THIS frightening scenario of mass extinction from several directions is one of the major reasons I critique religious fanaticism, because many years ago I kept butting heads with anti-environmentalist Christian fundamentalists who didn't care about "this stinkin' earth." In this case, I truly hate to be right.
Scientists fear mass extinction as oceans choke
Australian scientists fear the planet is on the brink of another mass extinction as ocean dead zones continue to grow in size and number.
More than 400 ocean dead zones - areas so low in oxygen that sea life cannot survive - have been reported by oceanographers around the world between 2000 and 2008.
That is compared with 300 in the 1990s and 120 in the 1980s.
Professor Ove Hoegh-Guldberg, of the ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies (CoECRS) and from the University of Queensland, says there is growing evidence that declining oxygen levels in the ocean have played a major role in at least four of the planet's five mass extinctions.
"Until recently the best hypothesis for them was a meteor strike," he said.
"So 65 million years ago they've got very good evidence of the cretaceous exctinction event.
"But with the four other mass extinction events, one of the best explanations now is that these periods were preceded by an increase of volcanic activity, and that volcanic activity caused a change in ocean circulation....
"Just as we are seeing at a smaller scale today, huge parts of the ocean became anoxic at depth.
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|2010-12-02 20:58:06 GeneUmm, lets go "out there" for a second! I vote that the rising levels of heavy metals in our atmosphere end up in our oceans, creating acid and oxygen deplete regions or dead zones.. Now the really "out there" (according to officialdom) part, ever consider chemtrails? You can thank ol' Dennis (Kucenich?) D Ohio(don't remember the bill # but was passed way back in 1975 or 6) for the chemtrails for defense bill and Clinton for further rather refunding it!
But do not discount individual responsibility for pollution, your lack of knowledge is really your own fault you/we I/Me should have been out there finding the F out about this s--t so as Jackson Browne put in his should have been hit tune Casino Nation; "ALL THOSE NOT ON TV ONLY HAVE THEMSELVES TO BLAME, GIT ALONG LITTLE DOGGIE SO WHERE IS ALL THE GOLD FOR THIS GLORY GONNA COME FROM, HE YAH IT'S COMIN OUTTA YOUR HIDE!"
AGAIN NOT EXACT QUOTE BUT YOU SHOULD HAVE GOT THE POINT!
OY I think I'm getting the fear! I am freakin out man!
No laugh in madness before the zombies find out you have brain! And run forest run! HEE HEE, So just exactly where is Susan Powter to jump out and scream "stop the madness" when we "need" her too
OH here she is
!http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ur0g-R7ZODY
Volcanic activity the best explanation? What about us polluting the oceans with our chemicals, the constant over-fishing and the fact that there's plastic dumps floating in the Pacisfic Ocean that are larger than USA in size?
I recommend this book for those interested in our waste's impact on the planet...