A chat amongst stones can take a while...

Prelude – “Das Rad”

We are vulnerable to extinctionThink Critically

Discover Discuss

ctgarry

Scope Check

• When was the earth hatched?

“a long time ago”

IrrelevantScope

• When will it all go poof?

“not for a while”

Not InterestedScope

• Evolution

“That which adapts survives”

YawnScope

• Divine punishment

“dinosaurs weren’t allowed on the ark”

Things to make you go “Brrrr”Scope

• The favored species

“He made the Earth for us”

ProvidenceScope

Scope

Which Earth?

Toolsto use in discussion of extinction

• Disposing Pre-conceived notions and filters in favor of…

“facts?”

Scientific MethodTools

• Describing Time Spans– Human History versus Facebook History

• Making Inferences– Things at the bottom are older

• Classifications– Things that are similar can be grouped together

Terms and AnalysisTools

It’s hard out here for a chimp

• Layering• Group layers into 11 “periods”

– No dinosaurs in last 2 periods

• Chemical Decay Rates

Sparkly WordsGeologic Features

Tools: Inferences

• Looking at early “records” of Earth, we label increasingly refined segments

• SuperEon > Eon (4) > Era (10) > Period (22) – Epoch (7 in the last two periods)

Sparkly Words Describing Geologic Time spans

Tools: Time spans

• Species– All humans alive today are one species because they constitute a

group of individuals that could breed with themselves but not with any other group.

Sparkly WordsTaxonomic Classifications

Tools: Classifications

PRIMATE

Hominid

Homo

Sparkly WordsTaxonomic Classifications

Tools: Classifications

HabilisSapi

ensAu

Old World Monkey

• It can go like this then:• Species

• Groups of Similar Species = GENUS• Groups of Groups of Similar Species = FAMILY• Groups of Groups of Groups of Similar Species = ORDER• etc

• One sign of life versus another– How does it relate? What’s similar? – What’s different?

Sparkly WordsTaxonomic Classifications

Tools: Classifications

PhylumClass

OrderFamily

GenusSpecies

Spinal cordsLive birth; nurse

Looks “monkey-like”Looks “great ape”

Looks “human”Humans

ChordateMammal

PrimateHominid

HomoSapiens

• No bones…only stones• Locations– Siberia– BC– Australia– Texas– Utah– Scotland– Etc

What do they have in common?

Tools

Sparkly WordsFossils

“major mass extinctions far exceeding background extinction rate”

Sparkly WordsExtinction Level Event (ELE)

Tools

Terminology, Classification, Inferences are tools used in discussion of extinction and

can be reused to think critically, discover and discuss our vulnerability to it

• WE are vulnerable to extinction

– NO!

• We are vulnerable to extinction

– NO!

• We are vulnerable to extinction

– YES!

Which is it?Tools

Frame it up

• Requirements Hell – molten requirements swirled

• Alpha – continental mockups formed

• Dogfood– the earliest friendly users were introduced – atmosphere provided, etc

Ends: microscopic hard-shelled users arrive

Earth as a ProjectFirst 88 % of earth’s history

Frame

• Requirements• Alpha• Dogfood• Early Adopters• Power Users• Noobs

Earth as a ProjectFrame

RC1: Early AdoptersFish, ArthropodsAmphibians Reptiles

• Requirements• Alpha• Dogfood• Early Adopters• Power Users• Noobs

Earth as a ProjectFrame

RC1: Early Adopters crashed a lot• O-S extinction event:

• 27% of all families • 57% of all genera

• D-C extinction event:• Top spots were all traded throughout the

last half: Fish, arthropods (things with shells), amphibians and reptiles

• 19% of all families• 50% of all genera • 70% of all species

• Requirements• Alpha• Dogfood• Early adopters• Power Users• Noobs

Earth as a ProjectFrame

RC2: Power Usersarchosaurs dominate

RC3: Power Users Reduxdinosaurs rule

• Requirements• Alpha• Dogfood• Early adopters• Power Users• Noobs

Earth as a ProjectFrame

• RC 2 “Great Dying”• Out: Mammal-like reptiles• 57% of all families; 83% of all genera• In: Archosaurs, Therapsids Large Amphibians

• RC 3 “Dawn of Jurassic”• Out: Archosaurs; Therapsids; Amphibians• 23% of all families; 48% of all genera • In: Dinosaurs

