[meteorite-list] Meteorite-list Digest, Vol 36, Issue 28
Sterling K. Webb
sterling_k_webb at sbcglobal.net
Fri Dec 8 13:19:53 EST 2006
Hi,
Ed said:
> Think of it as the ultimate test of human
> intelligence. Will we pass? I don't know.
In 1752, another author, Voltaire, wrote a story
about a giant alien tourist from Sirius, Micromegas,
and his companion from Saturn, who tour the solar
system and visit the Earth. The Saturnian believes
that the Earth cannot be inhabited:
"In truth, what chiefly makes me think there is no
inhabitant of this sphere, is that I cannot suppose any
sensible being would wish to live here."
"Well," said Micromegas, "perhaps the beings
who inhabit it do not possess good sense."
Sterling K. Webb
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Text of Micromegas:
http://wondersmith.com/scifi/micro.htm
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----- Original Message -----
From: "E.P. Grondine" <epgrondine at yahoo.com>
To: <meteorite-list at meteoritecentral.com>
Sent: Friday, December 08, 2006 8:29 AM
Subject: Re: [meteorite-list] Meteorite-list Digest, Vol 36, Issue 28
> Hi all -
>
> I just wrote a book on man and impact. It's called
> "Man and Impact in the Americas", and it's available
> through amazon. I'm tired now, so I'll keep this
> short.
>
> The "experts" numbers for impact appear to be off by
> about factor of ten, in the impactors' favor, not
> man's. Over the last 6,000,000 years, we've come
> close to extinction several times.
>
> Impact rate estimates have been crippled for about 30
> years, largely due to confusion spread by Dr. David
> Morrison over the role of comets in impact. While
> Morrison did pioneer ground breaking work with
> Shoemaker some years back, since then his use of the
> power he gained from that work has been to the
> detriment of the field, and the detriment of us all.
>
> We can deal with this now, with the technologies we
> have in hand, but only if we make a concerted effort.
>
> Think of it as the ultimate test of human
> intelligence.
> Will we pass? I don't know.
>
> I'm going to get some more coffee and cigarettes.
>
> good hunting,
> Ed
>
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