Sky is falling -- redux.

Valjean · Jul 11, 2017

I saw an interesting new study on mass extinction today in The Guardian.

The subject pops up from time in the news and talkboards and usually generates a massive, popular denial. Its implications so profound most people choose to ignore it and obsess about comparatively insignificant issues like Russian election meddling or terrorism.
Earth's sixth mass extinction event already under way, scientists warn

A “biological annihilation” of wildlife in recent decades means a sixth mass extinction in Earth’s history is already well underway and is more severe than previously feared, according to new research.

The new study, published in the peer-reviewed journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, eschews the normally sober tone of scientific papers and calls the massive loss of wildlife a “biological annihilation” that represents a “frightening assault on the foundations of human civilisation”.

Opinions? Reactions?

Terese · Jul 11, 2017

Yes, this is called the Holocene Extinction event, and the perpetrators are humans. Another one of Humanity's unsustainable pastimes...

Just like global warming denialists, there will be people who will put their head in the sand how much we are harming the earth and it's inhabitants.

wizanda · Jul 11, 2017

Mass Extinction Underway | Biodiversity Crisis | Global Species Loss

BSM1 · Jul 11, 2017

Valjean said:
I saw an interesting new study on mass extinction today in The Guardian.

The subject pops up from time in the news and talkboards and usually generates a massive, popular denial. Its implications so profound most people choose to ignore it and obsess about comparatively insignificant issues like Russian election meddling or terrorism.
Earth's sixth mass extinction event already under way, scientists warn

Opinions? Reactions?

Did you read the article? It contradicts itself at least twice. Too bad we don't really have a world crisis to validate "the sky is falling" crowd.

sayak83 · Jul 11, 2017

Valjean said:
I saw an interesting new study on mass extinction today in The Guardian.

The subject pops up from time in the news and talkboards and usually generates a massive, popular denial. Its implications so profound most people choose to ignore it and obsess about comparatively insignificant issues like Russian election meddling or terrorism.
Earth's sixth mass extinction event already under way, scientists warn

Opinions? Reactions?

It's obviously a disaster of first magnitude. It's the greatest disaster the biosphere has faced in the last 65 million years. Period.

Terese · Jul 11, 2017

BSM1 said:
Did you read the article? It contradicts itself at least twice. Too bad we don't really have a world crisis to validate "the sky is falling" crowd.

We have a huge environmental world crisis.

omega2xx · Jul 11, 2017

Valjean said:
I saw an interesting new study on mass extinction today in The Guardian.

The subject pops up from time in the news and talkboards and usually generates a massive, popular denial. Its implications so profound most people choose to ignore it and obsess about comparatively insignificant issues like Russian election meddling or terrorism.
Earth's sixth mass extinction event already under way, scientists warn

Opinions? Reactions?

Basic tree-hugger theology.

While some species are critical to our survival. bees for example, most are not.

LuisDantas · Jul 11, 2017

The environment itself is. The biodiversity can't very well be divorced from it.

And then there is the matter of, you know, food.

Revoltingest · Jul 11, 2017

Valjean said:
I saw an interesting new study on mass extinction today in The Guardian.

The subject pops up from time in the news and talkboards and usually generates a massive, popular denial. Its implications so profound most people choose to ignore it and obsess about comparatively insignificant issues like Russian election meddling or terrorism.
Earth's sixth mass extinction event already under way, scientists warn

Opinions? Reactions?

The mass extinction will make our planet a less interesting place.
It's a real tragedy, but alas, only to some of us.
Sure, sure, they'll argue that we only need necessary species for our
survival & eventual covering of the planet with teeming humanity. But
I would like to have seen flocks of passenger pigeions so numerous
that they darkened the sky.

BSM1 · Jul 11, 2017

Terese said:
We have a huge environmental world crisis.

No, we don't.

Thief · Jul 11, 2017

Valjean said:
I saw an interesting new study on mass extinction today in The Guardian.

The subject pops up from time in the news and talkboards and usually generates a massive, popular denial. Its implications so profound most people choose to ignore it and obsess about comparatively insignificant issues like Russian election meddling or terrorism.
Earth's sixth mass extinction event already under way, scientists warn

Opinions? Reactions?

I saw ten scenarios offered by ten scientists

only one made sense
this planet has just so much chemistry and the quantities are known

the earth can support 9billion people

almost there

Revoltingest · Jul 11, 2017

BSM1 said:
No, we don't.

We do.
Tis not in the sense that humanity is threatened, but in ways which might matter only to some of us.
If one finds biodiversity interesting & useful, then it is indeed a crisis. If not, then no worries.

Thief · Jul 11, 2017

the Great Barrier Reef is dying
alleged to support all of life in some way direct and otherwise

Revoltingest · Jul 11, 2017

Thief said:
I saw ten scenarios offered by ten scientists

only one made sense
this planet has just so much chemistry and the quantities are known

the earth can support 9billion people

almost there

The Earth could support double that.
But would our quality of life be improved?
I say that the necessary & consequent loss of natural spaces would diminish quality of life.
"Quantitiy of life" is a bad goal.

BSM1 · Jul 11, 2017

Revoltingest said:
We do.
Tis not in the sense that humanity is threatened, but in ways which might matter only to some of us.
If one finds biodiversity interesting & useful, then it is indeed a crisis. If not, then no worries.

Sooo..we don't.

Thief · Jul 11, 2017

Revoltingest said:
The Earth could support double that.
But would our quality of life be improved?
I say that the necessary & consequent loss of natural spaces would diminish quality of life.
"Quantitiy of life" is a bad goal.

I tend to believe the nerd.....
so much fresh water
so much land for tilling

you should gather two things....lead and water

water of course
and lead so you can hang unto the water long enough to drink it

sayak83 · Jul 11, 2017

Revoltingest said:
We do.
Tis not in the sense that humanity is threatened, but in ways which might matter only to some of us.
If one finds biodiversity interesting & useful, then it is indeed a crisis. If not, then no worries.

The destruction of rainforest and coral reefs and bees and other pollinating insects will be catastrophic to human survival as well.. degree of damage caused will be more than the detonation of a few nuclear bombs.

Revoltingest · Jul 11, 2017

sayak83 said:
The destruction of rainforest and coral reefs and bees and other pollinating insects will be catastrophic to human survival as well.. degree of damage caused will be more than the detonation of a few nuclear bombs.

Nah, we'll survive loss of forests, reefs, fish in the ocean, bees, etc.
Our future could be like the planet, Trantor (Foundation Triology)....growing yeasts to survive upon.
Who needs steaks, apples, bacon, blueberries, etc when we can eat some gelatinous goo grown
in industrial sized underground vats?

sayak83 · Jul 11, 2017

Revoltingest said:
Nah, we'll survive loss of forests, reefs, fish in the ocean, bees, etc.
Our future could be like the planet, Trantor (Foundation Triology)....growing yeasts to survive upon.
Who needs steaks, apples, bacon, blueberries, etc when we can eat some gelatinous goo grown
in industrial sized underground vats?

You mean a resource war will not escalate into a nuclear war under such conditions?

Revoltingest · Jul 11, 2017

sayak83 said:
You mean a resource war will not escalate into a nuclear war under such conditions?

I'm painting a particular dystopia (a simple drama free one).
Sure, you can add nuclear war to it.

Sky is falling -- redux.

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