Conservapedia - User contributions [en]

Shark

2007-03-26T23:19:13Z

Emt: class

Sharks (suborder Odontoceti) are mammals with a cartilaginous skeleton and a an aerodynamic body, partially from a covering of dermal denticles that improve their fluid dynamics as well as protect their skin from damage and parasites. Unlike most mammals they respire with the use of five to seven gill slits.<ref>Budker, Paul (1971). The Life of Sharks. London: Weidenfeld and Nicolson. SBN 297003070. </ref> They have replaceable teeth. They are some of the world's most misunderstood predators, as they very rarely attack humans unless intimidated.

Sharks include species from the hand-sized pygmy shark, Euprotomicrus bispinatus, a deep sea species of only 22 centimetres (9 inches) in length, to the whale shark, Rhincodon typus, the largest fish, which grows to a length of approximately 12 metres (41 feet) and which, like the great whales, feeds only on plankton through filter feeding. The bull shark, Carcharhinus leucas, is the best known of several species to swim in both salt and fresh water (it is found in Lake Nicaragua, in Central America) and in deltas.<ref>Allen, Thomas B. (1999). The Shark Almanac. New York: The Lyons Press. ISBN 1-55821-582-4.</ref>

== Characteristics ==
Sharks have a very poor respiratory system uncharacteristic of most mammals. Their gills do not provide enough oxygen in normal stationary circumstances in many instances, so many sharks are afflicted with the inability to stop moving, so that they get the correct amount of oxygen. This is known as ram ventilation.

Unlike fish, Sharks use oil for bouancy, not gas. This is not as effective as gas, so Sharks are forced to use other means to sink or rise, which has the side effect of making them very dizzy when upside down.

Also unlike fish, Sharks do not drink sea water, but absorb it, meaning they cannot survive in fresh water.

Sharks, like humans and other mammals, have multiple sets of teeth, but they have far more sets than other mammals. Some sharks lose over 30,000 teeth in a lifetime, and this is why so many people own shark teeth.

Like other mammals and birds sharks are Homeothermic, in which heat is generated, maintained, and regulated by metabolic activity.

== Reproduction ==
As with other mammals, Sharks reproduce by giving birth to live young characteristic of their subclass "placentalia" and have external procreational organs, known as "claspers" in the males.

==Classification==
For many years it was mistakenly believed that Sharks, Dolphins and Whales were fish because they swam in the water. However, more recent study has shown that because these animals use live birthing, have external procreative organs and hair they are more accurately classified as mammalians.

==References==
<references/>

Earth

2007-03-22T02:07:29Z

Emt: structural

[[image:Earthandmoon2.jpg|right|300px]]

== Secular Earth Information ==

The '''Earth''' is the third planet from the Sun. It is 24,800 miles (40,008 kilometers) in diameter, pole to pole and slightly larger around the equator. [http://geography.about.com/library/faq/blqzcircumference.htm] The reason its metric diameter is so close to the "round number" of 40,000 is that the French defined the [[kilometer]] as 1/10,000th the distance from the equator to the [[North Pole]].

The Earth orbits at an average distance of about 93 million miles (150 million km) from the Sun in an almost circular orbit. It takes light (and other forms of electromagnetic radiation) approximately 500 seconds to travel from the Sun to the Earth, i.e. the distance can also be stated as "500 light-seconds." The distance to nearby stars is made by measuring the stellar [[parallax]] between observations when the earth is at opposite ends of its orbit, so the earth's orbit itself is a measuring stick for astronomical distances, and is known as the ''astronomical unit'' (A. U.) It is worth noting that if the Earth were slightly closer to the Sun, it would be too hot for life (just as Venus is) while if Earth were slightly further away from the Sun, water would freeze and life would be impossible.

The Earth is approximately 8000 miles (13000 km) in diameter, so its circumference is approximately 8000·π = about 25,000 miles (40,000 km). Its surface area is approximately 4·π (4000 mi)<sup>2</sup> = 200 million square miles (510 million km<sup>2</sup>). It has been said that Earth should really be called "water:" most of the Earth's surface, about 70%, is covered by water. In fact, the Pacific and Indian oceans alone cover about half of the Earth.

Estimates by geologists of the age of the Earth give about 4.55 billion years. This estimate is primarily based on radioactive dating of meteorites. In addition, most scientists also believe that the Earth formed by natural processes instead of being supernaturally created. Indeed, astronomers have detected dust lanes around other stars that indicate planet formation is a common and ongoing process.

