Only logged in members can reply and interact with the post.
Join SimilarWorlds for FREE »

One more HUGE nail in the coffin of Young Earth Creationism is the problem of heat from radioactive decay. [Spirituality & Religion]


[u]Short version:[/u]
If the Earth were really 6,000 - 10,000 years old, the heat energy generated by radioactive decay occurring at the speeds necessary to produce the results we observe today[b][i] would have boiled the oceans and scorched the earth into a radioactive wasteland. [/i][/b]

Sorry creationists, it just didn't happen that way🤷‍♀️

[u]Longer version:[/u]
As you know, the atoms of some elements spontaneously decay and form atoms of another element. This process is known as radioactive decay and it's the law of radioactive decay which allows us to date minerals.
Using known half lives (the time required for half the original substance to be gone) of certain elements are what allow us to do this reliably and these measures are corroborated by numerous independent means of relative dating.
This in itself precludes a young earth (sorry creationists) but that's not the problem we're discussing.
This process produces tiny amounts of energy and spread over 4.6 billion years are unnoticeable. Just as you can slowly rub your hands together to no effect but rubbing them quickly generates significant heat, the rapid radioactive decay which young earth creation would demand would release catastrophic levels of heat.
In order to achieve the decay levels that we observe today in just 6,000 year, the heat that would necessarily have been generated [b][i] would have boiled the oceans and scorched the earth into a radioactive wasteland. [/i][/b]

Sorry creationists, it just didn't happen that way🤷‍♀️
This page is a permanent link to the reply below and its nested replies. See all post replies »
I don't get why they hold onto that belief so hard when it is literally not even in the Bible. It was inferred by adding ages together. But come on, Jesus has two different genealogies. They weren't great at keeping a record of lineage. Or math for that matter, with 900 year old people, fitting billions of species on a wooden boat and getting pi wrong.
@canusernamebemyusername

I know, right?
It's not in the bible AND it's not necessary for belief in Jesus as god AND it flies in the face of science.

Like why is this the hill they want to die on?
GodSpeed63 · 61-69, M
@canusernamebemyusername [quote]But come on, Jesus has two different genealogies.[/quote]

So did you and every other human being on the planet who's had a mother and father.
GodSpeed63 · 61-69, M
@Pikachu @canusernamebemyusername [quote]Like why is this the hill they want to die on?[/quote]

It's the truth.
@GodSpeed63

[quote]It's the truth.[/quote]

The physical evidence indicates that it is not so if you disagree then explain the evidence BETTER using young earth creationism.
GodSpeed63 · 61-69, M
@Pikachu [quote]The physical evidence indicates that it is not so[/quote]

Show me this physical evidence you claim debunks a young earth.
@GodSpeed63

The physical evidence is the laws of physics which dictate the radioactive decay rates of isotopes.
This is hard science.
Oil companies employ it in order to determine where to search for oil so it's a billion dollar industry that relies on this science.

Moreover, even young earth creation bastions like Answers in Genesis acknowledge the problem that this excessive generation of heat presents.

If you're interested in some of the math and background behind it then this is a very accessible video on the subject:

[youtube=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ezH3c7J4-WM]

So are you going to respond to this or just non-specifically deny that it's an issue?