A GROUP of intrepid souls recently disappeared into a hole –
no, not the Canberra press corps – and stumbled upon a wealth of old bones and
fossils. There is no doubt their discovery is an interesting find, but there
are some who are finding it far more interesting than bits of long-dead
diprotodon and other extinct wotnots would suggest – palaeontologist
Gilbert Price most of all. Having long since taken a leaf from fellow bone
buff Tim Flannery’s playbook (and
a swag of climate-related research grants), Gilbert reckons the cache
will help him save the world from global warming.
Price with the jawbone of a creature that went extinct before the Carbon Tax could save it.
Until the past ten years, there was a general consensus that it was a good thing that the climate warmed and we emerged from the Ice Age.
ReplyDeleteOf course, back in the Ice Age, it was a maxim that he who would eat must go forth and catch his food. And while there were lean-to humpies made of mammothe tusks and hides, there was a singular lack of ivory towers on the tundra.
Would need a closer examination to confirm my opinion, but I would say that Price's haircut dates from the mid-Cambrian period.
ReplyDeleteThe Irish Lion
Mid 70's more like .
DeleteWould he walk around the department using the old pick-up line?
DeleteHim: Are you a palaeontologist?
Her: Yes, why?
Him: Because I've got a large bone which I'd like you to examine.
The precedent is Biblical, Prof. He holds aloft a mighty weapon, rather like the jawbone of an ass, with which he intends to slay a thousand Philistines such as you and me and any other disbeliever standing in the way of his climatic moneypot. Bah. Long may he live in his cave unfunded. Dismantling this ivory tower system of far-fetched indulgences is an early job for Super Abbott.
ReplyDelete'jawbone of an ass'
DeleteThat's a little clue to what he's talking out of.
As a fellow with knowledge of what he speaks ( possibly a good deal more than the above mentioned freak ), all I can say is, if he doesn't stop it he will go blind , 7 million years ago a similar phenomenon took place near arkaroola In south australia , a mass grave yard surrounding an ancient dried up water hole , after much deliberation by the boffins natural climate variability was fingered as the culprit , a bloody long drought caused a breakdown in their environment ...if only they had a carbon tax .
ReplyDeleteI can provide a link to the article if any one would like .
Climate is what you expect, weather is what you get!
ReplyDeleteHoddle Boulevard
I am one of the "intrepid souls" who found these fossils and here is my two cents worth. Gilbert's research will shed light on how fauna adapted or didn't adapt to changing climate. This is very relevant today irrespective of whether it is getting warmer or cooler. It is also relevant to the related problem that over population has on scarce resources. The current rate of extinction of flora and fauna is the proof of this. It could be that the Australian mega fauna extinction was human induced. This result would be most un-PC but if true has to stand.
ReplyDeleteThis are my personal opinion.