Re: All other life...

[rowe@lepomis.psych.upenn.edu (Mickey Rowe)]

Here's another message listproc didn't like... -- MR

  Date: Sun, 30 Jul 1995 10:23:41 +1000
  To: dinosaur@lepomis.psych.upenn.edu
  From: ST-grock@artemis.earth.monash.edu.au (Darren R. Grocke)
  Subject: Re: All other life...

  Betty Cunningham (alias (Flyinggoat@aol.com) wrote:

  >   I find this an interesting arguement.  Just recently on
  > Sci.Geology there was some discussion of a naturally occuring
  > nuclear reaction that erupted many millions of years ago in the
  > Sahara. (I wasn't paying enough attention to actually remember the
  > date).  It very likeley wiped out a number of local species.

  Can you find out more about this?  It is very interesting also.  At
  this site do they find iridium (or other trace element anomolies?
  How did this occur?

  > Would this count as a "natural" or "unnnatural" extinction?

  I would count this as a natural environmental event, but when humans
  produce it I would say it isn't.  "We" are manipulating the
  environmental system, and extinctions as a result of this are
  "unnatural"

  >   When a giant asteroid drops down from space, is this "natural" or
  > "unnnatural"?  Both are certainly uncommon!

  How true!!  Even though they are uncommon it doesn't mean that they
  are "unnatural", but "natural".  For example, when somebody
  contracts AIDS is this "unnatural" because it is uncommon?  No, it's
  juts the environment (dare I say....Mother Nature) is developing and
  expanding, and if this means than many humans, then let it be.
  
  >    Perhaps you mean "extinction caused with or without the use of
  > tools", which then Humans may be the only species that might appear
  > guilty of this.

  All the extinctions humans have caused are not all by tools (if I
  understand exactly what you mean by tools).  Our development and
  expansion into the wildlife are killing animals, who are as a result
  trying to escape our presence and are not quick enough to adapt to
  another environmental niche.  Therefore, I beleive that it is not
  just tools but just our presence....are WE that ugly :-)

  >  I suggest that that Chimpanzees may have brought to extinction some
  > rare subspecies of termite while using grass blades to eat them, or
  > some African Vulture has wiped out the last of a declining bird's
  > species by dropping rocks on their eggs, and I (for one) won't rule
  > it out.

  BUT, this is "natural"...oh no I hear a revolt happening.  Perhaps
  I'm a bastard, but human activities I beleive are "unnatural" and
  until we become more intergrated with the environment then will we
  become more "natural" (not completely) in the system of the Earth.

  > Besides, we'll get our turn soon enough.

  SAY NO MORE....

  Cheers,

  Darren