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100 Reasons to Choose Biblical Creation Over Evolution
57. Missing Helium in the Atmosphere
As certain radioactive elements in the earth's crust go through what is known as alpha decay, two types of sub-atomic particles - two protons and two neutrons - are released. This is the equivalent of a helium atom. Scientists have measured the rate at which this lightweight and highly mobile element is being released from the rocks into the atmosphere. The measured rate stands at thirteen million helium atoms per square inch each second. Some of these atoms, about 0.3 million per square inch each second, actually reach escape velocity and make it into outer space. The vast majority, as the figures indicate, remain trapped within our atmosphereA.
If we divide the known amount of helium in our atmosphere today by the rate we see it accumulating, our atmosphere appears to be no more than two million years old. This is far less than the 4.6 billion year age of the earth proposed which is the dominant scientific opinionB. Further it absolutely invalidates the doctrine of slow evolution over hundreds of millions of years.
57. Missing Helium in the Atmosphere - Notes and References
A. John Morris, "The Young Earth", Master Books, 1994, pp.83-85
B. "There ought to be about a thousand times as much helium in the atmosphere as there is." "What Happened to the Earth's Helium?", New Scientist vol.24, December 3 1964, pp.631-632
Melvin A. Cook, "Where is the Earth's Radiogenic Helium?", Nature,vol.179, January 26, 1957, p.213