| Speed of Light Slowing Down? by Warren Krug (January-February, 2005) |
People who have been following the creation/evolution debate in recent years are
well aware of the shortcomings of the theory of evolution, from both scientific and
biblical viewpoints. What we observe in nature not surprisingly fits much better with
the account of creation given us in Genesis.
This is not to say though that all the questions have been answered for
Bible-believing creationists. Perhaps the most perplexing problem has to do with
starlight and the age of the Earth. Simply put, how is it possible for us to be viewing
stars billions of light-years away in a universe that is only 6,000 or so years old?
well aware of the shortcomings of the theory of evolution, from both scientific and
biblical viewpoints. What we observe in nature not surprisingly fits much better with
the account of creation given us in Genesis.
This is not to say though that all the questions have been answered for
Bible-believing creationists. Perhaps the most perplexing problem has to do with
starlight and the age of the Earth. Simply put, how is it possible for us to be viewing
stars billions of light-years away in a universe that is only 6,000 or so years old?
Attempts to Explain This Contradiction
Several attempts have been made to solve this riddle.
The most commonly-used theory is that God created the light in transit, mature starlight so to speak, just as God
created a mature Adam and Eve.
Few creation scientists use this argument anymore because of the nature of starlight. Starlight contains
information about distant cosmic events such as supernovas which appear to have happened millions or billions
of years ago. If this theory were true, then God would be including “phony” data in the starlight, and that, of
course, is out of character for a Holy God. 1
A second theory holds that the huge distances are in error, that there is something wrong with the way we
measure the distances to stars.
However, the simple fact is that if all the stars and galaxies were within 6,000 light-years of Earth, we would all fry
to death! 2
A third theory is that all the stars were made millions and billions of years before Creation Week. God placed
these stars in such a way that their light first reached Earth on Day 4.
This idea clearly conflicts with Scripture which says “For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth.”
(Exodus 20:11) 3
Barry Setterfield and Changes in the Speed of Light
For decades students have been taught that the speed of light is constant and has been since the beginning of
time. However, in recent years, a number of scientists are beginning to question this “scientific fact,” and
suggesting that the speed of light (‘c’) is decaying (“CDK”).
In 1979, an Australian undergraduate student named Barry Setterfield set about to chart all the measurements
of the speed of light since the late 17th century. He gathered data on more than 163 measurements using 16
different methods over 300 years.
For example, light speeds of roughly 303,320 km/second were recorded in 1738, 299,949 km/second in 1861,
299.921 km/second in 1877, and 299,792 km/second in 2004.
Even allowing for the fact that early telescopes were less precise, the speed of light apparently was much as 7%
higher in the 1700s. A statistician, Dr. Trevor Norman, confirmed that Setterfield’s measurements were
statistically significant with a confidence of more than 99 percent.
Setterfield and Norman published their results in July of 1987 after extensive peer review. However, today even
creationist scientists are not all in agreement that CDK is supported by the evidence. 4
When the concentration of matter is dense enough, the gravitational distortion can be so immense that even
light cannot escape. According to GR, an invisible boundary surrounds such a concentration of matter (called
an event horizon). At the event horizon light rays trying to escape the tremendous pull of gravity bend back on
themselves, and time literally stands still.
Humphrey’s cosmology assumes that the Earth is near the center of the universe (as observations seem to
confirm) and that there is a net gravitational effect toward the center.
Further, he believes the universe has expanded perhaps up to 50 times its size at the moment of creation. Some
observational evidence as well as Scripture’s references to God “stretching out the heavens” (Isaiah 42:5,
Jeremiah 10:12, Zechariah 12:1) tend to support this view.
With these assumptions in mind, scientific deduction based on GR says the universe has expanded out of its
event horizon, a condition known as a “white hole.”
CDK Not Dead
But the idea that the speed of light is slowing down has not died. In fact, a team of secular scientists including
the famed physicist Paul Davies publicized a paper in Nature magazine in 2002 that claimed “light has been
slowing down since the creation of the universe.” 2
A cover story in a 1999 New Scientist magazine proposed the “heresy” of c-decay. Some secular physicists
have proposed the speed of light in the past was greater than even Setterfield has suggested. 2
In Conclusion
The problem of how to reconcile billions of light-years of starlight in a world of thousands of years still awaits a
definitive solution. Even Humphrey says his “white hole” cosmology is far from being the last word on the
subject. All the theories have some unanswered questions.
Likely we will have to wait until heaven to learn the final solution to this riddle. Meanwhile we will accept the Word
of God which describes a world which is only a few thousand years old but one which along with time itself will
eventually end with the Second Coming of our Savior. LSI
References
1. Ham, Ken, Jonathan Sarfati, and Carl Wieland, “How Can We See Distant Stars in a Young Universe?” www.
answersingenesis.org
2. Wieland, Carl, “Speed of Light Slowing Down After All?,” www.answersingenesis.org (August, 2002)
3. Hartnett, John G., “A New Cosmology: Solution to the Starlight Travel Time Problem,” www.answersingenesis.
org (August, 2003).
4. Bennett, Chris, “Speed of Light Slowing Down?” www.worldnetdaily.com (7/31/04).
For more information: go to the Answers in Genesis website (http://www. answersingenesis.org) and insert
“Speed of Light” in the search window. LSI
Several attempts have been made to solve this riddle.
The most commonly-used theory is that God created the light in transit, mature starlight so to speak, just as God
created a mature Adam and Eve.
Few creation scientists use this argument anymore because of the nature of starlight. Starlight contains
information about distant cosmic events such as supernovas which appear to have happened millions or billions
of years ago. If this theory were true, then God would be including “phony” data in the starlight, and that, of
course, is out of character for a Holy God. 1
A second theory holds that the huge distances are in error, that there is something wrong with the way we
measure the distances to stars.
