Paluxy River tracks

[[File:Dinosaur Valley SP Tracks 1.JPG|thumb|right|165px|Heavily weathered three-toed dinosaur tracks. That's all. Not evidence that humans or aliens walked with those beasties.]]{{pseudohistorynav}}
The '''Paluxy River tracks''' are a set of allegedly [[fossil]]ized footprints that appear to be [[human]], located right alongside [[dinosaur]] tracks in the Paluxy River valley, [[Texas]]. These tracks were touted by [[creationists]] for many years as proof that [[Human-dinosaur coexistence|man had walked with dinosaurs,]] and hence were evidence supporting [[Young Earth Creationism]].

==Explanations==
It has now been conclusively and scientifically demonstrated that the supposed man tracks are not those of humans. Both sets of tracks are highly weathered, so it's impossible to draw too many precise conclusions. The "man" tracks appear to be not human in origin but seem to have a few different features collaborating to form the illusion of human tracks, including excessive weathering of the details (some of the "man" tracks have clearly visible claw marks, indicating that the others probably also had claw marks that eroded)<ref>[http://archyfantasies.com/2011/09/16/man-tracks-on-the-paluxy-river/ Man Tracks on the Paluxy River], Archaeology Fantasies.</ref><ref name=badarch>[http://www.badarchaeology.com/out-of-place-artefacts/footprints-and-the-like/the-paluxy-river-%E2%80%98footprints%E2%80%99/ The Paluxy River 'footprints'] &mdash; Bad Archaeology</ref> and some carved features that may have been doctored at a later date.<ref>[http://www.talkorigins.org/faqs/paluxy.html ''The Texas Dinosaur/"Man Track" Controversy''], Glen J. Kuban, [[talk.origins]].</ref><ref>[http://www.paleo.cc/paluxy/tsite.htm ''The Taylor Site "Man Tracks"''], Glen J. Kuban.</ref><ref>[http://ncse.com/cej/2/4/paluxy-man-creationist-piltdown ''Paluxy Man — The Creationist Piltdown'']</ref> In addition:

{{cquote|In some of the ‘man tracks’, it is possible to make out traces of toes to the side of the ‘foot’, which suggests that they are nothing more mysterious than highly eroded three-toed dinosaur tracks. Some also show claw marks at the ‘heel’ of the print, which is another feature typical of a dinosaur footprint but not of a human footprint. In at least one footprint sequence, there is the inexplicable coincidence that dinosaur tracks and ‘human footprints’ alternate. The Paluxy River ‘man prints’ may resemble human footprints superficially, but they lack the anatomy of real human footprints. Furthermore, dinosaurs and humans are of very different size and weight, but in the Paluxy River, tracks made by some undisputed dinosaurs and supposed humans are sunk to the same depth in the rock, which suggests that both types were made by creatures of the same general weight; there are tracks, made by different dinosaur species sunk to different depths. In the same way, the distances between footfalls of those tracks made to the same depth are spaced the same distance apart, showing that they were made by creatures with similar stride lengths.<ref name=badarch/>|||}}

There are numerous other tracks attributed to humans, but none stand up to any scientific scrutiny. The Burdick Print<ref>[http://paleo.cc/paluxy/wilker6.htm Glen J. Kuban and Gregg Wilkerson, The "Burdick Print"]</ref> seems to show a well defined human foot preserved in stone, but given the 15-inch length and the hilariously over-defined toes (for something that would have been imprinted in soft mud) and flat appearance (like it was pressed or carved into the surface, whereas actual footprints show disturbance caused by walking) no one could seriously suggest it is anything but a forgery. Nevertheless, close scrutiny has been done and confirmed most tracks like these are forged carvings being passed off as genuine fossilised human footprints. The State Park Ledge tracks, small indentations found in a rock formation in Dinosaur Valley, Somervell County, Texas, have been jumped on by track enthusiasts but are just later erosion features with only a superficial resemblance to anything actually man-made.<ref>[http://paleo.cc/paluxy/mantrack.htm Glen J. Kuban, A Topical Summary of the Paluxy "Man Track" Controversy]</ref>

Only the most diehard creationists still use this as evidence for a young earth any more. [[Answers in Genesis]] includes the Paluxy tracks among those "Arguments that should be avoided" as even they can recognise blatant cases where further research is still needed, new research has invalided aspects of it, or [[Biblical]] implications may discount it.<ref>[http://www.answersingenesis.org/get-answers/topic/arguments-we-dont-use Answers in Genesis "Get Answers"]</ref>

==External links==
*[http://www.talkorigins.org/faqs/paluxy.html TalkOrigins Archive]

==References==
{{reflist}}

[[ru:Следы человека были найдены со следами динозавра в Пэлюкси]]
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[[Category:Dinosaurs]]
[[Category:Out-of-place fossils]]
[[Category:Pseudohistory]]
[[Category:Pseudoarchaeology]]
[[Category:Texas]]

Categories: Dinosaurs, Out-of-place fossils, Pseudohistory, Pseudoarchaeology, Texas