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Expanding Earth?

A few scientists advocate an expanding earth as an alternative to plate tectonics. Although there are some phenenomina not well explained by plate tectonics, the expanding earth theory is not a satisfactory replacement. Published in Origins v. 16, n. 2.

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Those Gaps in the Sedimentary Layers

The layers of sedimentary rock that we see over the surface of the earth usually appear as parallel features that are often spread over wide areas. What does not appear to the casual observer is that between some of these layers major portions of the geologic column are missing. Published in Origins v. 16, n. 2.

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Examining Radiohalos (Review of Creation’s Tiny Mystery)

This review examines Robert Gentry’s efforts to defend his model of creation built on the study or radiohaloes. Published in Origins v. 15, n. 1.

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Some Questions about Geochronology

The geochronological time scale of thousands of millions of years is based mainly on radiometric dating. On the other hand, some other time-dependent processes change at rates which challenge generally accepted geochronology. Published in Origins v. 13, n. 2.

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Annotations from the Literature

A collection of short commentaries on scientific articles published in 1983, covering topics such as the history of Darwinism, integrity in science, evolution and thermodynamics, North American geology, Quaternary dating methods, origin of life, and the half-life of Technetium-99.

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The Mexico Earthquake

The earthquake in Mexico reminds us that catastrophes are a frequent, although unpredictable, experience. Geologists have emphasized the ordinary event, under the name uniformitarianism, but are increasingly accommodating to the reality of catastrophism. Published in Origins v. 12, n. 2.

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Can Science and Religion Work Together?

The practice of science does not depend on the beliefs a scientist has about origins. Creationists are able to conduct scientific research , and may even be aided by ideas that derive from the Bible. Conflicts may arise between science and religion, but this is an indication of the need for more study. Published in Origins v. 12, n. 2.

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A Venture in Unorthodoxy

A review of the book, The Expanding Earth. A prominent scientist has written a book advocating an expanding earth rather than conventional plate tectonics theory. The idea has not been accepted by the scientific community. Published in Origins v. 12, n. 1.

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Are Millions of Years Required to Produce Biogenic Sediments in the Deep Ocean?

The ocean floor is largely covered with a layer of sediments derived from the remnants of dead organisms, such as the "shells" of foraminifera. At present, these accumulate too slowly to account for the depth of sediments in a few thousand years. However, a catastrophic flood would provide difference conditions with very large amounts of nutrients and the opportunity for rapid growth of these organisms. More data are needed to analyze the situation more satisfactorily. Published in Origins v. 12, n. 1.

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Rapid Erosion at Mount St. Helens

Geological processes are conventionally considered to be relatively constant, but erosion associated with the eruption of Mt. St. Helens is a reminder that rates of erosion may be much faster under catastrophic conditions. Published in Origins v. 11, n. 2.

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Geomagnetic Intensity Decay: The Fit of the Data

A review of Chapters 3 and 4 in the book, Scientists Confront Creationism. Creationism is roundly criticized for poor arguments. Published in Origins v. 11, n. 2.

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NASA's Next Interplanetary Mission

NASA is planning to send a satellite to study Jupiter and take measurements of its atmospheric composition. Published in Origins v. 11, n. 1.

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The Little Ice Age

A period of unusual cold in the Northern Hemisphere extended from about 1450 to around 1850, known as the Little Ice Age. The causes are not well understood, but could have included variation in solar output and/or volcanic activity. Published in Origins v. 10, n. 2.

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Paleomagnetism II

Some rocks show magnetic properties that align with the present geomagnetic field, while others show a reverse alignment. This is taken to indicate that the earth's geomagnetic field has reversed many times during earth history. Patterns of magnetic alignment have been used to correlate geologic layers and to support the concept of plate tectonics. Much remains to be understood concerning the causes and rates of magnetic reversals. Published in Origins v. 10, n. 2.

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Mount St. Helens and Spirit Lake

Mount St. Helens, the once beautiful mountain with a blue forest-ringed lake at its feet, is now a shattered remnant of its former self and the lake is stark and foreboding. But this loss is partially compensated by the information this volcano is giving us, not least of which is a glimpse of what could have happened to many trees during the Genesis flood. Continuing research will undoubtedly enlarge and refine this picture. Published in Origins v. 10, n. 1.

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Paleomagnetism I

This paper introduces the basics of magnetism, the magnetic field of the earth and how the rocks can record the ancient magnetic field of the earth. Published in Origins v. 10, n. 1.

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The El Niño Event

El Niño is an interannual catastrophic event caused by massive amounts of warm water flowing in from the mid-Pacific instead of the more normal northerly warm current. These events have a 6-8 year cycle, Published in Origins v 10, n. 1.

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The Tunguska Explosion of 1908

The cause of the 1908 Tunguska explosion in Russia remains somewhat mysterious. The most probable explanation is that a small comet exploded in the air and produced a blast wave that uprooted thousands of trees and killed many reindeer. Published in Origins v. 9, n. 2.

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Questions on the Methodology of Geology

A review of the book, The Structure of Geology. Geology differs from sciences such as physics because it is largely "retrodictive", inductive, and historical. Published in Origins v. 6, n. 2.

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Precambrian and Paleozoic Glaciation?

The effects of glaciers are well-dccumented in modern and Pleistocene sediments. Some Precambrian and Paleozoic sediments show some features similar to those of modern glaciation, but there is some controversy over whether the features are the result of glaciers, submarine landslides, lahars, turbidity currents, etc. Published in Origins v. 6, n. 1.

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