Should We Fear the Same Fate as the Dinosaurs?
By Matt
I was reading on CNN.com when I came across this article on the extinction of dinosaurs. Before reading this I belived, like most of you probably did, that dinosaurs became extinct when a large asteriod hit the earth causing a black out leading to an ice age and the extinction of all living organisms.
Now palentologist Gerta Keller has proposed that not only was it an asteriod that knocked out the dinosaurs but also a series of volcanic eruptions. Keller believes these eruptions put massive amounts of sulfur and carbon dioxide into the air leading to rapidly increasing global warming as well as acid rain (similar to what we are experiencing today). During this time of global warming Keller believes the asteriod struck and put the final nail in the coffin. Although, it was not for another 300,000 years after the asteriod strike that the dinosaurs became extinct. The asteriod just added to the global warming.
Today we are not experiencing numerous volcanic eruptions, but we are still putting massive amounts of carbon in the air. Today we add to global warming by running our cars, burning materials, and cutting down trees that take in these gases. Many people may not see it, but if we do not do something we could suffer the same fate as the dinosaurs.
Do you think the global warming crisis we are suffering now will lead to a catastrophe causing the extinction of all living thing?
Do you think our environment is in a better or worse state compared to when the dinosaurs lived?
November 16th, 2007 at 7:36 pm
Woah Matt, this article was kind of like a wake-up call. Yes, I strongly think so. If we don’t take action about this problem, I’m pretty sure that our world will cease to exist soon and there will be no human life. I know there are some people taking action, but obviously, there aren’t enough. This kind of goes with the water crisis we have right now. Even though right now, it’s just Georgia and a few other states, in a few years-hundred years, the world might become extinct becuase of this too! And yes, I think that our environment today is way worse than the state the dinosaurs lived in.
November 16th, 2007 at 8:10 pm
I think that global warming is a serious issue, but I do not know for sure if it will lead to the extinction of all living things. I have also heard some arguments from the other side that question global warming on Earth because of the warming on other planets. Here is the link to the argument presidential nominee Fred Thompson makes on the issue.
I am not necessarily, saying I agree with the argument, but I believe as Americans we need to be open minded and look at ALL the facts. I am just not sure on global warming.
November 16th, 2007 at 9:21 pm
Wow. That is just depressing. I definitely think our global warming crisis will lead to catastrophe, we have that now, and there are definite possibilities of extinction. With all of this global warming, and more carbon dioxide in the greenhouse gases, I believe eventually things will be so bad that we just won’t be able to survive. We are already cutting down too many trees and other plants, which leads to less animals, which leads to less people. If this keeps up, we won’t make it because things are getting much worse. I think we are kind of in the same state as the dinosaurs, or maybe just a tiny bit better. We don’t have volcanos, but we do have tons of cars spewing CO2 and we are destroying almost all of our sinks. I really don’t want our race to go like the dinosaurs did, but maybe it would be for the best to get the world back in order. What a morbid thought. Really great post!
November 16th, 2007 at 9:42 pm
Matt, there is no doubt in my mind that our environment is in a worse state compared to when the dinosaurs lived because for starters, dinosaurs did not numerous factories producing tons of carbon dioxide or millions of cars pumping our earth full of deadly, ozone-depleting toxins.
November 16th, 2007 at 10:24 pm
This is an awesome blog post. I had never thought about this topic before. I believe that our environment is much more worse compared to when the dinosaurs lived. We may not see it now, but in a few more years, we will begin to realize that out planet was not as green and beautiful as it was before. Before we get to that point, we should all think about ways to help our planet to stay healthy and we should take action. I believe that it is not too late to save our planet that God has created for us. I hope that the end result will not be anything like what happened to the dinosaurs.
November 16th, 2007 at 10:37 pm
Grant, you’re welcome to disagree and be skeptical. But let’s remember to also be skeptical about our sources of information.
