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Some species could be wiped out 100 times faster than feared
guardian.co.uk — Endangered species could become extinct 100 times faster than previously thought, scientists warned yesterday in a bleak reassessment of the threats to global biodiversity. They say methods used to predict when species will die out are seriously flawed and dramatically underestimate the speed at which some will disappear.
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- dilbert, on 07/10/2008, -13/+35Extinction == evolution. If you can't keep up with change as a species you inevitably perish.
- LeeSoong, on 07/12/2008, -5/+3I guess they better evolve 101 times faster . . .
- yomamaphat, on 07/12/2008, -4/+8Many species would have been fine without human influence. That is the concern. It's not like these studies are done for the hell of it. Many intelligent scientists study this type of situation for a reason.
- Ryan2845, on 07/12/2008, -2/+6Exactly, 99% of all species that have ever existed on earth are now extinct or evolved into something else (all the ancient dead species vastly outnumber the currently existing species). We can't save them all. As much as we like to think of the world as static, it isn't, whether it's our fault or not.
- BossKey, on 07/12/2008, -2/+8You can say "Humans rule! If you can't survive against us that's too bad for you," but think for a moment whether the survival of humans may depend in some way on species that are going extinct. We might not know which ones until it's too late.
In a worst-case evolutionary scenario, human activity wipes out so much plant and animal diversity that human survival is affected. We may one day find ourselves faced with a problem that could be solved much faster by drawing upon an attribute of a certain species...if we hadn't wiped it out.
If such a scenario comes to pass and threatens humans, the brutal irony would be that humans would have failed at evolution, simply by being so satisfied with simple domination that we fail to preserve the diversity of resources and solutions that nature has given us up to now.
The more types of plant and animal species there are, the more choice and flexibility we have in readily available food nutrients/health benefits/flavors, raw materials, and the more we can simply find pharmaceutically valuable plants in nature instead of having to spend billions trying to construct them from scratch in a lab. Remember that technology innovators sometimes gain inspiration from noticing how an obscure species has evolved to handle a problem, like gathering light or water, healing the body, or disarming predators. If you want to argue that technology will always save us, you'll want to preserve these sources of technological ideas as well.
Humans benefit from biological diversity, so for us to evolve successfully, it may be necessary for us to preserve that diversity.- desuexmachina, on 07/12/2008, -1/+1WORST... STAR TREK IV... FANFIC... EVER!
- MelvinSchlubman, on 07/12/2008, -1/+2dilbert, your equation may be true, but you're not being selfish enough. Seriously.
> the survival of humans may depend in some way on species that are going extinct.
Amen. Just a recent example: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/680840.stm
"Scientists in the United States have isolated a powerful agent in crocodile blood which could help conquer human infections immune to standard antibiotics."
There are so many such beneficial things we'll never discover the more we eliminate other life forms.
- sdfguy, on 07/10/2008, -24/+2who cares, ***** animals.
- artofficial, on 07/12/2008, -0/+3ahhh...whats with all the self hate?
- bjornski, on 07/12/2008, -0/+1Keep your sex life private please.
- Ninh, on 07/10/2008, -9/+6Well as long as they do get wiped out in the long run, all is well.
- mort1, on 07/11/2008, -13/+8This is a joke. Man-managed biodiversity in the face of nature's awesome capabilities. This is the type of stuff that encourages the looney "pristine planet" people who feel that man is an abomination and animals deserve civil rights. I am a member of PETA (People Eating Tasty Animals).
- legendxx, on 07/12/2008, -3/+10Digg is becoming a great website to kill any buzz.
- dullnation, on 07/12/2008, -12/+5100 times? *****, thats a big number! Be worred.
- sostoudt, on 07/12/2008, -6/+2if it was my job i could do it an 1000 times faster. but i like animals so i wont
- Jenadae, on 07/12/2008, -9/+14Yes they're cute, yes they're fuzzy but just because they're going bye-bye dosn't mean its a bad thing. Like those ***** pandas... or should i say non-*****.
- aenegeling, on 07/12/2008, -6/+3didn't we see this article a week or so ago on Digg? =|
- RenovatioInc, on 07/12/2008, -12/+8Does any one really, honestly care?
- SmokinWeed, on 07/12/2008, -2/+0Not me.
- SmokinWeed, on 07/12/2008, -2/+0Not me.
- Tyrghast, on 07/12/2008, -8/+7We've done well without dodo's or the dinosaurs, I'm sure we'll do well without this next 100.
- spect3r, on 07/12/2008, -5/+14What the ***** is with all the animal haters above me?
- LongJohnSilvers, on 07/12/2008, -5/+8How about let nature be nature. Carlin really said it best. Who the hell are we to think we can "hurt" the earth. The earth has survived much worse than us in millions of years.
- doubledmateo, on 07/12/2008, -0/+5You're totally right. The earth is going to rebound no matter what we do to it, but that doesn't mean this isn't an important issue. Mankind is in danger of wiping itself out of existence due to these extinctions.
- thecarpe, on 07/12/2008, -8/+3Cause: Chuck Norris
- OffPiste, on 07/12/2008, -9/+2Hopefully homlibtardis is on that list.
- insomniacal, on 07/12/2008, -9/+4Good riddance -- that's evolution. If you can't take the heat, get out.
- mntbikeracer1, on 07/12/2008, -7/+4Do these "scientists" not know their own science? Extinction is a integral part of evolution, why is it we humans think everything on Earth should be unchanging? I mean there were ***** dinosaurs on this planet at one time...dinosaurs! Nobody saved them.
