Creation Science Rebuttals
Answers in Genesis Daily Feature
David Catchpoole Claim: Another "Living Fossil" Tree
25 December 2000
Review by Greg Neyman
The Answers in Genesis Daily Feature on 25 December 2000 tells of the discovery of a new tree that was thought to be extinct.1 The tree, as yet unnamed in 2000, was previously unknown except for a fossil nut that had been dated at 15 to 20 million years old.
Interestingly, the "Recommended Resource" for viewers of this page is called "Living Fossils: Confirmation of Creation." Actually, living fossils offer no proof of anything, particularly a young earth. The logic behind the living fossil claim is non-existent.
A living fossil is an organism, plant or animal, that was once thought to be extinct. Then, one day, it is found alive and well on planet earth. Young earth creationists use this as evidence that the earth is young.
For the true meaning of Living Fossils, I encourage everyone to check out the article Living Fossils.
As to the claims of this article, the young earth author, David Catchpoole, says this tree is evidence there has been no evolutionary change (supposedly over 20 million years). This stems from a young earth misunderstanding of evolution. Evolution does not predict that all organisms constantly change. Stasis is a large part of evolutionary thought. Many organisms reach a peak, and do not develop further. Lack of change is no argument against evolution.
Second, Catchpoole says that the reason many species turn up living (that were once thought to be extinct) is because the Flood only occurred thousands of years ago. This is mere speculation, as there is no geologic evidence for a global flood only 4,500 years ago. The fact that we have living fossils testifies to a gap in the fossil record, and nothing else.
1 Another 'living fossil' tree, published at answersingenesis.org/docs2/4416livingfossil_tree12-25-2000.asp
Answers In Genesis 2000 Daily Features
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