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Series Code: ASB
Program Code: ASB000107A
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00:04 And comes from the DVD series, "Awesome Science"
00:09 [music playing] 00:10 NOAH JUSTICE (VOICEOVER): Very few places in America 00:12 have such amazing sights for exploring volcanic history 00:15 as the Pacific Northwest. 00:17 Dormant, extinct, or active volcanoes 00:20 hold spectacular views. 00:22 Before these volcanoes rose, a foundation of basalt 00:26 was laid across vast areas of Oregon and Washington, 00:29 named the Columbia River Basalt. 00:32 NOAH JUSTICE (VOICEOVER): Up to 15,000 feet 00:34 thick, these layers are best seen in Eastern Oregon, 00:38 where they have been cut by extensive erosion. 00:42 Below and above the basalts are amazing layers 00:45 of ash, sediment, and fossils. 00:48 This area was so spectacular, the government 00:50 declared it a National Monument which we know now 00:54 as the John Day Fossil Beds. 00:56 NOAH JUSTICE (VOICEOVER): Secular 00:57 scientists say the thousands of feet of basalt and ash layers, 01:00 along with the erosion which carved them out, 01:03 took many millions of years to form. 01:06 As we look at the evidence, another explanation 01:09 is possible-- that they were laid down and carved quickly 01:13 as a result of a global Flood. 01:15 Which view is right? 01:17 What really happened here? 01:19 All this and more, next on "Awesome Science." 01:22 [music playing] 01:27 NOAH JUSTICE (VOICEOVER): "Awesome Science" takes you 01:29 on a field trip to some of the most amazing geologic 01:32 and historical sites around the world, 01:35 where we used the Bible as our history guidebook 01:37 to interpret what we see-- that the Bible can be trusted, 01:41 and empirical science falls in line 01:43 with the Biblical account of Creation, 01:45 the Fall, and the Flood. 01:48 Science-- it's awesome. 01:55 [music playing] 02:02 The state of Oregon is divided into four major areaS-- 02:06 the pristine coastline, rich valleys, Cascade Mountains, 02:11 and the high desert to the east. 02:14 Much of this high desert is covered in basalt thousands 02:17 of feet thick. 02:18 The basalt comes from a series of lava flows originating 02:21 from numerous fissures in Southeastern Washington 02:24 and Northeastern Oregon. 02:27 Some of these lava flows traveled as far 02:29 as the Pacific Ocean, a few hundred miles to the west. 02:33 NOAH JUSTICE (VOICEOVER): Some of the basalt has been removed, 02:36 creating large, open areas thousands of feet 02:39 deep, revealing the underlying layers of sandstone, shales, 02:43 and volcanic deposits. 02:45 These sedimentary beds have colorful shades of tan, 02:48 green, and red. 02:51 They often contain fossils, mostly of plants, 02:54 but a few animals, as well. 02:56 Some of the most spectacular sites 02:59 where the sediment was exposed were set aside 03:02 for the National Monument. 03:03 Spread over three different locations, 03:05 over 100,000 visitors come every year 03:08 to experience the outstanding geology and scenery. 03:12 NOAH JUSTICE (VOICEOVER): This part of Oregon 03:13 was named after John Day, a hunter and trapper who 03:17 came West on an expedition party in 1812. 03:21 He and a partner became separated from their group 03:24 and were raided by Indians. 03:26 This happened where the John Day river enters the Columbia. 03:29 The river, which meanders through Eastern Oregon, 03:32 and the region, were named after him. 03:34 The monument was established in 1975, 03:38 and encompasses around 14,000 acres. 03:42 It's easy to make your way around the monument 03:44 on the highways and gravel roads. 03:46 If you're traveling through this area, 03:48 it's really worth a visit. 03:50 [whoosh] 03:52 NOAH JUSTICE (VOICEOVER): As you drive through the large canyons 03:55 and valleys, it becomes evident that more than one 03:58 geologic formation can be seen in these steep walls. 04:02 From the top of the canyon all the way to the bottom, 04:05 there are 10 formations. 04:07 The top formation consists of sediments and glacial deposits. 04:11 And the bottom of the canyon contains marble, schists, 04:14 and limestone. 04:15 NOAH JUSTICE (VOICEOVER): All the formations 04:17 fit into the geologic column. 