Sharks Pre-Date the Grand Canyon: Community Debates Deep Time vs. Foundational Physics
Sharks, according to consensus, predate major geological markers like the Grand Canyon and the Himalayas. Bacteria, too, are cited as existing before modern trees evolved. The discussion frequently touches on profound scientific concepts, ranging from astronomical scales, such as the number of hydrogen atoms in water compared to stars in the solar system, to abstract physics like entropy.
Arguments are split between accepting established, complex scientific models and questioning the fundamentals of those models. Users like corsicanguppy assert sharks predate fire due to insufficient atmospheric oxygen. Deconceptualist explores abstract physics concepts, detailing the 'snap, crackle, and pop' sequence from jerk. Conversely, other threads question the basic assumptions of facts, challenging definitions like 'species' boundaries or the structure of glass.
The core tension lies between accepting deep-time, high-concept scientific data—like the cyclical nature of information preservation in black holes—and scrutinizing the very definitions used in that science. The field is split between factual recitation and deep philosophical interrogation of scientific axioms.
Key Points
Sharks predating major geological features.
The general consensus posits sharks existed before features like the Grand Canyon.
Debate over physical concepts being 'real'.
One group accepts advanced math/physics; another questions basic assumptions, challenging things like 'species' definitions.
Entropy as a record of all history.
Objection advanced the idea that information enters black holes but is never destroyed, only scrambled.
Sharks existed before fire.
corsicanguppy argued this because oxygen levels were too low for fire to sustain early life.
The mechanical process of 'pop' after 'crackle' and 'snap'.
Deconceptualist detailed this progression as a consequence of analyzing the rate of change in acceleration.
Source Discussions (3)
This report was synthesized from the following Lemmy discussions, ranked by community score.