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Influx of Calcareous Ooze into the Ocean
[DB 1507 (41); OAB 64] During a detailed study of sediment distribution in the Atlantic Ocean, M. Ewing, J.I. Ewing, and M. Talwani (Geological Society of America Bulletin, v.75, no.1, pp.17-36 (1964)) mentioned that their measurements of carbonate sediments indicated ocean-floor ages of about 2 to 5 million years, with some areas near the Mid-Atlantic Ridge appearing to be even younger. Since these ages were much younger than what Ewing considered to be realistic, he suggested that the rate of deposition of these sediments may have been much smaller in the past. Young-Earth advocates, on the other hand, have cited this paper as claiming that the Earth cannot in fact be older than 2 to 5 million years. The key to understanding this puzzle is to note the date of Ewing's paper. In 1964, the current theory of Plate Tectonics was undeveloped and unpopular. Ewing assumed that the age of the ocean floor was close to the age of the Earth as a whole, and thus he was not equipped to understand the implications of his measurements. In the 40 years since that time, modern Plate Tectonics has been confirmed countless times, and we understand that the ocean floor is in fact much younger than most continental areas, with the mid-ocean ridges being the youngest of all. Modern understanding of the ocean floor is perfectly in agreement with Ewing's measurements.

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