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Alberta Creationist Finds 60-Million-Year-Old Fossils

Oh The Irony: Creationist Digs Up 60-Million-Year-Old Fossils

Alberta creationist Edgar Nernberg may not believe in the existence of 60-million-year-old fossils, but that's exactly what he came across while excavating a Calgary basement recently.

Nernberg, who sits on the board of directors of Big Valley’s Creation Science Museum, works for a local excavation company and was digging out a basement in the community of Evanston when he found five fish fossils in a block of sandstone, reports CBC News.

(A look at the basement pit where Nernberg made his discovery. Photo courtesy Darla Zelenitsky, University of Calgary)

"When the five fish fossils presented themselves to me in the excavator bucket, the first thing I said was you’re coming home with me, the second thing was I better call a paleontologist," Nernberg said in a statement.

Nernberg called Darla Zelenitsky, a paleontologist with the University of Calgary.

"Most people would have overlooked these — when these were uncovered, Edgar right away recognized them," Zeletinsky told the Calgary Sun.

"He's apparently interested in fossils, and that's probably how he saw them. An ordinary person might have just seen blobs in the rock."

(Sandstone block containing fossil fish. Photo courtesy Darla Zelenitsky, University of Calgary)

Nernberg, being the creationist he is, doesn't believe the fossils are that old. Instead, he subscribes to the belief that the Earth is around 6,000 years old.

He told the Calgary Sun his discovery "hasn't changed his mind" about his beliefs.

"There's no dates stamped on these things," he joked.

(Photo courtesy Darla Zelenitsky, University of Calgary)

The University of Calgary will unveil the five fossils Thursday. They say the fossils date back to the time just after the dinosaurs were wiped out and are quite a rare and significant find for Alberta.

(Photo courtesy Darla Zelenitsky, University of Calgary)

According to the U of C, the fossils will eventually make their way to the Royal Tyrrell Museum in Drumheller.

Nernberg, however, says he'll try to snag a cast of one for the Creation Museum.

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