Earth has entered its sixth great mass extinction event, it's our fault, and we might not survive, s - Polidicks

[QUOTE=Jon27;48009904]It's more a complaint of helplessness than anything. I don't believe money is the only issue, but we do put immaterial barriers in the way of our survival and call them 'the economy', and much like the problem of space travel 'too expensive; focus on things here on Earth' it causes everyone to get into a bit of a tizz over something that, compared to the enormity of our extinction, isn't really an issue ie how much cash we have. Apparently blank checks are a childish concept but it would be a step towards fixing what we broke. I'm sorry if I came across as arrogant?[/QUOTE] I get what you meant, but you see, the entire structure of our society now is pretty essential. It just so happens that by the time we figured out that there's something wrong, the system was already in place. In fact, it's the very thing that allowed us to understand stuff like we do. And I'm sure it will be what allows us to solve the problem in the end. There's no point blaming the way our society is. Sure it sucks that it's pretty much a loop now (perpetuating the problem in order to solve it), but there's nothing to be done. [editline]20th June 2015[/editline] [QUOTE=Sand Castle;48009968]the main problem with bee endangerment is that people kill them thinking they're wasps honey bees are nice. they're good guys who don't want to do anything to you, they just help the ecosystem. if the honeybee were a person, they could crash on my couch any time. i respect the honeybee deeply, they're also kinda cute now wasps are demonic creatures bread straight from satan's asshole. they don't contribute anythinf and run around ruining people's days for no reason. if the wasp were a person, they would be lucky to be able to sleep on the sidewalk outside my house on a thursday.[/QUOTE] Wasps are pretty non-aggressive though. They're like "don't you mess with me and we'll happily go on with our day".

I've heard African Wasps? are the most aggressive.

[QUOTE=gudman;48009992]I get what you meant, but you see, the entire structure of our society now is pretty essential. It just so happens that by the time we figured out that there's something wrong, the system was already in place. In fact, it's the very thing that allowed us to understand stuff like we do. And I'm sure it will be what allows us to solve the problem in the end. There's no point blaming the way our society is. Sure it sucks that it's pretty much a loop now (perpetuating the problem in order to solve it), but there's nothing to be done.[/QUOTE] Alright, so, sorry if this comes across as a bit dumb but basically what you're getting at here is the only thing we can really can do is just sit and ride it out? We're not truly all going to die, but just a lot of us are going to suffer before things get better?

Meh, who cares, with our nature self destruction is inevitable.

[QUOTE=ehheh;48010022]Alright, so, sorry if this comes across as a bit dumb but basically what you're getting at here is the only thing we can really can do is just sit and ride it out? We're not truly all going to die, but just a lot of us are going to suffer before things get better?[/QUOTE] [b]We[/b] as in, you and me? Yeah, pretty much, we just sit on our asses like we always did and shit gets solved around us regardless of if we ever lived or not. We neither have the knowledge nor the power to solve anything. Unless you have any of those, then that's different. If you mean we as a species - well, it's not like the issue is just totally ignored and there's just a couple of scientist dudes who desperately cry about the inevitable apocalypse. We're already doing quite a lot to come close to understanding what's exactly going on, and then we can actually do something about the problem without reverting back to stone age. First stop is always understanding the inner workings of a problem, else you're fumbling in the dark and might end up doing something that only hurts you without doing anything about the issue.

There doesn't seem to be any explanation in the article as to why we would be the first species to go extinct. I don't see why that would be the case either, many civilisations have survived for thousands of years in extremely harsh conditions. Unless Earth's surface is glassed or temperature rise above survivable levels I don't see why the entire species should go extinct. Worst case scenario, our population is drastically reduced and we go back to smaller feudal or tribal societies. Adaptable species are the most likely to live through mass extinction events and I don't see any other species that would fit that criteria better than us. [editline]20th June 2015[/editline] Not that it should be a valid reason to ignore the problem, a Fallout or Mad Max kind of world isn't anything to look forward to.

I think people get "humanity" and "society" mixed up. Society is fragile and will collapse if [I]any[/I] of our major comforts (food, water, electricity) disappear. Humanity is extremely durable and could survive, although not comfortably.

