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Our Cataclysmic Planet
How mass extinctions inform our understanding of human-caused climate change
But let’s say, somehow, you could have watched this madness unfold—without succumbing to the monstrous cloud of carbon dioxide belched up from the volcanoes of the Siberian Traps, without being incinerated by an ocean of lava, without starving in the ruins of the global acid rain that destroyed the ecosystems on land, and without being burned alive in the wildfires that scorched the earth.
If you could have lived through all of this, which, by the way, you wouldn’t have, you would have been among the few creatures to survive what paleontologists now refer to as the Great Dying. It’s a good name for what happened.
There have only been five mass extinction events, that we know of, on Earth. The mass extinction that killed the dinosaurs was the most recent—but it wasn’t the most devastating. The Great Dying, which preceded the demise of the dinosaurs by about 180 million years, was by far the worst: The planet warmed rapidly— roughly 50 degrees Fahrenheit over a 60,000-year period. Some 90 percent of all living creatures went kaput. It then took 10 million years for life on Earth to bounce back, which was a curiously long recovery period, even for an extinction of that magnitude.
“What interested us was how long it took life to recover afterward,” said William Foster, a professor of geosciences at the University of Texas at Austin and the lead author of a new study about the Great Dying, published in the journal PLOS ONE on Wednesday. “Because not only was this the worst mass-extinction event, but recovery took millions of years.”
Foster wanted to know: Did the recovery of life on Earth take so long after the Great Dying because the extinction event itself was so cataclysmic? Or was something else going on?
To find out, he and his colleagues traveled to the Dolomites, a mountain range in northeastern Italy that’s known for its long geologic record of the Triassic, the period that came just after the Permian, which was capped by the Great Dying. The team examined marine invertebrate fossils, and from that work produced the most continuous dataset ever collected from the region.
The volcanic eruptions that marked the start of the Great Dying were absolutely monstrous. The entire area of what is now China was covered in some 40 feet of lava. Those same volcanoes released a huge amount of gas, which set off the atmospheric deoxygenation that led to dramatic climate change. For context, it’s borderline ridiculous to compare the magnitude of this event to the 1883 eruption of Krakatoa, one of the deadliest and most violent volcanic eruptions in recorded history. “Krakatoa is very, very, very small compared to what happened at the Siberian Traps,” Foster said. Krakatoa killed some 36,000 people.
The magnitude of the volcanic eruptions 252 million years ago may be difficult to comprehend today, but what’s happening to the atmosphere is familiar.
“This is what makes it so interesting,” Foster told me, “Because you have this huge volcanic eruption that releases all these gases, and then you look at what’s happening today [with climate change] and they’re all the same gases. They’re causing the same effects. So we can say, ‘This is what it did in the past and this is what we might be looking at for the future.’”
The natural next question is: Where’s the threshold, in terms of planetary warming, for setting off a mass extinction like the Great Dying? “For most animals we don’t know the threshold,” Foster said. “It’s really, really hard to reconstruct values that far back in the past, but it’s what we’re trying to develop: What are our thresholds? What sorts of temperatures are we talking about?”
Looking at the human activity that is spiking global temperatures today, we’re still nowhere near the deoxygenation that took place 252 million years ago. “We don’t think we will reach the threshold we reached in the Great Dying,” Foster told me. “Or, we hope we won’t, anyway.”
According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, average global temperatures are likely to increase by at least 3 degrees within the next 80 years. In some places, they might increase by nearly 9 degrees—still substantially below the 50-degree increase that began after the eruptions of the Siberian Traps. (Even a difference of one or two degrees, however, can yield extraordinarily different outcomes for the planet.) There’s clear scientific consensus that human activity is driving climate change today. What happens to our species as a result is less certain.
The Earth has reinvented itself at least five times before. In each mass extinction, planetary life was very nearly wiped clean. Microscopic organisms, insects, furry beasts, and reptilian land monsters have all been destroyed at one point or another.
There are survivors, of course. Even the Great Dying spared some clams, sea snails, urchins, brittle stars, and seed shrimp. These creatures didn’t just survive, they also became the most abundant animals in our oceans, a reminder that the story of life on our planet isn’t the story of a single species at the top of the food chain, but ultimately a tale of relentless adaptability.
