Edwardsville Public Library discussion

Chapter 3: Darwin proposed the theory of "natural selection" as a slow progression of new species wiping out the old -- evolution & extinction we would not notice -- not by a sudden, catastrophic event. Yet during his own lifetime, Man-made extinctions of animal species happened quickly-- catastrophically. How might we use these facts to sway people who are not convinced of human-influenced extinctions today?

Chapter 4: When "Extraterrestrial Cause for the Cretaceous-Tertiary Extinction" was published, the Alvarezes and their hypothesis were reviled by many. Over the next decade, more evidence supporting their hypothesis came to light, and skeptics in paleontology and other fields gradually changed their minds.

Have you ever wrestled with new information that contradicted a long-standing theory or belief?

Chapter 5: Jan Zalasiewicz is convinced that giant rats will inherit the Earth. While it may sound like science fiction, perhaps this image will be more relatable to the general public than other scientific predictions.

Have you ever imagined the Earth after human extinction? What have you envisioned?

Edwardsville Public Library wrote: "Chapter 3: Darwin proposed the theory of "natural selection" as a slow progression of new species wiping out the old -- evolution & extinction we would not notice -- not by a sudden, catastrophic e..."

I'm not sure historical evidence will sway anyone who does not currently believe humans have effected the planet. The movie Anthropocene (on Kanopy) is a very visual, persuasive model that might be more readily available to more people and make inroads where scientific fact has not. You cannot argue with the images in this movie.

Edwardsville Public Library wrote: "Chapter 5: Jan Zalasiewicz is convinced that giant rats will inherit the Earth. While it may sound like science fiction, perhaps this image will be more relatable to the general public than other s..."

I imagine all the skyscrapers and manufacturing complexes overgrown with nature -- full of green taking its own back, bees buzzing, tenacious flowers blooming . .

It seems important to note that Darwin knew he was wrong and stood by his wrongness. It is hard to change someone's worldview with facts, especially when they have publicly spoken about something that turns out to be wrong. We need more grace, more calm. While there is a crisis, screaming isn't going to fix it. I recently read that the single thing most likely to change someone's worldview is children or grandchildren. That makes sense to me, but our world views kids in such a negative way...

When my kids were babies, I was (like so many moms who are generally disconnected from the world) extremely vulnerable to messages about safety. There were a lot of anti-scientific rabbit holes waiting. I had a bit of a struggle with myself to shake all that off. Fear is powerful.

I agree. I was the "health and safety" police when my kids were at home (still am and they are in their 20s!). Fear is so powerful. I think it can also lead to denial as a coping mechanism when things seem too overwhelming to prepare for or fix.

Cary wrote: "Edwardsville Public Library wrote: "Chapter 5: Jan Zalasiewicz is convinced that giant rats will inherit the Earth. While it may sound like science fiction, perhaps this image will be more relatabl..."

Cary, you can see something like this in the documentary Radioactive Wolves from PBS. Near the site of Chernobyl, the forest and plantlife has grown wild and a pack of wolves are thriving in an area devoid of humans. I believe there are copies of the DVD that you can request through IHLS.

Tera wrote: "When my kids were babies, I was (like so many moms who are generally disconnected from the world) extremely vulnerable to messages about safety. There were a lot of anti-scientific rabbit holes wai..."

Tera, as a new parent, I definitely understand erring on the side of caution when receiving information from varying sources. In the realm of climate change, it seems that modifying our behaviors regarding sustainability can only help.

If scientists are wrong regarding climate change, can you think of any possible harmful effects in siding with science?