When Microbes Ate the Ocean

museumpeace writes "When /. discussed a story about microbes that could break down water as a hydrogen source, many commentors went off on a tangent joking about runaway germs eating the oceans. Now, prof Joe Kirschvink and students at CalTech propose that indeed, the worst iceage ever, which nearly ended life on earth 2.3 billion years ago, was the result of algae evolving the ability to break down water and flooding the atmosphere with oxygen. The absence of oxygen consuming organisms at that time is said to have lead to destruction of atmospheric methane which had hitherto warmed the earth. The professor concludes: 'We haven't had a Snowball in the past 630 million years, and because the sun is warmer now it may be harder to get into the right condition. But if it ever happens, all life on Earth would likely be destroyed.'"

Comments

Re:The first Slashdot troll post investigation

[AnalogBoy]

I just want to say.. Thank you.
I'm sure you'll be modded down as a troll, as /. doesn't like dissenters in the population. They try to keep you silent and impotent.

I firmly believe once a community reaches a certain size, it has certain duties to perform, to the truth, the absence of sensationalism, and most of all, equality.

Moderators: I have posted without my +1 bonus. This post is admittedly offtopic. Don't waste your moderation points on a reply. I suggest you use moderation points on parent posts. Its more economical. And remember - mod UP intelligent posts, mod DOWN klerckisms.

Re:The first Slashdot troll post investigation

[Anonymous Coward]

Wow, i seem to have sprung a karma leak.

USE YOUR MODERATOR POINTS INTELLIGENTLY IF YOU USE THEM AT ALL.. and stop thinking with your hormones.

Re:The first Slashdot troll post investigation

[KilobyteKnight]

I didn't think I'd ever see anything like this on Slashdot. This is not what I thought Slashdot was all about.

I'm starting my stop watch. Let's see how long before this is modded down.

Re:The first Slashdot troll post investigation

[spamkabuki]

Unix evolved from Multics.

Re:Wow, someone actually agrees...

[spamkabuki]

Just, K5 is slow...

Too many /. refugees flooding the system??

Re:The first Slashdot troll post investigation

[spamkabuki]

The last thing the editors want to see is this post in the hall of fame. I sincerely doubt they'll go so far as to keep it out, but a story in the hall of fame with a thread like this is the last thing the editors want.

So let's keep posting the hell outta this until it's right up in the hof most active. This will truly test the editors confidence, or lack thereof.

Re:The first Slashdot troll post investigation

[Nater]

I've met -so many- linux zealots who can't back their claims of superiority with one fact, yet, they hate windows.. for no reason except the stereotypical "It crashes all the time!" and "Microsoft is a Facist Monopoly bent on world domination!". I forgot who said it, but i like him or her: "Open Source; Closed Minds".

'Tis unfortunate but true. I think a lot of people have latched onto the meme that Linux is a renegade upstart come to topple giants and have formed meager justifications that reflect that basis. These people don't think, they don't lead, and most of them don't write code. They're followers, and many followed Gates before they followed Linus.

Linux is a tool, licensed in a manner very different from similar tools... nothing more, nothing less. Like any tool it has strengths and weaknesses.

I have my reasons for choosing Linux and that's good enough for me. I used to use Windows. Here's why I switched to Linux:

• The Windows design philosophy of ease-of-use presumes that the user fears complexity, can't understand complexity, and will run from complexity. The overriding factor in every Microsoft design decision is that the details must remain hidden, and often there is no way to discover them, even when it becomes necessary to do so in order to solve a problem. Contrast Linux: The Linux design philosophy of perform-hard-and-get-the-job-done presumes that the user wants to accomplish something, and the user will determine for him-/herself whether dealing with the complexity is more or less trouble than the end goal is worth.
• The Microsoft business philosophy places Microsoft's profit ahead of all other considerations. This results in many bugs going unfixed when Microsoft decides that fixing them is more expensive than than the dent in customer satisfaction caused by buggy products. It also results in the licensing terms that dictate how and for what purposes the user may use a product. Contrast Free Software. The Free Software business philosophy does not exist in a collective form. It is each user deciding unilaterally what to do and how to do it. Many of them share their results. Some do not.
• The Corporate production philosophy presumes that developers are few. This results in a mindset that solutions to problems are handed down from the developers to the users, and that the developers can't be bothered to cater to individual users, therefore the users may only get what they're given. Contrast Collectivism. The Collectivist production philosophy presumes that there are many developers. From each according to his ability, and to each according to his need. And it works because there is plenty to go around.

I have a set of tasks that I would like to perform using computers and I have chosen Linux over Windows because Linux is a better tool for my tasks. That and I like the philosophy.

If somebody else wants to use Linux simply because it's grassroots or because it's free($) then I say to each his own. Maybe along the way they'll discover that they're smart people who can solve their own problems, and that Microsoft was really holding them back. Who knows?

Likewise, if somebody wants to use Windows, and has reasons for doing so, then again I say to each his own.

Screaming 14 year olds, as is said, having pissing contests over l33tness

This is typical of most 14 year olds. Some 14 year olds happen to use Linux. They'll each grow up and eventually stop pissing in their own time, but the fact that a group of people with these characteristics exists is simply a feature of our world... or maybe it's a bug ;-)

its better than sitting at work staring at the birds frying in the satellite transmitters on a slow day!

That it is!