Re: Evolution and Creationism

["Michael N. Monce" <mnmon@CONNCOLL.EDU>]

On Fri, 20 Aug 1999, Ludwik Kowalski wrote:

> 3)
> > The rotation of the Earth has been slowing at a rate of 30 seconds
> > per century. If the Earth were billions of years old, the rotation rate
> > at the outset would have been so great that the planet could not have
> > held together, much less support life.

        I'll take a stab at this one.  I have no idea if the 30 second
value is correct.  However, the conclusion assumes the rate of slowing has
been constant over the lifetime of the earth.  I believe the slowing is
due to tidal effects and it would seem that the the 30 sec/century figure
could have been much different in the past.  I have no evidence of such,
which I hope someone can supply.  The conclusion makes an assumption about
the rotational slowing rate that may not be valid.


                        Mike Monce
                        Connecticut College