felixomor:
University settles lawsuit with scientist fired after he found soft tissue in dinosaur bones




CSUN scientist Mark Armitage found soft tissue in a dinosaur bone, a discovery that throws significant doubt on evolution. Then, two weeks after publishing his findings, he was fired.

Now California State University at Northridge has paid Armitage a six-figure sum to settle his wrongful termination suit based on religious discrimination. While the university admits no wrongdoing, Armitage’s attorney said they feared losing a protracted lawsuit because of a “smoking gun” email that backed the plaintiff’s case.

The case of Armitage is the latest to show the mounting hostility Christians face in academics and other public arenas.



“Soft tissue in dinosaur bones destroys ‘deep time.’ Dinosaur bones cannot be old if they’re full of soft tissue,” Armitage said in a YouTube video. “Deep time is the linchpin of evolution. If you don’t have deep time, you don’t have evolution. The whole discussion of evolution ends if you show that the earth is young. You can just erase evolution off the whiteboard because of soft tissue in dinosaur bones.”

Armitage was hired as a microscopist to manage CSUN’s electron and confocal microscope suite in 2010. He had published some 30 articles in scientific journals about his specialty.

A graduate of Liberty University, Armitage adheres to the “young earth” view, against the majority of scientists who say our planet is 5 billion years old. He engaged students in his lab with Socratic dialogue over the issue of the earth’s age based on his and others’ research, he said.




In May 2012, Armitage went on a dinosaur dig at the famous fossil site of Hell Creek in Montana, where he unearthed the largest triceratops horn ever found there. Back at CSUN, he put the fossil under his microscope and made the startling discovery: unfossilized, undecayed tissue was present.

If the dinosaur were 65 million years old, the soft tissue could not have possibly remained, he says. His findings seconded groundbreaking discoveries by noted molecular paleontologist Mary Schweitzer, who triggered an earthquake in the world of paleontology when she published about soft tissue in dinosaur bones in 2005. (Schweitzer subsequently postulated that iron is responsible for preserving the soft tissue.)

Armitage’s February 2013 study was published in the peer-reviewed Acta Histochemica, a journal of cell and tissue research. Two week later, he found himself without a job.



A biology professor had come into his office and said, “We are not going to tolerate your religion in this department.”

Armitage fought back. Professors and students alike had praised his work managing the microscope lab. His suit alleged he was excluded from a secret meetings of the microscopy committee. In a “smoking gun” email, university officials suggested they could ease Armitage out of his part-time position by making it full-time, Reinach said.

A colleague described the process as a “witch hunt,” according to Inside Higher Ed.

For two years, CSUN fought Armitage’s lawsuit. The university alleged his firing was simply a restructuring of their biology department and not a case of religious discrimination. But CSUN lost its bid to have the judge summarily throw the case out of court as groundless in July of last year.

A biology professor had come into his office and said, “We are not going to tolerate your religion in this department.”

Armitage fought back. Professors and students alike had praised his work managing the microscope lab. His suit alleged he was excluded from a secret meetings of the microscopy committee. In a “smoking gun” email, university officials suggested they could ease Armitage out of his part-time position by making it full-time, Reinach said.

A colleague described the process as a “witch hunt,” according to Inside Higher Ed.

For two years, CSUN fought Armitage’s lawsuit. The university alleged his firing was simply a restructuring of their biology department and not a case of religious discrimination. But CSUN lost its bid to have the judge summarily throw the case out of court as groundless in July of last year.

So CSUN settled with Armitage for $399,500 in 2016, according to Inside Higher Ed.

Alan Reinach, Armitage’s attorney, hailed the settlement as precedent-setting.

“We are not aware of any other cases where a creationist received a favorable outcome,” said Reinach, executive director of the Church State Council, a nonprofit California public interest legal organization. “This was truly a historic case.”



CSUN has downplayed its decision to settle, saying in a statement that the university is committed to religious freedom and freedom of speech.

“The Superior Court did not rule on the merits of Mr. Armitage’s complaint, and this voluntary settlement is not an indication of wrong-doing,” according to a CSUN statement published in Retraction Watch. “The decision to settle was based on a desire to avoid the costs involved in a protracted legal battle, including manpower, time and state dollars.”

But Reinach countered: “They certainly would not have paid that kind of money if they did not recognize that we had them dead to rights. The state doesn’t put large, six-figure settlement money out unless they are really concerned they are going to lose.”

Prior to looking for soft tissue in dinosaur bones, Armitage studied diatoms, unicellular organisms that make up phytoplankton, which reveal a dizzying complexity and organization at the microscopic level.

