You can get a lot of debate and argument over how old the earth is, how old man, homo sapien sapien is, and when God created the world. Since no one knows we should all be tolerant of differing ideas, and tread lightly with our own thoughts, which I hope to do with this commentary. But, this we know, mankind as a whole is fast becoming an endangered species.
The general consensus among those scientists who are degreed and have the credentials to know what they"re talking about (religious leaders notwithstanding), the following scenario comes into play. The universe is something like 14-16 billion years old. Our planet is around 5 billion years old. Homo erectus started grunting around 200,000 years ago. Another 50,000 years later homo sapien sapien started to wonder why he was eating what he was and why he was here on this terra firma to start.
Now, with that broad background as information, how many of the species that have existed are no longer with us? The answer is 99%. This doesn"t speak well for we humanoids especially in light of our development of nuclear weapons and hatred for anyone who thinks differently, especially about the nature of God. It would take much from one side or the other to set off a nuclear night that could set us back to the stone age.
And then there"s the Yellowstone super volcano that could do the same?
Did I mention Planet X, suns pot, electromagnetic plasma, and galactic crossing?
While we are an endangered species, there is one species that"s been around though asteroid impacts (65 million years ago), the Toba super volcano eruption 70,000 years ago, and maybe a pass-by of an asteroid or planet that many think the plagues of Egypt described. What species is that which has managed to survive for more than 150 million years? It"s the same species that drinks 500 gallons of water a day- the Coast redwood tree(s): othewise knows as Sequoia sempervirens.
Say what?
If you"ve never been to Muir Woods just north of San Francisco, put it on your agenda. The oldest verified redwood tree is at least 2,200 years of age, but foresters believe that some may be much older. The coast redwoods are the tallest living species on Earth. Often they can reach heights of 300-350 feet and diameters of 16-18 feet. More than a dozen trees exceeding 360 feet in height are now growing along the California coast.
What are the lessons that we can learn while we can? A good, reasonable question indeed.