I think one of the issues is that Walt presents the bending of rock as a mystery to modern science. It is not. In the 1996 edition of his book, Walt lists under "A few of the mysteries" starting on page 71 "How did mountains form" (page 76). Walt claims that the formation of major mountain chains are a mystery to geology. He asks the following questions:
1. How did mountains form?
2. What force could push a long, thick slab of rock and cause it to buckle and sometimes fold back on itself?
3. How could brittle rock, showing little evidence of heating or cracking, fold?
and over on page 77 he asks the final question:
4. But what squeezed and folded them?
The answers to these and other 'mysteries' can be found in a first year course on structural geology. Walt also makes (page 77, figure 33 under a picture of folded rock) the assertion that geology claims that vertical forces were responsible for the folding pattern in the rocks. THis shows that whatever source Walt is using for his geologic knowledge is incorrect. Walt is trying to make a mystery where none, in fact, exists. So yes, Walt does indeed acknowledge the putty-like behavior of rocks but DOES NOT acknowledge that geology has a perfectly viable explanation that does not require a hydroplate.
Cheers
Joe Meert
™ Version 4.2