[QUOTE=Mr. Someguy;48010112]I think people get "humanity" and "society" mixed up. Society is fragile and will collapse if [I]any[/I] of our major comforts (food, water, electricity) disappear. Humanity is extremely durable and could survive, although not comfortably.[/QUOTE] So what about some middle east or african countries, where getting food is a matter of luck, and they essentially don't have plumbing nor electrical grid at all? Or think about what comforts did now developed nations have not too long ago, say, in 19th century. Society is not about comforts, it's about human nature.

[QUOTE=Mr. Someguy;48010112]I think people get "humanity" and "society" mixed up. Society is fragile and will collapse if [I]any[/I] of our major comforts (food, water, electricity) disappear. Humanity is extremely durable and could survive, although not comfortably.[/QUOTE] And you are basing that on the fact that we have survived how many previous major extinction events? While humanity is resilient, I am pretty sure that few thousand years with atmosphere being unbreathable for us would be quite a shakeup and we don't really have any data that could tell us if we could make it over that or not.

[QUOTE=Davoc;48009947]Can anyone explain what does this really mean? I've read it like 4 times and I still don't get, all I know is we're fucked but how, why and how long until?[/QUOTE] That's typical about scaremongering articles. No real explanation, just a guy basically shouting "OH MY GOD WE'RE ALL GONNA DIE"

so are we gonna die or not, I need to plan out my evening

[QUOTE=Davoc;48010232]so are we gonna die or not, I need to plan out my evening[/QUOTE] Not in your lifetime.

Bring it on I guess, cuz we humans will come out punching.

Well, goodluck to my grandchildren lol

[QUOTE=Blazedol;48010257]Not in your lifetime.[/QUOTE] yay, time to break out the wine and hummer

[QUOTE=Davoc;48010232]so are we gonna die or not, I need to plan out my evening[/QUOTE] No we're not gonna die out. [QUOTE]Arguably the most serious aspect of the environmental crisis is the loss of biodiversity—the other living things with which we share Earth. This affects human well-being by interfering with crucial ecosystem services such as crop pollination and water purification and by destroying humanity’s beautiful, fascinating, and culturally important living companions (4, 5, 15, 27–30).[/QUOTE] [QUOTE]Avoiding a true sixth mass extinction will require rapid, greatly intensified efforts to conserve already threatened species and to alleviate pressures on their populations—notably habitat loss, overexploitation for economic gain, and climate change (31–33). All of these are related to human population size and growth, which increases consumption (especially among the rich), and economic inequity (6). However, the window of opportunity is rapidly closing.[/QUOTE] I am not downplaying this though. This is really bad if it is allowed to continue, but to claim that our species as a whole would die out is preposterous.

[QUOTE=Megadave;48009005]I don't know, this seems a little bit [I]sensationalist[/I].[/QUOTE] I feel like this is only true IF they time this mass extintion event as going from now to whenever humanity WILL die. We would NEVER be the first casualties either, unless something actually fucked up Earth REALLY BADLY.

[QUOTE=jonu67;48010348]Bring it on I guess, cuz we humans will come out punching.[/QUOTE] First HINT of trouble, and we'll be looting and panicking, killing and raping. So sure, go us.

Thanks humanity; my generation get to pick up the pieces of the broken earth. I appreciate it.

[I]Sorry.[/I] Anyway, as I'm sure people noted: "Extinction may be more gradual than when the dinosaurs died." Also: "it's still possible to avoid dramatic decay of biodiversity through intensive conservation, but rapid action is needed." I don't think humans going extinct is the problem here at all. But the large amount of shit we consume in order to survive [i]as a whole[/i] and by consuming, I also mean your computer, and everything around you. Not just food. So, when you think of all that, and how much we truly consume, it's no wonder that species are dying of 100 times faster. And we EVEN have people who don't consume much at all, and a lot of them! (Those poor and unfortunate as shit.)

[QUOTE=Bat-shit;48010784][I]Sorry.[/I] Anyway, as I'm sure people noted: "Extinction may be more gradual than when the dinosaurs died." Also: "it's still possible to avoid dramatic decay of biodiversity through intensive conservation, but rapid action is needed." I don't think humans going extinct is the problem here at all. But the large amount of shit we consume in order to survive [i]as a whole[/i] and by consuming, I also mean your computer, and everything around you. Not just food. So, when you think of all that, and how much we truly consume, it's no wonder that species are dying of 100 times faster. And we EVEN have people who don't consume much at all, and a lot of them! (Those poor and unfortunate as shit.)[/QUOTE] I getcha it's just depressing to think about I'm not even an adult and it looks like an extinction event is on the horizon. Makes you feel powerless. Even when I try to do what I can.

