Posted on 04/18/2009 8:27:35 AM PDT by GodGunsGuts
Geophysical King Dethroned
April 17, 2009 — There’s been a quiet revolution in geophysics. Richard Kerr asked in Science, “Great Oxidation Event Dethroned?”1
The Great Oxidation Event is an assumed time before multicellular life appeared when microbes had just learned the secret of photosynthesis, pumping vast new quantities of oxygen into earth’s atmosphere. The idea reigned like a monarch till “new laboratory results reported in this issue challenge that mainstream scenario by showing how supposed signs of an early lack of oxygen could have come from unrelated geochemical reactions.”
Before 2000, the consensus was that “not even a whiff of oxygen was in the air” before the G.O.E. that supposedly took place 2.4 billion years ago. Then, geochemist James Farquhar of the University of Maryland questioned the assumptions on which studies of sulfur isotopes in rocks inferred the absence of oxygen. Now, with “results [that] defy all expectations,” some Penn State researchers have re-opened the debate about the arrival of oxygen. Did the earth have oxygen much earlier? “This is at least a possibility that we should be thinking about,” one of the researchers cautiously said.
Not everyone is convinced at this point. Early oxygen would have made life’s origin nearly impossible. It would also dethrone a dynasty of geologists who have been speaking of a Great Oxygenation Event that may have never happened.
Evolutionary literature and geological history is filled with mythical Events. Evolutionists speak of these Events with glib certainty: the Great Oxygenation Event, the Late Heavy Bombardment, the Laramide Orogeny, and dozens of other such phrases that create their own reality simply by capitalizing them and speaking them. It’s a name-it-and-claim-it religion. The evolutionary framework was decided first, and then the Events were invented to fit stages of evolution into a prefabricated timeline that has little to do with verifiable reality. Every once in awhile one of these Mythical Events, like monarchs allied to King Charles, gets dethroned. How about a little democracy for a change? Like Jefferson said (cited by Stan Freberg), we’re tired of this royal jazz.
Sorry, had to repost this one, as the formatting didn’t come out right the first time around. Enjoy :o)
All the best—GGG
>>Before 2000, the consensus was that “not even a whiff of oxygen was in the air” before the G.O.E. that supposedly took place 2.4 billion years ago. Then, geochemist James Farquhar of the University of Maryland questioned the assumptions on which studies of sulfur isotopes in rocks inferred the absence of oxygen.<<
Well at least we are discussing a multi-billion year old earth and how much of the free oxygen is from photosynthesis.
I dare say that actual scientists never believed that this issue was conclusively resolved beyond all doubt, or that there was no longer any room for speculation. True scientists should welcome the opportunity - when presented with compelling evidence, or convincing argumentation - to review their conceptions.
Regards,
Well, not entirely. The presence of free oxygen is a confounder to abiogenesis(so how do you photosynthesize?) and to the, so far required, reducing atmosphere. Lightning occurring in an atmosphere made up of methane(or hydrogen) and oxygen... Well you can imagine.
“Not everyone is convinced at this point. Early oxygen would have made life’s origin nearly impossible. It would also dethrone a dynasty of geologists who have been speaking of a Great Oxygenation Event that may have never happened”
Maybe da king is dead.
“Deep-sea Rocks Point To Early Oxygen On Earth
ScienceDaily (Mar. 25, 2009) — Red jasper cored from layers 3.46 billion years old suggests that not only did the oceans contain abundant oxygen then, but that the atmosphere was as oxygen rich as it is today, according to geologists..............
In fact, the researchers suggest that to have sufficient oxygen at depth, there had to be as much oxygen in the atmosphere 3.46 billion years ago as there is in today’s atmosphere. To have this amount of oxygen, the Earth must have had oxygen producing organisms like cyanobacteria actively producing it, placing these organisms much earlier in Earth’s history than previously thought.”
It would appear God’s creation is making it harder and harder to advocate evolution with a straight face!
I think you may have just identified a second big bang! :o)
No wonder Evos never have any laugh-lines! But they have furrowed brows aplenty :o)
bump for later
Thanks for the ping!
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