New MOEH Addition, part 2

Ryan Cox • November 22, 2024

Pteranodon longiceps

Scientific name: Pteranodon longiceps

Discovery: Mike Triebold, 1995

Location: Lane County, KS

Wingspan: 24 ft

Weight: 40-50 lbs

Skull: 8 ft

The Pteranodon in our traveling collection is a genus of pterosaurs (flying reptiles), whose created kind was made by the Lord on Day 5 of Creation. Often confused with Pterodactylus (usually called pterodactyls), certain Pteranodon species could grow to be amongst the largest flying reptiles. Fossils specimens have been found in Alabama, Kansas, Nebraska, South Dakota, and Wyoming.

These creatures were not dinosaurs; dinosaurs walked upright on their legs due to the hole in their hips (fully perforated acetabulum). Pterosaurs do not have that hole, nor use their legs for their primary mode of transportation. Rather, they are beautifully engineered (by their Creator) for flight. At the “wrist” (carpal joint between the metacarpal and radius), there is a specially designed bone called the pteroid. Based on the evidence, it is believed a membrane-like forewing attached to this bone and the shoulder. This flap could have functioned like the slats on the front of airplane wings.

Additionally, the wings have an excellent aspect ratio of length to width (wingspan to chord) of 9:1. The albatross has a similar ratio of 8:1, providing for great soaring capabilities. Over half of the wing is actually a finger (fourth metacarpal, i.e. ring finger).

The
Pteranodon fossil in the CTF collection is based on a mostly complete specimen with an 11-foot wingspan. It was meticulously enlarged to match the largest specimen (based on a just few bones), which is believed to have had a 24-foot wingspan. This was done while maintaining the skeletal accuracy of the 11-foot specimen. We are very blessed to have this impressive specimen of aerial engineering to display for the glory of our awesome Creator.


By Bob Dugas May 23, 2025
NS-29 Launch
By Matt Miles May 22, 2025
As many of you may know, I appreciate space. Not space around me, although the older I get the more I appreciate that as well. The things in the heavens fascinate me and have for a large chunk of my life. I love working with our telescopes, allowing people to see for themselves objects that the Lord made on the 4th day of history. When I was younger I followed our Space Shuttle program, and over the years I have had the opportunity to see a couple of those shuttles around the country. Now it is great to see all the renewed interest in exploring the heavenly creation. I know most of it is for evolutionary reasons, yet over and over again something is discovered that points to the trustworthiness of God’s Word. After all, we are to study His creation as Genesis 1:28 states. On a recent trip to El Paso, it occurred to me that Blue Origin’s launch facility is in west Texas somewhere. After some quick searching I realized we were within an hour and half of it, and there was a rescheduled launch window during the time of our meeting. So, with some persuading of my colleagues, we arose early one morning to make the launch. We made it with just minutes to spare. It was spectacular! The whole launch to just beyond the Karman Line (space boundary, 62 miles/100km) and return of the rocket and capsule is about ten minutes total. While Blue Origin is best known for its New Shepherd rocket that carries paying customers to space and back with the biggest windows ever in a capsule, this NS-29 launch was purely experimental with a payload of instruments to measure simulated lunar gravity. Even though it was not a Saturn V, Space Shuttle, Starship or Falcon launch, it was great to hear and feel a launch for the first time, from blast off to the sonic boom return. It has piqued my desire to see a bigger launch now. As I began to reflect on what I experienced, the Lord reminded me of His design. Earth, our home planet, is so well designed for life. There is literally nowhere in all the universe like it. Yet He gave us the ability to discover creation beyond it. The only reason we can launch rockets and do space exploration is because He set it up in an orderly way. Physics works because He established it to work in a predictable fashion. As much as we may never understand everything in the universe from our position here, it works on an ordered reality that is reinforced by God’s Word. This is what drove Sir Isaac Newton in his understanding of physics. He wrote, “The motions which the planets now have could not spring from any natural cause alone but were by an intelligent Agent.” Evolutionists may come up with theories about the origin of things in the heavens, but over and over again they are being shown through experimentation and observation to be wrong. The Lord set the order of everything in the beginning and sustains it by His Word (Hebrews 1:3). So as you look to the heavens tonight, gaze into the depths of space and observe the different facets the Lord placed up there for our eyes (Genesis 1:17). Peer through a telescope at the lesser light of the moon with marvel and anticipation of further human study in the coming years. Check out the amazing observations being made by the James Webb telescope from deep in space. All of these place a perspective of how awesome our Creator is and how much we depend on Him. Our design becomes more and more obvious with every discovery, yet in our universe we appear so minuscule and fragile. Thanks be to God that His infinite focus has, is and always will be here on us! Blessings.
By Ryan Cox May 22, 2025
Moses & History (part 2)
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