04:19 Sections of the Holocene, Pleistocene, Pliocene, Miocene, 04:23 Eocene, Cretaceous, Jurassic, Triassic, and Permian. 04:29 By the way, creationists and evolutionists 04:32 both agree that these rock layers are real, and have 04:35 distinctions. 04:36 Where we disagree is the timing of the laying 04:38 down of these layers. 04:39 NOAH JUSTICE (VOICEOVER): Secular 04:41 geologists use this column to describe 04:43 the long ages of the evolutionary history 04:46 of the earth. 04:48 Each layer has a set of index fossils 04:50 that are used to identify it. 04:52 For the most part, Biblical creationists 04:55 also use the same column. 04:57 But they interpret what they see mainly 05:00 as layers being laid down during the Flood 05:02 in a quick succession, not over long ages. 05:05 NOAH JUSTICE (VOICEOVER): Arguably, there 05:07 is no one location on Earth that has the full columns stacked 05:11 one layer on top of the other. 05:13 Scientists piece it together by comparing multiple locations 05:16 around the world. 05:19 There is some debate among creationists 05:21 over whether the Columbia River Basalts were formed 05:24 during or after the Flood. 05:26 NOAH JUSTICE (VOICEOVER): There Is strong evidence 05:28 that heavy volcanic activity was happening 05:30 during and after the Flood, when the flood water was 05:33 moving into the ocean basins, as the earth 05:36 came to a balance point. 05:39 One reason why the scientists think 05:41 that the basalt may have formed after the flood waters moved 05:44 off the continents is that when magma 05:46 comes to the surface at the bottom of the ocean, 05:48 it has a tendency to form pillows. 05:51 Yet most of the basalt here has not formed into pillows. 05:57 But more recent observations have been made in Hawaii 06:00 where large amounts of magma have quickly developed 06:03 underwater without pillowing. 06:06 So we can't be absolutely certain, 06:08 but we still have a fairly narrow window, much less 06:11 than the millions of years in the evolutionary view. 06:15 NOAH JUSTICE (VOICEOVER): The pillowing 06:17 features seem to be related to the quantity and quickness 06:20 at which the magma exits to the surface. 06:23 With the massive quantity of basalt 06:25 here, we can be fairly certain that the earth was putting out 06:29 very large amounts of magma at the end stages of the Flood. 06:33 The other challenge with this lava being post-Flood 06:36 is the fact that of massive amounts of erosion 06:39 that occurred. 06:40 The Flood is the only logical event 06:42 with the means of carving this basalt thousands of feet deep. 06:46 NOAH JUSTICE (VOICEOVER): There is evidence 06:48 that we can interpret as several large lakes that existed 06:51 in the west after the Flood. 06:53 These lakes eventually breached, and the escaping water 06:56 carved the landscape as it made its way to the ocean. 07:01 Glacial Lake Missoula and Lake Bonneville 07:04 are just two examples. 07:06 Yet there just isn't enough evidence 07:08 that can be interpreted as a local flood event in Oregon. 07:13 NOAH JUSTICE (VOICEOVER): As you enter the John Day river 07:15 valley, near the small village of Antelope, 07:19 it's easy to see the lines of contact between lava beds. 07:23 They're straight and level. 07:25 This evidence is consistent with the short period of time 07:28 between one flow and the next. 07:31 And the whole sequence accumulated very quickly. 07:35 There was not hundreds of thousands 07:37 of years between flows. 07:39 Otherwise, we'd see erosion. 07:42 There is also a large amount of sliding and slumping 07:45 in the layers, so the John Day beds 07:48 were not thoroughly consolidated when 07:50 formed, but were still soft or plastic when 07:53 the bending action happened. 07:55 Then they hardened. 07:57 Many locations around the world have 08:00 had extensive volcanic activity in the past. 08:03 This includes huge magma deposits and massive layers 08:07 of ash, such as in the Southwest at Petrified Forest National 08:11 Park. 08:12 During the Flood, massive tectonic activity 08:15 was happening below the waters to release this magma and ash. 08:19 NOAH JUSTICE (VOICEOVER): When the highway 08:21 was built along the John Day River, 08:23 several hillsides were exposed, showing conglomerate layers. 