Paleontology
From CreationWiki, the encyclopedia of creation science
Paleontology is the study of the forms of life existing in prehistoric times, chiefly by studying the fossils of plants, animals, and other organisms. A paleontologist is a scientist who studies aspects such as morphology, behavior, and how ancient life interacted with their environment.
Paleontology is based on uniformitarian geology, which holds that there has been no Biblical flood, but instead it is believed the layers of stata represent vast geologic ages. Based on this assumption, paleontologists examine and characterize fossils.
Within paleontology, there are branches and areas of specializations based on the particular type of organism. The study of prehistoric humans is known as Paleoanthropology, animal paleontology is Paleozoology, and the branch which studies ancient plants is called Paleobotany.
Paleontologists are often incorrectly referred to as archaeologists, because of public perception regarding similarities in techniques (i.e., both "dig in the dirt for old things"). There is somewhat of a blurring between archaeology and paleoanthropology, and even more so between paleoanthropology and some branches of paleozoology.
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Paleoanthropology
- Main Article: Paleoanthropology
Paleoanthropology is a specialized branch of physical anthropology involved with the study of ancient human beings. Paleoanthropologists are those investigating the origin and subsequent evolution of human physiology by examining fossil remains and other ancient evidence.
Mainstream anthropologists and archaeologists believe that humans began domesticating animals and plants in the Middle East about 10-12,000 years ago. The earliest known civilization, the Sumerians, developed in Mesopotamia about 7,000 years ago, after humans had developed agriculture sufficiently. This is the same location where many of the early Biblical stories in Genesis are set.
Paleozoology
- Main Article: Paleozoology
- Archaeopteryx is classified as late Jurassic, and dated by evolutionary dating methods at 150 million years.
- Dinosaur is undoubtedly the most popular group of animals studied by paleontologists.
- Plesiosaur is an extinct marine reptile that is found in strata identified as the Mesozoic, Jurassic, and Cretaceous Eras.
- Pterosaur is not scientifically classified as a dinosaur but more like a flying lizard, they have unique characteristics that set them apart from reptiles, birds, and bats.
- Mammoth is an extinct form of elephant. There are three different types of mammoths whose skeletons have been found in North America.
- Mastodon
Paleobotany
- Main Article: Paleobotany
Paleobotany is involved with the study of ancient plants. It is an important area of creation biology, as creationism and evolutionism have radically different descriptions of ancient plant life. Creationism holds that a wide variety of plant life was created by God fully intact with the capacity to reproduce and adapt to changing environments, approximately 6,000 years ago. Evolutionism holds that all plant life (and indeed all life on the planet) is related by common descent over millions of years, and that more complex plants developed more recently than simpler plants.
News
- Dinosaurs 'gassed' themselves into extinction, British scientists say Another desperate theory attempts an explanation. FoxNews May 07, 2012
- First Neanderthal cave paintings discovered in Spain Cave paintings in Malaga, Spain, could be the oldest yet found. New Scientist February 10, 2012.
- 80 whales buried mysteriously in Chilean desert Marine graveyard recently discovered by researchers from the USA and Chile provides evidence for Noah’s Flood. Creation Ministries International. December 1, 2011.
- Hominid fossils may shake up the human family tree Anthropologists say two Australopithecus sediba specimens have a curious mix of primitive and modern features that could indicate the species was a direct ancestor of modern humans. Los Angeles Times, September 08, 2011.
- Australia edges ahead of SA in oldest fossil showdown Dated at 3.4 billion years old, chemotrophic bacteria could have the oldest dates assigned so far. Daily Maverick, August 22, 2011.
- 'Living Fossil' Discovered in Pacific Ocean A species of ancient eel has recently been discovered living in a reef off the coast of the Republic of Palau in the Pacific Ocean. The Christian Post, Aug. 18, 2011.
- Oldest Known Wood Two newly described fossils suggest that wood is some 10 million years older than previous believed. The Scientist, August 12, 2011
- Archaeopteryx Reclassification Raises Fear of Creationists Creation Evolution Headlines, July 28, 2011.
- Fossil 'is first pregnant lizard' Live birth in lizards developed earlier than thought. BBC Nature, July 21 2011.
- Archaeopteryx knocked off its perch as first bird Evolutionists used to think that Archaeopteryx was a transitional form to birds, but recent discoveries show that it is instead a dinosaur.New Scientist, July 27, 2011.
- Green Fossil Leaves Point to Recent Catastrophe Pieces of wood buried in an Ice Age clay formation looks as though you could put a match to it and it might still burn. Daily Science Update, July 19, 2011.
- Ancient trees found buried in clay a Maine mystery 13,500 years in the making Tree that were carbon dated to 10,000 years old still had needles on them that were green. WCSH Portland. Jun 25, 2011.
- World's oldest complex eye found in Australian fossil Eyes just like those of modern insects and crustaceans, with thousands of individual lenses were recently discovered in Cambrian strata, although previously thought not to have evolved for at least another 40 million years, Herald Sun, June 30, 2011.
- Come On In, the Water's Fresh Newly discovered fossils left by creatures burrowing in the sediments of an ancient riverbed push back the beginning of freshwater ecosystems by at least 85 million years. Science NOW May 17 2011.
- Where did they go? Debate rages over the fate of the Neanderthals. World Magazine, October 23, 2010.
- Archaeopteryx Fossil Shows 'Striking' Tissue Preservation Actual remnants of original bones and feathers still present argues for recent deposition. Daily Science Update, May 19, 2010.
- Soft tissue remnants discovered in Archaeopteryx fossil New Scientist, May 10, 2010.
- New Hominid Species Not A Missing Link, Scientists Say Doubt over claims that we descended from new species and disagreement about how close a cousin it was. Inside Science News Service Apr 8, 2010.
- "Key" Human Ancestor Found: Fossils Link Apes, First Humans? Australopithecus sediba had human-like face and could walk well upright but was apelike in other ways. National Geographic News, April 8, 2010.
- Fossil Skeletons May Be Human Ancestor Newly discovered australopithecine discovered in a cave in Africa. LiveScience, April 8 2010.
- Fossil hailed as Man's ancestor is 'not even close relative' The fossilized lemur Darwinius masillae is not an ancestor of man and, even by evolutionary paradigms, appears to have left no modern descendants. The Times (London, UK). Oct 23, 2009.
- The Angry Evolutionist Richard Dawkins criticizes creationists who challenge evolution due to the absence of transitional forms, asserting they are not needed to demonstrate that evolution is a fact. Newsweek. Sep 25, 2009.
Paleontology
References
External links
- The Paleontology Portal (Not to be confused with the Paleontology Portal of CreationWiki)
- Paleontology at the U.S. Geological Survey
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