Struggling interpreting our new book

[DE&i]

Hi everyone,

Elliot and I are engaging in some bed time reading with our new book..titled " So you want to be a Palaeontologist".

And have come up against the phrase : 99 percent of all species that have ever existed are now extinct.

Can anyone explain this for us please.

[Coco]

Hi,

99 % of all the species (animal and vegetable) which the Terre had since its creation don't exist any more now (all the dinosaurs, all the ammonites, certain shells, certain plants etc...). All which lives on Terre now represents only 1 % of what the Terre knew since the life developed on it. In any case, this is the way I understand the expression. Hope that helps Elliot.

Coco

[digit]

Sure, though I'm no expert at extinction (though our species is becoming quite adept at it).

Think of the 5 major extinction events (that we know of) over geologic time. To save you the time google searching it, here is the Wikipedia link with a good overview:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Extinction_event

Considering the Permian-Triassic extinction event offed between 90-96% percent of the species that were alive at the time it is not unimaginable that we've lost more over time than are still occupying the planet. The amazing thought is that we currently estimate there are something on the order of 5-14 million species living today (estimates vary wildly)--most of them undescribed--so multiply that number by 100 to consider how many different species have existed in the last half billion years or so. It boggles the mind much as astronomical facts tend to do.

I'm not quite sure how much science is behind the 99% number as we have a hard time even getting a clue as to how many species we currently share the planet with. I think the big takeaway behind that oft quoted statement is that species continuously evolve into new forms and most species have a limited duration as conditions change and others are more adapted and successful. Extinction is a major part of evolution--you really can't have the latter without the former.

Of course, our efforts to be source of the 6th major extinction event are a matter for another discussion.

Bonus mind-bending fact: While the earth strains under just over 7 billion humans, it is estimated that there have been something like 108 billion humans since we evolved to our present-day species, that means approximately 94% of humans are no longer alive.

Hope this sheds a little light on the 99% phrase, for what it's worth.

Cheers.

-Ken

"I'm not dead yet!" -- Monty Python

[Auspex]

There are currently, give or take, 8.7 million species extant on our planet, by best estimate.

The oft-heard statement that 99% of all species that ever existed are extinct is predicated on the assumption that 870 million species have evolved since life on earth began.

[digit]

That's one heck of a bucket list for fossil hunting!

-Ken

[lolman1c]

Pfft! That's what we know of! Never mind the new stuff we find everyday! Plus the infinite in microscopic species!

[ZiggieCie]

Now wrap your head around all of these fantastic numbers of species that have been here for a short/very long time, (trilobites existed for apx 250 million years, poof! gone) all of the extinctions, the new life, (from?). All over a tremendously long time, and poof! here we are. The amazing luck of us being here is remarkable.

And if you wonder why we find so many fossils that are unidentified, see above. Fossil pieces that make no sense to our eye! Remember that most fossils left no trace.

Just think about the AMAZING fish, jellies squids, etc that we see on the deep sea videos. Creatures that we would have no idea that they share the Earth with us, right at this moment.

The tube worms and the other life that live in the mid ocean hot smokers, not even imaginable.

People wonder why I say that an advanced life form, ON A NEAR PLANET come here, over thousands of years travel and trillions of miles. The chances of another advanced life form on another close star system is very slight. See above extinctions and the luck of us being here.

Does this make sense?

[Wrangellian]

"Remember that most fossils left no trace." ??

[DE&i]

It's such a thought provoking qoute one we have enjoyed very much. Thank you for you're feed back Elliot and I shall have chat about these interpretations as we Continue our read this evening.

We ended on a slight tangent over this and a new dissusion blossomed.

Qoute :There are 10 times more stars in the night sky than grains of sand in the world's deserts and beaches.

[Ptychodus04]

I think both statements are estimations to provoke thought on the subject rather than actual scientific data. There's no real way to determine an actual count of extinct vs. extant species or sand vs. stars. It's just a way to understand the magnitude of the data we are addressing. IMHO

[digit]

Qoute :There are 10 times more stars in the night sky than grains of sand in the world's deserts and beaches.

Heady things to be thinking about right before bedtime--surprised that Elliot is even able to get to sleep with all that running through his mind.

Unfortunately, with all of the light pollution generated by the cities that the bulk of our population resides in, most people are lucky to see 10 stars at night. It's one of the perks to working and vacationing in far away remote locations that I am able to enjoy brilliantly star filled skies. The night after Hurricane Wilma tore through South Florida a little over a decade ago, my wife and I returned home from a dive trip in La Paz, Mexico. We had to change our flight and fly into Orlando which was outside of the disaster zone. We rented a car and drove south till all of the lights disappeared. When we finally got home (at 2am) there wasn't an light on outside for miles (though a few folks had generators up and running and an inside house light or two was occasionally visible). I remember standing in my driveway and looking up. For the first time from this location I could see the entire expanse of the Milky Way stretching across the sky with millions of stars visible. To the ancients, this band of stars was just another enigma to add to their ever-growing list of curiosities and mysteries. With modern enlightenment we now know that we are looking out and seeing our own galaxy from within--just one of 200 billion galaxies in the observable universe.

It's thinking about things like this that makes us go hug the ones we love--just to reassert out significance within the grand scheme of things.

