(How's This For Strange?) Mysterious Mass Whale Graveyard Unearthed in the Chilean Desert

Mother Nature Network ^ | November 22, 2012 | Bryan Nelson

[lbryce]

While working on a highway-widening project in the middle of South America's Atacama Desert, Chilean workers unearthed an eerie scene that had no business being more than a kilometer away from the ocean: a mass fossil graveyard containing more than 75 ancient whales, reports MSNBC.

Finding whale bones in the middle of the desert is strange enough, but scientists were quick to notice a deeper mystery. The fossils ended up right next to one another — some mere meters apart — as if to suggest that the whales all died at once, possibly during some cataclysmic tragedy. What could have happened?

"That's the top question," said Mario Suarez, director of the Paleontological Museum in the nearby town of Caldera.

According to Nicholas Pyenson, curator of fossil marine mammals at the Smithsonian's National Museum of Natural History, the whales probably died between 2 million and 7 million years ago, during a time when the area would have been a "lagoon-like environment," much different than the desert landscape it is today. The real mystery, then, has less to do with how the whales got there, and more to do with why they died.

Could they have beached themselves after becoming disoriented in the shallows? Perhaps the lagoon had become separated from the sea by a landslide, earthquake or storm, trapping the whales within? Maybe there was something else about this lagoon that made it a whale trap. Right now, scientists aren't sure.

"There are many ways that whales could die, and we're still testing all those different hypotheses," said Pyenson. But, he added: "I think they died more or less at the same time."

Of the 75 whales that have been discovered so far, 20 of them represent perfectly intact skeletons, making the site one of the best preserved fossil beds from that time period along the west coast of South America. Most of the fossils are baleen whales that measure about 25 feet long, and one startling fossilized scene depicts two adult whales with a juvenile between them, a possible family group.

Researchers have also discovered fossils of other unusual creatures at the site, including a now-extinct dolphin that had two walrus-like tusks, an extinct aquatic sloth and an ancient seabird with a 17-foot wingspan. All in all, the site represents a remarkable snapshot of the ecosystem millions of years ago.

Although officials have asked that fossils that rest along the path of the widened Pan American Highway be moved out of the way, the Chilean government has declared the site a protected area.

"We have a unique opportunity to develop a great scientific project and make a great contribution to science," said Suarez. \

[WVKayaker]

Anyone trying to link this to “the flood” is just pushing their young earth agenda.

The Earth is as old as God says it is.

Bishop Ussher posited his theory, but if you properly read Genesis, there are two distinct periods of time, and it NEVER stated the exact meaning or literal time period. I believe He created it. I don't know when he started, nor when He finished, but I do see His Hand in everything!

In Genesis 1:1,2 1In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. 2Now the earth wasa formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters.

In Genesis 1:3-31, we see the delineation of the days going forward... Day 1: 3And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. 4God saw that the light was good, and he separated the light from the darkness. 5God called the light “day,” and the darkness he called “night.” And there was evening, and there was morning—the first day.

Some people take Bishop Ussher literally, but I believe it is not as important to know the age of the Earth, as it is to know the God that spoke it into existence from NOTHING! No "human science" can explain that!

2 Peter 3:8- But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day.

[editor-surveyor]

You can be sure that nothing in the sea lived; that was the purpose of the judgement.

There were no pockets of “good water.”

[WVKayaker]

Sorry, FRiend, but I do not accept the “young earth” theory as being necessary for Salvation. For my thoughts, ready my #141.

If we have faith in God’s Grace, that is enough!

[null and void]

You can be sure that nothing in the sea lived; that was the purpose of the judgement.

There were no pockets of “good water.”

Yep. That's why Noah recorded how bitterly his wife complained about how frizzy her hair got from all the steam in the Ark while they spent months floating on boiling water.

It also explains why there are no fishes in the oceans today, as there were no sea creatures in the Ark itself.

[editor-surveyor]

Were it not hot water, the calcareous rocks would not have formed. Simple chemistry of creating a super-saturated solution by heating the water.

[editor-surveyor]

My Bible leaves out the epistle of Frizzy.

[WVKayaker]

You can be sure that nothing in the sea lived; that was the purpose of the judgement.

