Author Archives: gymnosperm

I Deny

“Denier!”, in the tone of apostasy. Well, call me the apostate, because I deny. I deny that there is any reasonable scientific evidence that Carbon dioxide will cause catastrophic global warming. I deny this as a naturalist and serious student … Continue reading →

Posted in Biology, Carbon Cycle, Carbon Dioxide Loves to Swim, Carbon Prohibitionists, Carbon Theology, Climate, Climate Change, Global Warming, Global Warming Denial, Religion | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

The Personal Digital Assistant (PDA) and the Apple of Eden

We were camping in Eastern Oregon the night before a raft trip near the put in for Hells Canyon. It was a popular campsite and I noticed a young man with a striking tendency to put his hand to his … Continue reading →

Posted in Anthropology, Biology, History of Life, Metaphor, PDA and the Apple of Eden, River | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

The Dim Sum, Microbial Dark Matter and Wine Dark Seas

The oceans are a microbial soup I like to call the Dim Sum. It is an appropriate pun because it is both dim in the sense we don’t understand it, and  a dim sum in that we  cannot describe it mathematically. The … Continue reading →

Posted in Biology, Geography, Microbial Dark Matter, Oceanography | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

A Quick Review of the Carbon Cycle

Quick review of the carbon cycle magnitude per NASA in Gt.: Ocean to atmosphere 90 Microbial respiration land 60 Plant respiration land 60 Human 9 ——— Total surface to atmosphere 219 Photosynthesis land 123 Atmosphere to Ocean 92 ——- Total atmosphere … Continue reading →

Posted in Carbon Cycle, Carbon Dioxide Loves to Swim, Climate Change, Geography, Oceanography | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

The Naturalist and the Seven Microatmosphere Disparity, or Carbon Dioxide Loves to Swim

Humans are naturalists by nature. We like to use our wonderful, color sensing eyes to peer through the leaves into the netherworld beyond to better understand how our world works. We’ve hacked the leaves back quite a bit now but … Continue reading →

Posted in Anthropology, Biology, Carbon Cycle | Tagged , , , , , , | 3 Comments

A bit About Adiabatic, (Without the Devil)

Air does basically two things; either it warms and rises , or it sinks and cools. Winds follow the pressure gradients that emerge between these regimes. Ironically, cold air masses are warming and rising and warm air masses are sinking … Continue reading →

Posted in Anthropology, Carbon Theology, Climate, Climate Change, Global Warming, History, River | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

Wild Idea #6743: Possible Impact Signatures in Seafloor Isochrons

Who knows from what depths the well of ideas flows? For me it is often during the liberation of rote manual work that frees some bandwidth while still requiring a minimal level of focus and blood flow to the brain. … Continue reading →

Posted in Asteroid Impacts, Geography, Geology, Magnetic Reversals, Paleogeography, Plate Tectonics, Seafloor Isochrons | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Why Die?

A very good question, and one that will be added to the “Great Mysteries of Nature Nobody Seems to be Thinking About” post. The oldest living things we know of are the gnarly bristlecones that have a couple three millennia … Continue reading →

Posted in Biology, Economics, History of Life | Tagged , | 3 Comments

Bought a Gun

In a strange way I feel like a real American now. Armed to defend life, liberty, etc.; well, at least life on my side of the muzzle. Never thought I would own one. I remember as a kid playing at … Continue reading →

Posted in Anthropology, Biology, Economics | Tagged , | 1 Comment

Manual Prayer

We pray with our hands. Not only clasped in church or other supplication, but in the everyday actions of our lives. Cooking and gardening are prayerful acts as is building or repairing things we need. Music, art…. Hands are primate things. Perhaps our simian … Continue reading →

Posted in Anthropology, Biology, History of Life, Manual Prayer, Metaphor | Tagged , , | 1 Comment