Travelling back through time with Dr Richard Smith’s imaginary time machine on the ABC program Australia: The Time Traveller’s Guide, we reach the nebular hypothesis at about 7 min. This was first proposed by the French mathematician, astronomer and atheist Pierre-Simon Laplace to explain how our solar system came into existence by natural processes. The idea is that the sun and the planets condensed from a swirling cloud of dust and gas, said to have occurred some 4.5 billion years ago.
The video is dramatic and persuasive with glowing rocks and dust tumbling and colliding in space. The theatrical commentary speaks of “Every fragment locked in gravitational mortal combat with every other lump of rock, metal, ice and dust in orbit.” Although this is portrayed as a factual documentary it is clearly an imaginative, speculative just-so story.
One problem that is not mentioned on the video is that the nebular hypothesis does not work. Jonathan Sarfati summarises some of insuperable problems with the hypothesis and concludes:
Although the nebular hypothesis is accepted uncritically by many evolutionists, there are severe problems with forming both the sun and the planets from a collapsing cloud.
Secular scientists admit that the naturalistic formation of planets is exceedingly difficult.
At 7 min 30 sec in the video we see glowing red chunks of rock orbiting in space and crashing together. But it’s cold in space. The chunks from which the planets formed would have been cold and black. Only after the earth’s formation when the iron core differentiated did the planet turn into a molten blob—according to the story.
But that’s artistic licence. Black rocks in black space would not make an exciting video.
None of the problems with the numerous models for planet formation is mentioned. None of the scientific issues is hinted at. None of the unanswered questions is touched on. If you relied on the video you would think everything was completely settled, as if Richard Smith had watched the events all the way through.
But the science is far from settled. Indeed the difficulties continue to grow and accumulate. There are problems, surprises, ad hoc adjustments and speculations for every planet. One good video that deals with each of the planets, explaining the problems it presents for the naturalistic worldview is presented by Spike Psarris: Our Created Solar System. The evidence supports the biblical account that our solar system is created and young.
Mal Wood
Sorry you feel this way. Clearly the nonsense of believing in a young earth has clouded your judgement. Science (unlike Creationism which is not science) continues to show that the Earth is indeed very old, as is the Universe. Non of this, of course, necessarily means that your belief in God is false, merely that you too readily accept the creation myth put forward by a bronze age people. It really doesn’t have to be that way, you know. Many Christians do in fact accept the evolutionary, scientific explanation of the world. I hope that you find your way to accepting the truth eventually, but rest assured nobody will be burnt at the stake for the beliefs if evolutionists win the struggle. Unhappily that could not be said if your side wins.
Tas Walker responds:
Your comment is a string of unfounded assertions. If you read the articles on my site about geology you will see that I provide evidence and logic.
Steve Drake
Tas,
More good reasons that the whole astronomical, geological, and biological evolutionary edifice is just a house of cards; just-so stories that can’t even be supported by science itself.
Mark W Allen
Dear Mal,
Sorry, but I have to point the lack of qualification in your statement:
“Science (unlike Creationism which is not science) continues to show that the Earth is indeed very old, as is the Universe.”
Should read: Atheistic Evolutionary Theory (unlike Creationism which is not….) continues to assume that the Earth is indeed very old, as it does for the Universe.
This is far more accurate.
A Theory by it’s very nature is totally falsifiable( unproveable ), Science is proveable.
Science involves testing & reproduction my friend.
I challenge you to reproduce Evolution in a laboratory !
For this reason, Science & Evolution can never be linked.