Tuesday, February 10, 2009

Really Big Snake!!

Our local newspaper carried a Los Angeles Times article last weekend entitled,

"Huge Snake Fossil Found in Colombia"

Now I am not a herpetologist but I do admit unique stories such as this one command my attention. First I should note this newly discovered beast has been named -- Titanoboa Cerrejonesis (TC) - which is pretty catchy don't you think!!??

However, here are some data points in the article that I found most interesting:

  • TC "ruled the Amazon rain forest for 2 million years before slithering into nonexistence"
  • "The climate had to be 6 to 8 degrees warmer than it is today for a snake that large to survive."
  • TC "could eat a large cow or a bison....if there had been any around"

Which leads me to conclude/observe -- 2 million years ago Mother Earth was not "scarred" by the SUV's we drive today so clearly this "global warming" that allowed TC to live was not caused by humans. I might be oversimplifying here but this is a great example that "climate change" has occurred throughout the earth's history regardless of whether or not human were living at the time.

However, I would guess that Al Gore has an explanation for the story of TC's warmer world or perhaps even has another "false-umentary" film planned for us to watch?

Change happens,

Todd

1 comment:

Jeff Deitering said...

Those lakes in your adopted home state of Minnesota didn't just create themselves. The glaciers retreated because dinos drove Durangos just like you.