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[[Young Earth creationism|Biblical creationists]] see most of the fossil record as a record of the burial of creatures during [[great Flood|Noah's Flood]], wherein the creatures dwelling on the seafloor were buried first, then other marine creatures, [[amphibian]]s, slow-moving reptiles, faster-moving mammals and birds, and finally, humans, the most able to escape the floodwaters the longest.

[[Young Earth creationism|Biblical creationists]] see most of the fossil record as a record of the burial of creatures during [[great Flood|Noah's Flood]], wherein the creatures dwelling on the seafloor were buried first, then other marine creatures, [[amphibian]]s, slow-moving reptiles, faster-moving mammals and birds, and finally, humans, the most able to escape the floodwaters the longest.

[[Evolution|Evolutionists]] see the fossil record as a record of the evolution of life on Earth, with the oldest fossils, those of the earliest creatures, being at the base of the fossil record, and more recent fossils located in top-surface strata or lagerstätten. According to paleontologists, the fossil record reaches back to between 2.3 and 3.5 billion years [[B.C.|before the present]], and are mostly comprised of [[microfossil]]s.

[[Evolution|Evolutionists]] see the fossil record as a record of the evolution of life on Earth, with the oldest fossils, those of the earliest and simplest creatures, being at the base of the fossil record, and more recent and more advanced creatures higher up.

== Dating fossils ==

== Dating fossils ==

== Organic matter in fossils ==

== Organic matter in fossils ==

Organic matter has been found in some fossils. Three tyrannosaurs and a hadrosaurid dinosaur have also been found to have such soft-tissue-like structures.

Organic matter has been found in some fossils.

 

In 1997 Dr. [[Mary Schweitzer]] of [[Montana State University]] reported finding red [[blood]] cells inside a ''[[Tyrannosaurus rex]]'' bone.<ref name="blood">Wieland, 1997.</ref>

In 1997 Dr. [[Mary Schweitzer]] of [[Montana State University]] reported finding red [[blood]] cells inside a ''[[Tyrannosaurus rex]]'' bone.<ref name="blood">Wieland, 1997.</ref>

And in 2005 the same scientist reported finding blood vessels that were still "soft and stretchy" in another ''Tyrannosaurus rex'' bone claimed to be 65 million years old.<ref name="soft">Wieland, 2005.</ref>

And in 2005 the same scientist reported finding blood vessels that were still "soft and stretchy" in another ''Tyrannosaurus rex'' bone claimed to be 65 million years old.<ref name="soft">Wieland, 2005.</ref>

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Creationists argue that this constitutes evidence that the fossils are not that old.<ref name="blood" /><ref name="soft" />, whilst some paleontologists argue either that this constitutes evidence that it can last that long, or that the apparent blood cells (which passed several tests for blood) were not really blood cells. Alternative theories, such as the one proposed by paleontologist Thomas Kaye of the University of Washington in Seattle, suggest that the soft-tissue is permineralized biofilm created by bacteria while digesting and breaking down the original specimen. He has discovered this to be true in many specimens from the same area<ref>Fox, Maggie. "Scientists question dinosaur soft tissue find". Reuters. [http://uk.reuters.com/article/scienceNews/idUKN2933635420080730]. Retrieved on April 26, 2009.</ref>.

Creationists argue that this constitutes evidence that the fossils are not that old.<ref name="blood" /><ref name="soft" />, whilst evolutionists argue either that this constitutes evidence that it can last that long, or that the apparent blood cells (which passed several tests for blood) were not really blood cells.

== See also ==

== See also ==