According to Armitage, the beauty and complexity of diatoms lends credence to the idea they are a product of a Creator and not of spontaneous evolution.

“Evolution is structure supported by two pillars: one is chance, and the other is time. Chance is required because we obviously can’t say that a thinking force created life on earth. That is anathema for the materialists. If you kick out one of those two pillars the whole structure collapses,” Armitage noted. “If you kick out chance by showing incredible design, the structure of evolution starts to totter and it may crash. Because you cannot have design in a world that doesn’t have a Designer.

“The other pillar is time because you cannot get a man from a frog unless the princess kissed the frog. That’s a fairy tale. So in science you have to have deep time to get evolution.”

Subsequent to the controversy, Armitage has been on additional digs and found more soft tissue but is finding it difficult to get published. “I’m clearly being blackballed,” he said in The College Fix.

“Soft tissue in dinosaur bones destroys deep time.” Armitage said. “Dinosaur bones cannot be old if they’re full of soft tissue.”


SOURCES:

http://blog.godreports.com/2017/08/university-settles-lawsuit-with-scientist-fired-after-he-found-soft-tissue-in-dinosaur-bones/

https://www.timeshighereducation.com/news/us-university-settles-lawsuit-creationist


CC: Iwant2knowGod, DoctorAlien, rhektor, haibe, blueAgent, KingEbukasBlog, butterflylion, Analice107, 4everGod

butterflylion:





The guy na akoba adaba. He exposed a smoking gun indeed. 65milli year old dinosaur fossil with soft tissue? That one pass embalming o.

Ranchhoddas:
The settlement was for wrongful termination and not a validation of his claims.
You don't even understand your thread.

Evolution spoiler indeed.

butterflylion:


Wrongful termination was used as an excuse to cover up the non acceptance of his religious views which made him unable to be quiet about his soft tissue discovery in the 65milli year old fossil. You did not understand the story.

He uncovered and spoke up about something they wanted to cover. When he did he was sacked sharp sharp and their excuse was his religion.

Wetin religion get to do with soft tissue discovery in a 65milli year old dinosaur fossil which should not have been there?

They knew the guy na akoba adaba. Period!

felixomor:


He actually wants to pretend as if he didn't read that part of the story.
Besides even if he is correct, why did the university choose to settle and why did they loose the bid to stop the scientists case?

Hehehehe.

felixomor:


He actually wants to pretend as if he didn't read that part of the story.
Besides even if he is correct, why did the university choose to settle and why did they loose the bid to stop the scientists case?

Hehehehe.

Ranchhoddas:
The settlement was for wrongful termination and not a validation of his claims.
You don't even understand your thread.

Evolution spoiler indeed.

butterflylion:



I thought they claim only atheists make good scientists. This one wey be Christian no be scientist? Cool $400k for scientific whistle blowing.

CAPSLOCKED:



AND HIS SUPPORTERS, YOU KNOW.

JUST RUN IN TO HAIL HIM FOR HIS "STRAIGHT TO THE HEAD" SHOTS WITHOUT CHECKING FOR AUTHENTICITY.

felixomor:


LOL
Hmmm @ "Whistle blowing Scientist"
Good Ideas

CAPSLOCKED:



AND HIS SUPPORTERS, YOU KNOW.

JUST RUN IN TO HAIL HIM FOR HIS "STRAIGHT TO THE HEAD" SHOTS WITHOUT CHECKING FOR AUTHENTICITY.

felixomor:


I never knew there was anything fake on the thread that warrants your "Authenticity"
Talk
Please If you care to show us the "fake"

butterflylion:



CAPSLOCKED is slowly becoming CAPSUNLOCKED!

butterflylion:


Wrongful termination was used as an excuse to cover up the non acceptance of his religious views which made him unable to be quiet about his soft tissue discovery in the 65milli year old fossil. You did not understand the story.

He uncovered and spoke up about something they wanted to cover. When he did he was sacked sharp sharp and their excuse was his religion.

Wetin religion get to do with soft tissue discovery in a 65milli year old dinosaur fossil which should not have been there?

They knew the guy na akoba adaba. Period!

For dia mind the guy dey like spy. James Bond lomo joor!

felixomor:


He actually wants to pretend as if he didn't read that part of the story.
Besides even if he is correct, why did the university choose to settle and why did they loose the bid to stop the scientists case?

Hehehehe.

CAPSLOCKED:



AND HIS SUPPORTERS, YOU KNOW.

