juantoo3
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Its been awhile since we had a good evolution-creation debate. This stems from a comment on the "Jehovah's Witness" thread in Christianity, where it was quite a ways off topic, so I brought the discussion here.
Regarding the human prints found in the same strata as dinosaur prints, I realize my interpretation of the site may differ from "professionals," but I also find their explainations rather curious and inconsistent with the facts on the ground:
Summary of Paluxy "Man Track" claims
By "subdued by one or more factors (erosion, sediment infilling, or mud-collapse)" these persons are implying what I have been calling selective erosion. Now, selective erosion is not unheard of in other fossil sites. But the cards are definitely stacked against selective erosion without conflict with the laws of physics in this example. These eroded tracks are *up*hill from the more pristine tracks to the side and running more or less parallel. This is in a riverbed. Water erodes rock. If a set of tracks *should* be more eroded than another set nearby, would it not make sense that the tracks more likely to be eroded by water would be those *downhill and closer to* the water should have eroded first, in complete contradiction with the facts on the ground?
It has been suggested elsewhere that the shape of the questionable tracks were created by a dinosaur walking funny (because it didn't want to get its feet muddy?). Which would imply the tail would be dragged more, considering it is a bipedal dino with tail that is suggested as having created the tracks. Further, the shape of the tracks would imply a point in the middle of the foot going forward (what would be the middle toe on a human foot), rather than the actual shape which is pointed where a human big toe would be. And there are no claw marks present, even though claw marks are present everywhere else in abundance, even on those prints laid down by dinos like the one suggested for having made this particular set. In more than one of the tracks in the set, I found distinct impression of 5 toes, not three as would be required by the dino advocates. My smallish for a grown man 8 1/2 size bare feet fit about as perfectly into the prints as one could hope...whoever made these prints could wear my shoes in comfort. This is why I know about the prints that "dig in" to lengthen the stride, I presume because the creature started to run, at which point claws would have *had to* make themselves known because the prints sink even deeper! Yet, still no claw marks?
Not sure which specific set I saw, but they were in the open and protected from the river by sandbags. I am of the opinion that they were the Taylor tracks. They were about parallel with a set of *baby* brontosaur tracks, within three to six feet. The *human* prints were not oversized, they were not carved, they were in the exact same strata of rock as the bronto prints. The mud "push-ups" were clearly evident in some tracks, and it was here that the FIVE toes were most evident.
The Taylor Site "Man Tracks"
If this were anybody else suggesting a dinosaur walking on its heels, I think they would be laughed at resoundingly. I mean, c'mon, this really stretches credibility. Especially in light of the circumstances, placement and condition of the tracks already mentioned above.
Summary of Paluxy "Man Track" claims
Interesting, it was pointed to the continuing study of the Taylor site, among others in the area, by creationists, yet "(claims) in recent years have been largely abandoned even by most creationists." Either there is continuing interest in the site, or there is not. The "man tracks" are not the result of spurious phenomena (at least at the site I studied), so much as spurious (and inconsistent) explanation. To be sure, there are abundant frauds in the local area, certain people are not above trying to make a dollar from the regional folklore. I cannot speak to all of the purported sets of human tracks, I was only with the one set for a couple of hours. But what I personally experienced soundly contradicts the "official" explanation of the tracks.
Its been awhile since we had a good evolution-creation debate. This stems from a comment on the "Jehovah's Witness" thread in Christianity, where it was quite a ways off topic, so I brought the discussion here.
Regarding the human prints found in the same strata as dinosaur prints, I realize my interpretation of the site may differ from "professionals," but I also find their explainations rather curious and inconsistent with the facts on the ground:
The Taylor Site. This was the Paluxy site most often claimed to contain human tracks, beginning with Stanley Taylor's research and film in the late 1960's and early 1970's,[4] and continuing with other claims throughout the 1970's and 1980's[5]. However, the most thorough analyses indicate that the alleged human tracks here are elongate, metatarsal dinosaur tracks--made by dinosaurs that, at least at times, impressed their soles and heels as they walked.[6] When the digit marks of such tracks (which are common in the Paluxy Riverbed) are subdued by one or more factors (erosion, sediment infilling, or mud-collapse), they often resemble giant human prints. Most of the tracks on the Taylor Site are largely infilled with a secondary sediment which hardened into the original track depressions. When the tracksite surface is well cleaned, at least some tracks in each trail show shallow tridactyl (three-toed) digit impressions indicating dinosaurian origin, as as well as color and texture distinctions corresponding to the infilled material and further confirming the dinosaurian nature of the tracks.[7] Recent claims that some of these tracks have human prints within them have been shown to be as baseless as the original claims.[8]
Summary of Paluxy "Man Track" claims
By "subdued by one or more factors (erosion, sediment infilling, or mud-collapse)" these persons are implying what I have been calling selective erosion. Now, selective erosion is not unheard of in other fossil sites. But the cards are definitely stacked against selective erosion without conflict with the laws of physics in this example. These eroded tracks are *up*hill from the more pristine tracks to the side and running more or less parallel. This is in a riverbed. Water erodes rock. If a set of tracks *should* be more eroded than another set nearby, would it not make sense that the tracks more likely to be eroded by water would be those *downhill and closer to* the water should have eroded first, in complete contradiction with the facts on the ground?