The link you provided is to a political organization, not a scientific one. There are no references in the article, no links to scientific information, and sounds like one big opinion. There’s no way to determine if the information is good or bad. For now I’m going to remain greatly skeptical as should our entire audience.
To everyone else: including your opinion is okay, but remember this is a science blog so you need to back up your opinions with evidence.
By the way, I really don’t like the title of the article in the original post. Hopefully by now you understand why!
November 16th, 2007 at 11:25 pm
Great post Matt! This is a great example to people, to show them the results of what could happen if we continue to live as we live now. I personally think we will meet the same fate as the dinosaurs if we keep doing as we are doing. I actually think we are worse off than the dinosaurs, because not only are we messing up our atmosphere with carbon dioxide and other gasses, but we are also using up our natural resourses. So i think we will be extinct or close to extinction in a lot less than 300,000 years.
November 17th, 2007 at 12:13 am
Woah! I really liked this article. I also always thought dinosaurs became extinct by an astroid or something that could not really happen today. I think its really interesting that we could die out the same way the dinosaurs did and we have never really noticed this. I do think out envirnment is in worse shape than it was with the dinosaurs because they did not have cars and things like we do to pollute the air so much. This could possibly happen to us because anything is really possible.
November 17th, 2007 at 11:05 am
Miss Baker, I am not trying to be cynical, but I am trying to look at ALL the information out there before I make a decision on the issue. I have already heard what Al Gore has to say, and now I am trying to find new opinions because I want to be open minded. I realize that the link I provided was not scientific and I apologize, but I really do not think Mr. Thompson is just making this up.
However, I did find a scientific study conducted by a team of astronomers from Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Williams College, the University of Hawaii, Lowell Observatory, and Cornell University that say Pluto is undergoing global warming, as evidenced by a three-fold increase in the planet’s atmospheric pressure during the past 14 years. Here is the website. http://web.mit.edu/newsoffice/2002/pluto.html
Again, I apologize for not giving you a scientific website before, however I got this information from a study. I am not saying I agree with it, but I am trying to be skeptical here, and look at all the information out there before I just by in to what someone says. Part of being open minded is accepting different opinions and forming your opinions based on listening to both sides of the argument.
Remember, I am not arguing with you, I am just trying to provide other information that nobody has cared to look at yet.
November 17th, 2007 at 12:47 pm
Grant, good job! I think it is excellent that you are seeking answers and keeping an open mind. I’m going to to have to respond to your last statement:
“I am just trying to provide other information that nobody has cared to look at yet.”
I disagree with that statement. The argument that the increase in solar output is leading to global warming has been considered and weighed heavily by scientists. This is not something that scientists have ignored as some conspiracy theorists tell the public.
Regarding the last article you linked to it’s from 2002. In an issue such as global warming, there are enormous amounts of research conducted daily and we must be careful to only consider the most current data. But still, let’s look at what the article says:
This information regarding Pluto’s warming does not support the hypothesis that global warming on earth is caused by an increase in solar output.
Now, let’s look at some current information:
http://www.livescience.com/environment/070312_solarsys_warming.html
There’s also this article which points out that the sun may have some role in our recent climate change:
http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2006/09/060913-sunspots.html
In the article above, one scientist points out that:
However, he goes on to say:
Even if the sun has some role in the warming trend it isn’t accurate to then argue that the sun’s impact on climate negates any impact humans may have on the environment. In other words, that global warming is caused by either one or the other, but not both.
On the EPA’s website (http://www.epa.gov/climatechange/basicinfo.html) we find the following information:
To everyone else: Grant is doing a wonderful job of asking questions and seeking evidence-based answers. I’ve been receiving a lot of opinions on this post such as “yes I think our environment is worse now than when the dinosaurs were here” that is backed with no evidence. I will not publish your comments to this post unless they are backed with research. Remember this is science class!