JUST RUN IN TO HAIL HIM FOR HIS "STRAIGHT TO THE HEAD" SHOTS WITHOUT CHECKING FOR AUTHENTICITY.

Ranchhoddas:
Stop being silly.
Which part of the story?
Quote it verbatim?

felixomor:


Sharrap. And read the story properly.

The school was sued for religious discrimination because of his discovery, and they lost the bid to stop the case before they agreed to settle.

Ranchhoddas:
You don't know what verbatim means?

Ranchhoddas:
This is why I try not to waste time with your kind.
If you had bothered to read the thread, you would have seen the part where it was written that notable molecular paleontologist Mary Schweitzer in 2005 postulated that soft tissue in dinosaurs were preserved by Iron.
This was almost a decade before this Armitage guy came up with his claims.
A renowned scientist sees something and begins to brainstorm on how it could have happened. Another person sees that same thing a decade later and says that the earth is 6,000 years old.
If you have a truly scientific mind, which of these two people will you take seriously?


Etisalat abi na 9mobile refused me internet access since yesterday.

felixomor:


You dont know what read properly means?

Ranchhoddas:
I knew I was about to waste my time.
Sorry for disturbing you.

butterflylion:



I was about to say 9mobile fall on you but when I saw that they already fell on you since yesterday I had to stop.

See guy, desperation to sell a lie no dey make the lie to be truth you hear?

A truly scientific mind with ask a simple question. If iron can preserve tissues for so long why then isn't iron used for embalming corpses? If iron can preserve tissues for so long was iron part of the composition of the soil where this particular fossil was found?

You think say the Christian scientist no consider these things before speaking out? They knew they had no case and could not defend anything so they had to cut the guy loose using religious discrimination. At least that's a lesser evil than shooting evolution in the head by exposing this discovery.

They chose to save evolution with $400k

Scientific thieves.

felixomor:


Hehehehe,
The guy wanted to clutch straws.
You give am straw chop.

butterflylion:



I was about to say 9mobile fall on you but when I saw that they already fell on you since yesterday I had to stop.

See guy, desperation to sell a lie no dey make the lie to be truth you hear?

A truly scientific mind with ask a simple question. If iron can preserve tissues for so long why then isn't iron used for embalming corpses? If iron can preserve tissues for so long was iron part of the composition of the soil where this particular fossil was found?

You think say the Christian scientist no consider these things before speaking out? They knew they had no case and could not defend anything so they had to cut the guy loose using religious discrimination. At least that's a lesser evil than shooting evolution in the head by exposing this discovery.

They chose to save evolution with $400k

Scientific thieves.

Ranchhoddas:
Please read the thread.
This was already published in 2005 by NOTABLE PALEONTOLOGIST Mary Schweitzer.
His discovery was not new.
In science when something is discovered, the next thing is to begin to make postulates which Mary Schweitzer did.
Nothing is accepted as absolute truth in science until it is foolproof.
You guy did not. He went and began to tell everyone that his discovery validates his beliefs. Very unscientific and he got fired.
The University settled because it will be cheaper in the long run than a drawn out legal battle.
Anyone who knows the American legal system will see that it was a prudent move.
Do a Google search.
Mark Armitage is a renowned pseudoscientist.

Ranchhoddas:
Please read the thread.
This was already published in 2005 by NOTABLE PALEONTOLOGIST Mary Schweitzer.
His discovery was not new.
In science when something is discovered, the next thing is to begin to make postulates which Mary Schweitzer did.
Nothing is accepted as absolute truth in science until it is foolproof.
You guy did not. He went and began to tell everyone that his discovery validates his beliefs. Very unscientific and he got fires.
The University settled because it will be cheaper in the long run than a drawn out legal battle.
Anyone who knows the American legal system will see that it was a prudent move.
Do a Google search.
Mark Armitage is a renowned pseudoscientist.

News reports around the world tell of red-blood-cell-like and collagen-like structures found in 75 million year-old dinosaur bones long stored in the British Museum. This news coincides with the release of the film Jurassic World, in which fictional scientists resurrect dinosaurs using dino DNA that "iron chelators" somehow preserved for millions of years.1 Though the movie is fiction, it does refer to a real study involving blood and bone. However, a closer look at the relevant chemistry shows that the iron-as-preservative story may be just as fictional as Jurassic World.

