Re: Extinction

["Mike Styzen Shelf Expl, 588-4308" <mstyzen@shell.com>]

As a paleontologist in the oil business part of what I do involves
putting together a plausable story from various disciplines of paleo,
geology, and geophysics.  Over the years it has become obvious that the
best way to approach a complicated geological reconstruction (such as
what exactly really happened at the K/T boundary) is to start with the
assumption that all the contributors know what they are doing in their
science and are not out to do you in or discredit you or any other such
nonsence.  Then everybody gets together, scrutinizes all the data in
minute detail and tries to put together a story that makes all the data
correct.  This is very hard sometimes because a lot of times the peices
do not fit the way anyone would expect.  Usually the final product
does, however, provide a better explanation of what is observed than if
somebody's data is just thrown out 'cause it doesn't fit the current
understanding.  In geolgical reconstruction the rocks and fossils are
always trying to tell you something.  I think it may be time for
all the scientists who have data to get together (either physically or
virtually) stop shouting and digging at each other and hash out a good
story that honors all the data. 
Excuse the pontification, sometimes I can't help myself...
Mike   

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|      Michael J. Styzen               Phone: (504) 588-4308            | 
|      Shell Offshore Inc.             Room:  OSS-2920            
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|      P.O. Box 61933                  Email: mstyzen@shell.com         | 
|      New Orleans LA  70161                                            | 
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