It has been suggested elsewhere that the shape of the questionable tracks were created by a dinosaur walking funny (because it didn't want to get its feet muddy?). Which would imply the tail would be dragged more, considering it is a bipedal dino with tail that is suggested as having created the tracks. Further, the shape of the tracks would imply a point in the middle of the foot going forward (what would be the middle toe on a human foot), rather than the actual shape which is pointed where a human big toe would be. And there are no claw marks present, even though claw marks are present everywhere else in abundance, even on those prints laid down by dinos like the one suggested for having made this particular set. In more than one of the tracks in the set, I found distinct impression of 5 toes, not three as would be required by the dino advocates. My smallish for a grown man 8 1/2 size bare feet fit about as perfectly into the prints as one could hope...whoever made these prints could wear my shoes in comfort. This is why I know about the prints that "dig in" to lengthen the stride, I presume because the creature started to run, at which point claws would have *had to* make themselves known because the prints sink even deeper! Yet, still no claw marks?
The Taylor Site contains a long trail of deeply impressed dinosaur tracks, and several shallower trails, four of have been claimed by many creationists to be human: the Giant Run Trail, the Turnage Trail, the Taylor Trail, and the Ryals Trail (which includes a large hole reported to be the spot from which a human track was removed many years ago). Many of these alleged "man tracks" were fairly shallow and more or less oblong in shape, and did not match the shape of any dinosaur tracks known to the Taylor crew. Some of the these tracks did vaguely resemble human footprints, however, many of the tracks also showed problematic (non-human) features (discussed further below). This site has received more acclaim than other "man track" sites for the following reasons: 1) The elongated tracks on this site are numerous and occur in clear right-left sequences; 2) At least some of these tracks were excavated from under previously undisturbed strata, precluding the possibility that they are carvings or erosion marks; 3) Many of them show "mud push-ups" and other features confirming that they are real tracks and not erosion marks or carvings; 4) Several of the "man tracks" were reported to show clear human toe marks when first uncovered[4] (although no published photographs have ever shown this); and 5) Three of the alleged human trails (Taylor, Turnage, and Giant Run) intersect the trail of deep and distinct dinosaur tracks, providing clear evidence that the elongated tracks and the deep dinosaur tracks were made at approximately the same time.
Not sure which specific set I saw, but they were in the open and protected from the river by sandbags. I am of the opinion that they were the Taylor tracks. They were about parallel with a set of *baby* brontosaur tracks, within three to six feet. The *human* prints were not oversized, they were not carved, they were in the exact same strata of rock as the bronto prints. The mud "push-ups" were clearly evident in some tracks, and it was here that the FIVE toes were most evident.
That dinosaurs were capable of making elongated impressions by impressing their metatarsi into the sediment was confirmed by my documentation in 1982 and 1983 of another Paluxy site, bordering the Alfred West property, about a mile south of Dinosaur Valley State Park. On the West Site are many typical tridactyl tracks, and several trails composed primarily of elongated dinosaur tracks. Some of the trails with elongated tracks also contain some non-elongated and partially elongated dinosaur tracks, apparently indicating that the dinosaur would sometimes alter the extent to which it impressed its metatarsi into the sediment. The clarity of the individual tracks also varied greatly, especially in the region of the digits. Many of the elongated tracks showed three distinct dinosaurian digits, as well as a posterior extension with rounded "heel." In other tracks in these very same trackways, the digit impressions were indistinct or absent altogether (in most cases this appeared to be the result of mud back-flow and/or erosion), leaving oblong depressions which superficially resembled human footprints. This site clearly demonstrated that dinosaurs were capable of making elongated, even "man-like" impressions. Many of the elongated dinosaur tracks on the West Site closely resembled the size and shape of the elongated tracks on the Taylor Site, supporting the theory that the Taylor Site tracks also represented a metatarsal impression phenomenon. Alfred West had known about the elongated dinosaur tracks bordering his property for years, and had suspected that they related to many of the "giant man track" claims.
John Morris once visited this site (which he calls the "Shakey Springs" Site), and includes photographs in his book showing some of the elongated dinosaur tracks with distinct digit impressions. However, he either did not notice, or neglected to mention, that the site also contains many elongated dinosaur tracks which do not show distinct digit impressions, and, oddly, he did not even hint that these elongated dinosaur tracks might be related to the renowned "man tracks" on the Taylor Site.
The Taylor Site "Man Tracks"
If this were anybody else suggesting a dinosaur walking on its heels, I think they would be laughed at resoundingly. I mean, c'mon, this really stretches credibility. Especially in light of the circumstances, placement and condition of the tracks already mentioned above.
Conclusions. Although genuine dinosaur tracks are abundant in Texas, claims of human tracks have not withstood close scientific scrutiny, and in recent years have been largely abandoned even by most creationists. Alleged Paluxy "man tracks" involve a variety of spurious phenomena, including erosional features, metatarsal dinosaur tracks, indistinct markings of unknown origin, and a few loose carvings.
Summary of Paluxy "Man Track" claims
Interesting, it was pointed to the continuing study of the Taylor site, among others in the area, by creationists, yet "(claims) in recent years have been largely abandoned even by most creationists." Either there is continuing interest in the site, or there is not. The "man tracks" are not the result of spurious phenomena (at least at the site I studied), so much as spurious (and inconsistent) explanation. To be sure, there are abundant frauds in the local area, certain people are not above trying to make a dollar from the regional folklore. I cannot speak to all of the purported sets of human tracks, I was only with the one set for a couple of hours. But what I personally experienced soundly contradicts the "official" explanation of the tracks.