What is a Man? Points to ponder...

**mashman** · 6th May 2010, 21:10

Originally Posted by huff3r

Ok how about this for waffle. Your comment on Zebras. Zebras, unlike horses, lack stamina, and therefore are NOT domesticated. Not because they cant be, but because there is no point. They are useless to anyone.

most likely because mainstream society doesn't eat Zebra... what's the old saying about preventing the extinction of a creature?

**Winston001** · 6th May 2010, 21:20

Originally Posted by Edbear

Much of what we have been taught as Gospel has in recent years been totally discredited. That includes calling into question the age of life itself. Is it really 3.5m years old? I bet you firmly believe the Earth is 4.5b years old as well.

Like I said, right over your head.

LOL ah well, at least this is entertaining.

Lets get a few accuracies established. The Universe we live in has certain rules which the study of physics reveals. Carbon-14 decays (loses its radioactivity, converting back to nitrogen-14) at a known rate; its half-life, or the time it takes for half a given number of carbon-14 atoms to decay, is about 5,730 years. This is merely one isotope and there are many others - C14 is mainly used for organic material. Isotopes are very useful because when found we can calculate the size and thus the age of the original rock.

4.5 billion years is not a guess for the age of the Earth. It isn't a number produced by a poll of scientists. The age is reached by repeated testing at different times and places of ancient rocks. It is possible the Earth is slightly older but unlikely to be newer assuming time is linear. Beyond that, our solar system is postulated as being the second solar system in this region, the first having emerged and collapsed since the Big Bang.

Ed if you want to assert that Man (for some reason you exclude Woman) is making a mess of the planet you'll find most of us agree. Its not rocket science, nor are things as bleak as you believe. Do not despair. Evolution will ensure a catastrophe occurs to humans and winnows our numbers to manageable proportions. And we will learn from that and adapt.