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Evolution of tree roots may have driven mass extinctions (2022)

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Re: Evolution of tree roots may have driven mass extinctions (2022)

#41

Post by FrojoS »

pvaldes wrote: post #36

> others have made the argument that pollution from fertilizers, manure and other organic wastes, such as sewage, have placed the Earth’s oceans on the “edge of anoxia,” or a complete lack of oxygen. This is nonsense, obviously. Would apply only for shallow bottom or fresh waters

Can you explain further, please? I don't doubt what you are saying, but don't know why it is "obvious". Is it, because the amount of sea water is so large, relative to the amount of 'pollution'?

The abstract of the paper linked in the article seems to support your statement, though.

"For the past several hundred million years, oxygen concentrations in Earth's atmosphere have been comparatively high[..]. Yet, the oceans seem never to have been far from anoxia (oxygen depletion)[..] OAEs seem to be promoted by warm climates[...] ocean oxygen concentrations are declining in the modern ocean [...] A full-scale OAE would take thousands of years to develop[...]" (OAE = oceanic anoxic event) https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.aaj2321

So my layman summary of that particular study, would be, that the oceans have always been one the “edge of anoxia”, and although human activity could push it closer to that, there is no reason to believe that it could happen in our lifetime or that of our grand-grand children.

Re: Evolution of tree roots may have driven mass extinctions (2022)

#42

Post by hinkley »

daveslash wrote: post #40
trpv wrote: post #32

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yes, we have 2 years left until everyone in the world (except the super rich who can afford bottled air) will suffocate and die

Don't be ridiculous. As President of HN, I can assure both you and the other readers that there's absolutely no air shortage whatsoever. Yes, I've heard the same rumors myself! Thanks for calling, and not reversing the charges.

HAIL SKROOB!

Re: Evolution of tree roots may have driven mass extinctions (2022)

#43

Post by hinkley »

axus wrote: post #33
trpv wrote: post #32

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yes, we have 2 years left until everyone in the world (except the super rich who can afford bottled air) will suffocate and die

On the bright side, our carbon emissions will go way down

Decay produces a lot of carbon emissions.

Re: Evolution of tree roots may have driven mass extinctions (2022)

#44

Post by hinkley »

soperj wrote: post #37
pkdpic wrote: post #27

> the evolution of tree roots may have triggered a series of mass extinctions [...] during the Devonian Period over 300 million years ago > the evolution of tree roots likely flooded past oceans with excess nutrients, causing massive algae growth > these rapid and destructive algae blooms would have depleted most of the oceans’ oxygen, triggering catastrophic mass extinction events > these past events were likely fue…

Terrestrial animal life actually evolved during the Devonian.

A sudden increase in high nutrient leaf litter sure would make a good petri dish.

Re: Evolution of tree roots may have driven mass extinctions (2022)

#48

Post by donnowhy »

cmrdporcupine wrote: post #4
bad_alloc wrote: post #2

Between this and cyanobacteria causing a catastrophic (for them) oxygenation event some billion of years ago, many species seem to have causes mass extinctions, with us being the last (and quickest) in this chain. Is this another potential "great filter"? Evolving lifeforms can randomly find ways to kill an ecosystem.

"Can't wait" to see what evolves to "balance us out" and "keep us in check".

like how success of a species becomes the failure of the same species. the endless cycles of success and failure.

also in multi-generational wealth: poor and hard working become successful (when society allows it) then the descendants are lazy and loose the wealth, and finally further descendants are poor and may learn to work hard.

that is, until societies re-organize and stop rewarding hard-work with success; what happens next is still happening, it's what we see in our actual political leadership, it's not very effective and is dragging the world into a seemingly unavoidable war. (both china and USA blaming each other for the escalating: "they (the other) should change course cuz we won't"

Re: Evolution of tree roots may have driven mass extinctions (2022)

#49

Post by nextaccountic »

dr_dshiv wrote: post #17
nextaccountic wrote: post #11

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Unfortunately it doesn't make sense to use us as batteries or energy sources, thermodynamically. But they could maybe use our brains as computers (and this was the first idea the writers had, they just decided against it because it would be too complicated for mainstream audiences) But in this case it would be rather wasteful to also nourish the rest of the body. As a bonus, if all the remaining people are just brain…

> use our brains as computers (and this was the first idea the writers had, they just decided against it because it would be too complicated for mainstream audiences) Source please!

https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/26o6al/til_i... which links to https://scifi.stackexchange.com/questions/19817/was-executiv... which cites an interview, but doesn't link to it or otherwise show which interview that was said

On the other hand, https://www.reddit.com/r/matrix/comments/q2xefs/batteries_no... says that this was never true

Re: Evolution of tree roots may have driven mass extinctions (2022)

#50

Post by scatters »

abricq wrote: post #25
user3939382 wrote: post #24

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> (United Nations Climate Change conference) will be held by United Arab Emirates's minister for industry and CEO of the Abu Dhabi National Oil https://unwatch.org/u-n-elects-saudi-arabia-to-womens-rights... A lot of regulatory bodies, commissions, councils, are for optics and captured by the governments or corporations they should be regulating in some way. Put another way we have the fox watching the hen house. Put…

This concerns me and saddens me a lot. Major changes are required in the near future, and the more I look at the news the less it seems like any of these changes are happening. If at some point I actually get to the conclusion that "it's all bullshit" (i.e. climate change is all bullshit) to those in charge of making these changes, then I have to see how to change those in charge. But really, the options are limited.…

> the more I look at the news the less it seems like any of these changes are happening

What news are you reading? Last year the world invested $500bn in wind and solar, and another $500bn in energy efficiency. The IRA has $369bn for green tech, and Europe is going to spend $270bn. The invasion of Ukraine has left large amounts of Russian oil and gas effectively stranded. We're going to reach peak carbon in 5 years, and 2°C is looking increasingly feasible.

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