However, the simple fact is that if all the stars and galaxies were within 6,000 light-years of Earth, we would all fry
to death! 2
A third theory is that all the stars were made millions and billions of years before Creation Week. God placed
these stars in such a way that their light first reached Earth on Day 4.
This idea clearly conflicts with Scripture which says “For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth.”
(Exodus 20:11) 3
Barry Setterfield and Changes in the Speed of Light
For decades students have been taught that the speed of light is constant and has been since the beginning of
time. However, in recent years, a number of scientists are beginning to question this “scientific fact,” and
suggesting that the speed of light (‘c’) is decaying (“CDK”).
In 1979, an Australian undergraduate student named Barry Setterfield set about to chart all the measurements
of the speed of light since the late 17th century. He gathered data on more than 163 measurements using 16
different methods over 300 years.
For example, light speeds of roughly 303,320 km/second were recorded in 1738, 299,949 km/second in 1861,
299.921 km/second in 1877, and 299,792 km/second in 2004.
Even allowing for the fact that early telescopes were less precise, the speed of light apparently was much as 7%
higher in the 1700s. A statistician, Dr. Trevor Norman, confirmed that Setterfield’s measurements were
statistically significant with a confidence of more than 99 percent.
Setterfield and Norman published their results in July of 1987 after extensive peer review. However, today even
creationist scientists are not all in agreement that CDK is supported by the evidence. 4
When the concentration of matter is dense enough, the gravitational distortion can be so immense that even
light cannot escape. According to GR, an invisible boundary surrounds such a concentration of matter (called
an event horizon). At the event horizon light rays trying to escape the tremendous pull of gravity bend back on
themselves, and time literally stands still.
Humphrey’s cosmology assumes that the Earth is near the center of the universe (as observations seem to
confirm) and that there is a net gravitational effect toward the center.
Further, he believes the universe has expanded perhaps up to 50 times its size at the moment of creation. Some
observational evidence as well as Scripture’s references to God “stretching out the heavens” (Isaiah 42:5,
Jeremiah 10:12, Zechariah 12:1) tend to support this view.
With these assumptions in mind, scientific deduction based on GR says the universe has expanded out of its
event horizon, a condition known as a “white hole.”
CDK Not Dead
But the idea that the speed of light is slowing down has not died. In fact, a team of secular scientists including
the famed physicist Paul Davies publicized a paper in Nature magazine in 2002 that claimed “light has been
slowing down since the creation of the universe.” 2
A cover story in a 1999 New Scientist magazine proposed the “heresy” of c-decay. Some secular physicists
have proposed the speed of light in the past was greater than even Setterfield has suggested. 2
In Conclusion
The problem of how to reconcile billions of light-years of starlight in a world of thousands of years still awaits a
definitive solution. Even Humphrey says his “white hole” cosmology is far from being the last word on the
subject. All the theories have some unanswered questions.
Likely we will have to wait until heaven to learn the final solution to this riddle. Meanwhile we will accept the Word
of God which describes a world which is only a few thousand years old but one which along with time itself will
eventually end with the Second Coming of our Savior. LSI
References
1. Ham, Ken, Jonathan Sarfati, and Carl Wieland, “How Can We See Distant Stars in a Young Universe?” www.
answersingenesis.org
2. Wieland, Carl, “Speed of Light Slowing Down After All?,” www.answersingenesis.org (August, 2002)
3. Hartnett, John G., “A New Cosmology: Solution to the Starlight Travel Time Problem,” www.answersingenesis.
org (August, 2003).
4. Bennett, Chris, “Speed of Light Slowing Down?” www.worldnetdaily.com (7/31/04).
For more information: go to the Answers in Genesis website (http://www. answersingenesis.org) and insert
“Speed of Light” in the search window. LSI
The early measurements typically tracked the eclipses of Jupiter’s moons
when the planet was near Earth and compared them with observations
when Jupiter was farther away. The early astronomers kept detailed notes
and sketches.
Setterfield expected to see the recorded speeds grouped around today’s
accepted value for light speed—about 299,792 kilometers/second. What he
found instead amazed him. The light speeds from the early measurements
were significantly faster than what one sees in the modern world.
when the planet was near Earth and compared them with observations
when Jupiter was farther away. The early astronomers kept detailed notes
and sketches.
Setterfield expected to see the recorded speeds grouped around today’s
accepted value for light speed—about 299,792 kilometers/second. What he
found instead amazed him. The light speeds from the early measurements
were significantly faster than what one sees in the modern world.
Russell Humphrey and Changes in Time
A creationist physicist, Dr. Russ Humphreys, said he tried
unsuccessfully for a year to get CDK to work. Still, his research
inspired him to come up with an alternate theory which involves
changes in time rather than actual changes in the speed of light.
No less a scientist than Albert Einstein long ago proposed that
time is not a constant. Einstein’s general theory of relativity (GR)
indicates that gravity can distort time.
The effect of gravity on time has been measured experimentally
many times. For instance, clocks at the top of tall buildings where
gravity is slightly weaker run faster than clocks at street level.
A creationist physicist, Dr. Russ Humphreys, said he tried
unsuccessfully for a year to get CDK to work. Still, his research
inspired him to come up with an alternate theory which involves
changes in time rather than actual changes in the speed of light.
No less a scientist than Albert Einstein long ago proposed that
time is not a constant. Einstein’s general theory of relativity (GR)
indicates that gravity can distort time.
The effect of gravity on time has been measured experimentally
many times. For instance, clocks at the top of tall buildings where
gravity is slightly weaker run faster than clocks at street level.
