Science a GoGo's Home Page Forums General Discussion General Science Discussion Forum Scientists: Earth Barely Supports Life

"AUSTIN, Texas—If Earth had been slightly smaller and less massive, life might never have gained a foothold.

They key to life on Earth as we know it, scientists figure, is plate tectonics — the forces that move continents and build mountains. And the more massive a world is, the thinner its plates are. Thinner plates are weaker and more easily moved and so able to support the kinds of crucial planet-shaping plate tectonics experienced on this planet over the billions of years that life evolved from simple one-celled organisms to complex creatures that can fly, swim and read. "

http://www.livescience.com/environment/080109-earth-life.html

Sounds like Earth is kind of on the borderlines of habitable. What would we do if we had a better suited planet? Probably trash it like we have the Earth.

[quote=Mike Kremer]

Almost certain, mankind is so intent upon taking the easy lazy way of living, we dont notice the consequences until its too late to do anything about it.

But note, the the rape and trashing of this formerly beautiful Planet cannot go on indefinately.
Some catastrophy will come about, most probably allied to the huge world population explosion.
50 million dead in World War II, has had no effect upon the population explosion. As fast as people migrate to new countrys, the old fill up even faster.
It cannot continue....just how many years it will take for the dying to remain unburied, is a matter for conjecture.
Unemployment, lethargy, starvation, and crime will be our unavoidable future.
Anyone have any ideas on how to regain utopia?
[quote]

yep... start using solar energy or free energy which ever you choose.

stop stagnating progress , so that we can migrate to other planets and solar systems.

be fruitfull and multiply.

multiply not only ourselves but our farm land as well.
solar energy free energy means that farms can be grown in deserts.

unless we wait too long and the ice covers the earth or the heat is too great , then yes even then we could still grow food in greenhouses and live in protected housing.

but we have got to get away from the current ways we produce energy.

Healthy soil is Biomass! ...did someone say Terra Preta?

...as well as solving a whole host of other problems....

We need to farm (grow) more soil in order to massively sequester CO2 for a few decades.

[quote=Mike Kremer][quote=Paul]

Biomass sounds good, but the practicalities of producing it in the quantities the World would need, are suspect I feel.

There is not a lot of use in chopping up and fragmenting all the Worlds trees and paper, plus using Spagnumm to produce a clean water retentive soil.

Soil aso needs the proper combination of nutrients and most importantly .....the millions of microbes to enable proper growth. As well as thousands of worms and other life to keep the soil sweet.
There are more Microbes in a tablespoon of good soil than there are people in the world (Or should be)
If its going to be done properly water retaining Spagnums, Mosses and other life should be used. Not chemical expanding water crystals. Mico-biotic life won't like that.
A Terra Preta Biomass may be fine, on an individual scale. But to produce it, bag it' and sell it on a World scale ...no way.

It states quite clearly in the Old Testament that every field should be allowed to lie fallow for one year, every three years in rotation, for growing good crops. They noticed a thing or two in those days.

When I was in China, I was staggered to find that the fields were spread with human excrement, once a week. And at other times by the millions of white wing clipped Ducks that are running around wild.
Put me right off my Dim Sum, and Choi (green vegetables)

Trash, waste, and humanure are all things that should be used to
create new soil and/or agri-char; not trees and crops.

...and while solving other problems....
It is specifically the microbes that can be our salvation here.

I get a feel for what you're saying about the wholesaleness, crassness, and adulterationess of it all; but it could be done in a natural and balanced way (helping solve poverty and disease at the same time).
p.s. You don't think Terra Preta is this "chemical expanding water crystals" stuff, do you?

Mike,
You presage my future posts as you mention the OT advice, above;
both science and religion hold the long term interests of society as a high priority.