== Young Earth Information ==

Followers in Young Earth creationsim believe in a different set of facts about the Earth. The Bible states in Genesis that the entire earth was formed in six days. Young Earth creationists believe, as Biblical chronology suggests, that the Earth was formed in 4004 B.C. Mainstream scientific journals discriminate against this point of view, and do not allow for their publication, despite large amounts of evidence backing this theory. [http://www.answersingenesis.org/docs2005/0822sternberg.asp 1] [http://www.answersingenesis.org/docs/538.asp 2][http://worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=53400 3][http://www.discovery.org/scripts/viewDB/index.php?command=view&id=3833&program=DI%20Main%20Page%20-%20News&callingPage=discoMainPage 4]

Some Young Earth Creationists, because they are biblical literalists also dispute the shape of the earth, and the idea that the Earth Rotates around the Sun.<ref>http://www.lhup.edu/~dsimanek/febible.htm</ref>

===Shape of the Earth===
In Revelations 7:1 it is stated:

"And after these things I saw four angels standing on the four corners of the earth..." (Revelations 7:1)

A sphere has no corners. The four corners are also mentioned in Isaiah 11:12. Some say this is a figure of speach, a view literalists reject.<ref>http://www.lhup.edu/~dsimanek/febible.htm</ref>

It is also stated:

"Then was the iron, the clay, the brass, the silver, and the gold, broken to pieces together, and became like the chaff of the summer threshingfloors; and the wind carried them away, that no place was found for them: and the stone that smote the image became a great mountain, and filled the whole earth." (Daniel 2:35)

AND

"Thus were the visions of mine head in my bed; I saw, and behold a tree in the midst of the earth, and the height thereof was great. The tree grew, and was strong, and the height thereof reached unto heaven, and the sight thereof to the end of all the earth:" (Daniel 4:10-11)

AND

"Behold, [Jesus] cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him" (Revelations 1:7)

AND

"Once again, the devil took him to a very high mountain, and showed him all the kingdoms of the world [cosmos] in their glory." (Matthew 4:8)

Such mountains, such a tree or such a view of Jesus could only be possible on a flat earth could only be possible on a flat earth. <ref>http://www.lhup.edu/~dsimanek/febible.htm</ref>

===Position of the Earth===
In the view of the Bible the Earth is fixed, and the sun revolves around it. This can be found in several passages:

"He has fixed the earth firm, immovable." (1 Chronicles 16:30)

"Thou hast fixed the earth immovable and firm ..." (Psalm 93:1)

"Thou didst fix the earth on its foundation so that it never can be shaken." (Psalm 104:5)

"...who made the earth and fashioned it, and himself fixed it fast..." (Isaiah 45:18)

==Christianity and the Earth==

Bible scholars have estimated the age of the earth based on the Creation account in Genesis and the genealogical accounts in Numbers and other books of the Pentateuch. One famous estimate was published in 1650 by [[James Ussher|James Ussher Archbishop of Armagh]] in a book called ''Annals of the World,'' in which he estimated the Creation to have occurred on 23 October 4004 B.C. Other Biblical scholars maintain that there are possible gaps in the genealogies, often using the ideas of the 19th century Calvinist theologian [[Benjamin Warfield]] on the issue. <ref>http://www.reasons.org/resources/apologetics/primeval_chronology.shtml</ref> However, [[James Barr]], regius professor of Hebrew at [[Oxford University]], wrote in 1984 the following: "… probably, so far as I know, there is no professor of Hebrew or Old Testament at any world-class university who does not believe that the writer(s) of Genesis 1–11 intended to convey to their readers the ideas that: … the figures contained in the Genesis genealogies provided by simple addition a chronology from the beginning of the world up to later stages in the biblical story.’" <ref>http://www.creationontheweb.com/content/view/1606/</ref> Furthermore, it should be noted that Barr himself rejects supernatural Christianity, and so is not a priori biased in favor of creationism. <ref>http://www.reasons.org/resources/apologetics/pca_creation_study_committee_report.shtml</ref>

Evolutionists, claim that scientific evidence, obtained through the [[scientific method]], suggests otherwise, dating the earth at beyond 4 billion years old.<ref>http://pubs.usgs.gov/gip/geotime/age.html</ref> In addition, many human societies predate the alleged creation of the world at 4000 B.C.<ref>http://www.ancientegypt.co.uk/</ref>

Many [[Christian|Christians]] believe that the Earth is the perfect distance away from the Sun and take this to be evidence of [[God]]'s existence. <ref>http://www.everystudent.com/features/isthere.html</ref> Scientists, however, usually invoke some form of anthropic principle<ref>http://www.anthropic-principle.com</ref> to interpret such apparent coincidences.

==References==
<references/>

Shark

2007-03-22T02:02:25Z

Emt: class