Global Warming

Keynes famously remarked that in the long run we are all dead. The recent volcanic activity in Iceland should help remind us why. A very powerful volcanic eruption would result in what has become to be known as a "nuclear winter;" that is, the earth would be covered by a cloud of dust so thick that it would cause massive drops in temperature and end most life (some bacteria can survive almost anything), which is also what would happen in the event of a nuclear war. An asteroid collison could do the same thing.

However, eventually the molten core of the earth will cool down, eliminating volcanoes, but putting earth into a deep freeze. The glacier that once covered New York City was twice as tall as the Empire State Building. The entire earth will be covered in extreme cold. Goodbye humans.

Now it seems entirely correct that global warming has been occurring over the last 300 years and it is most likely due to carbon emissions and the destruction of forests so that people can farm (causing a shortage of carbon-dioxide-eating life). In the relatively short run this is going to cause some problems, such as to make my friends' beachfront property uninhabitable.

It is interesting that humans have become a species-loving life form. For most of their short history, most humans never traveled more than a few miles from home and didn't really care what happened to other humans. At some point in the recent past, humans starting forming their identities around being a member of a nation group...really a much bigger tribe. And then within the national identity, shortly after becoming a nation, Americans became followers of political parties. So identifying with a species is really quite a step. And some people can even identify with other life forms. But 99% of every species that has ever existed has become extinct. And we will get there, probably long before the lava cools down. Carpe diem. It may not be around tomorrow.

Addendum: This post should be read while playing The Humans Are Dead by Flight of the Conchords.