Posted on 02/01/2014 10:34:31 AM PST by lasereye
Trilobites are one of the most popular fossils for collectors and are found all over the world. The Ute Indians used one species as an amulet, and there is even a cave in France called the Grotte du Trilobite that contained a relic made out of one of these extinct marine creatures.1,2
Trilobites are members of the phylum Arthropoda, which includes spiders, insects, and crustaceans. Today, members of this group make up at least 85 percent of the species on Earth and live in every environment. Insects alone account for over 870,000 of these species.1 God designed all arthropods with an exoskeleton (i.e., an outer skeleton) that is segmented into appendages. In Greek, arthron means joint and podos means foot. This exoskeleton does not grow as the animal grows but rather has to be shed— molted—as the animal matures.
Although arthropods dominate the biomass of the planet today, their fossil record is much more limited, with only about 30,000 fossilized arthropod species identified.1 Because most arthropods have an exoskeleton of organic, chitinous cuticle, they decompose easily and don’t preserve well as fossils. A few arthropod groups like the trilobites, whose shells were calcified, were preserved in the Flood. There are over 2,000 genera (the plural of genus, the category above species) of trilobites in the fossil record and thousands of named species.1
Arthropods represent a major part of the great evolutionary mystery called the Cambrian Explosion. In fact, they are one of the most common fossils in Cambrian system strata.1 They appear in the rock layers fully formed—without ancestors. Evolutionist Richard Fortey writes, “And yet how can it be that all this variety [the trilobite fossils] arose apparently instantly at the base of the Cambrian?” He continues, “Where then were these ancestors? Why were they apparently invisible?”2 These questions are easily answered by creationists, who explain the sudden appearance of fossils in the Cambrian system as part of the initial sediments deposited by the Flood. It seems likely that shallow marine organisms would be the first types of animals buried and preserved by advancing floodwaters.
And now trilobite fossils are producing some of the strongest evidence of catastrophic burial. A recent study found that many of these creatures were inundated rapidly while they were still alive!3 Numerous specimens are found in a rolled-up position—like giant roly-polies—to protect themselves from danger. However, a few varieties lacked the design to “lock their shells” and hold the ball-shaped position; these arthropods had to rely on their internal muscles to hold themselves in a rounded shape.
Recently, evolutionists were surprised when they discovered many of these trilobites with non-locking shells in a rolled, protective position. Javier Ortega-Hernandez and his co-authors reported, “After death, the muscles responsible for flexing the trunk would have relaxed, causing the carcass to return to the outstretched position. Thus, the best possibility of preserving rolled olenellids [this type of trilobite] would require rapid burial of live individuals.”3
Entombed in some of the earliest sediments of the great Flood, trilobites discovered in rolled-up positions demonstrate that many were buried while still alive. However, their sudden appearance in strata is not a mystery when viewed in a biblical context—it confirms that the Flood quickly inundated the earth, encapsulating many animals in mud in the process. Science continues to find evidence that confirms the Bible, even in these little rolled-up treasures.
References
* Dr. Clarey is Research Associate at the Institute for Creation Research and received his Ph.D. in geology from Western Michigan University.
Excellent satire. Thumbs up
IIRC, the largest cache of trilobites is found in the Genesee River gorge, Rochester NY. (But that may just be local).
Yes excellent satire. (Do Luddites get satire?)
“Entombed in some of the earliest sediments of the great Flood, trilobites discovered in rolled-up positions demonstrate that many were buried while still alive. However, their sudden appearance in strata is not a mystery when viewed in a biblical context—it confirms that the Flood quickly inundated the earth, encapsulating many animals in mud in the process. Science continues to find evidence that confirms the Bible, even in these little rolled-up treasures.”
Right there, all the facts are rolled up in one paragraph further proving Creation Science.
Don’t be surprised if one day very soon, Creation Scientists find the two Trilobites that were aboard the Ark.
I hunt where many fossils are present south of Rochester down to the southern tier of NY. No trilobites but encrustations of small clam shells and also soft body fossils in the shale from the Devonian period I tend to bring the best ones home. But they are all over.
They'll know because of the ticket stubs?
/johnny
As time goes on, more evidence supporting the truth of the Bible is being, and will continue to be discovered. Our God is a God of order, evidence of His hand in creation is everywhere.
Except for the feet and feet of layers which are deposited over spans of time as debris sinks to the bottom and covers what is there. The rolled up trilobites could have been caught by an underwater slide due to an earthquake or volcanism.
I believe that God made it all, but the young Earth interpretations of only six thousand years or so don’t seem to work out. He will undoubtedly explain it all to us one day.
Read the paragraph again from the article.
The Trilobites that were not on the Ark were in the rolled-up position as they were inundated by the Flood and thus encapsulating them in mud.
The two the were on the Ark would not fit this model and thus could be identified.
Unless of course some huckster evolutionary geologist has already found them and hid or destroyed them as not to destroy that little theory of theirs.
Noah had an aquarium? Is that Biblical?
I want to know if Noah and family found them good eating with melted butter.
Shift of axis, asteroid slamming into oceans, take your picks. Something big went on that probably wiped out many species on land and in the sea.
I have no evidence that there was an aquarium aboard the Ark, but there was likely some sort of tanks that were used to separate fresh water and salt water aquatic life and in one of those was likely the two Trilobites as the remainder were lost in the catastrophic burial as documented in this article.
Must have been really big tanks to put in all the sharks and whales and such. Plus having to go catch all of them and bring them back to the ark.
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