A Week on the Cutting Edge of Creation Science

Two weeks ago, myself and the rest of the New Creation crew packed our bags. We prepared for a week of conferences to see the latest in cutting-edge creation science research. A full run-down of the actual scientific research is forthcoming. However, I wanted to take some time and share a sneak-peak, more personal look at our incredible time.

Origins Conference

Every year, Creation Biology Society, Creation Geology Society, and Creation Theology Society unite to bring us an annual conference, Origins. Origins’ purpose is to give creation researchers of the aforementioned fields a chance to present their work and get feedback (some very critical!) from their peers. This year, Origins took place in St. Louis, Missouri, from July 21st to the 24th.

But, as it turned out, getting to Origins turned out to be the tricky part! Many of us just so happened to be leaving on the same weekend all chaos broke loose as a result of the worldwide IT outage. The airline canceled my original flight and its connecting flight but managed to secure another one just in time. Unfortunately, some intended attendees missed the event, and delays affected other flights. Nevertheless, we made the most of it! It was wonderful making new friends and catching up with old ones that I hadn’t seen since the International Conference on Creationism (ICC) last year.

Science at the Conference

You can expect a more fulfilling run-down of some of the talks at Origins this year in an upcoming article. But some of the highlights included research on the study of plesiosaur and salamander created kinds, the usage of the word “kind” throughout the Bible and extra-biblical sources, and radiocarbon in fossil bones, coal, and fossil wood.

Peter B. and myself presented a talk together on fossil giraffoids (that’s the group in which scientists classify modern giraffes, okapis and their extinct fossil relatives). We wanted to determine if all giraffoids belong in the same created kind and whether they are truly related to other ruminants (hoofed mammals), as some young-earth biologists have suggested. Peter mostly handled that research, while I generated maps showing the distribution of fossil giraffoids across the Old World. I also presented a solo talk on footprints and other trace fossils in upper Cretaceous rock layers and what this may be able to tell us about the Flood. Jake had a solo talk as well, where he presented a new model for understanding the history and development of science from a biblical perspective.

Creation Research Society Conference

Once the Origins conference was all wrapped up, we set off again for Williamstown, Kentucky. This year, the Creation Research Society held its conference at the Ark Encounter, a theme park featuring a museum built to the scale of Noah’s Ark.

This conference took place from July 25th to the 28th. I recognized some people I met at ICC last year, but most were new. But I quickly realized that the bubble at CRS was a very different bubble from the one I was familiar with at Origins. I think interacting with those who might have a different opinion than you is an important thing for everyone (not just scientists!) to experience.

Standing in the Shadows of Giants (and Arks!)

Several big name scientists were here to present their latest research. But among individuals like geologist Steve Austin and astronomer Danny Faulkner were up and coming researchers as well. One of them being our very own Hannah! She had a talk on the role of natural law during Creation Week, especially in regards to its implications for astronomy.

A particular highlight for me was seeing the theme park itself. This was my first visit to the Ark. In a word: it’s big! For those who haven’t been, it contains museum-quality exhibits, displays, and dioramas dispersed across three levels of a life-size replica of Noah’s Ark. This might be a good time to subscribe to our YouTube channel, New Creation Clips. You will get to see some of the footage we filmed inside the Ark in the near future!

But the Ark isn’t the only thing to see. Visiting the Ararat Zoo was a special delight. I got to see many animals from all over the world. Some of them I had never seen in person before. An added bonus was that someone tipped us off to a treasure trove of fossil deposits just across from our hotel! Again, stay tuned for more on that by subscribing to New Creation Clips.

Final Thoughts

My week of conferences had to come to an end. The trip home was far easier and less eventful than the time leading up to my trip to St. Louis. (Though our plane apparently hit a bird on the way back!) Again, stay tuned for an in-depth run-down of new creation research at both conferences here at the New Creation Blog!