foraker Posted April 8, 2005 Share Posted April 8, 2005 just plain science, but really cool i actually had a field course with jack sepkoski way back in the day Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Winter Posted April 8, 2005 Share Posted April 8, 2005 Is that the elephant man on the right? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
catbirdseat Posted April 8, 2005 Share Posted April 8, 2005 Every 62 million years we have a mass extinction. So is it any wonder that biodiversity drops at the same time? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
selkirk Posted April 8, 2005 Share Posted April 8, 2005 no, not particularly. But what's so special about 62 million years? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thinker Posted April 8, 2005 Share Posted April 8, 2005 no, not particularly. But what's so special about 62 million years? That's how often the Aztec calendar starts over. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
catbirdseat Posted April 8, 2005 Share Posted April 8, 2005 no, not particularly. But what's so special about 62 million years? No one knows for sure, but it appears the earth gets bombarded by asteroids or comets about ever 62-65 million years. It could be that our sun has an unseen and distant companion (brown dwarf) star that periodically dislodges massive comets from the Oort Cloud. There is no agreement among scientists that I know of. Others think it is volcanic activity on a huge scale, but why should volcanic activity be so regular? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dberdinka Posted April 8, 2005 Share Posted April 8, 2005 So...how much longer until the next 62 million years is over? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Squid Posted April 8, 2005 Share Posted April 8, 2005 Thursday Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
selkirk Posted April 8, 2005 Share Posted April 8, 2005 Thursday Is that the day Layton finally gets some? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
catbirdseat Posted April 9, 2005 Share Posted April 9, 2005 Thursday Just about, give or take a million years. We are actually past due for another extinction event. It will be interesting to see whether we exterminate ourselves before the next asterioid hits. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Camilo Posted April 9, 2005 Share Posted April 9, 2005 It could be that our sun has an unseen and distant companion (brown dwarf) star that periodically dislodges massive comets from the Oort Cloud. I have a rarely seen and distant companion brown star too, and it also periodically dilodges massive things, usually preceded by Oort clouds! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fairweather Posted April 9, 2005 Share Posted April 9, 2005 no, not particularly. But what's so special about 62 million years? No one knows for sure, but it appears the earth gets bombarded by asteroids or comets about ever 62-65 million years. It could be that our sun has an unseen and distant companion (brown dwarf) star that periodically dislodges massive comets from the Oort Cloud. There is no agreement among scientists that I know of. Others think it is volcanic activity on a huge scale, but why should volcanic activity be so regular? Maybe a burst of solar radiation or some sort of gamma bombardment that periodically eminates from the theoretical super black hole at the center of our galaxy? Would such a gamma burst be readable in the geologic record here? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snoboy Posted April 9, 2005 Share Posted April 9, 2005 Others think it is volcanic activity on a huge scale, but why should volcanic activity be so regular? Perhaps virgins have lots of (moral) fiber? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr_Flash_Amazing Posted April 9, 2005 Share Posted April 9, 2005 some sort of gamma bombardment "the chief brigadier's head began to swell firing off depleted uranium shells he bombarded everything pretty well except for the gamma ray and the gamma ray seemed to say if you carry twelve margaritas on a tray you cannot be touched in any way by the benign yet malevolent ... gamma-gamma-gamma-gamma gamma-gamma-gamma-gamma ray" - Joe Strummer & the Mescaleros, "Gamma Ray" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skeezix Posted April 11, 2005 Share Posted April 11, 2005 How about that purple lava lamp on the desk in the foreground. Who says scientists aren't cool? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dru Posted April 11, 2005 Share Posted April 11, 2005 but why should volcanic activity be so regular? what is the turnover rate of the mantle? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dechristo Posted April 11, 2005 Share Posted April 11, 2005 ...the Aztec calendar starts over. When does it end? The Mayan calendar ends 2012. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.