The problem with the BSG storyline was that they said homosapien was already here and they were coincidentally genetically identical. This was kind of silly from a genetic standpoint. Afterall, there is only 1.2 percent difference between us and chimpanzee.
A better storyline might have been that the hominds they encountered were Neanderthal and that homosapien came from the colonies. That actually could be almost believable from our fossil records. Homosapien does appear to have direct ancestors from about 600,000 years ago, but the show could have said "Wow, we are pretty similar, we might have had common ancestors a million years ago."
Gee, I'm really glad all the scientists in the world spend so much time arguing-- with resources-- whether the Earth in 2100 will be one degree warmer than today instead of focusing on a tangible, indisputable problem that has a 1-in-10 chance of happening in the next century. Really smart risk assessment there, guys. [www.theatlantic.com]
@Daveinva: Why would they devote time and effort to a problem that has a tiny change of affecting a small number of people, when there's a problem that has a 100% chance of affecting ALL people.
And the earth will not JUST be one degree warmer, according to most of the latest predictions. But even one degree on average would be quite disastrous.
Also, we're not even getting into the question of who "they" are and why they seem to only be allowing you to solve one problem at a time. Maybe you're just using this chance to get a pointless and baseless dig against climate change? hmm?
Several of the comments point out that nothing will be seriously done until a small one hits us and wipes out a city or two.
But, you know, not too long ago we had the rare chance to watch the impact of a meteor onto Jupiter's atmosphere. We watched it, we measured the effects of the impacts (there were several), the results were presented to the public and to the people in charge. And, yet, no one cared.
Never mind that it was on Jupiter, only the largest planet, and the impact caused a long-term effect. Never mind that Jupiter's mostly gas, meaning a much softer impact than it would have been otherwise. Never mind that the fact that it happened right next door means it can and WILL happen to us sooner or later.
No one f*ing cared. I, for one, can't wait for our civilization to be wiped off this rock. That oughta teach us.
@Roklimber: Yea, but many people have no inclination to care about what's happening outside of their own country, much less the planet (and to be fair they usually wouldn't need to)
@Roklimber: I blame that TV movie where they had the MOON crash into earth. How can the average citizen be expected to take the issue seriously after THAT?
@Roklimber: its like the thingee 'if a tree falls in the woods, would it still make a sound if no one were there to observe it fall?'
In which case you're right, no one cared then because Jupiter was the forest. in the debate on climate change, would we really be worried about a few islands being put underwater if they weren't populated? not really no, but since most islands now have ppl on them that need to be placed somewhere and be compensated, yeah it matters then.
I do agree that we have it coming though. just too bad we likely won't be able to youtube the damn thing if its the big one...
@Roklimber: Wow. You've really got a case of the nerd-geek-syndrome. You know the one. The one where if the world doesn't bow to your extravagant, outrageous conclusions, it deserves to be wiped off the planet.
If an asteroid is going to wipe us all out, I'd rather not know about it. I'd rather just go out living my life than panicky about something I can't prevent.
"any one of which could strike our planet and cause devastating damaged."
the asteroid is literally going to hit us so hard we'll start feeling it last tuesday?
I think the only way people will be willing to pony up significant dough for this project is to wait for an asteroid to smack a city first, wreck some buildings, and kill some people.
As it is, the idea of such a thing happening is too intangible, outside the realm of sci-fi entertainment, for most people to actually be afraid of something like that.
@omgwtflolbbqbye: Well, whatever city I'm in is called as "not it" for being the sacrificial city. As a Canadian, I'd like to volunteer Hamilton, Ontario. Stupid Hamilton . . .
I'd also like to mention 99942 Apophis. April 13, 2036 people, take care of any unfinished business.
@omgwtflolbbqbye: Yeah, it'll probably take some kind of "cosmic 9/11" to get folks to take this sort of thing seriously.
On the other hand, if we can get Glenn Beck and company to start talking about it then some people would get so riled up and panicked the government will be forced to drop everything else entirely.
@Blue_Thark: I suspect Glen Beck and his ilk would view the asteroid as God’s final judgment delivered in fiery incineration from above form. To do otherwise would require a little bit (actually a lot) more science than he’s used to.
This is one of those things, like the Kyoto agreement, that is international in scope, but that also has little potential of being taken seriously by politicians.