08:28 Below the conglomerate layer are sandstones, shales, and ash 08:32 deposits. 08:34 All of these layers are sedimentary, 08:36 meaning they were deposited in water. 08:39 Shales are usually formed by sand, pressure, and heat. 08:43 The heat fuses the particles of sand and other materials 08:46 together into a shale. 08:50 There was plenty of heat present below the surface of the flood 08:52 waters to help form the shales, along 08:55 with the volcanic activity to generate the ash layers. 08:59 The Bible tells us that God sent the Flood to destroy 09:02 all land-dwelling, air-breathing life, 09:06 except for Noah, his family, and the animals on the Ark. 09:09 None of these types of animals or people 09:12 could have survived what was happening as the flood waters 09:15 covered the entire earth. 09:17 God's destruction was complete, just as He said it would be. 09:21 NOAH JUSTICE (VOICEOVER): This is exactly what we 09:23 see from the geologic record. 09:26 The destruction was massive and worldwide. 09:29 [whoosh] 09:31 [hum] 09:33 [zap] 09:34 Thousands of cubic miles of material 09:36 have been removed from this area. 09:38 Where did it go? 09:40 There is no significant accumulation of sediment 09:42 anywhere in between here and the Pacific Ocean. 09:47 NOAH JUSTICE (VOICEOVER): For hundreds of miles up and down 09:50 this valley, the excavation of the Columbia River 09:53 Basalt and other layers has been enormous. 09:57 Water erosion has amazing properties, 10:00 and can cut through just about any substance. 10:04 In 1982, at Mount St. Helens, a mudflow 10:07 caused by immense amounts of water came out of the crater 10:11 and carved canyons hundreds of feet thick, 10:14 including a lava flow thought to be 500 years old. 10:18 After day 150 of the Flood, the Bible 10:22 tells us that the waters were, indeed, receding. 10:25 Below the surface, the remaining movements 10:27 of the continents and changes of elevation were happening. 10:30 Mountains were being pushed up. 10:33 Valleys were being formed. 10:34 And what is now the Pacific Ocean was sinking lower. 10:38 NOAH JUSTICE (VOICEOVER): These massive volcanic changes 10:40 started moving the water off the continents 10:42 and into the ocean basins. 10:45 During this time, giant sheet erosion 10:48 was moving sediments off the top layers 10:51 and dumping them on the continental shelves 10:53 in the ocean. 10:56 As the water decreased, it began to carve canyons and gaps 11:00 in the mountain chains and plateaus. 11:03 It is believed that this massive erosional event 11:06 was responsible for carving the John Day Fossil Beds. 11:10 NOAH JUSTICE (VOICEOVER): The absence 11:11 of significant accumulations of erosional debris 11:14 and sedimentary deposits between here 11:16 and the ocean suggest that most of the material eroded 11:20 from these great canyons was dumped into the Pacific Ocean. 11:24 The Genesis Flood could provide sufficient water 11:27 to accomplish this task quickly. 11:30 [whoosh] 11:32 We're here behind Fossil High School, 11:34 where collecting is permitted. 11:36 Be sure to have a hammer and a geology chisel. 11:40 Let's go. 11:43 This rock is white volcanic ash. 11:47 This is the area that we can dig in. 11:49 Let's go look for some. 11:50 [music playing] 11:54 Oh, wow. 11:55 What's interesting about these leaves 11:57 is the edges aren't bent, which means 11:59 that they were stripped off their plant 12:01 and buried in the mud flow within seconds. 12:03 NOAH JUSTICE (VOICEOVER): This find is significant, 12:05 because it shows catastrophe was involved in making this fossil. 12:09 If this leaf had fallen from a tree 12:11 and lied on the ground for a while, 12:13 it would have first withered, and the edges 12:15 would have been bent. 12:16 Then it would have eventually decomposed. 12:19 This leaf didn't even get a chance 12:21 to wither before it was buried. 12:23 Oh. 12:25 Here's another one. 12:27 Oh. 12:29 There's another one. 12:30 NOAH JUSTICE (VOICEOVER): At the beginning stages of the Flood, 12:33 the fountains of the great deep were unleashed 12:35 and it rained for 40 days and nights. 