ABSTRACTS
The Creation Research Society: Fifty Years of Service, 1963–2013
Donald B. DeYoung and Kevin L. Anderson
The year 2013 marks five full decades of service by the Creation Research Society. The 50-year golden anniversary is an appropriate time to reflect on the progress of this unique ministry. This article is not a comprehensive history of the Society, which would fill a large volume. Instead, the structure, governance, and developments of the Society over the years are described, along with some personal anecdotes. It is clear that the Creation Research Society has touched many lives directly and been an encouragement to countless others over five decades. All personal comments are the views of the authors rather than those of the Society or governing board.
40Ar/39Ar Calibration against Novarupta: No Good Reason to Believe in Millions of Years
David E. Shormann
June 6–8, 2012, marked the one hundredth anniversary of the Novarupta- Katmai eruption in southwest Alaska. It was one of the biggest eruptions in recorded history, and the largest since Krakatoa in 1883. A bulk sample from the top of the Novarupta lava dome, collected in July 2009, was age-dated in 2012 using the 40Ar/39Ar method. A key assumption in the method is that an igneous sample has no argon when it solidifies. Environmental conditions were ideal for setting this sample’s “argon clock†to zero, and atmospheric contamination was accounted for. Yet the 100-year-old rhyolite from Novarupta still gave apparent ages as high as 5.50±0.11 million years old. Bias is introduced to the Ar/Ar method because, prior to analysis, technicians request an age estimate for the sample. Because Scripture, not experimental evidence, is the ultimate authority for Creation researchers, the burden of proof lies with “deep time†historians to explain why anyone should believe radiometric methods determine actual sample ages. Radiometric methods are better suited for interpreting a rock’s environmental history. In addition to discussing known environmental effects on argon solubility, the effect of event energy on accelerated nuclear decay is explored as a possible cause of the excess argon.
The Human Hand: Perfectly Designed
Jerry Bergman
Various theories of the evolution of the human hand are analyzed, revealing much speculation, but little evidence, for the evolutionary origin of this complex and highly designed system. The hand would require the simultaneous evolution of large set of intricate and matched structures, including bones, muscles, blood vessels, ligaments, tendons, skin, and nerves. In addition, the brain must have evolved systems enabling the coordinated function of the hand as an integrated unit. The result is an anatomical system that is one of the most critical parts of what makes us human. In comparison to the primate hand, there are several significant differences that indicate the uniqueness of the human hand. Also, the enormous versatility of the hand, such as ability to do tasks requiring fine motor coordination as well as brute strength, are discussed.
Creation and the Fate of the Universe
Danny R. Faulkner and Robert Hill
We examine two biblical positions that recent creationists have taken concerning the ultimate fate of the universe. Some believe the destruction of the heavens spoken of in 2 Peter 3 refers to the atmospheric heaven only. Another possibility is that the astronomical and cosmic heavens will share in this destruction. We respectfully disagree with those who hold to the former position. Those who think that the astronomical heavens will not be destroyed believe that the stars will continue to exist forever. Though this amounts to a sort of eternality, the stars are not fully eternal, because they came into existence recently in the past.