Which of the following events would have the greatest impact on humanity?

[dmill1220]

Please Pardon The interruption Gentlemen!
I just thought that one of you may find this interesting!
I was watching the Science Channel just last night, the Miracle Planet series, the early Hot Earth, from Impact events, and the Snow Ball Earth series.
What amazed me is that they've found life living 3 Kilometers below ground level, its obviously Anaerobic to survive down there but here is the strange part, they found the gene for Aerobic life in this same bacteria.
Its just speculation on their part but one of their theories is that life escaped either extreme heat or cold and migrated way down below the surface, only to rise again and start all over. it seems that the heat pulse from an impact would not be around long enough to migrate that far down!
Only a theory but still worth some thought?
They had many other theories that could also pertain as to how life managed to survive an repopulate the Earth. Wow so many possibilities!
Dennis :}

[Dragon Star]

Yep.


http://www.wired.com/news/technology...,63613,00.html

[dmill1220]

I Wonder what we may find on Mars if we dig deep enough!
Or any other place that may at one time had water or frozen water Ice?\
Dennis;}

[Dragon Star]

Likely only fossilized remains are there if there ever was life on Mars, it's just too hospitable these days I think...but you never know...

[dmill1220]

I think this has been a pretty cool Poll!
How come we are not getting many votes?
Dennis;:}

[Dragon Star]

Not that many members are active right now, they come and go in waves...I wonder where Diana is?

[The Mangler]

I voted for "A meteorite impact that leaves a 10 meter wide crater in a major city."

The reason I vote for that one is because destruction like that is the only thing that will wake most people up. Hmm... I say "wake people up" like we're expecting something to happen and we need to prepare for it.

Choices 1,2, and 4 would be VERY cool to see, but I don't think it would have a very big impact on humanity. I think we would all be surprised how many people wouldn't even notice it. It seems like most "normal" people hardly ever look up.

[Dragon Star]

I saw the other side of this coin.

I voted A potentially divesting, near-Earth asteroid that passes between Earth and Moon harmlessly. If a meteor crashed into St. Louis tomorrow, I would say "well that sucks, glad it wasn't me..." and go on without much thought like most people would, but something that is potentially devastating to large portions of Earth would certainly affect me, and most people, thus that being my choice.

[Darryl]

Originally Posted by dmill1220

I think this has been a pretty cool Poll!
How come we are not getting many votes?
Dennis;:}

It may get a few more votes now. I just set it to display on the home page.

[Blue Fire]

First, nice new avatar Dragon Star! Heh, between avatars and wallpapers, you're such a changeable guy! Never satisfied with the status quo, eh?

Second, it appears to me, after reading all the posts, that the central issue of evaluating any scenario is most probably our estimation of just how far the Apathy of people goes. There, I said it, Apathy. So sad isn't it, that so many issues - political, scientific, even religious - are so frought with the apathy factor. So, in a very real way, our discusson here must naturally devolve to the underlying issue that I think astronomy has been battling for a very long time - disinterest, apathy, chosen ignorance.

I have a large circle of friends from highschool that has survived over 40 years of everybody going their own ways and having a life apart from the group. We've always hung together though with regular get togethers every year or so - sort of like min-reunions. BUT, I seem to be the odd man out so many times, because of my interest in science and particularly astronomy. I tend to get blank stares or simple dismissive responses whenever I try to start a conversation about cosmology, theoretical physics, the expansion of the universe, etc. They just don't care. They don't see those issues as affecting them in any way. And, they'll just shrug when you tell them that life on Earth could be wiped out so easily in any number of ways that are actually long overdue if scientific estimates are anywhere near accurate regarding the frequency of devastaing incidents.

Sigh. I guess we just need to hire some good PR firms, eh?