And the waters prevailed, and were increased greatly upon the earth;
Genesis 7:18
"The mere fact that most fossils are embedded in deposits laid down by water indicates catastrophic
Some fossils show immaculate preservation of detail and these creatures must have been buried instantly to prevent decay. The state of preservation can thus be an indication of how long the animals were exposed to the elements before they were buried.
There are four major types of fossils:
1. Molds and casts, comprising footprints and molds that have been filled in with rock forming material.2. Petrified fossils, or fossils turned to stone by replacement of the tissue with the elements of the surrounding strata.
3. Carbonized fossils, such as coal.
4. Unchanged fossils such as animals trapped in amber or the preserved parts of animals trapped in tar pits. Seashells and tooth and bone fragments also belong to this group.
Since fossilization requires very specific, complex conditions, the vastness of the fossil record does not support the idea of uniformitarianism. When we consider the giant dinosaur fossil, we ask, "What buried these creatures so quickly?"
Dinosaurs are sometimes found in relatively large numbers. They are mostly washed into position, with many of them showing distinct stream orientation. Scientists explain this by stating that these creatures lived in the plains and were periodically overcome by floods. However, these fossil beds often stretch over thousands of square kilometers, which would not be consistent with such a scenario."
