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What is the Mesozoic Objection?

The palaeontologist Darren Naish wrote a web page disparaging the idea that any pterosaur could be presently living. The dinosaur expert said ” . . . the fact that there are no indications from the fossil record that pterosaurs survived beyond the end of the Cretaceous . . .” What does that mean? The Cretaceous, according to standard-model geology (which itself is disputed by many living-pterosaur investigators), is the most recent part of the Mesozoic era, ending 65 million years ago. But “survived beyond” is the key point of interest, and major problems have been buried beneath layers of apparent reason; let’s dig them up these layers of the “Mesozoic objection.”

Many living-pterosaur critics make the same oversight as Darren Naish, for this typical response appears, on the surface, to be scientific: “No pterosaur fossil has been found above the Mesozoic.” The problem lies in the unstated assumption that fossils can be used to determine what kinds of organisms can be presently living. Whatever strengths and weaknesses may lie in layers of reasoning in the world of standard-model geology, that geology was never constructed to explain what organisms can or cannot live presently. An attempt to use that geology as a foundation for what can live now—that would cause all fossils to be crushed into useless powder by the weight of all the many forms of life we now see on this earth.

Does fossil evidence of a microbe prove that no microbe of that general type could be presently living? No. Does fossil evidence of a fish prove that no fish of that general type could be presently living? No. Does fossil evidence of a pterosaur prove that no pterosaur of that general type could be presently living? No. The idea of universal extinctions of dinosaurs and pterosaurs—that is an idea drilled into us by indoctrination, whenever any mention is made of a dinosaur or pterosaur. And in a society that harbors an unending indoctrination of universal pterosaur-extinctions, the breadth of ignorance caused by that indoctrination cannot be used as scientific evidence for pterosaur extinction. It matters not how many indoctrinated professors believe in the fantasy.

More Resources:

Extinction and Fossils

Mesozoic Objection and live pterosaurs