Young Earth Creationism is negated by much of modern science, not just the theory of evolution.

However, I would like to clarify a number of important details from the outset. The proposition being debated is "Young Earth Creationism is negated by much of modern science, not just the theory of evolution". This is the debate you have accepted. I will fulfill my burden of proof (BoP) for this proposition and this proposition alone. This debate is specifically about Young Earth Creationism (YEC). To fulfil my BoP I also do not need to refer to the theory of evolution, the point of the proposition being that YEC is at odds with much of modern science, even without referring to evolution. You are of course welcome to mention both Old Earth Creationism and the theory of evolution if you deem that they can advance your side in the debate. I will now make my opening statement. Young Earth Creationism has been pitted against the theory of evolution on countless occasions, often with the assumption being made by YEC advocates that undermining the theory of evolution would seriously strengthen, if not vindicate, the YEC worldview. While it is true that the theory of evolution and YEC cannot both be correct at the same time, it is also true that much of modern science and YEC cannot be correct at the same time either. While the theory of evolution negates YEC, it is not the only theory that does so. I will review a number of scientific conclusions from across the spectrum of modern science which put the lie to YEC. To clarify, when referring to modern science, I am going with the widely accepted definition of science as adhering to the scientific method. Here is one possible definition of the scientific method:"mathematical and experimental techniques employed in the natural sciences; more specifically, techniques used in the construction and testing of scientific hypotheses. " [1]Radiometric dating and geologyModern science places the age of the Earth at 4.54 billion years old with a margin of error of 0.05 billion years. This age estimate is based on the radiometric dating of both the solar system's meteorites, lunar samples and Earth samples. [2] Radiometric dating relies on radioactive decay. Each radioactive isotope has a specific half-life, that is "The time required, probabilistically, for half of the unstable, radioactive atoms in a sample to undergo radioactive decay. " [3] When studying rocks, we are able to determine the age at which these rocks formed by looking at the quantities of two isotopes, one the unstable radioactive isotope and the other the product of radioactive decay, and comparing these value to the radioactive isotopes' half life. Many natural occuring radioactive isotopes overlap and have a half-life long enough for measurements in billions of years. [4]The established age of the earth does not fit with the 6000 years old Earth proned by YEC by several orders of magnitude. The first humans can equally be traced back past 6000 years. if we consider the Homo genus, Homo Habilis was the first species to take on a recognisably human form. Radiometric dating attests to the existence of the species around 2 million years ago. [5] An unncesseraly stringent definition of "human", which would limit humanity to merely Homo Sapiens, would still put the dawn of man at around 500 thousand years (200 thousand years if we limit the definition to homo Sapiens anatomically equivalent to contemporary man). [5][6]Again, the age of the Homo genus cannot be reconciled with YEC. . http://www.earthhistory.org.uk...; />Many geological phenomena could not have taken place in the short periods of time posited by YEC. Given the slow process of continental drift for example, the continent could not have possibly formed one massive continent as the presence of identical fossils on different continents attest (and more casually, the shape of continents). AstronomyYEC posits that the Earth began existing shortly after the creation of the universe. According to modern scientific accounts however, the universe existed almost 10 billion years before the Earth was formed. [7] With light travelling at a finite speed we are able to peer back into the past and observe stars and galaxies millions of years old. This year saw the observation of a star estimated to be as old as 13.6 billion years old. [8] This is merely an overview of the legacy of modern science YEC has to contend with. It should be clear at this point that evolution need not enter the debate for YEC to be thouroughly debunked. [1] . http://www.britannica.com...[2] . http://en.wikipedia.org...[3] . http://en.wikipedia.org...[4] . http://www.asa3.org... (under header radiometri clocks)[5] . http://www.earthhistory.org.uk...[6] . http://en.wikipedia.org...[7] . http://en.wikipedia.org...[8] . http://www.independent.co.uk...