Path: utzoo!mnetor!uunet!husc6!uwvax!oddjob!mimsy!aplcen!aplcomm!stdc.jhuapl.edu!jwm
From: jwm@stdc.jhuapl.edu (James W. Meritt)
Newsgroups: sci.misc
Subject: Re: more Velikovsky
Message-ID: <137@aplcomm.UUCP>
Date: 22 Mar 88 13:49:05 GMT
References: <5236@uwmcsd1.UUCP> <1138@PT.CS.CMU.EDU> <5250@uwmcsd1.UUCP> <1167@PT.CS.CMU.EDU> <5265@uwmcsd1.UUCP> <4006@cup.portal.com>
Sender: news@aplcomm.UUCP
Reply-To: jwm@stdc.jhuapl.edu.UUCP (James W. Meritt)
Organization: The Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory
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In article <4006@cup.portal.com> roger_warren_tang@cup.portal.com writes:
>   "Radiation counts used to date things before a supposed catastrophe cannot b
>     "used"
>    Why?  The two have nothing to do with each other.


As an example of how a catastrophe could mess up radiodating, how about one 
which altered the background levels?  The dating assumes a steady level
(at least C14.  The other stuff has the same assumptions, but it
would be REALLY tough to change that.  Say you put a lot of radiation
loose in the air. C14 levels go up.  The clock gets badly gummed.
The decay rate would stay the same, but the starting level you are
calculating from would not be the actual starting level.

Of course, nothing grossly mechanical could do something like this.
Just wanted to throw in mt $.02 worth.  

Velikovsky is still out to lunch.....


Disclaimer: Individuals have opinions, organizations have policy.
            Therefore, these opinions are mine and not any organizations!
Q.E.D.
jwm@aplvax.jhuapl.edu 128.244.65.5