Creation Science Rebuttals
Technical Journal (TJ)
Echoes of the Big Bang
From TJ, Volume 18, Issue 2, August 2004
Review by Greg Neyman
© Old Earth Ministries
First Published 22 March 2006
In an article in TJ, young earth creation science theorist John
Hartnett reports on the report from a team at the University of Durham,
concerning the possible corruption of the cosmic background radiation from
the Big Bang event.1 (The
article resurfaced as the Daily feature on AiG's website on 11 Jan 05, and on CMI on
the same date).
In the quoted research article, the microwave cosmic background radiation, which is a residual affect of the Big Bang, could be altered by the gas clouds that the waves pass through. The implication made by Hartnett is that if this is true, the Big Bang is in trouble (of course, if you listen to young earth creationists, the Big Bang is already in trouble before this).
Despite Hartnett's claims, there is no problem here for the Big Bang...at least not yet. We are talking about "possible," not "confirmed" problems with one aspect of the Big Bang. However, the theory as a whole is as sound as ever, even with this so-called problem. The astronomers involved in the study, if you read the original report (located here) are not at all questioning the old age of the universe. Any talk about the Big Bang being in trouble has no foundation in truth at best, and at worst, is merely premature guesses on the part of young earth creationists.
According to the researchers, the impact will "at best, complicate the interpretation of the microwave echo and, at worst, begin to undermine the previous evidence for both dark energy and cold dark matter." Note that it will undermine previous evidence for dark energy and cold dark matter. It will not eliminate this evidence. Cosmologists will go back to the drawing board, and try to figure out how this fits into the Big Bang. They will not come up with some "young earth" theory for the universe.
Even if you ignore astronomy, and the big bang, the evidence from geology alone is enough to force an old earth interpretation. If astronomers can't figure out the puzzle, we geologists "have their back."
1 Hartnett, John, Echoes of the Big Bang...or Noise?, TJ 18(2): August 2004. Available online at www.answersingenesis.org/tj/v18/i2/echoes.asp, and on CMI at www.creationontheweb.com/content/view/1571/
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