Supernova Storm Wiped Out Mammoths?

Discovery News ^ | 09/28/05 | Jennifer Viegas

[planetesimal]

A supernova blast 41,000 years ago started a deadly chain of events that led to the extinction of mammoths and other animals in North America, according to two scientists.

If their supernova theory gains acceptance, it could explain why dozens of species on the continent became extinct 13,000 years ago.

[planetesimal]

For those that missed the "World of Elephants" shindig a few weeks ago, which I'm guessing is pretty much everyone. :)

[GeronL]

well, time to change those science books AGAIN as another theory falls on its face. apparently. maybe. for a while.

[konaice]

Except that 30000 to 13000 years ago is withing the memory of mankind (oral traditions, cave paintings), and nothing like this is evident. Being hunted to death seems more likely

Some scholars even believe mankind had memory of Neanderthals. "For in those days there were giants in the earth that bread with the son of man".

[The Red Zone]

Neandertal DNA is not close enough to Homo sapiens DNA for this to happen.

[konaice]

Neandertal DNA is not close enough to Homo sapiens DNA for this to happen.

BS. they are closer than horses and asses.

Besides, nobody said the breeding was successful (yielded viable offspring).

[Choose Ye This Day]

How long before it's blamed on President Bush?

[The Red Zone]

It's hard to call it "breeding" when nothing is born.

[Jeff Chandler]

Bush doesn't care about mammoths.

[konaice]

It's hard to call it "breeding" when nothing is born.

Go learn the difference between horses and asses and donkeys, and then perhaps we can have this discussion.

Remember, its not my theory, but its one possible explanation of that phrase.

[DannyTN]

I hate it when giants bread with me. Let them get their own bread. You know how big a loaf those guys can eat?

[planetesimal]

Fair point, but many species went extinct around that time, including:

In addition to the tusk evidence, the scientists said arrowheads from North America's prehistoric Clovis culture, which went extinct around 13,500-13,000 years ago, Icelandic marine sediment, as well as sediment from nine 13,000-year-old sites in North America, contain higher-than-normal amounts of radiation in the form of potassium-40 levels.

This is by no means settled science, but interesting nonetheless.

[Choose Ye This Day]

LOL! Thanks, Kanye!

[taxesareforever]

"What is exciting about Dr. Firestone's theory is that it can be easily tested," Becker said,

I'm waiting. I'm still waiting. Still waiting. Still.....

[DannyTN]

[planetesimal]

I'm waiting. I'm still waiting. Still waiting. Still.....

Why not try a personal ad? Or take up a hobby.

[Don W]

THIS guy has a far more plausible explanation for ice ages and extinctions than any other theoretician I've yet found.

[SoDak]

I seriously doubt the 'hunted to death' theory. What really piques my interest is the frozen mastadons found in Siberia that have fresh flowers in their teeth, and unprocessed vegetation in their gastric system. It's like they just up and died, and froze, in minutes.

[Old Seadog]

[konaice]

What really piques my interest is the frozen mastadons found in Siberia that have fresh flowers in their teeth, and unprocessed vegetation in their gastric system. It's like they just up and died, and froze, in minutes.

Up here in Alaska, and I speculate also in Siberia, you can have a thin layer of melted earth in the spring, and flowers blooming in just a week or so of sunshine. But underneath you have permafrost.

However there are sink holes with water running underneath, and iced over lakes/rivers that look walk-able. Walk out, fall in, and freeze next to or under the permafrost.

[SoDak]

But that's in spring. Wouldn't the coming warming, albeit a short warm season, allow predation and deterioration?