6 ms·

On a Remote Island, a Lost Part of the World Is Found

58 points by mudil 8y ago

philipov 8y ago
Are the images about 5000% times the size of the text for anyone else? I'm at 4k resolution and I have to zoom out to like 25% to fit them on my screen.
- duxup 8y ago
  Yeah uh someone ... linked to or included the full sized images. Very responsive web development here ;)
- spurgu 8y ago
  6000x4000 px yes.
duxup 8y ago
I'm seeing a lot of: "Error establishing database connection" on that site.
- jrumbut 8y ago
  On a remote host, a lost connection to the database is found
mr_overalls 8y ago
Google cache: https://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:1_tRlvXrk6oJ:https://blogs.ei.columbia.edu/2019/02/12/lost-continent/+&cd=1&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=us https://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:1_tRlv...
- deleted 8y ago
  [deleted]
dan-robertson 8y ago
Does the article describe any theories as to how the quartzite ended up on the island? I skimmed it twice and searched for “why” and “theor” but failed to spot anything.
- danimal88 8y ago
  Was looking for the same thing but didn't see after skimming...
- WaltPurvis 8y ago
  "A supercontinent that geologists call Gondwanaland...began breaking apart about 180 million years ago ... Given the Comoros’ location between Africa and Madagascar, the quartzites arguably came from one or the other. ... Saindou Boura took us to meet his younger brother Mourchidi, his brother-in-law and a young nephew, who were digging in a manioc plot. In French, Hemond and Class went through a layman’s explanation of the rocks’ origins, venturing that the quartzite must have formed in Africa or Madagascar, then somehow ended up here when ancient landmasses rearranged themselves. Oh, you mean when Africa and Madagascar were part of Gondwanaland? queried Mourchidi Boura. At this, the scientists were dumbfounded: No non-geologist anywhere could be expected to know what Gondwanaland was, much less a farmer working the soil by hand on a tiny, remote island. Clearly, the scientists had underestimated these folks."
- deleted 8y ago
  [deleted]
deytempo 8y ago
I can’t be the only one that had the Jurassic Park soundtrack start playing in my head when I read that line.
mcguire 8y ago
"In 1991, Class, Goldstein and Hemond noted the formation, but were too busy studying the volcanic rocks to pay much attention." Wait. What the hell? "This here is revolutionary! Completely against all reason! ... Oooh, look, more basalt!"

58 points by mudil 8y ago

Are the images about 5000% times the size of the text for anyone else? I'm at 4k resolution and I have to zoom out to like 25% to fit them on my screen.

duxup 8y ago
Yeah uh someone ... linked to or included the full sized images. Very responsive web development here ;)
spurgu 8y ago
6000x4000 px yes.

duxup 8y ago

I'm seeing a lot of: "Error establishing database connection" on that site.

jrumbut 8y ago
On a remote host, a lost connection to the database is found

mr_overalls 8y ago

Google cache: https://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:1_tRlvXrk6oJ:https://blogs.ei.columbia.edu/2019/02/12/lost-continent/+&cd=1&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=us https://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:1_tRlv...

deleted 8y ago
[deleted]

dan-robertson 8y ago

Does the article describe any theories as to how the quartzite ended up on the island? I skimmed it twice and searched for “why” and “theor” but failed to spot anything.

danimal88 8y ago
Was looking for the same thing but didn't see after skimming...
WaltPurvis 8y ago
"A supercontinent that geologists call Gondwanaland...began breaking apart about 180 million years ago ... Given the Comoros’ location between Africa and Madagascar, the quartzites arguably came from one or the other. ... Saindou Boura took us to meet his younger brother Mourchidi, his brother-in-law and a young nephew, who were digging in a manioc plot. In French, Hemond and Class went through a layman’s explanation of the rocks’ origins, venturing that the quartzite must have formed in Africa or Madagascar, then somehow ended up here when ancient landmasses rearranged themselves. Oh, you mean when Africa and Madagascar were part of Gondwanaland? queried Mourchidi Boura. At this, the scientists were dumbfounded: No non-geologist anywhere could be expected to know what Gondwanaland was, much less a farmer working the soil by hand on a tiny, remote island. Clearly, the scientists had underestimated these folks."
deleted 8y ago
[deleted]

deytempo 8y ago

I can’t be the only one that had the Jurassic Park soundtrack start playing in my head when I read that line.

mcguire 8y ago

"In 1991, Class, Goldstein and Hemond noted the formation, but were too busy studying the volcanic rocks to pay much attention." Wait. What the hell? "This here is revolutionary! Completely against all reason! ... Oooh, look, more basalt!"