A Pre-Flood Biosphere - Creation Moments

Author: by Mark Cadwallader

Speaking of magnetic fields, atmospheric carbon dioxide concentrations and “geoengineering” brings us to an interesting ongoing topic of creationist endeavors–describing conditions of the world before it was radically changed by the flood of Noah.

The earth has survived some very catastrophic change, and even evolutionists admit that at different times in earth’s history climate conditions were quite different from what they are today.

In 2 Peter 3:4, the Apostle Peter referred to the mockery of Christianity by those who believe everything “continues just as it was from the beginning of creation” (e.g. evolutionists who believe observed rates, mechanisms and physical constants of today can be extrapolated to prove long ages in the past and tell us, among other things, how long it took the Colorado River to cut the Grand Canyon). The Apostle made this inspired rebuttal: “For when they maintain this, it escapes their notice that by the word of God the heavens existed long ago and the earth was formed out of water and by water, through which the world at that time was destroyed [utterly destroyed, as in radically changed], being flooded with water” (2 Pet. 3:5,6). Young earth creationists believe that this destruction did away with the old world and many of its mechanisms and brought on a new and different world, making the backward extrapolation of many current rates and mechanisms impossible.

The earth has survived some very catastrophic change, and even evolutionists admit that at different times in earth’s history climate conditions were quite different from what they are today. Due to the weakness of their theory, many evolutionists now appeal to some form of catastrophe catalyzing the sudden disappearance of the dinosaurs. Indeed, many things were quite different, not just climate.

Carl Baugh, of the Creation Evidences Museum in Glen Rose, Texas, has maintained for more than 30 years a passionate interest in elucidating conditions in the pre-flood (antediluvian) world and its purpose as a more harmonious dwelling for humans. No stranger to mockery from evolutionists and to controversy in creationist circles, Carl has pursued a pre-flood world model which he believes is true to the Scriptures and supported by scientific principles. The model includes a worldwide canopy consisting of ice encasing compressed metallic hydrogen in sheet form, (based on an exegesis of the Hebrew meaning of the word “firmament” or “expanse” (raqiya) in Genesis 1:6 and assuming that since the firmament is said to be “in the midst of the waters,” it would be comprised of raw material from water). Such a canopy would be transparent (though giving light a faint magenta hue) and could have been suspended above the earth through the superconductivity of compressed metallic hydrogen interacting with the earth’s magnetic field. (Magnets can be levitated above a superconductor.)1

Carl recently applied for a patent for his “hyperbaric biosphere,” which creates a small environment simulating the assumed conditions of a pre-flood world. One of those assumed conditions modeled by the biosphere (based in part on observed present decay)2 is a much more vigorous and less erratic earth magnetic field in the antediluvian world compared with the present one, with both increased amplitude and uniform frequency. Magnetic field interacts with the electrochemical function of living cells, and one hypothesis is that higher and more uniform field energies beneficially impacted antediluvian life on earth. Around its four-foot diameter, the seven-foot long biosphere contains 2200 wraps of insulated wire, computer controlled to evenly pulsate direct current electricity and generate the increased magnetic field. In trying to simulate a pre-flood world, the biosphere also contains increased atmospheric pressure, increased atmospheric oxygen, and substantially increased atmospheric carbon dioxide.

As with other young earth creationist canopy models, this particular model accounts for a number of things otherwise difficult to explain in both the fossil and biblical records, such as evidence of lush vegetative growth over all parts of the earth, and evidence of numerous giant living things in the past. The antediluvian canopy envisioned by Baugh provided a greenhouse over the earth, which created uniform mild climates world-wide, filtered harmful cosmic radiation, compressed the atmosphere to double the current atmospheric pressure, conveyed a twilight glow from the day side to the night side of the earth, and contained an atmosphere with higher concentrations of oxygen and carbon dioxide, among other effects.

Baugh hopes to demonstrate through his hyperbaric biosphere some of the beneficial aspects of living in the “world at that time” which “was destroyed” – benefits that, according to the Bible and the fossils, apparently resulted in improved growth of living things as well as longer life spans (at least of people). NASA scientists are currently interested in his work as are certain elements of the medical community. Some of the early results seem to indicate that he is on to something.

(Ed. Note: Canopy models are not the only creationist models for a pre-flood world, but they certainly explain some things and have been popular among creationists. A water/vapor canopy at the limits of earth’s atmosphere is not necessary to provide 40 days of rain fall to flood the entire globe when one recognizes that the “fountains of the deep burst open” (Gen. 7:11). Water supplied from below the earth contributed to the flood waters, and the heating of subterranean waters could certainly produce continued heavy rainfall.)

Footnotes:

1. NASA Tech Briefs, “Superconductivity at Your Fingertips,” Vol. 12, No.4, April 1988.

2. Morris, J.D., The Young Earth, Master Books, El Cajon, CA, 1994.