I am sorry to see your error stated as fact. Please reread this passage and tell me where you get anything about sea creatures... I can't find it, nor could anybody in my Bible College class on Genesis!

Genesis 1:21 Every living thing that moved on land perished—birds, livestock, wild animals, all the creatures that swarm over the earth, and all mankind. 22 Everything on dry land that had the breath of life in its nostrils died. 23 Every living thing on the face of the earth was wiped out; people and animals and the creatures that move along the ground and the birds were wiped from the earth. Only Noah was left, and those with him in the ark

[WVKayaker]

A. Noah recorded nothing... Moses is mostly credited with recording it (but you probably know that!)
B. Sarcasm tags help the helpless (hopeless?)... LOL!

[editor-surveyor]

The 6000 year old Earth is not a theory, it is the clear statements of the word of God.

The geneologies of the Bible are in there to exactly show the lineage of Christ, and definitely show his birth to be at the 4000th year. The supposed conflict between the two strings is false; the persons left out of one of the geneologies was covered in prophecy, and was due to their deeds.

Unbelievers play that game.

[WVKayaker]

In your efforts to appear scholarly, you sure leave out annotations, but add a lot of conjecture. You don't give any facts in your posits!

Science is about theory, and begins with assumptions. Science does not explain God, not the Spiritual realm! But scientists sure accept a lot more conjecture than people of faith (in God).

[demshateGod]

How do you explain (and this is an honest question) the survival of marine life?

[null and void]

Here

[editor-surveyor]

Get your self a real Bible:

Genesis 6:17
And, behold, I, even I, do bring a flood of waters upon the earth, to destroy all flesh, wherein is the breath of life, from under heaven; and every thing that is in the earth shall die.

OK? - All flesh - everything that is in the Earth shall die.

There were no exceptions, all animate life was corrupted and had to die.

[editor-surveyor]

Science is about objective observation.

Science has as of the present, not been able to explain anything in a way that has not been refuted by further observation. Even the great efforts of Newton and Einstein have been shown to be falible.

Science is a human amusement, and nothing more.

[WVKayaker]

The 6000 year old Earth is not a theory, it is the clear statements of the word of God.

It's one man's theory, accepted as fact. Have you even read the Scriptures, or do you just believe what you hope to believe.

Please show me exactly where the Scriptures give us the 6000 years? Moses didn't give it, Jesus didn't give it, Paul didn't give it, so who did? There were others, of course, but nobody I've studied gave 6000 years as the Earth's age...

The geneologies of the Bible are in there to exactly show the lineage of Christ, and definitely show his birth to be at the 4000th year. The supposed conflict between the two strings is false; the persons left out of one of the geneologies was covered in prophecy, and was due to their deeds.

That is Bishop Ussher's conjecture. The Bible does not give that info...

Unbelievers play that game.

I believe... and it is not a game (Unless you are a fool, which I am not)! The age of the Earth isn't necessary for Salvation. there is only one thing of ultimate importance, FAITH in the "The shed Blood of Christ". We are told to spread the Gospel, not argue man's theories!

[editor-surveyor]

Keep reading Genesis 6:17 until it sinks in.

[LachlanMinnesota]

My vote is that a group near shore was feeding and a tidal wave his washing them inland and then stranded them all together where they were shoved by the wave. They all died together that day, saying WTH?

[mj81]

Whales beached during this event? http://www.threeimpacts-twoevents.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/SIMULTANEOUS-IMPACTS7.pdf

The Flood explained here: http://www.threeimpacts-twoevents.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/COMET-IMPACT14.pdf

[martin_fierro]

Ich bin ein balleener.

[editor-surveyor]

Just because you do not wish to believe the clear statements in God’s word, they will not go away.

All of the word is necessary for your salvation, there is no boiler plate included. Genesis 1 gives six actual days of creation, that set the pattern for six thousand year “days” as clarified by Peter, until the return of Christ to begin the “day” of rest, after which all of the universe will be destroyed (Peter again).

The Earth will last 7000 years total.

One that picks and chooses what to believe does not believe. Belief is required, and understanding is necessary to truly believe. Nobody gets a good guy pass, because there are no good guys.

Your choice to believe or not, but how can you even know what you believe if you dismiss more of his word than you accept?