The Creation of Stalactites and Stalagmites

Stalactites and Stalagmites are amazing mineral formations that God creates using water and minerals. A stalactite is an icicle-shaped mineral deposit, often calcite or aragonite, hanging from the roof of a cavern, cave or structure, formed from the dripping of mineral-rich water. A stalagmite is similar to a stalactite, except it is formed on the floor of the cavern, cave or other structure. You may have seen a sink with some hard water deposit stains on the bottom. These deposits are caused by high mineral water dripping out of the faucet and onto the sink for months or even years. As each drop of water falls a small amount of the mineral in the water is left behind and attaches itself to the sink. After time the minerals that are left behind will start to form a stalagmite.

You may have been in, or seen pictures of, caves or caverns with Stalactites and Stalagmites growing in them. Usually these formations are made of limestone. I enjoy seeing God's handywork as He creates these formations. But the one thing I do not like about them is how some men and Satan have used them to teach people that the Earth is millions of years old.

If you happen to visit one of these caves you may be told or see a sign that says Stalactites and Stalagmites take millions of years to form. Evolutionary scientists say that some stalactites take more than 1000 years to grow 1 inch. But just how long do these fantastic features take to grow?

Located in Chattanooga, Alabama are the Sequoyah Caverns. Discovered in these caverns are fast-growing stalactites and stalagmites. To study the rate of growth, the director of the caverns, Mr. Clark Byers, installed a clear plastic panel in front of some stalactites in April of 1977. In less than 10 years the stalactites grew about 10 inches (or about 1 inch per year). On the ceiling of the cavern are animal tracks and inside the caverns are fossils of many marine creatures. Mr. Byers believes these fossils are a result of Noah's Flood.

The above picture is from the basement of the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C. The memorial was built in 1922. The picture was taken in the 1960's. As you can see in the picture, rainwater seeping through the marble floor has formed stalactites up to five feet long in just 40 years. There are many other examples of stalactites, stalagmites and flow cones forming rapidly under buildings recently created.

As we look at the world we can see God's hand of design and engineering all around us. The Bible, in Psalms 8:3-4, says, "When I consider Thy heavens, the work of Thy fingers, the moon and the stars, which Thou hast ordained; What is man, that Thou art mindful of him? And the son of man, that Thou visitest him?"