• Requirements• Alpha• Dogfood• Early adopters• Power Users• Noobs

Earth as a ProjectFrame

Most recent 1.5 % of earth’s history:

RC4 becomes v1.0 Tropical period heading for coolingSmall users prosper, fauna diversify

v1.1: Mammals and birds revisedIntroduction of “Hominids”

v1.2: Introduction of “Homo” (Humans)

• Requirements• Alpha• Dogfood• Early adopters• Power Users• Noobs

Earth as a ProjectFrame

• RC4 Mass Extinctions– Dinosaurs out– Mammals in• 17% of all families• 50% of all genera • 75% of species

Putting it TogetherPrecambrian SuperEon (First 88%)

•Requirements Hell (Hadean Eon) molten requirements•Alpha (Archean Eon) continental mockups•Internal Beta (Proterozoic Eon) friendly users; atmosphere

Analysis

•Requirements•Alpha•Internal Beta

•RC1: Early Adopters (Paleozoic Era) Fish, arthropods, amphibians and reptiles•RC2: Power Users (Mesozoic Era > Triassic) archosaurs•RC3: Power Users Redux (Mesozoic Era > Jurassic & Cretaceous) dinosaurs•RC4 (1.0): Newbs (Cenozoic Era) mammals

12%

Putting it TogetherPhanerozoic Eon (Most recent 12%)

Analysis

Putting it TogetherCenozoic Era (Most recent 1.5%)

•RC1: Early Adopters•RC2: Power Users•RC3: Power Users Redux•RC4 (1.0): Newbs

•Requirements•Alpha•Internal Beta

•1.0: (Paleogene Period) tropical period, where small scale users prosper, fauna diversify•1.1: (Neogene Period) Mammals and Birds drive changes. Intro of “Hominids” (half-way)•1.2: (Quaternary Period) Introduction of “Homo” (Humans)

12%

Analysis

1.5%

Precambrian SuperEon (First 88%)

•Requirements Hell (Hadean Eon) molten requirements•Alpha (Archean Eon) continental mockups•Internal Beta (Proterozoic Eon) friendly users; atmosphere

Phanerozoic Eon (Most recent 12%)

•RC1: Early Adopters (Paleozoic Era) Fish, arthropods, amphibians and reptiles•RC2: Power Users (Mesozoic Era > Triassic) archosaurs•RC3: Power Users Redux (Mesozoic Era > Jurassic&Cretaceous) dinosaurs•RC4 (1.0): Newbs (Cenozoic Era) mammals

•1.0: (Paleogene Period) tropical period, where small scale users prosper, fauna diversify•1.1: (Neogene Period) Mammals and Birds drive changes. Intro of “Hominids” about half-way through•1.2: (Quaternary Period) Introduction of “Homo” (Humans)

Cenozoic Era (Most recent 1.5%)

Putting it TogetherAnalysis

End of RC3

The Story So Far

The Story So FarELE

• Species go extinct

…which is advantageous for other species

The Story So FarELE

• Extinction takes a while

…or does it?

The Story So FarELE

• Mass Extinctions are not 100% across species• Mark the transitions from span to span• Data incomplete

…is that supposed to make me feel better? if “me” = “humans” maybe not….

The Story So FarELE

• We care about extinctions because we are only one species

…We may just go in a background extinction

The Story So FarELE

• Extinctions don’t destroy the environment

…the Earth persisted through all ELE we can detect

Let’s Get Down to It

QuestionsELE

• Do you personally know how much and in what way we depend on other species?

…direct use of a dozen varieties of plants and one or two meats …but what does it take to support those?

QuestionsELE

• How many species here?

…Human Biome Project shows 10,000 +

ELE

QuestionsELE

• How much control do you think we (as a species) have over:• favored terrain• atmosphere • food supply• our own bodies?

…40% of humans poop outside

not even a bucket…

QuestionsELE

• Will we adapt fast enough to react to a sudden event?• What does “sudden” even mean?

…will it matter? 0.00000004 %

AdaptationThe Ron White Factor

• “There was a guy down in Florida who said that, at the age of 53 years old, he was in good enough physical condition to withstand the wind, rain and hail of a force-3 hurricane.