Time to invest in building the Vaults, I guess. Burrow deep and emerge aeons later to conquer the chimps.

[QUOTE=Purple Gecko;48010854]I getcha it's just depressing to think about I'm not even an adult and it looks like an extinction event is on the horizon. Makes you feel powerless. Even when I try to do what I can.[/QUOTE] I don't suppose you're an exceptionally good public speaker, an aspiring politician who is very well educated in economics and ecology?

we'll be fine.

I'm not saying that we shouldn't switch to renewable energy but green energy is in it's infancy. We're not there yet. One coal power plant in Poland has 2500mw total capacity (largest one 5400). 1 average wind turbine has 2mw capacity. It costs $3-$4 million do built one. 2500mw/2mw*$3million=$3,75 billion It would cost 3,75 billion dollars to replace that one coal power plant with wind turbines. (assuming optimal wind speed 100% of the time) How about solar then? Ivanpah Solar Power Facility in Mojave Desert has 392mw capacity and cost $2.2 billion. So it would be over $14 billion to get 2500mw. (assuming the sun would fucking stop in the optimal spot). Unless the fossils start to run out and become very expensive there's no way power companies will switch. And rich developed countries forcing poor developing countries to stop using fossil fuels and switch to green energy after those developed counties enjoyed cheap fossil energy for decades is fucked up. "We have exploited this cheap energy for 50 years and it's one of the reasons we got so rich and we can afford switching to green energy now but you shouldn't get the same opportunity, you have to buy this expensive thing now, it doesn't matter you didn't have the chance to get wealthy yet."

[QUOTE=Bat-shit;48010984]I don't suppose you're an exceptionally good public speaker, an aspiring politician who is very well educated in economics and ecology?[/QUOTE] Yeaaah sadly no.

[QUOTE=Zambies!;48008972]Although this is depressing, I'm sure that our hands in science are working as hard as they can to reverse the greatest sections of damage. Never count humanity out.[/QUOTE] As harsh and pessimistic as it is to say, it does seem like we're a cancer on this planet. What other species could cause a mass extinction? The only solution would be to try and cut out as much of the cancer as possible

[QUOTE=markg06;48009534]Why don't we just export the pollution to Mars?[/QUOTE] I know it's extremely unrealistic but I hope American science eventually finds a way to do this so we can literally just start dumping polluted air into other planets and go 'fuck it let the grays figure it out later' Seriously wouldn't that be fucking hilarious

[QUOTE=ridinmybike;48011255]As harsh and pessimistic as it is to say, it does seem like we're a cancer on this planet. What other species could cause a mass extinction? The only solution would be to try and cut out as much of the cancer as possible[/QUOTE] Thing is, WE aren't the cancer, but there are definitely tumours in the body of the world. What we SHOULD be doing is undergoing some sort of cultural chemotherapy, purging and isolating those behind the wheel of the engines that are causing the current extinction event. In other words smack down big oil, break the knees of the Brazilian lumber industry, rip Monsato to shreds and turn the remains into fertilizer, smash the military industrial complex, and pump a ton of funds into geo-engineering and repairing the planet. Which will probably never happen, so like I said, let's just build the Vaults and wait out the long winter of discontent.

[QUOTE=Craigewan;48009010]Speaking as someone in an involved field (Ecology) - We are kinda boned. The problem isn't really with Science, but with the rest of society - to try and turn things round the whole world would have to get behind some pretty major sacrifices (Drastic reduction in fossil fuel use, deforestation, etc. Hell, we'd probably have to globally institute population control a la China), and there is just no appetite for that. People don't want to give up their level of quality of life, and the rest of the world aspires to the profligate standards of the West.[/QUOTE] Eh it's questionable - remember that Europe for instance has a population net loss and doesn't consume as much per capita as some other advanced or even less advanced zones of the earth. And most of those things aren't a result of government mandated aproaches. [QUOTE=ridinmybike;48011255]As harsh and pessimistic as it is to say, it does seem like we're a cancer on this planet. What other species could cause a mass extinction? The only solution would be to try and cut out as much of the cancer as possible[/QUOTE] Pretty much any kind of microorganism that would run rampant and change the chemical composition of the air or sea. Hint - there's theories that postulate that this may have actually happened in the past.