The University College London research team published their new finds in the journal Nature Communications. Scientists collected the bones and bone fragments from Alberta, then deposited them in drawers decades ago. New techniques now reveal unexpected proteins and cell-like features. Microscopic filaments spaced at about 67nm were tell-tale signs of bone collagen.2 In living creatures, bone-building cells deposit these protein fibers in rows to give bone its nearly optimal balance between rigidity and flexibility.3

The team also showed evidence of rounded structures resembling small, dried, red blood cells inside two of the eight fossils they analyzed. Zooming in, mass spectrometry revealed original biochemicals and amino acids in the cell-like structures.

What exactly is at stake with this discovery? The Nature Communications study authors wrote, "In particular, it has long been accepted that protein molecules decay in relatively short periods of time and cannot be preserved for longer than 4 million years."2

To make the story seem more believable, some scientific-sounding reason was needed to explain why tissues could have lasted tens of millions of years. An iron-as-preservative explanation seemed to fit the bill. In a Jurassic World promotional video, a fictional scientist says, "With the recent discovery that soft tissue preserved by iron chelators can produce gold mines of DNA, we can put the puzzle pieces together much faster than before."1

However, this "recent discovery" never actually held claim to producing gold mines or even scraps of DNA. Instead, it showed how purified blood puree can keep bird blood vessels from rotting for two years at room temperature—hardly the kind of scientifically rigorous experiment needed to show how collagen proteins can last millions of years in an outdoor environment. In the 2013 report, published in Proceedings of the Royal Society B, researchers proposed that a certain class of chemical reactions involving iron and hydroxyl promoted reactions that may have preserved proteins for millions of years.4

The Proceedings study authors wrote, "The hypothesis that iron contributes to preservation in deep time, perhaps by both free-radical-mediated fixation and antimicrobial activity, is supported by data presented."4 Probably iron in their blood puree did knock back germs that would have devoured the bird bone soft tissue, but at least five observations soundly refute "the hypothesis that iron contributes to preservation in deep time."

First, what would bring the iron and hydroxyls to the bone tissues other than moving water? One of the first lessons in biochemistry is that water breaks apart proteins, degrading the very tissues they suggest iron would help preserve.5

A second observation that proponents of the iron-and-hydroxyl-preservation hypothesis appear to ignore follows a similar line. The amino acid methionine is particularly susceptible to a strong oxidizing agent like hydroxyl, which would quickly oxidize methionine into methionine sulfoxide. The Nature Communications study results revealed un-oxidized methionine in some of their Alberta dinosaur specimens.5 Those who want their hydroxyl cake will have to eat it, too. They have not explained how iron and hydroxyl selectively reacted with proteins in a way that would preserve them, but fail to react with methionine in the most natural way known.

Third, the experimenter destroyed red blood cells to release their trapped iron, then bathed bird-bone tissues with the purified and concentrated soup. But these new Nature Communications results clearly showed blood cell shapes still intact. How could iron preserve bone tissues if it never escaped red blood cells in the first place? Plus, what natural process in the supposed Jurassic world could have mimicked the elaborate blending, filtering, concentrating, and bathing procedures used in the lab? Such laboratory finagling doesn't accurately represent natural environments.

Even granting that iron and hydroxyls reached bone tissues, they would overwhelmingly destroy the tissues, not preserve them! Innumerable experiments show these strong oxidizers chemically shred proteins and tissues. In a 2007 report describing this type of reaction, biochemist Josef Prousek of the Slovak University of Technology wrote, "Due to its strong reactivity with biomolecules, hydroxyl radical is capable of doing more damage to biological systems than any other reactive organic species."6 How is iron and hydroxyl supposed to preserve tissues if it actually damages them?

As a fifth and final observation, the Nature Communications results showed no blood or iron remnants on its bone collagen fibers. Actually most other "soft tissue" fossil finds published in science journals for the last five decades show neither blood nor evidence that blood or iron was ever there. Of course, it would be difficult for iron and hydroxyls to help preserve a dinosaur fossil from Alberta if they were never in contact with its tissues.

These observations leave the iron and hydroxyl hypothesis in Jurassic dust. And although scientists could never really bring back dinosaurs from the dead, maybe it's time to resurrect the old, biblical idea that dinosaurs and other creatures were buried only thousands of years ago. This stands as the most scientifically responsible way to explain why so many original biochemicals in dinosaurs and other fossils, including these that had been resting in museum drawers for about a hundred years.

felixomor:


"Nothing is acceptable as fool proof" you say

Yet you just told us soft tissue can be preserved by Iron for 65 million years.

Wow,
Abeg demonstrate that for us and u get a Nobel

You are the real pseudoscientist.

butterflylion:



A lot of people sabi yarn but no sabi understand their yarn!

butterflylion:



Oga read small you hear?




When you finish reading and understanding you can then say something you hear?