“Big cool things like dinosaurs are pretty rare to find compared with clams,” says Peter Brannen, the author of The Ends of the World. And from one mass extinction to the next, there’s remarkably constancy on one hand—same magmatic systems on the same planet orbiting the same ole star. Yet there’s staggering newness, too.
“The world looks totally different before and after a mass extinction,” Brannen told me. “Sixty-seven million years ago, you had mosasaurs and big non-bird dinosaurs, and 15 million years later you have whales and giant land-mammals.”
“In one way it’s scary that we’re even in the same conversation as major mass extinction events,” Brannen added, referring to climate change. “But the Earth has seen way worse than we could ever dish out and it still recovers. The Earth, in the long run? The Earth will be fine.”
Humans, maybe not so much.
79 Comments on "Our Cataclysmic Planet"
Cloggie on Fri, 7th Apr 2017 2:38 pm
https://twitter.com/Cameron_Gray/status/850376287298490370/photo/1
These folks can be found in all western countries, but most of all in Sweden and probably Canada. Feminism and collapse of masculinity go hand in hand.
GregT on Fri, 7th Apr 2017 2:58 pm
Do you honestly believe that the plan was for Europe to graciously embrace Islam Cloggie? It shouldn’t take a degree in engineering to figure out the obvious outcome.
GregT on Fri, 7th Apr 2017 3:07 pm
Have you taken the time to read all of the ‘protocols’ Cloggie?
GregT on Fri, 7th Apr 2017 3:19 pm
“These folks can be found in all western countries, but most of all in Sweden and probably Canada.”
Definitely in Canada. Been that way since the 80s.
Cloggie on Fri, 7th Apr 2017 3:26 pm
Do you honestly believe that the plan was for Europe to graciously embrace Islam Cloggie? It shouldn’t take a degree in engineering to figure out the obvious outcome.
I think that the planners of the NWO completely underestimated the possibility of a comeback of Islam. Remember that since the fall of the Ottoman Empire, early 20th century, it seemed that secularization was irreversible.
#Ataturk
The NWO architects thought they only had to flood European lands with coloreds and sooner or later they would all mix and all sense of national identity would vanish.
Huntington understood much better than the Soros bunch that Islam was not dead at all.
Have you taken the time to read all of the ‘protocols’ Cloggie?
I have never read that dubious source. It might as well have been written by the agents of the Czar, although I immediately have to admit that if that is the case, that book would never have been written about, say the Belgians
#SmokeFire
I studied the history of communism, browsed Henry Ford and others, worked myself through Dolfie’s Mein Jihad, read all three books by Kevin MacDonald and about everything I could find on the internet. And most intensively studied the history of WW1 and WW2. That’s enough, no need for Protocols.
Anonymouse on Fri, 7th Apr 2017 3:49 pm
But, according to you, clogged drains, president-hair-piece-for-men was supposed to be the white knight that was going to deliver the world from uSsraeli hegemony. Hows that working out? Taken a slight detour this weekend hasn’t it. Or maybe it was just your bullshit trolling all along. Yea, that what it was. You’ve been a complete fraud the minute you started your endless bloviating about trump and his fictitious anti-NWO ‘agenda’
Or maybe this whole unprovoked aggression he ‘authorized’, is part of a cunning plan of his to gain their confidence, you know, so he can take them down at some unspecified later date, when they least expect it. Either way, it will amusing watching you twist yourself into knots over trumpfs actions, which you are already starting to do even now. In case you are still confused(and boy are you ever), he’s doing the exact opposite of what you’ve going on about for months now. The only one this seems to have surprised, is you. For the rest of us that see past your endless bullshit, its just amerikans acting like amerikans. uS Presidents dont mean shit moron, they do as they are told, one way, or another. trumpf was given a high-tech, fake-intel ‘briefing’ from the Pentopticon and that was all it took for him to fall into line. Get it?
Trump is too dumb to know when hes being played. He at least, has an excuse, whats yours cloggo?
It should be painfully obvious, even to a fraud like you, he never was, any sort of anti-NWO crusader, however defined. Now for you, that just leaves his climate-change denialism, which is still intact, for you to drool about. And you know what cloggtard?, he hasnt even done any of THAT lately, busy as he is, tweeting and sparring with hollyjewood celebs and his running battle with the entire uS propaganda info-tainment complex.
