One of the narratives promoted by evolutionists is that the very first living organisms were simple or primitive, and over time they became more and more complex. One of the problems with this idea is that living organisms are not simple, and this article from Sciencemag.Org flips the narrative on its head.

In this case, scientists have discovered that the oldest trees were the most complex, while modern trees are more simple.

Named cladoxylopsida, these trees, which look similar to modern palm trees, are thought to be around 372 to 393 million years old. One particularly well preserved specimen from China was dated at 374 million years, and its unique system of growth is said to have required a series of complex steps that have never been seen in modern trees.

According to paleontologist Christopher Berry, “It’s crazy that the oldest trees also had the most complex growth strategy.” He goes on to describe how cladoxylopids split apart their own skeleton and used multiple columns of crisscrossing strands to form new growth, reaching a height of up to 39 feet. “There is no other tree that I know of in the history of the Earth that has ever done anything as complicated as this,” said Berry.

My favorite quote is when he says, “This raises a provoking question: why are the very oldest trees the most complicated?” Indeed.

Discoveries like this are surprising to evolutionists because it goes against prevailing wisdom and runs counter to their predictions. They’re expecting these trees to be primitive. On the other hand, this data isn’t surprising to creationists because it’s consistent with the biblical account recorded in Genesis. God created all vegetation, including trees, on Day Three. Therefore, we would expect the most complex trees to be present at the beginning. The only real issue I have with the article is the millions of years, which is disputed among scientists.

Artist’s reconstruction of various members of the order Pseudosporachnales with the class Cladoxylopsida. Image by Falconaumanni, via Wikimedia Commons.