Most fossils are found in the Cambrian layer of the geological column. Scientists say the Cambrian represents a period from around 500 million years ago to around 1 million years ago. The Cambrian contains an almost simultaneous appearance of many different fossils. This appearance is known as the “Cambrian explosion.”
Professor Jeffrey Levinton says, “The Cambrian explosion was characterized by the sudden and roughly simultaneous appearance of many diverse animal forms almost 600 million years ago. No other period in the history of animal life can match this remarkable burst of evolutionary creativity.”i
The theory of evolution suggests that throughout history, simple organisms evolved into more complex creatures. However, in the Cambrian, we find that the complex life forms existed right at the beginning.
Evolutionary Lawns
Most information about creatures evolving is shown in the form of evolutionary trees. However, these trees are simply scientists’ speculation. The actual fossil record evidence does not show evolutionary trees but rather evolutionary lawns. Evolutionary trees show one ancestor branching off into other organisms that evolve later in time. In a lawn, however, all the branches are parallel, and there is no common ancestor. This means that the creatures existed at the same time, rather than evolving into each other.
The simultaneous appearance of all major animal groups is strong evidence for Creation. Darwin even admitted that the issue caused problems for his theory, and “must remain inexplicable and may be truly urged as a valid argument against the views here entertained” (emphasis added).ii
Neo-Darwinist Stephen Gould suggested that evolution occurred through “punctuated equilibrium,” or periods of no change punctuated by periods of rapid change. However, the theory of punctuated equilibrium does not make genetic sense without the presence of a Designer.
Current concepts require millions of years for creatures to evolve from one form to another. Therefore, the layers in the fossil record are said to represent vast time periods. In the past, evolutionists have lengthened these time periods in order to prove their theory. Now, in the absence of evidence for slow, gradual evolution, these time periods are being reduced. Researchers from MIT and Harvard have actually cut the length of the Cambrian period in half.iii
Stephen Gould states that full diversity of creatures occurred in the Cambrian explosion. Could this rapid appearance of animals in fact be Creation?
Learn about evidence for a worldwide Flood in the fossil record.
i. Jeffrey Levinton, “The Big Bang of Animal Evolution,” Scientific American (November 1992).
ii. Charles Darwin, The Origin of Species Reprint (New York: Heritage Press, 1963).
iii. S. Bowring, TIME (December 1995).
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Earth's History: Conflicting Paradigms
Lamarck Proposes Natural Selection
Age Of The Earth Is Carbon-Dating Accurate?
Flood Chronology
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Persecution in the First Centuries
An Era of Spiritual Darkness The Waldenses
John Wycliffe Huss and Jerome
Luther's Separation From Rome
Luther Before the Diet The Swiss Reformer
Progress of Reform in Germany
Protest of the Princes The French Reformation
The Netherlands and Scandinavia
Later English Reformers
The Bible and the French Revolution
The Pilgrim Fathers Heralds of the Morning
An American Reformer Light Through Darkness
A Great Religious Awakening A Warning Rejected
Prophecies Fulfilled What is the Sanctuary?
In the Holy of Holies God's Law Immutable
A Work of Reform Modern Revivals
Facing Life's Record The Origin of Evil
Enmity Between Man and Satan
Agency of Evil Spirits Snares of Satan
The First Great Deception
Can Our Dead Speak to Us?
Liberty of Conscience Threatened
The Impending Conflict
The Scriptures a Safeguard The Final Warning
The Time of Trouble God's People Delivered
Desolation of the Earth The Controversy Ended
Is Revelation a Sealed Book?
Revelation 1: Jesus, The Heart of Revelation
Revelation 1 Commentary: The Revelation of Jesus
Revelation 2 Commentary: Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamos, Thyatira
Revelation 2-3: Letters to Seven Churches
Revelation 3 Commentary: Sardis, Philadelphia, Laodicea
The Lamb and the Sealed Book
Revelation 4 Commentary: The Throne in Heaven
Revelation 5 Commentary: The Scroll and the Lamb
Revelation 6 Commentary: The Vision of Seven Seals
Revelation 7 Commentary: The 144,000
Revelation 8 Commentary: Seven Trumpets
Revelation 9 Commentary: The Bottomless Pit
Revelation 10 Commentary: A Little Book
Revelation 11 Commentary: Two Witnesses
Revelation 12 Commentary: The Woman and the Dragon
Revelation 13 Commentary: Two Beasts
Revelation 14 Commentary: Three Angels' Messages
Revelation 15 Commentary: Seven Angels, Seven Plagues
Revelation 16 Commentary: Seven Bowls of God's Anger
Revelation 17 Commentary: A Woman Rides the Beast
Revelation 18 Commentary: Babylon Falls
Revelation 19 Commentary: The Rider on the White Horse
Revelation 20 Commentary: Millennium and the Judgment
Revelation 21 Commentary: The New Jerusalem
Revelation 22 Commentary: Invitation and Warning