Boat on Fri, 7th Apr 2017 3:50 pm
Damage report”……………..20 percent of one Syrian Air Force gone along with one airport.
GregT on Fri, 7th Apr 2017 4:08 pm
“20 percent of one Syrian Air Force gone along with one airport.”
Great news! For ISIS.
joe on Fri, 7th Apr 2017 4:09 pm
Boat, look at what Assad gained. The US deal with Russia is over. The radars that tracked all 59 missiles to target will be used by Russia next time, 59 tomahawks wont get through next time, maybe 10, maybe less. If Trump wants to take on Russia over some sandy shithole I bet some people in the US might have somthing to say about that. Ever since the Nairobi embassy bomb the US has been at war with Sunni Islam, thats 20 years man, when will you guys wake up? Instead Americas leaders are fighting Sunnis enemies for them. All this shit defies common sense.
GregT on Fri, 7th Apr 2017 4:18 pm
“I have never read that dubious source.”
Well then you should. It is either an elaborate hoax written by the most amazing profit that the world has ever seen, or an extremely long list of unforeseen coincidences.
Boat on Fri, 7th Apr 2017 4:20 pm
Joe,
As long as Islam has wants control through religion fed violence there will be a fight with the west. There are expectations of international decorum that have to be met. There are around 60 countries that will band together to police those expectations.
Boat on Fri, 7th Apr 2017 4:32 pm
Joe,
Those same religious nuts are in a reported 32 countries. This is not a US fight but a global one including Russia, China, Africa etc. They kill indiscriminately everywhere they tred. How could you not fight.
Cloggie on Fri, 7th Apr 2017 4:35 pm
Boat: Damage report”……………..20 percent of one Syrian Air Force gone along with one airport.
USA! USA!
Cloggie on Fri, 7th Apr 2017 4:37 pm
Those same religious nuts are in a reported 32 countries. This is not a US fight but a global one including Russia, China, Africa etc. They kill indiscriminately everywhere they tred. How could you not fight.
You apparently failed to notice that your USA is supporting ISIS and other Jihadist nuts.
GregT on Fri, 7th Apr 2017 4:42 pm
“browsed Henry Ford”
So in your mind’s eye, was Henry a man of integrity? A complete whack job? Or only partially insane?
GregT on Fri, 7th Apr 2017 4:46 pm
“They kill indiscriminately everywhere they tred. How could you not fight.”
After invading their countries, destroying their societies, and murdering their friends and loved ones in the hundreds of thousands, they’re now fighting back Boat. They just don’t have the same weapons of mass destruction that the west does.
Cloggie on Fri, 7th Apr 2017 4:54 pm
But, according to you, clog-master, president-hair-piece-for-men was supposed to be the white knight that was going to deliver the world from uSsraeli hegemony. Hows that working out? Taken a slight detour this weekend hasn’t it.
I have never said that, but paying attention and understanding things never was a hallmark of folks like you, right.
What I have repeatedly said was that Trump could be toppled in a matter of weeks. Also that this MAGA story was BS. What I did say was that Trump could be to the US what Gorbachev was to the USSR, the beginning of the end of the US empire and preparing his electorate for departure from the US.
The only one this seems to have surprised, is you
No dummy, the entire American right is disappointed today about this turn of events and so are the Russians. Check out Alex Jones, Richard Spencer, Ann Coulter, Justin Raimondo, Ron Paul and son, all of them deplore what happened. I have said that the entire US establishment was against him and tried to destroy his presidency and I have never said that Trump was guaranteed to defeat them. Although it is too early to write Trump of completely, it is obvious that he is damaged goods and down for the count.
uS Presidents dont mean shit master, they do as they are told, one way, or another.
That was indeed the case until Trump came along. The vitriol spewed against him should have been enough indication for everbody with above room-temperature IQ, (which excludes you) that Trump was not BAU.
Trump is too dumb to know when hes being played.
You have a crystal ball bro, or is it the tea leaves?
Concerning you Anonymouslein, I hope you understand that the order in your part of the world will soon evaporate in the coming chaos of civil war. Enjoy your last period in the Great White World. Perhaps back to warmer lands where you belong?
Cloggie on Fri, 7th Apr 2017 4:56 pm
So in your mind’s eye, was Henry a man of integrity? A complete whack job? Or only partially insane?
