Creation Science Rebuttals
Creation Magazine
Platypus Tooth
Volume 14, Issue 1, December 1991
Review by Greg Neyman
© Old Earth Ministries
In an article in Creation Magazine in December 1991, Answers in Genesis argued that a new find of a platypus tooth in South America causes problems for the evolutionary model.1
The young earth creation science author starts by explaining that no fossils of platypuses have been found outside of Australia. Naturally, the evolutionist uses this to argue that the platypus evolved in Australia, and did not migrate there. However, scientists in South America have discovered a platypus tooth in Argentina. The young earth author claims this sent shock waves through the scientific community. The young earth author writes that evolutionists now have to figure out how the platypus got across the ocean to Australia, just like creationists have to answer the same question after the Flood.
Fast forward 15 years after this discovery, and evolution has no problems with this find, despite the apparent difficulties brought up in this article. Millions of years ago, Australia and South America were part of the supercontinent Gondwana. They were also possibly connected after the breakup of this continent, via Antarctica. The tooth's are different enough for the South American variant to be classified as a different species as well.
Old earth geology has already solved how the platypus was on both continents, even prior to the discovery of this tooth. However, the problem remains for young earth creationists...how did the kangaroo, koala bear, and the platypus get to Australia after the flood?
For More Reading
Platypus (Wikipedia)
Platypus (Talk Origins)
1 Creation Magazine, Volume 14, Issue 1. Published on the Answers in Genesis website at answersingenesis.org/creation/v14/i1/platypus.asp
If you are not a Christian, and you have been holding out on making a decision for Christ because the Church always preached a message that was contrary to what you saw in the scientific world, then rest assured that the Bible is the inerrant Word of God, and you can believe in Christ and receive salvation, while still believing in an old earth. Click here for more.
Are you a Christian who believes in young earth creationism? Now that we have shown the many difficulties of the young earth creation science model in this and many other articles, how does this impact your Christian life? If you are a young earth creationism believer, click here.
Related Articles
To learn more
about old earth creationism, see
Old Earth Belief,
or check out the article
Can You Be A
Christian and Believe in an Old Earth?
Feel free to check out more of this website. Our goal is to
provide rebuttals to the bad science behind young earth creationism,
and honor God by properly presenting His creation.