The origin of mankind

[Nungali]

A tidbit for Nungali and anyone else interested:

 

Based on fossil evidence all marsupials evolved from the first species that evolved in what is now North America.

 

 

yes, that was before the southern arrangement of continents - Gondwanaland. I think this earlier one was centered over the north ... 'Pangaia' was it called ? 

 

 

This was back when the continents were still connect.  The marsupials spread from North America to South America then to Australia and even Antarctica. 

 

When the continents split up all but one species in North America died off. 

 

A possum ? ... or what ? 

 

 

South America has only two species.  Antarctica became too cold and all died off.  The Australian marsupials spread like the branches of a tree because there were no predators to kill them off.

 

I dont know what happened, the whole world got cold maybe ?  Where I live used to be over the south pole and proto-Antarctica was off to the side and north a bit, and we have remnant Gondwanaland forest with Antarctic beech . and now in Antarctica, which is over the south pole it is ice, but under it is fossilized Antarctic beech - the same type of trees .  ?  

[Nungali]

I'm not going to get any more technical than I already have.  Hehehe.

 

Well, okay, one more shot:  The CO2 in the atmosphere was much greater back then.  That made the CO2 to O2 ratio much greater on the CO2 side.  The CO2 had to decrease and the O2 had to increase.  Which it did, of course.

 

so it is actually the consumption of carbon . nit the creation of oxygen  .

Edited August 3, 2016 by Nungali

[Karl]

No . They know / knew a LOT more than you give them credit for. 

 

'just erroneous concepts' ... excuse me Karl, but how modernly biased of you.     Such 'erroneous conceptions' allowed the indigenous here to survive for over 40,000 years, without wrecking their own environment, and amidst climate change of drying and heat, ice age, sea level  changes, volcanoes, ice ......  

 

I am wondering how our modern society with its  " grasp of causality, chemicals, DNA, past history, biology, physics,"   is going to compare with that record ? 

That's a straw man argument. It's not a necessity to know how life began, it's only necessary to use ones mind to survive. Aborigines did not thrive, they almost got wiped out by western man. They had nothing at all to show for 40,000 years except a miserable stone age existence of continual toil.

 

I don't have a crystal ball, but what I do know is denial of reason, ethics and existence has resulted in millions of unnecessary death and suffering. That to continue on with decisions made on mere whim and feelings will be a far less effective survival tool than using the mind. Hence, I suggest we haven't that much time as a civilisation at least, perhaps not as a race either.

[Marblehead]

I dont know what happened, the whole world got cold maybe ?  Where I live used to be over the south pole and proto-Antarctica was off to the side and north a bit, and we have remnant Gondwanaland forest with Antarctic beech . and now in Antarctica, which is over the south pole it is ice, but under it is fossilized Antarctic beech - the same type of trees .  ?  

 

Yes, in North America it is called "possum".  Of the two in SA the "opossum" is basically the same species.  The other one is pretty different.

 

Yeah, the continental plates are constantly moving.  And yes, Antarctic once had a sub-tropical climate.

 

If I remember correctly, right now the Pacific Ocean is becoming narrower and the Atlantic Ocean is getting wider.  And India is still pushing against Asia.  Nothing is static.

[Marblehead]

so it is actually the consumption of carbon . nit the creation of oxygen  .

 

Yeah, my knowledge of chemistry is lacking.  I know that when humans take a breath of air our lungs utilize the oxygen and expel the carbon dioxide.  Then plants utilize the carbon dioxide and expel oxygen.  Nice arrangement.

 

Can elements be created here on Earth?  Might be a nice topic to research when I have nothing else to do.

 

Man has created new elements.  I need more brain power.

[Junko]

You know often I feel this planet is so alive just as we are.

[Marblehead]

Yes, I think it is valid to consider Earth as a living organism.

[Karl]

Yes, I think it is valid to consider Earth as a living organism.

Do you consider rocks living organisms ?

[Marblehead]

Do you consider rocks living organisms ?

 

I've been asked that question before.  My answer is still "No".

 

(But all things are subject to change.)

[Marblehead]

so it is actually the consumption of carbon . nit the creation of oxygen  .

 

Well, my fair feathered friend, my initial research indicates that oxygen truly is created here on Earth.  Yep.  It seems that blue-green algae (Cyanobacteria) are what changed the chemistry of Earth's atmosphere by creating vast amounts of oxygen about 3.5 billion years ago.

Edited August 3, 2016 by Marblehead

[Karl]

I've been asked that question before.  My answer is still "No".

 

(But all things are subject to change.)

Then the Earth is not a living organism, but it hosts living organisms which attempt to survive upon it.

