You may have noticed that I skipped "36" in the numbering sequence (or you didn't, considering). I went ahead and mucked up the numbering on 19 Dec; I have two "31s." Since this also escaped the watchful eye of my readers, you will forgive me for this mistake. [Editor's Note: This has been corrected in the Morning Coffee Blog.]
Last night the History Channel began their Armageddon Week with "Last Days on Earth." Basically, a bunch of astrophysicists, biologists, geologists, climatologists, and the like got together and discussed the various ways that earth, or our species (or all species) will go the way of the proverbial dodo bird. They posed seven ways, ordering them from least likely to most likely. The first two I found particularly interesting. I'm not easily swayed by such speculative nonsense, but these two were so horrifying (likely because they were wholly unfamiliar to me), that I could do nothing but emit an incredulous chuckle.
The seventh, and least likely, way we'll perish is from what they call a gamma ray burst. Basically, it happens when a star dies. They either explode or collapse or both. In this case, the star explodes. NASA first found these gamma ray bursts while monitoring for Soviet nuclear weapons tests from space based platforms. They found massive amounts of radiation; more radiation that had ever been observed before. It turns out that it wasn't from some Soviet "mega-bomb" as had been feared, but from the death of a distant star. Our star is not in danger of going supernova on us anytime soon. But these scientists said they observe one gamma ray burst every day on average. If a star nearby (relatively speaking - I think they said the closest to us was 8,000 light years) were to do this, we'd have no advanced warning, as the radiation travels as fast as light. Our ozone (which ironically protects us from space radiation) would literally boil off. Everyone, even people inside and most below ground, would immediately show signs of sunburn. All cell repair would cease, hair and fingernails would stop growing, your body would stop healing. You wouldn't be able to absorb food and water as your intestines would cease to function. Virtually all human beings would be dead in a month. Our planet would turn into a big radioactive ball of dust. Fun.
The sixth fun way to die is almost as enjoyable. Apparently, in 2000, scientists that some black holes can actually move through space. It's possible that one of these roving black holes, which move at about 10 km/second or so, could mosey on into our solar system. The worst part about this is we'd have decades of advanced warning. Scientists would probably see it coming long in advance. First, the outer planets' orbits would become skewed. Then, as it moved closer to earth, it would throw the tides off so much that they would not be measured in feet, but miles. The atmosphere would then be ripped off earth. Things would begin to stretch (you included) as earth's gravity and that of the black hole competed; the winner in this contest is clear. You will reach singularity, along with the rest of earth. We as a race will never have been so close. We could never escape, as our entire solar system would be consumed by this monster.
They then went into the rest of the "traditional" ways we'll die off. Supervolcano (any one heard of Yellowstone?), plague, computers with god-like intelligence, nuclear war, etc. Ho hum. But then, with a political-scientific coup de grace, the number one and most likely way: global warming. Of course, it's all pinned on us too. Then they went into some "we'll be our own deaths, why can't we stop global warming, etc" rambling. They even had average joes say what they'd do in the event of the end of the world, and how they'd feel. One idiot said something to the effect: "The Romans destroyed themselves, the Greeks destroyed themselves. We've inherited that legacy, so it's only likely that we'll do the same." Then I realized average joes should not be given the opportunity to speak in such an potentially influential forum, lest they pollute the minds of people who still have a chance to be relatively educated. I wanted to say to the guy, "I think it's a little more complicated than that." Not to go too overboard here, but the Greeks and Romans didn't invent nuclear weapons. Furthermore, I'd like to point out that there were other groups of people gunning for them. It's like a baseball game, and the announcer saying that the losing team destroyed itself. The other team had a little something to do with them losing. I'm sure the Vandals are happy that their legacy is overshadowed by "Rome destroying itself."
Irregardless of the stupidity of average joes, black holes are exceedingly interesting and also scare the crap out of me.
You'll likely notice flags at half mast this week. Gerald Ford, the only president to never elected to nationwide office, passed away. If you don't know, he was selected by Nixon to be his vice-president when Agnew resigned. He ascended to the presidency when Nixon resigned, but his pardoning of Nixon of all crimes he may have committed while in office likely cost him a shot at being elected in 1976. Nevertheless, he was later credited with helping the nation move on and get over the scandals of the Nixon era, and the humiliation of Vietnam. He was 93.
Word of the Day: Effete (adjective): 1. lacking in wholesome vigor; degenerate; decadent; 2. exhausted of vigor or energy; worn out; 3. unable to produce; sterile
On This Day in History: The Hagia Sophia is completed in what was then Constantinople, modern day Istanbul (537 BCE). The Turks later took the city and converted the church to a mosque in 1453. In 1935, it was converted into a museum. It is viewed as one of the most advanced and ambitious works of architecture and engineering in late antiquity.
"I'm frightened at night and the wind has a roar. It seeps through the hall and from under the door, like the shit that was said, I can't take it that well. I give and I give and I give and I give and I'm still lost and hurt and bone thin from the love that's been starved. I know I got close but I'm sure it's too far from the point of suspense that we know it should be; the end of the part of our favorite movie. When the guy grabs the girl and give her his hand, says, "Take me away from this torturous land." 'Cause the grave is set up, the hole that I dug. I gave and I gave and I gave and I gave you my trust. Like the times that we kissed and you gave me a lie. To act off this scene you pretended to cry. But I'm here and I'm cool, that's the way that it is. You could give me a chance but I'll never forgive. I really had it with all the rain and the fears, the predictable storm that has come every year. And it sneaks from the shore with the bat in its hand. I'm trying I'm trying I'm trying I can't. You're a thief and a witch, but I loved you to dead. You stole my heart and I curse under my breath. But the one thing I can most willingly prove is that when you are gone I'll be fine without you." - Liberties taken with Angels and Airwaves' "Do It For Me Now"
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