How Long Do Frozen Greens Keep? | The Institute for Creation Research

How Long Do Frozen Greens Keep?

A large bed of moss was recently discovered under Antarctic ice. The moss was not fossilized, but frozen—for the last 14 million years, according to the standard story.

Adam Lewis of North Dakota State University published the surprising find in the August 5th edition of Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.1 "The really cool thing is that all the details are still there. These are actually the plant tissues themselves," Lewis told the Associated Press.2

Even in the freeze-dried and buried conditions in which the moss was found, is it reasonable to believe that this tissue has been around for 14 million years, with cell structures still intact? Anyone who has stored spinach in a freezer knows how quickly it deteriorates—often within only months. Technical research has demonstrated that plant chemicals and cell structures break down in very short times:

Changes in nonstructural carbohydrate concentrations occur during the storage of either freeze- or heat-dried tissues. Thus, analyses should be conducted as soon as possible after tissue sampling.3

Even frozen molecules jostle a little bit, and anything moving produces friction. This breaks the molecules down unless they are constantly kept fresh by the action of biochemical energy conversion systems, found only in living cells. Why, therefore, is the moss still so well preserved? It seems to be much younger than has been reported.

Another “really cool thing” became apparent from Lewis’ research: “Comparison with herbarium specimens showed that the dominant moss species is indistinguishable from the extant Drepanocladus longifolius.1 The moss was still in such quality condition that it has been identified down to its species name. And how much has its living counterpart evolved in the purportedly intervening 14 million years? None—it is “indistinguishable,” yet another living fossil.

Creation climatologists have done extensive modeling of post-Flood effects on earth’s atmosphere.4 Unlike those who reject the biblical record, they have developed reasonable causes for the Ice Age and other related climate changes, including consideration of the sun-blocking effects of airborne volcanic ash after the Flood. It was most likely the dramatic earth changes following the Flood—not a slow or gradual process over millions of years—that left their marks in the form of freeze-dried Antarctic moss.

References

  1. Lewis, A. 2008. Mid-Miocene cooling and the extinction of tundra in continental Antarctica. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. 105 (31): 10676-10680.
  2. Schmid, R. E. Ancient Moss, Insects Found In Antarctica. Associated Press, August 5, 2008.
  3. Smith, D. 1973. Influence of drying and storage conditions in nonstructureal carbohydrate analysis of herbage tissue—a review. Grass and Forage Science. 29 (3): 129-134.
  4. Oard, M. 1990. An Ice Age Caused by the Genesis Flood. El Cajon, CA: Institute for Creation Research.

* Mr. Thomas is Science Writer.

Article posted on August 19, 2008.

The Latest
NEWS
Liberty and the Word of God
“And I will walk at liberty: for I seek thy precepts” (Psalm 119:45). July 4th is called Independence Day here in our country because on...

NEWS
July 2025 ICR Wallpaper
"These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome...

NEWS
Valued Longtime ICR Employee Mary Smith Retires
Mary Morris Smith, an employee of the Institute for Creation Research for many years, has retired. The second daughter of ICR founder Dr. Henry M. Morris...

NEWS
Man of Science, Man of God: George Washington Carver
Who:  George Washington Carver What: Father of Modern Agriculture When: 1864 or 1865 – January 5, 1943 Where: Diamond Grove,...

ACTS & FACTS
The Scopes Monkey Trial: A Battle of Worldviews
Rhea County Courthouse in Dayton, Tennessee, and its statue of William Jennings Bryan Image credit: M. Mueller The Scopes Monkey...

ACTS & FACTS
Long Non-Coding RNAs: The Unsung Heroes of the Genome
Evolutionary theory holds that all living things came about through random, natural processes. So conventional scientists believe the genome has developed...

ACTS & FACTS
Yosemite National Park, Part 1: Tiny Clues of a Grand Picture
Yosemite National Park in California is a sure source of stunning scenery. It’s no wonder that American naturalist John Muir persuaded President...

ACTS & FACTS
From Inference to Theory: A Common Design Case Study
Without a doubt, humans, chimpanzees, and other organisms share similar features. An early explanation was that these features reflect similar designs...

ACTS & FACTS
Creation Kids: T. rex
by Michael Stamp and Susan Windsor* You're never too young to be a creation scientist and explore our Creator's world. Kids, discover...

ACTS & FACTS
Entering By The Door
Recently, I hosted a visiting pastor from a large church at ICR’s Discovery Center. As I guided him through our Dallas museum, one conversation...