Oct. 22, 4004 B.C.: Universe Usshered In

[Zuul]

Wired has a feature called "This Day in Tech" where some notable historical moment is written about for every day. Today's is the creation of the universe!

4004 B.C.: It’s the beginning of time, according to 17th century Irish bishop and theologian James Ussher — and not just any old moment on that fateful date, but “on the beginning of the night.”

Ussher’s calculations, published in the Annals of the Old Testament, Deduced From the First Origins of the World, strike most modern sensibilities as absurd. Except for a few Young Earth Creationists, believers and nonbelievers alike agree that if a supernatural entity created the universe, it happened about 13.75 billion years ago.

Read More http://www.wired.com/thisdayintech/2...#ixzz136gCoXdg

For his time and what he had at his disposal, he was being logical enough, but it's a cautionary tale of putting the puzzle together when you don't know how many pieces you're missing.

[vison]

Stephen Jay Gould wrote a wonderful essay on that very subject.

How I miss that man. He was a great writer, and able to make the most complicated science clear to the lay reader.

[OtakuLoki]

For his time and what he had at his disposal, he was being logical enough, but it's a cautionary tale of putting the puzzle together when you don't know how many pieces you're missing.

Similarly, have you heard of Lord Kelvin's dating for the age of the earth? Because he didn't know about radioactivity, he figured one could make valid estimates on the earth's age based on it cooling from a more-or-less uniformly heated ball of rock and gas. He then disputed Darwin's evolution theory, because his time frame (20-40 million years) didn't give enough time for Darwin's evolution to have produced the variations that were evident in life.

Another brilliant man who came up with a reasonable theory, because he lacked some key data.

[Zuul]

Similarly, have you heard of Lord Kelvin's dating for the age of the earth? Because he didn't know about radioactivity, he figured one could make valid estimates on the earth's age based on it cooling from a more-or-less uniformly heated ball of rock and gas. He then disputed Darwin's evolution theory, because his time frame (20-40 million years) didn't give enough time for Darwin's evolution to have produced the variations that were evident in life.

Another brilliant man who came up with a reasonable theory, because he lacked some key data.

I vaguely remember that from one of my geology classes! (Yes, I took several. I like rocks. ) The history of science really is a wonderful little soap opera, isn't it?

[Marsilia]

I vaguely remember that from one of my geology classes! (Yes, I took several. I like rocks. )

It's true! There was a while several years ago, when I was hearing quite a bit about geology.

I don't actually have anything of substance to add.

[Nrblex]

Stephen Jay Gould wrote a wonderful essay on that very subject.

How I miss that man. He was a great writer, and able to make the most complicated science clear to the lay reader.

Oh, he was. I thought of that essay as soon as I saw this.