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Talk:Counterexamples to an Old Earth (view source)
Revision as of 16:27, May 16, 2011
, 16:27, May 16, 2011→Reversion re: extinction rate
The extinction rate is far too high to be consistent with an Old Earth.--[[User:Aschlafly|Andy Schlafly]] 10:54, 16 May 2011 (EDT)
The extinction rate is far too high to be consistent with an Old Earth.--[[User:Aschlafly|Andy Schlafly]] 10:54, 16 May 2011 (EDT)
:My point was that the values given for current extinction rates are not 'observed' rates. They are based on a few observed extinctions and extrapolated enormously based upon estimates as to the total number of species on the planet (most estimates suggest only a minority are currently known to science). Secondly, it would only be inconsistent if the extinction rate were to have remained constant throughout history relative to the rate of speciation. All the evidence points to a highly variable rate of extinction, with several periods of mass extinctions interspersed with long periods of relatively low extinction. The whole reason so much has been written recently on extinction is that the current estimates are unusually high, with the blame being placed upon human activities, particularly in terms of habitat loss. [[User:WilliamB1|WilliamB1]] 12:14, 16 May 2011 (EDT)
:My point was that the values given for current extinction rates are not 'observed' rates. They are based on a few observed extinctions and extrapolated enormously based upon estimates as to the total number of species on the planet (most estimates suggest only a minority are currently known to science). Secondly, it would only be inconsistent if the extinction rate were to have remained constant throughout history relative to the rate of speciation. All the evidence points to a highly variable rate of extinction, with several periods of mass extinctions interspersed with long periods of relatively low extinction. The whole reason so much has been written recently on extinction is that the current estimates are unusually high, with the blame being placed upon human activities, particularly in terms of habitat loss. [[User:WilliamB1|WilliamB1]] 12:14, 16 May 2011 (EDT)
::In fact, looking over most of these counterexamples, they tend to be built upon incorrect assumptions (many assume that processes can only have occurred at a constant rate throughout history, when evidence suggests otherwise), or they are based upon dubious and unsupported claims (the one about people getting grey hair at an earlier age is based solely upon a handful of well-known examples with no scientific study of widespread trends at all. This entire article needs to be drastically re-worked. [[User:WilliamB1|WilliamB1]] 12:27, 16 May 2011 (EDT)