November 17th, 2007 at 2:38 pm
Thank you so much Miss Baker. You really did a great job of explaining all this to me. I was just confused on the issue with there being so many different opinions out there. I now know that the warming on other planets is not connected to the warming on Earth. I see how global warming on Earth is caused by humans and the sun may have a role. But I do see how global warming could be reduced by less green house gases in the air. Thanks for the link to that live science article. It really explained the individual cases for warming on other planets.
Thanks for all your help. I really appreciate it.
November 17th, 2007 at 7:20 pm
Global warming is definatly a threat to life on earth. Maybe not now but eventually at the rate carbon is being put into the air, global warming will definatly pose a large problem. Many ecosystems will be destroyed and many species of plants and animals will not be able to adapt to the conditions and become extinct. I think that unless some new technology is found that can help the condition of the environment then there is a big possibility that there will be a catastrophe that will cause another mass extinction. Good post matt, it really made me think about the future.
November 18th, 2007 at 3:41 pm
Wow! Like Sally said this is a wake-up call. The dinosours are so much like us except for the technology of course. I do think our society is worse due to us forcong CO2 in the air unlike dinosours. But I also believe that the astroid was just hit at the wrong time and is just too ironic. And since we have the technology to see if an astroid is going to hit earth before it ever does I think we will be more prepared. Thank you Matt for writing this post because i think I will be more conservative in my use of CO2 and will probably convince my friends to do the same.
November 18th, 2007 at 3:49 pm
I never expected that the conditions in our earth could be associated with the conditions of the earth leading to global warming. It’s incredibly alarming, and quite scary that this is even becoming a comparison. In the original article it was called a theory but has it become widely accepted by a vast amount of scientists, or does it have THAT much supporting evidence. If so how much evidence IS required for something to become a theory and how do you determine the borderline. ( Lots of questions this just got me thinking )
November 19th, 2007 at 5:17 pm
I think the condition of our enviornment now is very similar to the enviornment of the dinosaurs back then. Of course we don’t have many volcanic eruptions, or an asteroid about to hit the planet, but I think that our carbon emmissions are doing just the same thing as the volcanic eruptions did back during the dinosaur ages. I think the warmer our planet gets, the faster scientists are going to work to find a new way to run cars or produce electricity, because they will be more motivated. I almost wish that global warming was happening faster because it seems like the most deveststing effects are not even going to happen during our lifetimes, and not many people have the motivation to spend time on helping a problem that they will probably never get to see solved
November 19th, 2007 at 5:33 pm
I think global warming today will definately shorten our lives but not destroy us. The extinction of the dinosaurs is true but scientists are not sure how it happened, there are four hypotheses on how they could have died. The chances that two of these hypotheses would be totally correct is slim especially assuming that we are not going to be hit by an asteroid any time soon I would say we are fine. I do think that we should make an effort to keep our environment clean and unpoluted if we wnat our children to have happy lives, we are already in a drought where we may run out of water. Over all I do not think we are going to go extinct but what we have done will definately hurt us and the evironment in years to come if we do not do anything.
November 19th, 2007 at 7:46 pm
I think things are worse today in the global warming issues, because unlike the dinosaurs, we have power to control our own fate. Back then the dinosaurs did not have technology to decide what was going to happen to them. It saddens me that we indeed do have the technology, but we still continue not to do anything about the situation at hand. I do not k now if global warming will lead to the catastrophe of all living things, but I do know that if we do not move now, many living species are going to die out. It was interesting in class that you said by 2050 there would be no fish left. And to th ink that its already 2007. What is the world going to be like by 2070 and on?
November 19th, 2007 at 8:11 pm
I am not totally sure how we get that Vocanoes and “global warming” leads to a meteor hitting the earth.
I know of a theory that many do not seem to look at or even consider. This one comes from the greatest source, the Bible. I know there are no “authorities” in science but the biggest authority and scientist would think otherwise. God is the greatest scientist.
