RE: "T-rex&theCommetofDoom", plus some Science!

["Thomas R. Holtz, Jr." <th81@umail.umd.edu>]

At 06:58 AM 9/22/98 -0600, Lauri L. Bartlema wrote:
>I agree, Von Daniken, IMHO, is an idiot.

Not to put words into John Bois mouth, but I *think* that's the point he is
trying to get across (i.e., he considers the Alvarez book in the same class
as other purpoted "scientific" works such as Castaneda & Von Daniken).  (I'm
sure John will correct me if I misinterpreted what he said).

>
>> In a message dated 9/21/98 8:05:20 PM Eastern Daylight Time,
>> jbois@umd5.umd.edu writes:
>> 
>> << It is on mine too--between Carlos Castaneda and Erik Von Daniken>>
>> 
>> To Jessica (who posted this original note): Carlos Castaneda is OK for
>> escapist fiction,

(The problem, however, being that Castaneda doesn't seem to have considered
it fiction... :-S  ).

>>but I do not recommend Von Daniken--no matter what
>> John Bois
>> says (although he seems more familiar with it than I).

Now, to some science:

John Bois posted an interesting note about some of the volcanism currently
going on at Cerro Azul at the Galapagos, and commented:

>Is there a parallel to late Cretaceous basalt flows in India, here?

Well, some minor similarities, but the events going on in the Galapagos
Archipelago are extremely limited in scope, compared to the vast surface
area covered by the flood basalts of the Deccan Traps.  The last big event
on that scale (and still smaller than the Deccan) were the Columbia Flood
Basalts in the Neogene.  Of course, if Yellowstone turns out to be generated
by a mantle plume, and it were to finally erupt on a big scale, we could get
a pretty good understanding of flood basalts... :-(

Incidentally, I HIGHLY recommend that people catch "Earth Story" on The
Learning Channel.  I don't know how much longer it runs, and I missed
several episodes already, but it is by far the best documentary on geology
I've seen.  Even had videotapes of the Deccan Traps (which I had only seen
stills of before).  If anyone on the list is interested in the geological
aspects of paleontology (as you SHOULD be, since it isn't just a discipline
of biology...), try and catch the series.  Being on cable, it will probably
repeat.

(Of course, it is really a BBC production, which explains why there is a
significant scientific content to it!)

Thomas R. Holtz, Jr.
Vertebrate Paleontologist     Webpage: http://www.geol.umd.edu
Dept. of Geology              Email:tholtz@geol.umd.edu
University of Maryland        Phone:301-405-4084
College Park, MD  20742       Fax:  301-314-9661