Interesting article:
http://www.newscientist.com/channel/life/mg19225731.100
and chart:
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/TGD/pictur ... 113,00.jpg
Earth without people
Moderators:Best First, spiderfrommars, IronHide
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Kaylee
- Big Honking Planet Eater
- Posts:4071
- Joined:Thu Oct 26, 2000 12:00 am
- ::More venomous than I appear
- Location:Ashford, Kent, UK.
- Contact:
Meh, the whole earth could disappear tomorrow and I don't think anybody would really notice- let alone us disappearing from it (assuming there *is* somebody to notice).
It's a comfort to know that generally no matter what we get up to though that things will surely carry on- and indeed whatever happens we will be part of it, since our remains are recycled through the ecosystem.
I do wonder though, since the Earth and it's other inhabitants are so resilient through their sheer flexibility and adaptability... doesn't that mean we are too? It's what's got us this far.
TBH I don't really see something coming along any time soon and taking out all of us. Lots of us, sure. Most of us, maybe. But every single one of 6.5 billion humans? Considering how adaptable and ingenious we are (especially when put into difficult circumstances- I can't help but think it's a truism that we genuinely do shine best when the chips are down) I think in one form or another we're not going anywhere- unless the sun goes nova, we get hit by neutron star radiation or some other incredible event which would do also for about 99.99% of all other life on Earth.
Our civilisations might destroy themselves, but just as our ashes are reborn again into new creatures and life I think our societies rise again also. Be nice if they learnt from previous tries too, obviously, but I guess you can't have everything.
It's a comfort to know that generally no matter what we get up to though that things will surely carry on- and indeed whatever happens we will be part of it, since our remains are recycled through the ecosystem.
I do wonder though, since the Earth and it's other inhabitants are so resilient through their sheer flexibility and adaptability... doesn't that mean we are too? It's what's got us this far.
TBH I don't really see something coming along any time soon and taking out all of us. Lots of us, sure. Most of us, maybe. But every single one of 6.5 billion humans? Considering how adaptable and ingenious we are (especially when put into difficult circumstances- I can't help but think it's a truism that we genuinely do shine best when the chips are down) I think in one form or another we're not going anywhere- unless the sun goes nova, we get hit by neutron star radiation or some other incredible event which would do also for about 99.99% of all other life on Earth.
Our civilisations might destroy themselves, but just as our ashes are reborn again into new creatures and life I think our societies rise again also. Be nice if they learnt from previous tries too, obviously, but I guess you can't have everything.
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Shanti418
- Over Pompous Autobot Commander
- Posts:2633
- Joined:Wed Sep 08, 2004 7:52 pm
- Location:Austin, Texas
'tis true, all you need is a hundred people holed up somewhere, and you'll have billions once more if you give them a long enough time.
Cool article, though.
Cool article, though.
Best First wrote:I thought we could just meander between making well thought out points, being needlessly immature, provocative and generalist, then veer into caring about constructive debate and make a few valid points, act civil for a bit, then lower the tone again, then act offended when we get called on it, then dictate what it is and isn't worth debating, reinterpret a few of my own posts through a less offensive lens, then jaunt down whatever other path our seemingly volatile mood took us in.