12:38 [lightning crash] 12:39 Water quickly flooded the earth, wiping out the vegetation 12:42 quickly, stripping leaves from trees as the waters came. 12:46 The fountains of the great deep also 12:49 included volcanic activity, which 12:51 would have spewed ash into the water 12:53 and dropped quickly as sediments, 12:55 burying the leaves and other small animals. 12:58 It is quickly evident why this is 13:00 called Fossil Beds, because the fossils are everywhere. 13:05 What makes it even more remarkable 13:07 is that these leaf impressions were made by vegetation 13:10 which existed before the Flood. 13:13 It is a reminder that God's judgment was swift and sure. 13:17 Everything died in that catastrophe, 13:19 except for those on the ark. 13:22 [whoosh] 13:23 [hum] 13:25 [zap] 13:27 These are the Palisades. 13:28 They're composed of conglomerates, 13:30 with angular rocks and boulders. 13:34 The Palisades are 18 miles west of Fossil High School, 13:38 and a part of the Clarno Unit of the John Day Fossil Beds. 13:42 They are thought, by secular scientists, 13:44 to have formed 44 million years ago in a series of volcanic mud 13:48 flows called lahars. 13:50 We've seen lahars happen, and we 13:53 have evidence of past lahars, most recently when 13:56 Mount St. Helens erupted. 13:57 NOAH JUSTICE (VOICEOVER): Secular 13:59 scientists claim that this area was vastly different at one 14:02 time, that this high desert used to get 100 inches of rain 14:06 every year and was surrounded by volcanoes 14:09 in a near-tropical jungle rain forest. 14:13 They say that this area was a near-tropical rain forest 14:17 because most of the fossil leaves in the rocks 14:19 came from a rain forest environment. 14:22 Modern leaves that are similar are 14:24 found in Central and South America, Southeast 14:28 Asia, and Africa. 14:31 These include palm trees, and avocado. 14:34 But strong [? bedding ?] could indicate 14:37 that some of the layers may have been sorted by water, 14:40 or dropped from the air into the water. 14:43 There's no question about these cliffs being formed with water. 14:47 Secular scientists say it was made during a volcanic mudflow. 14:51 But there is more evidence to support that it 14:53 was made during the Flood. 14:55 NOAH JUSTICE (VOICEOVER): After day 150 of the Flood, 14:57 the waters began to recede. 15:00 As the Rockies were coming up, the earth's crust, 15:04 near Idaho, Oregon, and Washington, 15:06 developed deep cracks, opening up 15:08 fissures for large amounts of magma to come to the surface, 15:13 thus allowing for the Columbia River Basalts to form. 15:17 Ash from these eruptions would have 15:19 generated the airfall particles which 15:21 dropped into this formation. 15:24 Leftover vegetation from the beginning of the Flood 15:27 would have mixed in with the ash and created these layers. 15:31 This program is brought to you by 15:36 An organization committed to producing high quality 15:39 science-focused television content 15:41 all from a Biblical worldview. 15:43 Awesome Science is our kids series hosted by Noah Justice 15:47 In every episode, Noah visits the national parks 15:50 and historical sites to help you understand 15:53 earth's history using a Biblical worldview. 15:56 Find us online to watch all of our shows, 15:59 Noah's bloopers, behind the scenes videos, and special interviews. 16:05 You can also visit and like our Facebook page. 16:08 Where we post updates, announcements, and post extra videos. 16:11 Our YouTube channel also hosts many of videos and bonus segments. 16:16 Thanks for visiting. We hope you enjoy our great content. 16:21 After a careful analysis of the geology and landscape, 16:25 the John Day River should have flowed past this area 16:28 and through Keys Creek Pass, just 16:30 to the west, which is about 1,000 feet lower. 16:34 But it went through this area we now call Picture Gorge. 16:38 In geomorphology, we call this a water gap. 16:42 Many water gaps can be seen around the world, where water 16:46 has cut through elevated areas. 16:48 NOAH JUSTICE (VOICEOVER): The most famous 16:50 is the Grand Canyon in Arizona. 16:53 Long ages can't explain this geologic feature. 