Once again, secular scientists have come across a finding that does not easily fit within their interpretative framework. If evolutionary theory suggests a progression from simpler to more complex life forms, why do the earliest known trees exhibit greater structural complexity than those growing today?
Devonian trees
It is widely recognised that the rock layers from the Devonian period, along with the fossils embedded within them, date back to an era long before the appearance of dinosaurs, primates, or modern oaks. Yet, in northwest China, researchers uncovered a fossilised tree with a structure more advanced than that of any tree found today.
Devonian trees, known solely from fossil evidence, belong to a group called cladoxlopsids. While fragmentary remains have been discovered over the years, this particular specimen was exceptionally well-preserved, allowing scientists to study its cellular composition in unprecedented detail. Their findings revealed an intricate network of interconnected wooden strands—a structural complexity unseen in any living tree.1
These structures, known as xylem, are essential for transporting water from a tree’s roots to its branches and leaves. In most well-known trees, the xylem forms a continuous cylindrical layer, whereas in others, such as palms, it appears as discrete strands embedded within the softer tissues of the trunk. Cladoxlopsids, however, displayed a unique arrangement, with xylem strands confined to the outer five centimetres of the trunk, while the central core remained entirely hollow. These narrow strands were intricately organised and interconnected, resembling a precisely engineered water distribution system.1
What is the scientific perspective?
Palaeontologists established that the development of these strands played a crucial role in the tree’s overall growth. Unlike modern trees, which form new rings beneath the bark, cladoxlopsids followed a different pattern, with each of their numerous individual strands producing its own growth ring. As these strands expanded and the surrounding soft tissues increased in volume, the trunk’s diameter gradually widened. The connections between the strands separated in a controlled, self-regulating manner, allowing the tree to adapt to its increasing size. As the trunk expanded, additional strands developed along its sides at the base, contributing to its distinctive flat base and bulbous form.1
Christopher Berry, a paleontologist from Cardiff University who participated in the study later published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences,2 stated:
‘There is no other tree that I know of in the history of the Earth that has ever done anything as complicated as this. The tree simultaneously ripped its skeleton apart and collapsed under its own weight while staying alive and growing upwards and outwards to become the dominant plant of its day… This raises a provoking question: why are the very oldest trees the most complicated?’1
Berry did not provide an answer to the question he posed.
What is the explanation for Devonian trees?
The most direct explanation is found in the Book of Genesis. If all plants were created on the third day, cladoxlopsids were not early tree forms that gradually evolved into modern species. Rather, they existed in their fully developed state from the outset. Their purposeful design would therefore account for the remarkable structural and functional complexity they exhibited.
Secular science maintains that individual rock layers were deposited over millions of years. However, what if the Devonian layers were separated from the sediments above them by only weeks or months? A global catastrophe, such as the Flood, could have rapidly shaped the fossil record as we see it today. This is supported by the extensive, flat contacts between layers, indicating that each successive layer was deposited swiftly on top of the previous one. If millions of years of erosion had taken place between these deposits, we would expect to find grooves and valleys—features that are conspicuously absent.
Furthermore, the very presence of fossils suggests that organisms were buried abruptly, most likely due to a sudden catastrophic event. For fossilisation to occur, living creatures must have been rapidly engulfed by substantial layers of sediment before natural decay or scavenging could disrupt their remains.
Thus, cladoxlopsids were not the earliest trees to evolve but rather among the first to be buried and fossilised.
By the way, we recommend reading the articles:
- The James Webb Space Telescope and Its Surprising Discoveries
- The Problematic Evolution of the Whale
- Where Did Snake Venom Come From?
- Anxiety Disorders: What Guidance Does the Bible Offer?
- Does TRAPPIST-1 Harbor Extraterrestrial Life?
Footnotes
- Cardiff University News, 2017, World’s oldest and most complex trees, Cardiff.ac.uk, 23 October.
- Xu, H-H. et al., 2017, Unique growth strategy in the Earth’s first trees revealed in silicified fossil trunks from China, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 114(45), pp. 12009-12014. doi: 10.1073/pnas.1708241114.
Based on: B. Thomas, 2017, Extinct trees were world’s most complicated, icr.org, 20 November.
© Source of main image: Canva.
The portal EvolutionOfThinking.org, created by the Research and Education Institute, focuses on education and the dissemination of knowledge related to research on various aspects of human well-being.