I take him seriously. Look, I am not saying that these Protocols are necessarily fake, but it is difficult to verify its authenticity, that’s why I skipped them. Besides I know enough from other sources to get the broad picture. There is more to life than just those who can’t be named.
Cloggie on Fri, 7th Apr 2017 5:14 pm
New pictures from Stockholm:
http://www.geenstijl.nl/mt/archieven/2017/04/video_stockholm_truck_ramt_doo.html#comments
And of course young Muslim men gloating.
There is a time for peace and there is a time for war. Peace time is almost over. Globally.
Anonymouse on Fri, 7th Apr 2017 5:26 pm
Boatard, STFU already, you have no idea where, or what, Syria even is. And you have zero understanding of what is going on there. What you ‘think you know, comes courtesy of w/e of Complete Nonsense Network, or ‘cable news’ tells you, which totally explains the zero understanding part.
Clogged Drains here is a fraud, living in a elaborate, whimsical fantasy world where trumpf is a globalist slayer and human indiced Climate Change is just a hoax perpetrated by grant-seeking, dope smoking, hippy Marxist scientists who should get ‘real jobs’. But for all that, he at least, can locate Syria correctly on a map.
onlooker on Fri, 7th Apr 2017 5:26 pm
Oh yeah, Muslim terrorism is real but a different beast than the War in Terrorism. That is the instigation of the West from the artificial creation of the Middle East map
( English) , to the constant meddling in their internal affairs to 911 and Israel aggression.
Then of course the recent invasions. The reaction is disproportionate to the threat. Clog is right the the financial elites would love a one world govt order. Hence, the perpetual war on terrorism. As Orwell understood “The war is not meant to be won, it is meant to be continuous. Hierarchical society is only possible on the basis of poverty and ignorance. … The war is waged by the ruling group against its own subjects and its object is not the victory over either Eurasia or East Asia, but to keep the very structure of society intact.” In this case the prelude to a NWO.
onlooker on Fri, 7th Apr 2017 5:31 pm
Anon, not in a million years would someone as brainwashed ever concede that Al-qaeda or Isis is a US Creation
onlooker on Fri, 7th Apr 2017 5:31 pm
brainwashed as Boat
Davy on Fri, 7th Apr 2017 5:56 pm
anymouse, Clog has you by the balls on the understanding of current events. You are just a kid that has never been out of Canada.
Boat on Fri, 7th Apr 2017 6:07 pm
Annoy much,
Your just one in a quiver of snakes wearing a scarf that nests in Canada. You should STFU before your own country hunts you down.
Anonymouse on Fri, 7th Apr 2017 6:19 pm
Somehow, I dont doubt you think about grabbing a hold of Cloggeds..pipes….pipe a lot exceptionalist. All you two need to do is get a room man. Either he comes and visits you in your swamp, or you find the least inbred amerikan living in your area, and get them to show you where the Netherlands are.
Whichever way you go about it, minimize your carbon foot-print by taking a ship. Or if that is too much effort, just swap dick-pics with each other. About as low-carbon as its gonna gets.
Davy on Fri, 7th Apr 2017 7:03 pm
any mouse, get out of your stupid Canada and actually experience the world before you act like you know anything. Your just plain goofy with you childish slang and hatful demeanor. You’re a 20 something loser and that’s the best you will ever know.
Cloggie on Sat, 8th Apr 2017 4:53 am
Anonymouse is empty internet virtue signaling and nothing else. He will personally not lift a finger against climate change doom and shout everybody down who is actually acting against it in his personal life. Bet he drives a car and lives in a fossil fuel heated apartment and has no solar panels on his roof. Anonymouse is a total loser.
Btw here is some interesting information for the likes of Boat, who can’t get his finger behind “Anglo-Zionism” (even Anonymouse can). Boat has counted flags in the hood where he lives and observed that there were many more Confederate flags than Israeli flags and concluded that internet conspiracy nuts are just that: nnuts.
https://twitter.com/scwhiterabbit/status/850491364374704128
Takeaway point for Boat: flags don’t matter. What matters is who occupies the White House.
Sissyfuss on Sat, 8th Apr 2017 8:49 pm
The ad homs come alive during the race for what’s left.