So glad you are able to have thought provoking chats with Elliot. So many kids (and yes, adults too) I see these days have permanently mind-melded with their omnipresent smart devices that it seems to be difficult to get them to converse on any topic--much less profound ones that are the spark of awe that, IMHO, lead kids to undertake interesting hobbies and avocations, if not careers.

Why are they called "smart phones" anyway, when they seem to make us so dumb?

Cheers.

-Ken

[Auspex]

Kindle that sense of wonder!

[Ptychodus04]

We break away from the cerebral implants as often as possible. If we're not banging rocks, we're in the yard trying to cut through the haze of city lights with these:

And, we can get images like these:

Off topic kind of but still fun to talk about.

[DE&i]

Hi,

99 % of all the species (animal and vegetable) which the Terre had since its creation don't exist any more now (all the dinosaurs, all the ammonites, certain shells, certain plants etc...). All which lives on Terre now represents only 1 % of what the Terre knew since the life developed on it. In any case, this is the way I understand the expression. Hope that helps Elliot.

Coco

Thank you Coco i like to lean and i do try to understand

Regards

Elliot

[DE&i]

We break away from the cerebral implants as often as possible. If we're not banging rocks, we're in the yard trying to cut through the haze of city lights with these:

IMG_0703.JPG

LX200.JPG

And, we can get images like these:

Eclipse 23Oct14 2 Small.jpg

Moon Small.jpg

Off topic kind of but still fun to talk about.

Hi Kris

I really like your telescope i have a dobson 76/350 telescope that my grandad bought me for xmas but havent had the right weather to use it yet.

Regards

Elliot

[DE&i]

Heady things to be thinking about right before bedtime--surprised that Elliot is even able to get to sleep with all that running through his mind.

Unfortunately, with all of the light pollution generated by the cities that the bulk of our population resides in, most people are lucky to see 10 stars at night. It's one of the perks to working and vacationing in far away remote locations that I am able to enjoy brilliantly star filled skies. The night after Hurricane Wilma tore through South Florida a little over a decade ago, my wife and I returned home from a dive trip in La Paz, Mexico. We had to change our flight and fly into Orlando which was outside of the disaster zone. We rented a car and drove south till all of the lights disappeared. When we finally got home (at 2am) there wasn't an light on outside for miles (though a few folks had generators up and running and an inside house light or two was occasionally visible). I remember standing in my driveway and looking up. For the first time from this location I could see the entire expanse of the Milky Way stretching across the sky with millions of stars visible. To the ancients, this band of stars was just another enigma to add to their ever-growing list of curiosities and mysteries. With modern enlightenment we now know that we are looking out and seeing our own galaxy from within--just one of 200 billion galaxies in the observable universe.

It's thinking about things like this that makes us go hug the ones we love--just to reassert out significance within the grand scheme of things.

So glad you are able to have thought provoking chats with Elliot. So many kids (and yes, adults too) I see these days have permanently mind-melded with their omnipresent smart devices that it seems to be difficult to get them to converse on any topic--much less profound ones that are the spark of awe that, IMHO, lead kids to undertake interesting hobbies and avocations, if not careers.

Why are they called "smart phones" anyway, when they seem to make us so dumb?

Cheers.

-Ken

Hi Ken,

Some great points of view and I was rather transfixed by your “me moment “as you stared out into the night sky.

I’m sure Elliot’s world is viewed through the eyes of wonder and excitement. He wants to know what will happen, when it will happen and how it will happen…daily.

So of course I’m more than happy to help and to seek further advice from TFF.

Regards,

Darren.

[Ptychodus04]

Hi Kris

I really like your telescope i have a dobson 76/350 telescope that my grandad bought me for xmas but havent had the right weather to use it yet.

Regards

Elliot

Elliot,

Those little telescopes are great; they can go anywhere and don't take up nearly as much space as my telescopes do! They are very good for viewing the Moon and the large planets. I hope you get some clear skies soon to use it. My first large telescope (a 12" Orion Intelliscope Dobsonian) was purchased several years ago in early June while we were having the wettest summer on record. I didn't have sufficiently clear skies until September! It almost drove me insane!!!!

[DE&i]

Good morning @Kris we are going to view the Super moon on Monday the 14th of November 2016 with our telescope . Have you seen it where you live yet.

 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/newsround/37860505

 

Regards,

 

Elliot.

[Ptychodus04]

12 hours ago, DarrenElliot said:

Good morning @Kris we are going to view the Super moon on Monday the 14th of November 2016 with our telescope . Have you seen it where you live yet.

 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/newsround/37860505

 

Regards,

 

Elliot.

 

Hi Elliot. I'll get the super moon about 6 hours after you do in the UK. I have viewed many super moons (Full Moon at perigee) in the past though. Just to set your expectations (if you aren't sufficiently acquainted with the Moon yet), the full moon is the 2nd worst viewing phase of the moon (new is 1st for obvious reasons). Since the moon is directly opposite the sun from our perspective, there are no shadows. This greatly reduces the contrast so details of the surface are hard to see. One positive is that ejecta material from the craters is VERY bright. There are some really cool patterns visible.

 

Check out these craters with awesome ejecta patterns:

 

Copernicus, Tycho, Kepler, Messier A & B, Proclus