The Lord says after the flood in Genesis 8: 22 ” WHile the earth remaineth, seedtime and harvest, and cold and heat, and summer and winter, and day and night shall not cease. The Lord spoke this right after the flood, which i and many creation scientists believe was the cause of the extinction of the dinasoars. They couldnot adapt fast enough.
what i want to look at with this verse is this. This is a promise given to the Lord that we will always have cold and heat. The Lord will provide, he has control over the earth. Does this mean that we are not to take care of our world? no. but it does mean that we shouldnt be doing it because we think we will die if we dont. The Lord calls us to be ” good stuwards of the earth.”
I will recycle. Not because i am going to die if i dont but because God calls me too.
November 19th, 2007 at 8:56 pm
Wow, this is a little scary to think of. I had figured by now obviously global warming presents a problem but this much?
I’m guessing that it could cause a catastrophe eventually, although I’m sure it would take a very long time to completly wipe out the population as it did to the dinosaurs.
I would also say that the environment is definently in a worse state now than it was when dinosaurs were living. We have new technology and buildings and construction that didn’t exist back then and add to the pollution problem, both in the air and water.
November 21st, 2007 at 10:27 am
There’s no doubt that global warming is becoming a huge problem: It has and will probably cause the extinction of many species. That is why we need to stop it. However, I am not worried about every species on the entire planet going extinct… I think that’s absurd. If an asteroid were to hit us, it is plausable, but I don’t think that global warming alone is going to bring an end to the entire human race! It COULD happen, but I don’t think it will. That’s not to say that global warming should be ignored. I agree with Alex- we have so much technology today that the dinosaurs didn’t have. Technology can not end global warming and it definitely can’t stop an asteroid from hitting Earth, but we can use it to make predictions that will help us better prepare for the future in any way possible. Great post, Matt.
November 21st, 2007 at 7:01 pm
I do believe that the earth is continously warming and cooling. I do not believe that the heating is caused by people though. The founder of the weather channel, John Coleman, called Global warming the greatest scam in history. Here is a site that talks about his thoughts on global warming. What do you think about John Colemans thoughts about global warming.
November 21st, 2007 at 7:39 pm
Graham, I have a few questions for you:
1)There are no authorities in science. This article is making one man an authority. Why is this acceptable?
2)Why does it matter that this man founded the weather channel? Why does this have any weight in this issue?
3)Why do you feel an article posted on a political organization’s website is a good source of scientific information?
4)The article mentions that politicians are brainwashed yet this is a political magazine. Does this not set off any alarm bells to you?
5)This is full of opinions. Where is the evidence?
6)What is to be done with all of the evidence supplied by climatologists that supports anthropogenic-induced climate change? Is it being dismissed because it doesn’t fit a strongly held “belief”. If so, how is this science?
This article reeks of “conspiracy theory.” As soon as I hear someone saying that something to do with sound science is a conspiracy theory I lose interest. Science is brutal. Unless you have evidence supporting your concept, scientists will rip it to shreds. Scientists love nothing more than to prove each other wrong. The sheer notion that scientists are brainwashed is unfounded, lacks any evidence, and sounds downright political.
November 21st, 2007 at 8:05 pm
Graham, why the heck would scientists try to conspire and hide things from people? These ideas have been repeatedly tested, but they have come up negative. The fact of the matter is, your idea is just one big opinion. What evidence is out there that supports a conspiricy theory? It does not make any sense. Politicians being brainwashed? That make a lot of sense…
People who make up things like a conspiricy theory and the fact that scientists are brainwashed, are just close-minded and cannot accept the fact that they are causing a crisus. Scientists have many facts backing up global warming caused by humans. This is a serious issue. The UN is worried to death about it and Al Gore got the nobel piece prize. Don’t you think it might be human caused?
They give an explanation that says it is caused by a cycle. What cycle are they talking about? where is the evidence? I’ll give you evidence that scientists(not brainwashed) have found. There have been an increase in green house gases which is causing global warming. Humans are exerting them. That doesn’t sound like an opinion to me. Get some scientific evidence that backs your idea up, and then we will talk. Right now your idea on global warming is ONE BIG OPINION.
