How did they discover that this little feller was 40,000 years old? What makes someone believe that? To begin the analysis, tissue samples from Lyuba were sent to the Netherlands, where carbon-14 dating revealed she had died some 40,000 years ago...
Is carbon dating accurate?
Only to a certain extent. In order for carbon dating to be accurate, we must know what the ratio of carbon-12 to carbon-14 was in the environment in which our specimen lived during its lifetime. Unfortunately the ratio of carbon-12 to carbon-14 has yet to reach a state of equilibrium in our atmosphere; there is more carbon-14 in the air today than there was thousands of years ago. Furthermore, the ratio is known to fluctuate significantly over relatively short periods of time (e.g. during the industrial revolution more carbon-12 was being produced offsetting the ratio a bit).
Carbon dating is somewhat accurate because we are able to determine what the ratio was in the unobservable past to a certain extent. By taking a carboniferous specimen of known age (that is, a specimen which we are able to date with reasonable certainty through some archaeological means), scientists are able to determine what the ratio was during a specimen's lifetime. They are then able to calibrate the carbon dating method to produce fairly accurate results. Carbon dating is thus accurate within the timeframe set by other archaeological dating techniques. Unfortunately, we aren't able to reliably date artifacts beyond several thousand years. Scientists have tried to extend confidence in the carbon dating method further back in time by calibrating the method using tree ring dating. Unfortunately, tree ring dating is itself not entirely reliable, especially the "long chronology" employed to calibrate the carbon dating method. The result is that carbon dating is accurate for only a few thousand years. Anything beyond that is questionable. This fact is born out in how carbon dating results are used by scientists in the scientific literature. Many scientists will use carbon dating test results to back up their position if the results agree with their preconceived theories. But if the carbon dating results actually conflict with their ideas, they aren't too concerned. "This attitude is clearly reflected in a regrettably common practice: when a radiocarbon date agrees with the expectations of the excavator it appears in the main text of the site report; if it is slightly discrepant it is relegated to a footnote; if it seriously conflicts it is left out altogether." (Peter James, et al. (I. J. Thorpe, Nikos Kokkinos, Robert Morkot and John Frankish), Preface to Centuries of Darkness, 1991)
So, is carbon dating accurate? It is for specimens which only date back a few thousand years. Anything beyond that is problematic and highly doubtful. - See more at: http://www.allaboutarchaeology.org/is-c ... n5LDX.dpuf
Psalm 18:1-50 To the Music Director, a song by David when the Lord delivered him from Saul and his enemies.
I love Thee, Lord, my salvation.
The Lord is my rock, and fortress, and Savior. I put my trust in this Rock: my shield, salvation, my high tower.
This one praised, saves me from my enemies.
I am surrounded by traps of death, and streams of destruction frighten me.
The bonds of Hell surrounded me, before me are death traps.
In my time of trouble I cry to the Lord. He hears me from his home.
The earth quakes and rumbles. And foundations of hills are moved, and shake -- because of His wrath.
Smoke ascends by His nostrils, and fire from His breath destroys -- setting coal ablaze.
He splits the heavens, and descends with solid blackness beneath Him.
He rides upon an angel, and He flies on wings of wind.
Darkness is His hiding place, surrounding His abode with thick fog and clouds of the skies.
From His brilliance --- His thick clouds send hail and brimstone.
The Lord sends thunder in the heavens, And the Most High sends hail and brimstone with the sound of His voice.
He sends arrows and scatter them with much lightning smashing them.
Seen are streaming waters, and eroded are the foundations of the earth, by your rebuke, God, through the breath of your spirit in anger.
He reaches from above and takes me--- drawing me out of all the water.
He delivered me from my strong enemy, And from those hating me, being stronger than I.
My enemies are in front of me when I have trouble. The Lord supports me.
He brings me out to an empty space, He draws me out, because I make Him happy.
The Lord awards my righteousness and cleanness of my hands, He returns to me.
For I have kept The Lord's ways, And have been wicked towards God.
His judgments lay before me, And His regulations I do not hide.
I am perfect through him, And I keep myself from evil ways.
The Lord returns to me, as I behave righteously, in according to the cleanness of my hands before Him.
To the kind God shows kindness. To the perfect man God demonstrates perfection.
To the pure You show purity. With the unreasonable you are a wrestler.
For You save the humble, and the proud bring to humility.
You ignite my lamp, Lord God and enlighten my understanding.
By You I run -- a troop! And by God I vault over walls.
God is perfect! The sayings of the Lord have been tested. He protects those who trust Him.