Its not NASA's fault..its the goverments, and I mean all goverments. Even here in the UK.......our space progam in the UK is such a joke that we love to watch idiots on the moorlands shooting rockets 40 feet off the ground..Wow..really!! There should be a global unit, a global funded near earth collision agency. Especially in Australia. Its egotistiacal to think we are above a strike..and whilst the goverments of the world and those fat cat coperations sit on their hands wondering how to build the next wind turbine or the next electric car. There really wont be any need......cant use a wind turbine when the Earth is scortched!!! Cant drive an electric car over rubble. As a United Nation..we really need to stop looking at Meteor strikes as science fiction and start thinking about science fact. Real global killers. What I mean by that is, we laughed at Regans Star Wars program...good idea...bad name!! We love to revel in meteor showers...like tonight, the media go crazy. But the real killers are still off in space hurtling towards us and like it or not....this worlds not worth saving or worth fighting for if its not going to be here in 30 years. Thanks to our ignorance of the night sky. Lerts give NASA the funding they need, and lets get the United Nations really looking into this stuff. Or at least let me build my fallout shelter without incident!!!!
omgwtflolbbqbye promoted this comment
Edited by CoffinDodger (If the typos crap. Blame my keyboard) at 08/12/09 3:19 PM
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11/07/09
A better storyline might have been that the hominds they encountered were Neanderthal and that homosapien came from the colonies. That actually could be almost believable from our fossil records. Homosapien does appear to have direct ancestors from about 600,000 years ago, but the show could have said "Wow, we are pretty similar, we might have had common ancestors a million years ago."
11/07/09
Syllogism.......... FAILURE. #asteroids
11/07/09
This also explains my suspicion that I myself am from another planet. #asteroids
11/07/09
11/07/09
11/07/09
11/07/09
11/07/09
And General Zod. We can't forget him. #asteroids
08/13/09
-Kle.
08/12/09
Really smart risk assessment there, guys.
[www.theatlantic.com]
08/12/09
08/13/09
And the earth will not JUST be one degree warmer, according to most of the latest predictions. But even one degree on average would be quite disastrous.
Also, we're not even getting into the question of who "they" are and why they seem to only be allowing you to solve one problem at a time. Maybe you're just using this chance to get a pointless and baseless dig against climate change? hmm?
08/12/09
But, you know, not too long ago we had the rare chance to watch the impact of a meteor onto Jupiter's atmosphere. We watched it, we measured the effects of the impacts (there were several), the results were presented to the public and to the people in charge. And, yet, no one cared.
Never mind that it was on Jupiter, only the largest planet, and the impact caused a long-term effect. Never mind that Jupiter's mostly gas, meaning a much softer impact than it would have been otherwise. Never mind that the fact that it happened right next door means it can and WILL happen to us sooner or later.
No one f*ing cared. I, for one, can't wait for our civilization to be wiped off this rock. That oughta teach us.
08/12/09
08/12/09
08/12/09
In which case you're right, no one cared then because Jupiter was the forest. in the debate on climate change, would we really be worried about a few islands being put underwater if they weren't populated? not really no, but since most islands now have ppl on them that need to be placed somewhere and be compensated, yeah it matters then.
I do agree that we have it coming though. just too bad we likely won't be able to youtube the damn thing if its the big one...
08/13/09
08/13/09
08/12/09
08/12/09
08/12/09
08/12/09
the asteroid is literally going to hit us so hard we'll start feeling it last tuesday?
08/12/09
On a semi related tangent, this article reminds me of something cute I read/saw a few hrs ago.
(click on the img. to see the whole thing).
08/12/09
08/12/09
As it is, the idea of such a thing happening is too intangible, outside the realm of sci-fi entertainment, for most people to actually be afraid of something like that.
08/12/09
I'd also like to mention 99942 Apophis. April 13, 2036 people, take care of any unfinished business.
08/12/09
On the other hand, if we can get Glenn Beck and company to start talking about it then some people would get so riled up and panicked the government will be forced to drop everything else entirely.
08/12/09
08/12/09
"But does our Gay-Liberal-Muslim-Communist President plans to interfere with God's Plan by launching aborted fetuses and bags of tax dollars at it!?"
08/12/09
08/12/09
08/12/09