The Beginning of Plate Tectonics

Old-Earth scientists insist that "the present is the key to the past". Except when it isn't. Since uniformitarianism has too many flaws, they will invoke rapid changes and historical catastrophes to explain some things — and then go back to their previous philosophies.

Image credit: US Geological Survey (usage does not imply endorsement of site contents)

It's been known for quite some time now that the continental plates are moving and colliding (hope we don't get whiplash). Scientists want to know how things happen, that's part of their job. Secularists have no idea how plate tectonics started, but decided to invoke a sudden change in Earth's past — they even have computer simulations. Biblical creationists have a very different view that works more effectively, but secularists don't cotton to the notion of considering the recent activity of the global Genesis Flood.

It has long been a puzzle to secular geologists as to how conventional slow-and-gradual plate tectonics got started. But recently a multi-national research team, led by geophysicist Taras Gerya at ETH-Zurich in Switzerland, has claimed to finally have a solution. Their co-authored paper was published on November 12, 2015, in one of the leading weekly science journals.

Solving a Problem
It is currently widely believed among secular geologists that early in the earth’s history the earth’s entire surface was covered by a thick, cold, and buoyant layer of basaltic crust that acted to keep the earth’s surface rigid and motionless. It has therefore been a puzzle how plate tectonics might have gotten started under these unfavorable, early conditions. By contrast, in today’s world, new subduction zones seem to be explainable through existing plate forces and existing zones of lithospheric (crustal) weakness. But in the scenario secular geologists imagine for the early earth, there are no zones of lithospheric weakness or any plate-driving forces.

To read the rest, click on "How Did Plate Tectonics Get Started on Earth?"

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