism proposed by Charles Lyell in the early 1800s, geologists have struggled to explain polystrate fossils. This is a single fossil covered not in a single layer of geologic strata but in multiple layers. If each layer took a long time to form then most of the fossil found through multiple layers would have decayed prior to the forming of the next layer.
Many trees have been found fossilized in a vertical position through layers of coal, sandstone, and other sediments. Certainly, the trees would have decayed if millions of years had occurred between the different strata. Polystrate fossils such as this are found all over the world. They run through many rock layers proving the rock layers are not different ages as the textbooks teach. Geologists do not accept that the only reasonable explanation of polystrate fossils is that the layers formed quickly around plant and animal life before they had time to decay. Polystate fossils agree with the biblical account of the worldwide catastrophic flood. The vast amount and worldwide distribution of fossils, including dinosaur graveyards, oil and coal fields, shows the Flood was or floods were global and catastrophic.