FOSSILS
Introduction. Darwin admitted that the fossil evidence was one of the weakest aspect of the theory of evolution (see also Dinosaurs, Flood, Early man, Geological column, Intermediates and Living fossils pages). It should also be noted that even if there was ample fossil evidence of organisms now extinct that appeared to be "links" between Species or Genera alive today, this in itself does not prove evolution to be true. The data could also be interpreted that such links were in fact organisms created that were similar to other organisms but had now become extinct.
The noted palaeontologist Stephen Jay Gould of Harvard pointed out that:-
"The fossil record with its abrupt transitions offers no support for gradual change ........ All paleontologists know that the fossil record contains precious little in the way of intermediate forms; transitions between major groups are characteristically abrupt" (Gould, 1977).
Also Dr T S Kemp, Curator of Zoological collections, Oxford University said:-"In virtually all cases a new taxon appears for the first time in the fossil record with most definitive features already present, and practically no known stem-group forms." (Kemp, 1999).
Evolutionist David Raup, Curator of Geology at Chicago's Field Museum of Natural History also said:- "The evidence we find in the geological record is not nearly as compatible with Darwinian natural selection as we would like it to be ....We now have a quarter of a million fossil species but the situation hasn't changed
much. The record of evolution is surprisingly jerky and, ironically, we have even fewer examples of evolutionary transition than in Darwin's time ... so Darwin's problem has not been alleviated" (Raup, Field museum of Natural History Bulletin).
David Raup also said:- "A large number of well trained scientists outside of evolutionary biology and paleontology have unfortunately gotten the idea that the fossil record is far more Darwinian than it is. This probably comes from the oversimplification inevitable in secondary sources: low level textbooks, semi-popular articles, and so on. Also, there is probably some wishful thinking involved. In the years after Darwin , his advocates hoped to find predictable progressions. In general, these have not been found yet the optimism has died hard, and some pure fantasy has crept into textbooks...". Raup, D. (1981). New Scientist, Vol. 90. Vol. 90. p. 832
Ninety-five percent of the fossils are marine invertebrates, particularly shellfish. Of the remaining 5%, 95% are algae and plant fossils. Ninety-five percent of the remaining 0.25% are other invertebrates including insects. The remaining 0.0125% of fossils include all vertebrates, mostly fish. Ninety-five percent of the few land vertebrates consist of less than one bone. The fossil record is best understood as the results of a marine cataclysm (Morris, J .D., 1994).
However, in general, evolutionists do argue that there is at least some fossil evidence for evolution and that many fossils have been discovered in the last 20 years supporting say evolution of reptiles to birds or land mammals to whales and dolphins. Evolutionists can claim that creationists only use the quotes that suit them and ignore others.
On the other side, there are books such as Darwin's Enigma, by Luther Sunderland, Evolution, a theory in crisis,by Dr Michael Denton and Evolution, the fossils still say no, by Dr Duane Gish that would argue that there is no clear fossil evidence in favour of transitional fossils.
Numbers of fossils. There are an estimated 250 million fossils catalogued comprising 250,000 fossil species (Ankerberg, 1998a). Thus is would seem that it is not lack of fossils that is at fault it not providing the Intermediate links that should exist if evolution were true.
Cambrian explosion. Another problem with the fossil evidence is the sudden appearance of fossils in Cambrian rock
and very few fossils in pre-Cambrian rock (Baker, 1996). This does not point to gradual development of organisms over time, but could point to a worldwide flood burying vast numbers of animals.
The prominent British evolutionist Richard Dawkins speaking of the Cambrian fauna, has made the following comment: "And we find many of them already in an advanced state of evolution, the very first time they appear. It is as though they were just planted there, without any evolutionary history. Needless to say, this appearance of sudden planting has delighted creationists". Richard Dawkins, The Blind Watchmaker (New York: W.W. Norton Co., 1987).
Whilst the fossils evidence does not show Intermediate forms (depending on the interpretation given), it does show evidence for stability within species as can been seen when looking at Living fossils.
Suggested reading, videos and talks
Books
Creation Facts Of Life, by Dr Gary Parker.
Darwin's Enigma, by Luther Sunderland
Evolution, A Theory In Crisis,by Dr Michael Denton.
Evolution, The Fossils Still Say No, Dr Duane Gish.
Genesis Flood, by J. C. Whitcomb and H. M. Morris.
Grand Canyon: Monument To Catastrophe, by Dr. Steven Austin.
Noah's Ark: A Feasibility Study, by John Woodmorappe.
Sea Floor Sediments And The Age Of The Earth, by Dr. Larry Vardiman
Studies in Flood Geology, by John Woodmorappe.
The Fossil Book (Wonders of Creation), by Gary Parker, Mary Parker.
Thousands not millions, by Don De Young.
On-Line articles
Claws on wings
Did Dinosaurs Turn Into Birds?
Fish Scales in the Cambrian
Fossils—do they get more complex?
Fossil pollen in Grand Canyon Overturns Plant Evolution
Hundreds of jellyfish fossils!
The fossil record of ‘early’ tetrapods: evidence of a major evolutionary transition?
The non-evolution of the horse
The Overselling of Whale Evolution
Those fossils are a problem
Vertebrates: animals with backbones
On-Line videos
John Mackay on revelation TV creationism discussion fossils living fossils.
Richard Dawkins interviews creationist John Mackay (Part 1 of 2)
The three videos below are in the Christian Answersweb site, with permission for linkage requested.
The Fossil Record: Intermediate Links
2:54 mins.
Archaeopteryx: A Feathered Reptile?
1:06 mins.
The Ape-Man: Missing Link
2:26 mins.