- Dorment, on 07/12/2008, -0/+3What are you talking about? The article isn't even about conservation or saving at risk species, it is simply about how the models scientists use to predict the possible future extinction of some species could be flawed because they ignore sex dynamics and fluctuations in reproduction. Your trying to force some half baked philosophical argument when it's not germane to the conversation. And since they are trained and educated individuals working at major universities I'm pretty sure their scientists not "scientists".
- halfdirt, on 07/12/2008, -3/+5I expect this is a problem the way man-caused climate change is a problem. Yes extinction is natural, but if our species is accelerating it by destroying coral reefs and rain forests and other habitats, then it is a problem we should address.
- artofficial, on 07/12/2008, -5/+3Darwinism.
- copet, on 07/12/2008, -3/+2Of course they could be wiped out faster. We just need to try harder.
- donkeySays, on 07/12/2008, -0/+6Hey all you smart ass Darwinian scholars, there's a difference between evolution and suicide. If you are actually smart, you'll know which suicide I am talkin about.
- ikemup, on 07/12/2008, -4/+1is there any way that we can speed it up?...
- RoflcopterFUEL, on 07/12/2008, -3/+3Obligatory George Carlin performance:
http://youtube.com/watch?v=3q3upFx4FcA - pilot101, on 07/12/2008, -2/+0i would rather wish for some species to go extict such as botfly, i think world would be better place without it
- styleomatic, on 07/12/2008, -3/+3key words...."could be" and "feared"
hopefully the scientists that came up with this ***** will be the first to go.....- halfdirt, on 07/12/2008, -0/+3The headline is alarmist and not descriptive. The phrase "100 times faster" just doesn't make much sense when it comes to a rate of decline.
- tweedius, on 07/12/2008, -3/+3My ecology professor relayed the info that out of the billions of creatures that have ever lived on Earth, some 1999/2000 are extinct. Everything in our world has been dumbed down, now we're going to dumb down animals that can't make it and need our help? Nature does not need our help, it has survived longer then us, and inevitably will longer then us.
- Anonchrist, on 07/12/2008, -0/+3Darwinism states this will soon be a Digg graveyard.
- goph, on 07/12/2008, -1/+3:ugh: we need to stop playing god
99% of all creatures that ever walked earth are extinct, IT HAPPENS - angrynorwegian, on 07/12/2008, -1/+2This story again? They are really trying to beat it into our heads, huh?
- masti1234, on 07/12/2008, -1/+0These girls in the t shirt ads to the right of the page are unbelievably hot... absolutely sizzling hot
- halfdirt, on 07/13/2008, -0/+1I'm getting a craving for some Mickey D's Sweet Tea, 32 ounces for only $1 !!
- BringerOD, on 07/12/2008, -2/+0OMG! Really.
Lets start killing off all the humans quick, they suck. - bbbrian, on 07/12/2008, -1/+0Wow digg is full of cynical not give a ***** no? I for one like the earth the way it is. With all the species that make our planet a wonderful place. Yeah with a long enough time scale all species die and we all get snuffed out. But that is no reason to argue that species do not deserve to live because they can't compete against humans for basic survival. Humans are enlightened extra-natural beings with ridiculous advantages who have the ability to make choices that allow or disallow other species to survive. It may seem cool to argue that species who can't compete should be snuffed out, but what kind of world will we be left with? We can CHOOSE.
- Ortheos, on 07/12/2008, -2/+1You see some men hunt for sport,
Others hunt for food.
The only thing I'm hunting for
Is an outfit that looks good.
See my vest, see my vest,
Made from real gorilla chest.
Feel this sweater, there's no better
Than authentic Irish Setter.
See this hat, 'twas my cat.
My evening wear, vampire bat.
These white slippers are albino
African endangered rhino.
Grizzly bear underwear,
Turtle necks I've got my share.
Beret of poodle on my noodle it shall rest
Try my red robin suit,
It comes one breast or two...
See my vest, See my vest.
Like my loafers, former gophers,
It was that or skin my chauffeurs,
But a greyhound fur tuxedo would be best...
So let's prepare these dogs,
Kill two for matching clogs!
See my vest!
See me vest!
Oh, please, won't you see my vessssst! - VirginiaWoolfe, on 07/12/2008, -1/+1lolk.
- jdago, on 07/12/2008, -3/+1unbelievable all the comments that did;t think this matters. every species has a thread in this place we call earth. start cutting them and we all get torn. we better wake up and listen to these scientists before mother earth starts to die.
- halfdirt, on 07/12/2008, -1/+1It matters insofar as humans are destroying habitats and affecting the environment on a global scale.
Most of the comments seem to take the position that extinction is natural, which it is. But a lot of what is going on is artificial and induced by us.
- halfdirt, on 07/12/2008, -1/+1It matters insofar as humans are destroying habitats and affecting the environment on a global scale.
- anandpopat, on 07/12/2008, -1/+1did you know 99.9% of all animals that existed went extinct. Stop blaming crap on us, called evolution.
- roadnate, on 07/13/2008, -0/+1"We are certainly underestimating the number of species that are in danger of becoming extinct because there are around 1.8m described species and we've only been able to assess 41,000 of those."
So because we have only assessed 41,000 I am supposed to believe the dire predictions about the 1.8 million that you haven't investigated at all? That makes a lot of sense. I usually require at least SOME evidence before I believe something. It's just me way. - dilbert, on 07/13/2008, -0/+1Species that become extinct create a niche where other species will take advantage of. It has happened for eons and it will happen for more eons to come.
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