how do they even calculate something like this?
Typically, I ask google... like this:
https://www.google.com/search?q=how+do+scientists+calculate+the+age+of+earth
Google responds... like this:
How is Earth's Age Calculated?
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The best estimate for Earth's age is based on radiometric dating of fragments from the Canyon Diablo iron meteorite. From the fragments, scientists calculated the relative abundances of elements that formed as radioactive uranium decayed over billions of years.
How Do Scientists Measure Earth Age?
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Generally speaking, scientists have developed four different methods of determining the age of the earth. By using these methods, or a combination of them, the age of geological formations created by past events and even the fossilized bones of prehistoric animals can be determined.
Based on the research done by scientists, the Geologic Column, a graph that illustrates earth age, was developed. The Column, with its names for the epochs and eras of time, illustrates what scientists think was taking place in earth history. A small version of the Geologic Column is pictured at the right.
Let's take a brief look at each of these methods.
The three primary methods are:
Radiation Measurement
Stratigraphic Superposition
The Fossil Record
Based on the research done by scientists, the Geologic Column, a graph that illustrates earth age, was developed. The Column, with its names for the epochs and eras of time, illustrates what scientists think was taking place in earth history. A small version of the Geologic Column is pictured at the right.
Let's take a brief look at each of these methods.
The three primary methods are:
Radiation Measurement
Stratigraphic Superposition
The Fossil Record
None of this info is conclusive. None of it is necessarily anywhere near accurate. When you examine alternatives, you will see the inconclusive nature of all this. You have your choice... pick and choose what you want to believe. But know that it is inconclusive, and that you may easily be wrong.
If you study such things, as scientists do... it is 100% conclusive
One example...
Creationists, such as Ken Ham, claim that humans and dinosaurs existed at the same time (he just wasted $100,000,000 building a replica Noah's Ark with dinosaurs)
Scientists on the other hand, have actually dug into the ground and found these bones/fossils... scientists have found that humans and dinosaur bones are never found together... they are in fact separated by vast amounts of dirt (representing time)...
There are no dinosaur bones found above the K-T boundary... and there are exactly zero human bones found below the K-T boundary
The K-T boundary is a visible layer of dirt formed around 65million years ago, found all around the earth, containing high concentrations of iridium, likely from an asteroid impact
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CretaceousPaleogene_boundary
This is how science works...
Now, how does your religion determine this is all wrong? "God" said so? Do you have evidence of dinosaur and human bones together? Do you even look?