The Permian Extinction

[Rev. Rex]

I saw a very interesting program today, where they explained that they believe that they found the cause of the Permian Extinction, 284 million years ago. We already know that one moderate volcanic eruption produces more carbon dioxide in a single eruption than all of the carbon dioxide produced by man in an entire year. We also know that at any given time, there are 17 volcanoes that are erupting. The supposition is that 284 million years ago, there were suddenly over a hundred times the normal number of volcanic eruption.

This released so much carbon dioxide that the atmosphere suddenly had about 3-4% more than there is right now. That is a huge increase. (Compare with that the fact that since the industrial age, with all the co2 man has put in the atmosphere, the total quantity has only risen less than a half of one percent.) Over the course of several thousand years, the globe warmed about 5 degrees, worldwide. Gradually, this also caused an increase in ocean temperatures to where they would be much hotter than now.

And THAT, in turn, caused great pockets of methane gas on the bottom of the ocean to melt. (Seeing one of those pockets releasing is a spectacular sight, incidentally, but highly dangerous.) The enormous increase in methane raised the temperature by another 5 degrees. That 10 degree total would have been enough to kill off 95% of the creatures in the sea and 85% of the plants and animals on the surface.

I found the program quite interesting, and very logical. But I did have one question after it was over. WHAT caused the sudden 100 fold increase in volcanic eruptions?

[Rev. Kelly]

We know that the earth changes the way it sits on its axis depending on the time of the year. We also know that the earth rotates around the sun. And we know that the earth is constantly bombarded by space junk, ie asteroids, meteors, etc. We also know that the gravitational pull of the moon affects the earth. So what about just one of these changed, even by a small amount. Couldn't that be enough to cause the earth to go haywire. Not to mention that we could have pick up another moon for a short period of time, and not even know about it because, well.. there were no people to observe it.

In short, who knows for sure, and it could be a lot of things.

[Rev. Rex]

Good girl!!!! Yes, those things COULD cause the change. At that time, the solar system also passed from above the arm of the galaxy into the arm itself (as it has recently done again). Scientists have no clue what this means. But it is food for thought.

[Rev. Kelly]

So are you trying to say that we are heading for an ELE? Or is this just interesting?

[Rev. Rex]

We could be, but I'm just thinking that what we don't know far exceeds what we do know. We have the ability to prevent a great many things, if we are willing to spend the money. We MUST have more knowledge and get to know better what the things we face really are.

[Rev. Kelly]

Originally Posted by Rev. Rex

We could be, but I'm just thinking that what we don't know far exceeds what we do know. We have the ability to prevent a great many things, if we are willing to spend the money. We MUST have more knowledge and get to know better what the things we face really are.

I think that we agree on this from a different angle, someplace else. Didn't we?

And I am not sure if I should be insulted or not from being called "good girl" I kinda feel like I'm back in 2nd grade.

[Rev. Rex]

We have indeed, and I was actually meaning to compliment you with that last part. Your statements show a good deal of intelligence.

[Lightkeeper]

Originally Posted by Rev. Rex

I saw a very interesting program today, where they explained that they believe that they found the cause of the Permian Extinction, 284 million years ago. We already know that one moderate volcanic eruption produces more carbon dioxide in a single eruption than all of the carbon dioxide produced by man in an entire year. We also know that at any given time, there are 17 volcanoes that are erupting. The supposition is that 284 million years ago, there were suddenly over a hundred times the normal number of volcanic eruption.

This released so much carbon dioxide that the atmosphere suddenly had about 3-4% more than there is right now. That is a huge increase. (Compare with that the fact that since the industrial age, with all the co2 man has put in the atmosphere, the total quantity has only risen less than a half of one percent.) Over the course of several thousand years, the globe warmed about 5 degrees, worldwide. Gradually, this also caused an increase in ocean temperatures to where they would be much hotter than now.

And THAT, in turn, caused great pockets of methane gas on the bottom of the ocean to melt. (Seeing one of those pockets releasing is a spectacular sight, incidentally, but highly dangerous.) The enormous increase in methane raised the temperature by another 5 degrees. That 10 degree total would have been enough to kill off 95% of the creatures in the sea and 85% of the plants and animals on the surface.

I found the program quite interesting, and very logical. But I did have one question after it was over. WHAT caused the sudden 100 fold increase in volcanic eruptions?

So, I would take that to mean that Earth itself causes the global warming.

[Rev. Kelly]

Originally Posted by Rev. Rex

We have indeed, and I was actually meaning to compliment you with that last part. Your statements show a good deal of intelligence.

Thank you. I like to read, watch documentary programs, and of course, who can forget that I am currently in college. I am not all that excited about college though, they expect you to "think inside the box" and I was never all that good at it. I can take a variety of information and draw a logical conclusion from it though.

I don't think that I've seen the show you have, but one very similar to it.

[Rev. Rex]

Originally Posted by Lightkeeper

So, I would take that to mean that Earth itself causes the global warming.

Very true. I believe that the biggest fault of mankind as a whole is arrogance, and that includes the arrogance to believe that they have more of an ability to heat up the planet more effectively than it can do, itself. Through most of its history, the Earth has been far hotter than it is today, and periodically it drastically warms up regardless of whether there are men around or not. And we are talking about a much greater increase in temperature than the one half degree that has actually been logged over the last century. In fact, 2,000 years ago, the average worldwide temperature was several degrees more than it is now. Yet there were less than 1% of the number of people that there was then, and they didn't have the things that most people today think of as producing all the carbon dioxide, like combustible engines.