CREATION’S CORNER # 23 FOOTPRINTS IN THE SAND

Mar 5, 2024

There is no question that these are human footprints. If you happened to find them, however, what questions might you ask? Who? When? Why? What would you like to know about the individual(s) who made the tracks?

These tracks were recently discovered in White Sands National Park — https://www.nps.gov/whsa/learn/nature/fossilized-footprints.htm. You will likely find the details in the link interesting. It partially answers the questions above. The footprints are approximately 22,000 years old. We know very little about the people who created the tracks, but we do know much about the ecological conditions when the tracks were made. Unlike the desert conditions today with blowing gypsum sand, the area was a lush grassland abounding in animals that no longer walk in God’s Creation today (see my earlier Creation’s Corner # 15). It was at the peak of the last ice age with much cooler and more moist conditions.

Perhaps it looked much like the artist’s image here. Along with the human footprints, the tracks of several extinct animals were also found. How was the date established for the tracks? Below and above the footprints were grass seeds. Radiocarbon dating was used on the seeds plus another independent dating method – optically stimulated luminescence. The results were the same. These tracks are the oldest confirmed presence of humans in North America.

What do we know about these people? Not much! We do know that they hunted the megafauna – projectile points have been found embedded in bones of some of the extinct animals. Beyond that, there is little evidence about their lives and next to nothing “written in the landscape.”

How do you and I compare with these early humans? Our impact on the landscape is now globally apparent. Geologists have categorized the geological history of earth into time periods, as shown, based on evident geological changes in Earth’s history. Until recently, the last geological epoch that included all human history was the Holocene. Geologists currently are adding a new epoch to the geological time chart – the Anthropocene. The geological impact of humanity is written clearly on the landscape. It is the first time in Earth’s history that a single species has been responsible for changing the global landscape. The saying “take only memories and leave only footprints” is attributed to Chief Seattle. Memories we have all accumulated. But the footprint of humanity is now huge.

What can each of us do to reduce the size of our personal footprint and begin to walk the path that our Lord intended? What suggestions would you be willing to share? It would make a nice Creation’s Corner to summarize and share our own experiences and actions. Just a thought…. You have my e-mail address.

Our prayer for the day – Lord, we ask for Your wisdom and Your guidance. We desire to serve You in Your Kingdom today. When we pass from this Kingdom’s life into your Holy presence, we pray that our life will have brought you pleasure. Amen

Thanks for listening.

— Joe Sheldon

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