Is there any other gods? And who can I turn to beside God?
God gives me strength and perfects my way.
God makes my feet steady, and causes me to stand tall.
He prepares my hands for battle, and assists me in my use of weapons.
He gives to me the shield of salvation, and His right hand supports me. The least of His abilities make me great.
He brings courage to my walk, and my ankles do not wobble.
I chase my enemies ---- overtake them, and do not return until they are destroyed.
I hit them, and they cannot rise. They lay under my feet,
You strengthen for battle and cause those who oppose me to bow to me.
You expose the necks of my enemies, and I cut off those that hate me!
They cry, and they have no Savior. He does not answer them.
I beat them as dust before wind, as slop on the streets I spill them out.
You deliver me from the desire of the people. You put me as a leader among nations. Nations I know nothing about sever me.
Hearing me, Sons of a stranger fake obedience to me,
Strangers' sons disappear, and are slain when out of their hiding places.
The Lord lives -- blessed is this Rock. Praised is the God that saves me.
God revenges me, and He subdues people for me.
You deliver me from enemies. Above opposition you raise me. From violent men You deliver me.
I confess God to the nations, and to I sing praises to You,
Spotlighting the salvation of His king, And being kind to His chosen, To David, and his decedents -- forever! I feel that David here is comparing some of his own problems with those Noah experienced. Some of what is revealed clearly seem to point to the time of the Flood. If this is the case we are given deeper presentation of what happened during that catastrophic event.
Young's Literal Translation (YLT)
1 To the Overseer. -- By a servant of Jehovah, by David, who hath spoken to Jehovah the words of this song in the day Jehovah delivered him from the hand of all his enemies, and from the hand of Saul, and he saith: -- I love Thee, O Jehovah, my strength.
2 Jehovah [is] my rock, and my bulwark, And my deliverer, My God [is] my rock, I trust in Him: My shield, and a horn of my salvation, My high tower.
3 The `Praised One' I call Jehovah, And from my enemies I am saved.
4 Compassed me have cords of death, And streams of the worthless make me afraid.
5 Cords of Sheol have surrounded me, Before me have been snares of death.
6 In mine adversity I call Jehovah, And unto my God I cry. He heareth from His temple my voice, And My cry before Him cometh into His ears.
7 And shake and tremble doth the earth, And foundations of hills are troubled, And they shake -- because He hath wrath.
8 Gone up hath smoke by His nostrils, And fire from His mouth consumeth, Coals have been kindled by it.
9 And He inclineth the heavens, and cometh down, And thick darkness [is] under His feet.
10 And He rideth on a cherub, and doth fly, And He flieth on wings of wind.
11 He maketh darkness His secret place, Round about Him His tabernacle, Darkness of waters, thick clouds of the skies.
12 From the brightness over-against Him His thick clouds have passed on, Hail and coals of fire.
13 And thunder in the heavens doth Jehovah, And the Most High giveth forth His voice, Hail and coals of fire.
14 And He sendeth His arrows and scattereth them, And much lightning, and crusheth them.
15 And seen are the streams of waters, And revealed are foundations of the earth. From Thy rebuke, O Jehovah, From the breath of the spirit of Thine anger.
16 He sendeth from above -- He taketh me, He draweth me out of many waters.
17 He delivereth me from my strong enemy, And from those hating me, For they have been stronger than I.
18 They go before me in a day of my calamity And Jehovah is for a support to me.
19 And He bringeth me forth to a large place, He draweth me out, because He delighted in me.
20 Jehovah doth recompense me According to my righteousness, According to the cleanness of my hands, He doth return to me.
21 For I have kept the ways of Jehovah, And have not done wickedly against my God.
22 For all His judgments [are] before me, And His statutes I turn not from me.
23 And I am perfect with him, And I keep myself from mine iniquity.
24 And Jehovah doth return to me, According to my righteousness, According to the cleanness of my hands, Over-against his eyes.
25 With the kind Thou showest Thyself kind, With a perfect man showest Thyself perfect.
26 With the pure Thou showest Thyself pure, And with the perverse showest Thyself a wrestler,
27 For Thou a poor people savest, And the eyes of the high causest to fall.
28 For Thou -- Thou lightest my lamp, Jehovah my God enlighteneth my darkness.
29 For by Thee I run -- a troop! And by my God I leap a wall.
30 God! perfect [is] His way, The saying of Jehovah is tried, A shield [is] He to all those trusting in Him.
31 For who [is] God besides Jehovah? And who [is] a rock save our God?
32 God! who is girding me [with] strength, And He maketh perfect my way.
33 Making my feet like hinds, And on my high places causeth me to stand.
34 Teaching my hands for battle, And a bow of brass was brought down by my arms.
35 And Thou givest to me the shield of Thy salvation, And Thy right hand doth support me, And Thy lowliness maketh me great.
