SUMMARY: The scientific community was skeptical when paleontologist Mary Schweitzer said she found soft blood vessels, proteins, blood cells and even DNA in fossilized dinosaur bones. Such biological structures and molecules may last thousands of years but not millions. (Most scientists say dinosaurs went extinct some 65 million years ago.)Alternate explanations for these features were advanced in order to debunk Schweitzer's findings: the tissues were contaminated; it was all just an illusion caused by bacteria; the data was distorted. In answer to these objections, Schweitzer's teams implemented sterile excavation procedures (to eliminate the possibility of contamination) and had an independent third party analyze the results. The conclusion was that bacteria cannot create anything in the shape of vertebrate blood vessels nor can they produce the kind of collagen found in the dinosaur fossils.
Other researchers have backed Schweitzer's findings. John Asara of Harvard Medical School found collagen signatures in the tissues and placed his data online so anyone can access it. Scientists from Palo Alto verified that four of seven collagen sequences were clearly legitimate and in July published their report online in the Journal of Proteome Research. All indications are these dinosaur soft tissues are real biological leftovers from once-living hosts.
There remain three possible answers for this apparent soft tissue in dinosaur fossils: 1. the tissue really isn't what it appears to be (with the additional research this answer is losing credibility); 2. an unknown natural process can preserve soft tissue for millions of years (this bit of wishing thinking flies in the face of laboratory evidence); and 3. the soft tissue and the sedimentary rock encasing it can't be more than a few thousand years old (such an idea would require a major rewriting of evolutionary history and theory).
To read the entire article, click on this ICR link.
COMMENT: One can commend Dr. Schweitzer and the other researchers for willing to stand up for what they regard as the truth in the face of what must be strong opposition from orthodox Darwinians. As can easily be documented, the often heard claim that real scientists are always open to new findings doesn't necessarily hold true, especially if discoveries challenge traditional or even "neo-Darwinian" beliefs.
Many modern creationists claim their conversion to Christianity began when they began having doubts about Darwin. Let us pray that scientists who may be confused by this latest research might eventually be led to the Word of God where they will find an accurate account of history. They will then also find out about their need for a Savior and with the help of the Holy Spirit be willing to place their faith in Jesus and the salvation He offers everyone.
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QUESTION OF THE DAY
What causes islands to float?They don't. If they did, they wouldn't stay in one place. Islands either are connected underwater to the mainland, like Manhattan island (picture from Wikipedia), or are the tops of underwater mountains, like the Hawaiian islands.
Source: Marilyn vos Savant in Parade magazine (7/26/09)
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