[meteorite-list] Meteorite-list Digest, Vol 36, Issue 28

From: Sterling K. Webb <sterling_k_webb_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Fri, 8 Dec 2006 12:19:53 -0600
Message-ID: <002601c71af5$76b2af80$a925e146_at_ATARIENGINE>

Hi,

    Ed said:
> Think of it as the ultimate test of human
> intelligence. Will we pass? I don't know.

    In 1752, another author, Voltaire, wrote a story
about a giant alien tourist from Sirius, Micromegas,
and his companion from Saturn, who tour the solar
system and visit the Earth. The Saturnian believes
that the Earth cannot be inhabited:

    "In truth, what chiefly makes me think there is no
inhabitant of this sphere, is that I cannot suppose any
sensible being would wish to live here."

    "Well," said Micromegas, "perhaps the beings
who inhabit it do not possess good sense."


Sterling K. Webb
------------------------------------------------------------------
Text of Micromegas:
http://wondersmith.com/scifi/micro.htm
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----- Original Message -----
From: "E.P. Grondine" <epgrondine at yahoo.com>
To: <meteorite-list at meteoritecentral.com>
Sent: Friday, December 08, 2006 8:29 AM
Subject: Re: [meteorite-list] Meteorite-list Digest, Vol 36, Issue 28


> Hi all -
>
> I just wrote a book on man and impact. It's called
> "Man and Impact in the Americas", and it's available
> through amazon. I'm tired now, so I'll keep this
> short.
>
> The "experts" numbers for impact appear to be off by
> about factor of ten, in the impactors' favor, not
> man's. Over the last 6,000,000 years, we've come
> close to extinction several times.
>
> Impact rate estimates have been crippled for about 30
> years, largely due to confusion spread by Dr. David
> Morrison over the role of comets in impact. While
> Morrison did pioneer ground breaking work with
> Shoemaker some years back, since then his use of the
> power he gained from that work has been to the
> detriment of the field, and the detriment of us all.
>
> We can deal with this now, with the technologies we
> have in hand, but only if we make a concerted effort.
>
> Think of it as the ultimate test of human
> intelligence.
> Will we pass? I don't know.
>
> I'm going to get some more coffee and cigarettes.
>
> good hunting,
> Ed
>
Received on Fri 08 Dec 2006 01:19:53 PM PST