Starke Reality: Question of the Week: What can we learn from radiometric dating?

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Q: What can we learn from radiometric dating?

A: New evidence indicates that the radioactive elements in rocks, which are used to date the rocks, decayed at much faster rates during some past event (or events) in the last 6,000 years. So the claimed ages of many millions of years, which are based on today's slow decay rates, are totally unreliable. Does this mean we should throw out the radioactive clocks? Surprisingly, they are useful!
The general principles of using radioisotopes to date rocks are sound; it's just that the assumptions have been wrong and led to exaggerated dates. While the clocks cannot yield absolute dates for rocks, they can provide relative ages that allow us to compare any two rock units and know which one formed first.
They also allow us to compare rock units in different areas of the world to find which ones formed at the same time. Furthermore, if physicists examine why the same rocks yield different dates, they may discover new clues about the unusual behavior of radioactive elements during the past.
With the help of this growing body of information, creation geologists hope to piece together a better understanding of the precise sequence of events in earth's history, from Creation Week to the Flood and beyond.

Continue reading to see how these dating methods actually support the biblical account of creation.

News to Note Quick Look

Another reminder: Japan is still suffering from the effects of a devastating earthquake and tsunami that have taken more than 6,000 lives with over ten thousand more missing. Read more.

Neanderthal niftiness: Neanderthals were no novices when it came to wielding fire, new evidence suggests—evidence that adds to our understanding of Neaderthals as intelligent, modern humans. Read more.

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