16:57 Some secular scientists say that the land was pushed up 17:01 after the gap was made. 17:03 It's pretty easy to see this is not the case. 17:06 If the ground were pushed up, then you'd 17:08 see broken and cracked layers, which we don't see. 17:12 If the ground rose too quickly, it 17:14 would dam up and go the other way. 17:17 NOAH JUSTICE (VOICEOVER): Water gaps are a good indication 17:19 that there was a global Flood. 17:21 Based on observations, the astute researcher 17:24 recognizes that this canyon was formed 17:26 by catastrophic processes. 17:28 But sadly, many reject this truth 17:30 in favor of a secular worldview interpretation. 17:33 NOAH JUSTICE (VOICEOVER): The Flood 17:35 provides the perfect conditions to carve a canyon, 17:38 like we see at Picture Gorge. 17:39 [whoosh] 17:41 [hum] 17:43 [zap] 17:45 As you come out of Picture Gorge, 17:46 Sheep Rock towers in the middle of the valley. 17:50 It's an impressive sight, because all 17:52 of the layering seen in this mound 17:54 are several hundred feet high. 17:56 The bottom layers are the John Day formation, 17:58 mostly made up of ash. 18:00 The different colors represent the different stages 18:03 of its formation. 18:04 The lower is red. 18:06 The middle is greenish. 18:07 And the upper is a buff colored. 18:09 NOAH JUSTICE (VOICEOVER): Secular 18:10 scientists say the John Day formation was made 18:14 18 to 39 million years ago. 18:17 But, because of the disjointed nature of the mammal skeletons 18:20 and the localized nature and varying thickness 18:23 of these beds, slumping and repositioning 18:26 of these sediments has likely occurred under water. 18:29 Put simply, the flood waters were 18:31 very active and violent while this layer was being deposited. 18:36 What's cool about Sheep Rock is the cap on the top. 18:39 After all that ash layering, the top 18:41 is basalt, from the Picture Gorge Basalts. 18:44 Sheep Rock used to be connected to the other formations 18:47 here in the valley. 18:48 But the receding flood waters carved around it 18:51 and left it standing alone. 18:53 NOAH JUSTICE (VOICEOVER): After the massive lava 18:55 flows covered the John Day formation, sediments of ash 18:58 were laid down during the late stages of the Flood 19:01 in the Pliocene Miocene mezcal formation. 19:04 Secular scientists say this layer was laid down 19:07 12 to 15 million years ago. 19:10 But what isn't admitted too often 19:12 is that this layer contains diatoms. 19:15 Diatoms are teeny, one-celled plants found in oceans. 19:20 Secular scientists have a tough time 19:22 coming up with a reasonable explanation 19:24 for how this layer formed. 19:26 But the Flood is a perfect model to explain 19:29 how it formed because it involved seas 19:31 where algae lived, and also it involved 19:34 catastrophic deposition. 19:37 In addition, the top of the mezcal formation 19:39 is very smooth, so there was little 19:42 or no erosion between the strata before the next layers 19:45 were laid down. 19:47 If millions of years had passed, there should be some erosion. 19:50 But it just isn't there. 19:52 [whoosh] 19:53 [hum] 19:56 [zap] 19:57 As you go throughout the John Day Fossil Beds, 19:59 there are many signs referring to the mammal fossils. 20:02 In fact, this area is considered one 20:04 of the largest beds for finding mammal fossils in the world. 20:08 NOAH JUSTICE (VOICEOVER): Many of these mammals 20:10 are unusual, because we don't see them today. 20:14 Yet most are related to modern, living mammals. 20:18 A few are extinct, and not related to any living mammals. 20:23 There are several cat-like carnivores, 20:26 over a dozen different members of the dog family, 20:29 horses, several different rhinoceroses, and a number 20:33 of different camels. 20:35 The visitors center and published materials 20:38 will say that these animal fossils had 20:40 evolved from common ancestors. 20:42 Yet, most of these mammals fit into the family categories 20:45 of living mammals. 20:47 The secular idea of evolution says 20:50 that the ancestors of modern animals were "simpler," 20:53 and modern animals are more complex. 20:55 NOAH JUSTICE (VOICEOVER): If true, 20:57 we should see a chain of animal fossils connecting these links. 21:01 Yet, when we look back through the fossil layers, 21:04 the earlier mammals are just as complex. 21:08 Evidence of evolution from simpler animals is lacking. 