Day 2: Xenon Tells a Story

One of the purposes of this blog is to respond to fresh scientific discoveries and analyze them from a Biblical point of view.  New research conducted at the Washington University of St. Louis gives us a glimpse into the work God did in fitting Earth for human habitation.

Before looking at the science, it's beneficial to be reminded how God works in our world by meditating on the revelation that we have in Scripture.

Job 37:11-13 English Standard Version (ESV)

11 He loads the thick cloud with moisture; the clouds scatter his lightning.
12 They turn around and around by his guidance, to accomplish all that he commands them on the face of the habitable world.
13 Whether for correction or for his land or for love, he causes it to happen.

Reflect for a moment on the fact that God is in control of all processes, even those that seem well defined by natural behavior.  This natural behavior is the product of God's purposeful design, implementation, and sustenance of the Earth.

The article There and back again: Mantle xenon has a story to tell explains how volatile compounds such as water, carbon dioxide, and noble gases move between the mantle of the Earth and the atmosphere.  "The exchange controls the habitability of the planet" writes the author.  According to the report, this habitability feature was established between 2.5 billion years ago and several hundred million years ago.  This corresponds to the Ages of Joy timeframe for Day 2 of creation which aligns to the Proterozoic Eon for readers who prefer geologic ages to "billions of years" time estimates.

During Day 2 of creation, as God separated the waters above from the waters below and spread out the heavens as a tent for man to dwell in, one of His activities was to set up and sustain the transport of volatile compounds between the deep parts of the Earth and the skies above.