=)

[whisteriansky]

Comments

[econ2econ]

I think because man evolved from nature, he IS nature, including everything he does. Natural disasters show us we are just as vulnerable as all the other creatures.

[whisteriansky]

hehe, i was just thinking about this documentary i saw on either the discovery channel or national geographic channel. one part of it was speculating about humans being a hybrid that's part alien. sounds a little out there, but their reasoning was that humanity took a sudden turn from primitive thinking to civilization in a very short time span. also, that the ancient mesopotamians worshiped these alien like beings. it's all pretty sketchy, but it was entertaining =D

[bitfiend]

I always thought that Agent Smith had a good point in The Matrix. That we humans do not follow the normal pattern of other mammals who develop a natural equilibrium with the surrounding environment. We multiply and consume natural resources. We're basically ruining the world: ozone depletion, environmental pollution, extinction of other species. Blah blah blah..

[bitfiend]

I mean, what other species is capable of that?

[econ2econ]

Viruses, according to Agent Smith, right? :) Of course, we learned in science that viruses aren't actually living organisms. Eventually at some point, if we don't curb things ourselves, our own excesses will be our demise. Just like overeating will actually shorten your lifespan. But I still don't see that as something outside of nature. Yes, we may very well destroy what Earth is at is exists today, but Earth will still be here and will continue to grow and change and cycle through the stages of a planet's life. I mean, unless we drilled into the core with a nuclear weapon and blew the earth up, I guess. The earth wasn't always green and lush and covered with animals. I imagine that the era that life exists on earth is only but a blip on the timeline of earth's life. Humans, you could say, are just another in a long line of universal impacts on this ball of carbon, iron, silicon, etc. What I'm getting at is that if it happens, it was supposed to happen that way.

[bitfiend]

I think they keep changing it. That is, whether virii are considered living. What are the criteria for being alive, anyway? They aren't made of cells, but they still reproduce.

And I totally agree with the "blip" notion. :)

[econ2econ]

http://www.ibiblio.org/astrobiology/index.php?page=origin06

[bitfiend]

Cool! I was hoping for a more interesting picture under "Reproduction". :)

[whisteriansky]

well, not exactly viruses. there are living organisms classified as parasites, also quoted by Agent Smith.