Posted on 06/20/2007 7:48:19 PM PDT by gridlock
A new way to examine humanity's impact on the environment is to consider how the world would fare if all the people disappeared
Editors’ Introduction
It’s a common fantasy to imagine that you’re the last person left alive on earth. But what if all human beings were suddenly whisked off the planet? That premise is the starting point for The World without Us, a new book by science writer Alan Weisman, an associate professor of journalism at the University of Arizona. In this extended thought experiment, Weisman does not specify exactly what finishes off Homo sapiens; instead he simply assumes the abrupt disappearance of our species and projects the sequence of events that would most likely occur in the years, decades and centuries afterward.
(Excerpt) Read more at sciam.com ...
What happens to the Earth with no people is simply irrelevant. I care as much about surface conditions on the planet Mars. In fact, I care more about the current surface conditions on Mars, because they point to a Solar source for Global Warming. Which means that all the consensus-loving scientists must ignore these conditions.
The purpose of Earth is to support humans. If it is not serving that purpose, it might as well not exist. Any serious consideration otherwise is just fetishistic Earth worship. The Earth is not a god. If it is not supporting humans, I do not care whether it lives or dies.
By saying ‘without people’ you could also say without animal life at all...which would mean without plant life...so you’d probably get what Mars is today.
Really? People have fantasys where all the people they love are dead? Absurd.
Well in 1,000,000 years monkey would evolve to become human again.
Otherwise it will be really really quiet.
So let me get this straight:
“SCIENTIFIC American” (ha!) is now stooping to publish articles about bullcorn “thought experiments” by a professor of biology NO! WAIT! A PROFESSOR OF $%^&*# JOURNALISM!
Heaven help us.
Ridding the planet of human life is definately a liberal fantasy.
This is the next stage of environmentalism. It has gone from the assumption that humans are damaging the Earth to the conclusion that humans are evil. After one reaches that point, one begins to fantasize about how much better it would be if all the humans were gone.
It’s sick stuff, but you would be surprised at how many people think that way.
"Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." - Manuel II Palelologus
To me it’s an interesting but unimportant question. Mental masturbation.
The answer is simple. Little would change in the grand scheme of things. The climate would continue to fluctuate as it’s always done. New species would arise and old species would go extinct. Volcanoes would erupt and the earth would quake.
The belief that we have some enormous effect on the planet is pretty arrogant. I look at the fact that there have been something in the range of 2500 above ground nuclear detonations since the beginning of the atomic age but radiation in the atmosphere has risen by a barely measurable amount.
this is pretty cool actually
TIMELINE: The Fall of New York City
http://sciam.com/media/interactive/2691D716-E7F2-99DF-38F54EF6075AAB4D-timeline
show how long it would take for NYC to turn back to dust
Well, finally, there’d be a place to park near the stadium.
My fantasy is more like I’m the last sexually potent MAN on earth and the government requires my ummm... services for breeding purposes.
Is he really saying that climate would change without humans here? Can't be. This is heresy.
Not an article, just a book review, a paragraph or two.
There is a great fiction book called “The Earth Abides” which is about a large loss of humanity and how a small group bands together.
This author seems to be excited over the fact that man would disappear. Freaking radical environmentalist.
It’s time to lay off more mainstream media journalists.
These people have far too much time on their hands — since those with seniority in the unions no longer have to do anything, and the unsupervised interns can’t ell what is an authentic story.
I respond, not to chastise.
There is only one path to heaven.
His name is Jesus, the Son of God.
That’s what I thought.
If we’re GONE, we won’t really care.
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