WHERE ARE ALL THE PEOPLE?

The History Channel had a recent show about the extinction of the dinosaurs. In examining possible causes the most prominent theories revolved around climate change, volcanic eruptions, disease, and meteor impact. It was clear from the show that the reason for the extinction is still in question. One paleontologist suggested that by the time the Earth was struck by a meteor(s), most of the dinosaurs were already dead. Disease may have occurred, largely due to changing land masses that enabled microbes to travel to new places and destroy those lacking immunity. Yet, why would they all die out-including those who lived in the sea? Major volcanic eruptions in places like India and elsewhere may certainly have poisoned the air-and yet, mammals survived. Climate change? Certainly ice ages and/or warming would eliminate many, but not all. The meteor? Okay, possible, but evidence of massive piles of dead dinos may not support this.

Okay, so the bottom line is that we don't have a final answer. Further, we read that, "The K-T extinction was not the first such massive die-off in history, nor was it the largest. The Permian-Triassic extinction event, known as the Great Dying, occurred 251.4 million years ago and eradicated 96 percent of all marine species and 70 percent of all terrestrial vertebrates species on earth."

http://www.history.com/topics/why-did-the-dinosaurs-die-out

So, do meteors periodically kill off life on earth, or do cycles occur that totally alter the planet, as a kind of cleansing, that starts things anew?

So where do we stand today? A die off, mass extinction six, is occurring that is driven by humanity. And, being the cause, we seem to think that perhaps we are immune to the extinction mania that has plagued our dear Mother Earth. Hmm, plague? Perhaps Mother cleanses herself periodically. But that is another topic. However, let's take a quick look at the world and see if we are really in possible trouble.

Have there been many recent volcanic eruptions? Here's some interesting data:
Using the Smithsonian Volcano Research database and sampling every five years the following trend for eruptions is shown for the past 150 years.

2005 68
2000 67
1995 60
1990 53
1985 52
1980 65
1975 50
1970 54
1965 53
1960 57
1955 46
1950 48
1945 36
1940 45
1935 42
1930 37
1925 42
1920 37
1915 34
1910 41
1905 40
1900 34

Okay, I only show back to 1900 but the trend is clear.

Climate change? If your head is in the sand you may not have noticed but, yeah, there is major climate change that may not be conducive to continued human habitation.

Disease? Yup, despite vaccinations and advances in science, some oldies but baddies are re-emerging. And, while new land bridges may have allowed the spread of pathogens to the dinosaurs, our 'global' economy has created the same condition. Just look at all of the reports of invasive species and the spreading of new diseases.

What are we missing? Ahh, the meteor. Maybe yes and maybe no. Astronomers are discovering new ones all of the time and we have had so e near misses.

And, I almost forgot solar/stellar radiation from solar flares and quasars. We are near Solarmax and there are some close exploding stars.

2012 is drawing nigh and the hand we are playing in the cosmic poker game may be a definite loser. We can bluff ourselves into thinking that the game will go on forever, but...

SUB-PRIME MARKETS, THE ENVIRONMENT, CNN'S "PLANET IN PERIL"

We have all heard of the problems relating to the sub-prime mortgage. What may not be readily understood is that events surrounding this economic issue can serve as an example and model for debates over environmental issues. The universe is all about relationships, many of which we do not understand or even recognize.

The events surrounding the sub-prime mortgage have been on all of the news outlets. In an oversimplified summary, people who were at the economic margin borrowed money for homes at very low interest rates. The only way they could even afford the mortgages is because of those low rates. Keep in mind that many lenders enticed people into these markets with a constant barrage of advertising. The problem arose because these very low-interest rate mortgages were variable and not fixed. When interest rates doubled and tripled, the homeowner could not afford the new payments, hence, foreclosure.

What people did not understand was the extent that this phenomenon would impact the world. No one really knew, or let it be known, that many of these mortgages were in the hands of foreign investors. The result? The closure of many foreign banks, many job losses, a downturn in the economy, an increase in bankruptcies, loss of local government tax revenues, lives destroyed, credit crunches, a stalled housing market and the effects are still unfolding.

What does this have to do with the environment and CNN’s show, “Planet in Peril?” Perhaps humanity’s greatest failing is that it fails to learn from its mistakes and its actions. Biologists talk of the ‘web of life.’ It is about the inter-connectedness of all things. In CNN’s “Planet in Peril” numerous examples were given of how one event can trigger many events. The re-introduction of the grey wolf into Yellowstone Park was but one example. From the tiniest insect to the largest mammal, the presence had a profound impact upon the ecosystem. Just as in the sub-prime market, the decision to raise interest rates affected not only the borrower, but its impact was felt globally and throughout the economy. Few of the effects were anticipated. Just as with climate change, few of the effects of our action and ignorance are anticipated. The CNN show, backed by recent UN reports, indicates that basically, we do not know what we are doing. Even our most sophisticated computer models have been in error. Impacts of climate change that were forecast to occur in 2050 are happening now. We seem to have no clue as to what is really happening to the environment, just as lenders had no clue as to the impact of raising interest rates.

The most recent UN report on the environment indicates that despite warnings, there has been no reduction in climate changing emissions in the past 20 years. Having ears, we have not heard the warnings. Having eyes we have not seen the damaging affects of our actions. A recent AP report said that a third of the world’s primates are in danger of extinction. CNN, backed by other reports, said that humanity is causing the 6th major worldwide extinction of animals and plants with the rate of loss 1,000 times the normal rate. Now we see reports of drugs and chemicals that are consumed by humans finding there way into water supplies as we urinate these wastes from our body and flush them into the environment. Effects are now being observed in fish and other wildlife.

Regardless of your political persuasion, the handwriting is on the wall. From the economy to the loss of primates and the chemicalization of the environment, we have set in motion a chain of event that is spinning out of our control. The impact of our actions will be felt regardless of what we do. Of course, we are still doing nothing. Perhaps we should all change our name to Nero since we seem to be fiddling while Rome, or rather civilization as we know, burns.