21:12 Of course, we expect this, since each kind of animal 21:16 was made on Creation Days 5 and 6, 21:19 with intricate design from an intricate Designer, God. 21:23 [whoosh] 21:26 Here at Goose Rock, a conglomerate layer 21:28 has been exposed. 21:29 Several different rock types intermix here, 21:33 indicating a water deposit. 21:35 NOAH JUSTICE (VOICEOVER): Some of the pebbles and gravel 21:37 in Goose Rock are thought, by secular scientists, 21:40 to have come from the Aldrich Mountains, 21:42 40 miles to the south, because the wash rock is 21:45 the same at both locations. 21:48 But there may be another source of these rocks, 21:51 much farther away. 21:52 NOAH JUSTICE (VOICEOVER): It's true. 21:53 These exotic, rounded cobbles and boulders 21:56 are found on the south side of the Aldrich Mountains, 21:59 but also in the Ochoco Mountains west of here. 22:03 The Aldrich Mountains may not be the source of these rocks, 22:07 but just a depositing point for a much larger transport 22:10 of stones. 22:12 A large concentration of these same type rocks 22:15 came from the Rockies, several hundred miles away. 22:19 Secular scientists have a very challenging time 22:22 trying to explain how this could have happened. 22:24 But as creationists, it isn't very hard 22:27 when we start from the Bible. 22:28 Massive amounts of water, such as during the global Flood, 22:32 would have been required to move this rock so great a distance. 22:36 [whoosh] 22:37 [hum] 22:39 [zap] 22:40 The John Day Fossil Beds are testament 22:42 to the quick deposition, volcanic activity, and erosion 22:46 of the earth during the year-long Flood, as described 22:50 in the book of Genesis. 22:51 NOAH JUSTICE (VOICEOVER): Researchers 22:52 can recognize that the evidence is 22:54 a good confirmation of the catastrophic processes that 22:57 formed these layers. 23:00 The lack of erosion between layers; 23:03 the massive erosion; and no evolutionary links 23:07 in the fossils; are all evidence for the Biblical record being 23:11 true. 23:12 Here at the monument, evolution and long ages 23:15 are presented as fact on the signs 23:18 and at the visitors center. 23:20 But the arguments just don't match up with the evidence. 23:24 What we see here reminds us that there 23:26 was a judgement for man's rebellion 23:28 against God, as recorded in the Bible. 23:31 NOAH JUSTICE (VOICEOVER): All the people and animals 23:34 on the land were destroyed, except for one righteous man, 23:38 his family, and all land-dwelling animals 23:41 on the Ark. 23:42 Because of His holiness and justice, 23:45 God promises a coming judgment for man's continued rebellion 23:49 after the Flood. 23:50 And this time, a judgment by fire. 23:54 NOAH JUSTICE (VOICEOVER): Yet, God in His love and mercy 23:56 has provided a way of escape through repentance 23:59 of sin and faith in His Son, Jesus Christ. 24:03 By His death on the cross, Jesus took the punishment 24:06 for your rebellion. 24:09 To be saved, you must repent of your sin and rebellion, 24:12 and turn your heart towards Him in faith. 24:15 NOAH JUSTICE (VOICEOVER): We don't know the day when 24:17 this next judgment is coming. 24:20 So turn to God today, before it's too late. 24:25 Come visit this amazing landscape 24:28 and see the evidence of catastrophic processes 24:31 during and after the global Flood. 24:34 That's all for now. 24:35 Remember, science-- it's awesome. 24:39 Awesome Science is a video series produced by 24:44 Awesome Science Media produces many other great shows, 24:56 Ark Animals 25:01 We broadcast our episodes throughout the world 25:04 on television networks, TV stations, and online platforms. 25:09 We're making a difference by challenging the deceptive 25:12 evolutionary worldview, which directly opposes the Word of God 25:16 Our mission is to provide youth with a firm foundation 25:20 based on solid scientific evidence that supports their 25:23 Biblical worldview. We also want to encourage youth 25:27 to pursue the Truth, and maybe even make a career from their 25:31 interest in science and the Bible. 25:33 Thank you for watcing our shows. 25:35 Please keep up with us as we continue to build new content 25:39 which builds up your faith in the Word of God. |
Revised 2018-03-21