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on the other hand our planet has seen 5 mass extinction events. at the same time, 56 millions years ago the planet was extremely hot: https://www.climate.gov/n

by kmlx 6y ago

on the other hand our planet has seen 5 mass extinction events. at the same time, 56 millions years ago the planet was extremely hot: https://www.climate.gov/news-features/climate-qa/whats-hottest-earths-ever-been https://www.climate.gov/news-features/climate-qa/whats-hotte... and, to top it off, all we're doing is prolonging the inevitable warming of the planet. things aren't so clear as that documentary makes it unfortunately.

leesalminen 6y ago
> things aren't so clear as that documentary makes it unfortunately. I’ve been wondering lately what happened to the documentary genre. When was the turning point where they started becoming political in nature, driving an ideology based off FUD and pseudo-science? Or have they always been this way and I’m just realizing it now?
- adrianN 6y ago
  I suppose the turning point was when we stopped living in a shared reality where scientific consensus was worth something.
- ben_w 6y ago
  I grew up with “documentaries” about aliens and ghosts, so I think the problem has been here for ages.
adrianN 6y ago
There were no humans 56 millions years ago. I'd like the planet to remain in a state that is good for humans for at least a few more millennia.
- kmlx 6y ago
  “a few more millennia” is basically nothing in terms of the planet’s history.
  - adrianN 6y ago
    The entirety of human civilization is basically nothing in terms of the planet's history. That doesn't make it less important to me though.
    - kmlx 6y ago
      to me it’s an important aspect. try as we might, we’ll still be subject to planetary forces outside of our control. the planet is warming. we can delay it for a bit, but the planet will continue to warm no matter what we do. of course we should manage our impact on the planet. but this will represent just a small delay in the grand scheme of things. a few generations, maybe even a few thousand years as you’ve put it. but a multi generational effort to tackle either moving to a different planet or something like living underground will be needed. unfortunately our extremely limited existence will make these efforts extremely hard to tackle.
nindalf 6y ago
What has this got to do with anything? The planet used to be hotter, agreed. But the species alive then were completely different, adapted to living in those conditions. The species alive now (including us!) can thrive in current climatic conditions. A drastic change in a short span of time will lead to a mass extinction. Unless you think a mass extinction event is ok because it happened millions of years before humans existed? It happened to the dinosaurs so it's no big deal if it happens to most living creatures alive today?

by kmlx 6y ago

leesalminen 6y ago

> things aren't so clear as that documentary makes it unfortunately. I’ve been wondering lately what happened to the documentary genre. When was the turning point where they started becoming political in nature, driving an ideology based off FUD and pseudo-science? Or have they always been this way and I’m just realizing it now?

adrianN 6y ago
I suppose the turning point was when we stopped living in a shared reality where scientific consensus was worth something.
ben_w 6y ago
I grew up with “documentaries” about aliens and ghosts, so I think the problem has been here for ages.

adrianN 6y ago

There were no humans 56 millions years ago. I'd like the planet to remain in a state that is good for humans for at least a few more millennia.

kmlx 6y ago
“a few more millennia” is basically nothing in terms of the planet’s history.
- adrianN 6y ago
  The entirety of human civilization is basically nothing in terms of the planet's history. That doesn't make it less important to me though.
  - kmlx 6y ago
    to me it’s an important aspect. try as we might, we’ll still be subject to planetary forces outside of our control. the planet is warming. we can delay it for a bit, but the planet will continue to warm no matter what we do. of course we should manage our impact on the planet. but this will represent just a small delay in the grand scheme of things. a few generations, maybe even a few thousand years as you’ve put it. but a multi generational effort to tackle either moving to a different planet or something like living underground will be needed. unfortunately our extremely limited existence will make these efforts extremely hard to tackle.

nindalf 6y ago

What has this got to do with anything? The planet used to be hotter, agreed. But the species alive then were completely different, adapted to living in those conditions. The species alive now (including us!) can thrive in current climatic conditions. A drastic change in a short span of time will lead to a mass extinction. Unless you think a mass extinction event is ok because it happened millions of years before humans existed? It happened to the dinosaurs so it's no big deal if it happens to most living creatures alive today?