Park service must yield to Creationist geologist

The National Park Service will let a geologist who believes God created the Earth 6,000 years ago collect rock samples from the Grand Canyon.

Australian Andrew Snelling, who holds a PhD in geology from the University of Sydney and has published in peer-reviewed geology journals, has been a research geologist at the creationist organization Answers in Genesis since 2007.

In 2013, Snelling submitted a research proposal to the park service asking permission to collect 60 half-pound rocks from the Grand Canyon. After seeking several peer reviews of Snelling’s proposal, the park service denied his request on the grounds that the kinds of rocks he was looking for could be found outside the park.