• “Now, let me explain somethin’ to ya: it isn't that the wind is blowin’, it's what the wind is blowin’.

• “If you get hit by a Volvo, it doesn't matter how many sit-ups you did that morning.”

ELE

vs

vs

What Then Must We Do?

Recycle

ZPG

Solar-powered carPrejudices

Conserve

Vegetarian

Reuse

GardenBuy locally

Sustainability

Go natural

Telecommute

Give, not tossMulti-use devices

Challenge your beliefs

Rechargeable

Paperless

Think Critically. Discover & Discuss.

Work out

Values

But…

Isabel Taylor 1996-2012

• Not too far, please

Do Something

thank you

• http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/77/Geologic_Clock_with_events_and_periods.svg/625px-Geologic_Clock_with_events_and_periods.svg.png

Visualization 1Append

(Human ) (Chimp) (Gorilla) (Orangutan) (Gibbon)

Homina Homina?Append

About “Das Rad” (The Rocks)

• Eight minute German film by Chris Stenner • An Academy Awards nominee for animation 2003• Animation, puppets, stop-motion and CGI• Human development from nature’s point of view• For more information, visit dasrad.com• For more German-made shorts german-films.de• © “Georg Gruber Filmproduktion / Magnetfilm”

We interfere with nature but can’t outlast it

Append

About Kakapos (Strigops habroptila)

• Critically Endangered, giant, nocturnal parrot• It is a classic example of evolution on an isolated island• The only flightless parrot in the world• It is also the largest parrot known • It is possibly the longest-lived• Mossy green plumage mottled with brown and yellow• The face is owl-like and framed with modified whisker-like

feathers • The scientific name habroptila means ‘soft feathers’• Has no indigenous predators and so “doesn’t worry”

Append

Embeds• http://www.wikihow.com• http://www.metacafe.com (Das Rad)• http://youtu.be/QU8PU6iw0BY (Das Rad)• http://youtu.be/Opv8vZ6RvB0 (Kakapo - Mark)• http://youtu.be/K4QFZfyEUZ4 (Kakapo - night vision shots)• http://youtu.be/_ZG8HBuDjgc (Douglas Adams)• http://rosegeorge.com/site/books/the-big-necessity (pooping outside)• http://youtu.be/_QqfifH3-rk (Yosemite Night Visions)• http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/nature11234 (Human Biome Project)• http://bible.cc/luke/3-10.htm (Sharing)

Append

Making a DifferenceOne day an old man was walking along the

beach. It was low tide, and the sand was littered with thousands of stranded starfish by a rare minus tide.

The man began walking very carefully so as not to step on any of the beautiful creatures. Since the animals still seemed to be alive, he considered picking some of them up and putting them back in the water, where they could resume their lives.

The man knew the starfish would die if left on the beach's dry sand but he reasoned that he could not possibly help them all, so he chose to do nothing and continued walking.

Append

Soon afterward, the man came upon a small child on the beach who was frantically throwing one starfish after another back into the sea. The old man stopped and asked the child, "What are you doing?“

"I'm saving the starfish," the child replied. "Why waste your time?... There are so

many you can't save them all so why does it matter?", asked the man.

Without hesitation, the child picked up another starfish and tossed the starfish back into the water... "It matters to this one," the child said.

Year of Living DangerouslyBilly Kwan, seasoned freelance photo-journalist based in Jakarta, Indonesia

Guy Hamilton, Journalist, neophyte, foreign correspondent from Australia

BILLY: And the people asked him, saying, what shall we do then?

GUY: What's that?

BILLY: It's from Luke, chapter three, verse ten. What then must we do? Tolstoy asked the same question. He wrote

a book with that title. He got so upset about the poverty in Moscow that he went one night into the poorest

section and just gave away all his money. You could do that now. Five American dollars would be a fortune to

one of these people.

GUY: Wouldn't do any good, just be a drop in the ocean.

BILLY: Ahh, that's the same conclusion Tolstoy came to. I disagree.

GUY: Oh, what's your solution?

BILLY: Well, I support the view that you just don't think about the major issues. You do whatever you can about

the misery that's in front of you. Add your light to the sum of light. You think that's naive, don't you?

GUY: Yep.

BILLY: It's alright, most journalists do.

GUY: We can't afford to get involved.

Append

Sounds of Peace

Postlude – “Das Himmel”