November 21st, 2007 at 8:57 pm
I am not aware of any scientific study that proves that man is causing the earth to warm. I do think that the earth is warming slightly, but the earth has heated and cooled many times in the past without man’s help. Also, I am not aware that Al Gore is a scientist. He is a politician and I am not sure why folks are acting like he is some type of authority on global warming. Many of the so-called facts in Gore’s movie have been disproven. Why should we believe Al Gore and not a certified meterologist?
November 21st, 2007 at 10:25 pm
I think our environment is in a worse state than when the dinosaurs lived. I think this because we put all of the carbon and other greenhouse gases in the air while the dinosaurs didn’t. I do think if we continue increasing the rate at which we are increasing the greenhouse gases and the rate of human births to deaths that at least humans will die out (and probably all the other living things will too as a result) due to extreme global warming and the overshoot of our carrying capacity.
November 21st, 2007 at 11:42 pm
You’re right. Al Gore has no more authority than John Coleman in regards to making a final decision regarding this issue. I don’t recall anyone saying that he did. He was mentioned by Grant and given the Nobel Peace Prize as one of many individuals trying to make the public aware of this issue that scientists have been studying for decades now.
Graham, remember all that we’ve been over. One study means nothing. Even if you did know of a study that proved it, scientists wouldn’t make any conclusions from that single study.
Do some research! There’s many studies out there that show evidence for human-induced climate change. Read the post I wrote to Grant above for a starting point.
Did you read my questions to you and have any responses?
November 22nd, 2007 at 11:10 am
Graham, refer to the EPA’s website that Miss Baker gave me above.
http://www.epa.gov/climatechange/basicinfo.html
There you will find this information:
“Scientists are certain that human activities are changing the
composition of the atmosphere, and that increasing the concentration
of greenhouse gases will change the planet’s climate. But they are not
sure by how much it will change, at what rate it will change, or what
the exact effects will be.”
Like Miss Baker said, this is just one of the many studies out there that show evidence of human-induced climate change. It’s tough for us all to realize, but we are causing global warming.
Also, you said, “the earth is warming slightly”
I cannot even begin to tell you how wrong that statement is. The last 15 years have been the hottest years on Earth. That’s a fact, not an opinion.
You are right, Al Gore is not a scientist, and he is a politicion. However, he doesn’t just make the facts up. He studies with scientists and professors at universities and they are the one’s who give him the facts. By the way, I never said Al Gore was an authority, but I did say that he had been awarded the nobel peace prize for all his hard work on climate change. And he recieved the award because people realize the world is not only slightly warming, but is heating up quite a bit. People realize that this is a big issue.
November 23rd, 2007 at 12:57 pm
I was not trying to say anything bad about global warming. Was just presenting a new idea about climate change. When I saw this artical about the man from the weather channel, I thought it maybe a good thought. Something I read said that this man had done some reasearch that said that he found a river bed with trees that were around it.This place today is completely covered by snow and ice today. I do not know where this was that he saw the roots. His point was that the warth must have been heated before because it was warm enough to have plants and water on it. He was saying that the earth is continously heating and cooling. This is just a different point of veiw that I noticed. I beleive there is truth in what both of the sides are saying. I also think that poltitions should stay out of the the researching and leave it to the scientist.
December 9th, 2007 at 4:12 pm
this is very interesting story. i think the global warming can harm to us really badly.the ice of the mountains is getting smaller. so we can’t find the ice at the mountain. i think this is very big issue for every living things, because we can be disappeared on the earth.
September 18th, 2008 at 10:35 am
I believe that the level of carbon dioxide is increasing and might become toxic. According to this website http://www.oism.org/pproject/s33p36.htm the level of carbon dioxide has increased 22 percent since1958 and 30 percent since 1880. If the rate of carbon dioxide is increasing that much there is a chance that it will be enough to be toxic. If the amount of carbon was enough to kill dinosaurs then it must have gone down in the time between the dinosaurs and man so there would have had to be an ice age or something of the sort.