36 Thou enlargest my step under me, And mine ankles have not slidden.
37 I pursue mine enemies, and overtake them, And turn back not till they are consumed.
38 I smite them, and they are not able to rise, They fall under my feet,
39 And Thou girdest me [with] strength for battle, Causest my withstanders to bow under me.
40 As to mine enemies -- Thou hast given to me the neck, As to those hating me -- I cut them off.
41 They cry, and there is no saviour, On Jehovah, and He doth not answer them.
42 And I beat them as dust before wind, As mire of the streets I empty them out.
43 Thou dost deliver me From the strivings of the people, Thou placest me for a head of nations, A people I have not known do serve me.
44 At the hearing of the ear they hearken to me, Sons of a stranger feign obedience to me,
45 Sons of a stranger fade away, And are slain out of their close places.
46 Jehovah liveth -- and blessed [is] my rock, And exalted is the God of my salvation.
47 God -- who is giving vengeance to me, And He subdueth peoples under me,
48 My deliverer from mine enemies, Above my withstanders Thou raisest me, From a man of violence dost deliver me.
49 Therefore I confess Thee among nations, O Jehovah, And to Thy name I sing praise,
50 Magnifying the salvation of His king, And doing kindness to His anointed, To David, and to his seed -- unto the age!
So, what have YOU done to solve the world's problems? Blame God so you feel superior? Get another Tattoo? Pain and suffering often are the end result of a people or nation snubbing its nose at God. California is in the middle of a drought --- might this be the end result of godless social policies? New Jersey has one financial crisis after another ---- might this be the end result of godless spending? You display a picture of a starving child, could this be the end result of nationwide, fornication, adultery, and sexually transmitted AIDS?
LittleNipper wrote:So, what have YOU done to solve the world's problems? Blame God so you feel superior? Get another Tattoo? Pain and suffering often are the end result of a people or nation snubbing its nose at God. California is in the middle of a drought --- might this be the end result of godless social policies? New Jersey has one financial crisis after another ---- might this be the end result of godless spending? You display a picture of a starving child, could this be the end result of nationwide, fornication, adultery, and sexually transmitted AIDS?
Who is at fault?
This is a beautiful example of the rhetorical fallacy known as Tu quoque.
Surprise, surprise, there is no divine mandate for the Church to discuss and portray its history accurately. --Yahoo Bot
I pray thee, sir, forgive me for the mess. And whether I shot first, I'll not confess. --Han Solo, from William Shakespeare's Star Wars
LittleNipper wrote:So, what have YOU done to solve the world's problems? Blame God so you feel superior? Get another Tattoo? Pain and suffering often are the end result of a people or nation snubbing its nose at God. California is in the middle of a drought --- might this be the end result of godless social policies? New Jersey has one financial crisis after another ---- might this be the end result of godless spending? You display a picture of a starving child, could this be the end result of nationwide, fornication, adultery, and sexually transmitted AIDS?
Who is at fault?
This is a beautiful example of the rhetorical fallacy known as Tu quoque.
To answer Nipper's Tu quoque, I think all of us posting on this board have more power to reach people here as anything else we could do as individuals to influence the world (for good or ill).
I'm surprised by how often postings on MDB show up near the top of Google search results when I'm looking up information on current topics here. There are a limited number of people that participate here regularly, but there is a world of people reading.
This, or any other post that I have made or will make in the future, is strictly my own opinion and consequently of little or no value.
"Faith is believing something you know ain't true" Twain.
LittleNipper wrote:So, what have YOU done to solve the world's problems? Blame God so you feel superior? Get another Tattoo? Pain and suffering often are the end result of a people or nation snubbing its nose at God. California is in the middle of a drought --- might this be the end result of godless social policies? New Jersey has one financial crisis after another ---- might this be the end result of godless spending? You display a picture of a starving child, could this be the end result of nationwide, fornication, adultery, and sexually transmitted AIDS?
Who is at fault?
This is a beautiful example of the rhetorical fallacy known as Tu quoque.
To answer Nipper's Tu quoque, I think all of us posting on this board have more power to reach people here as anything else we could do as individuals to influence the world (for good or ill).