[Marblehead]

Then the Earth is not a living organism, but it hosts living organisms which attempt to survive upon it.

 

Ah!, we are headed into the area of association and word usage, I think.

 

I am a living organism.  I wearing some clothes.  The clothes are not living organisms but I am.  Therefore my clothes are supporting this living organism just as the rock is supporting the life functions (living organism) of the planet.

[Karl]

Ah!, we are headed into the area of association and word usage, I think.

 

I am a living organism.  I wearing some clothes.  The clothes are not living organisms but I am.  Therefore my clothes are supporting this living organism just as the rock is supporting the life functions (living organism) of the planet.

The clothes are not living organisms, neither is the rock. They do not 'support' life functions, you must utilise the environment to support life function. The Rock is inanimate, it does not feed you, cloth you, or provide shelter, you must work to use the resources around you to survive, whatever they happen to be.

[Marblehead]

Your response contained more than I expected.

 

So you are suggesting that the ground you stand on is not part of you.  However, I ask you, what would happen to you if the ground suddenly disappeared?

[Apech]

Your response contained more than I expected.

 

So you are suggesting that the ground you stand on is not part of you.  However, I ask you, what would happen to you if the ground suddenly disappeared?

 

 

that's a hole new question.

[Karl]

Your response contained more than I expected.

 

So you are suggesting that the ground you stand on is not part of you.  However, I ask you, what would happen to you if the ground suddenly disappeared?

Of course it's not part of me. Do you mean if I was cast off into space ? Well then, sans a space suit I would die, but then I'm going to die anyway regardless of space, or ground.

[Marblehead]

Is that called rationalizing your response?  Hehehe.

 

Ah!, but at present you are living because of the support of the ground just as you are living because of the support of water and oxygen.  Everything that supports life is a part of that life.

 

Now true, the salt in Death Valley is offering me no support therefore it could be said that it is not a part of my living organism.  However, the bacteria and algae that is living under that salt and is protected by that salt is very dependent upon it.  Were it to disappear that life would cease to exist.

[Karl]

Is that called rationalizing your response?  Hehehe.

 

Ah!, but at present you are living because of the support of the ground just as you are living because of the support of water and oxygen.  Everything that supports life is a part of that life.

 

Now true, the salt in Death Valley is offering me no support therefore it could be said that it is not a part of my living organism.  However, the bacteria and algae that is living under that salt and is protected by that salt is very dependent upon it.  Were it to disappear that life would cease to exist.

No, they are only resources. Water can drown me just as easily as oxygen can create a fire that burns me. You seem to be getting a bit confused. Life must utilise whatever resources it can in order to survive. Those resources are as likely to kill as they are to provide useful products.

[Jim D.]

The earth as is were had potential to create life. Just as the stagnant water in my micropond. I agree with MH that earth as it is now is a living organism with lots of energy at its core.

 

MH I am so glad you found the literature on algae.

Edited August 3, 2016 by Jim D.

[Marblehead]

No, they are only resources. Water can drown me just as easily as oxygen can create a fire that burns me. You seem to be getting a bit confused. Life must utilise whatever resources it can in order to survive. Those resources are as likely to kill as they are to provide useful products.

 

No, I'm not confused Karl.  I am only testing your resilience.

[Marblehead]

The earth as is were had potential to create life. Just as the stagnant water in my micropound. I agree with MH that earth as it is now is a living organism with lots of energy at its core.

 

This is another one of the paradoxes of my understandings.  I can easily and without any guilt contradict myself.

 

MH I am so glad you found the literature on algae.

 

Yeah, I was already aware of the information but I had to refresh my memory before speaking to it.

[Karl]

No, I'm not confused Karl.  I am only testing your resilience.

My resilience or my patience ? I would have thought the former pretty much speaks for itself, the latter has yet to be broken.

[Jim D.]

Patience is a virtue. Sister Ildephonse use to tell me that patience is a virtue but there is a time when it ceases to be a virtue.

[Karl]

Patience is a virtue. Sister Ildephonse use to tell me that patience is a virtue but there is a time when it ceases to be a virtue.

If it isn't consistent, then it isn't a true virtue.

[Jim D.]

Karl, early on in our relationship your patience with me was broken. When I didn't agree with you or see your point of view, you gave up and bid me good luck. It was the uneasiness of our parting that raised your awareness that maybe Jim wasn't such a bad guy, and maybe he did had something to say. We butted heads because you are like me and I am like you. Your Ann Ryand way of thinking is something that you hold on to because it works very well for you...it is your life saver. For me it is the 12 Steps of Recovery. They are my life saver. And so I let them work me because I want to live.