Posted on 02/26/2012 9:27:36 AM PST by Oldeconomybuyer
If you think there are no new reasons to get freaked out by climate change, try this: Theres at least a theoretical possibility that a warmer and warmer world could lead to tinier and tinier humans. Thats the inevitable conclusion of a just-published study of Siferhippus sandae, the littlest horse that ever lived.
The Siferhippus sandae first appeared about 56 million years ago, and it was never a terribly prepossessing creature, weighing no more than 12 lbs. (5.5 kg). While it was not exactly built for steeplechase running, its skeletal architecture not to mention its unmistakably equine face mark it as a great-great-granddaddy of the modern horse.
But while the little critter had a grand evolutionary future in front of it, it came into the world at an unfortunate time an era known as the Paleocene-Eocene Thermal Maximum (PETM), when a sharp spike in atmospheric CO2 led to a 10º F (5.5º C) rise in global temperature. In geological terms, the PETM didnt last long just 175,000 years but biology moves faster than geology, and plenty of species felt the effects, with some existing ones dying out and other, new ones emerging. The Siferhippus sandae, it turns out, did something else, shrinking by about 30%, to 8.5 lbs (3.9 kg) or about the size of a house cat during the first 130,000 years of the PETM.
(Excerpt) Read more at ecocentric.blogs.time.com ...
If you think there are no new reasons lie about climate change, try Time.
The original story was published simply to push the theory, once again, that additional CO2 in the atmosphere causes a major increase of global temperatures. Previous research has shown that increase in atmospheric CO2 follows temperature increase, so, once again, this garbage has but one purpose, to promote the man made global warming hoax.
these gm ‘fairy stories’ are starting to remind me of the ‘reefer madness’ studies of the 80s...every month there was a different one saying weed would make you psychotic, make you gay, make you grow breasts etc etc etc
waiting to see when these gm ‘scientists’ start aiming ‘between the legs’ so to speak...then youll know theyre desperate
Where do these idiots come up with this. It was a damn little horse. It didn’t turn into trigger.
Smaller Carbon footprints from smaller people?
The Greenies should be 100% for it.
Maybe even 110% - No! Wait! - make it 117%.
Dear Jeff (CO TIME Magazine) - if you’re going to steal my Kentucky Derby joke, at least credit me. I guess integrity is shrinking at TIME.
I like little women! They make some things look,,,errrr,,,,,larger!
Gives new meaning to pole dancing
“Gives new meaning to pole dancing”
Ummmm,,,,errrr, Uh, Polish folk dancing, right?
What he lacked in size he made up in evilness.
Oh, so they believe that environment can affect genetics?
More egregious silliness from the folks over at Time magazine.
Um...ping?
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