LJ Idol Week 3: Coprolite

[vik_thor]

This weeks's topic is Coprolite.

First, I wanted to check to make sure it is what I think it is, when I read the prompt.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coprolite
Fossilized animal dung… Yep, exactly what I thought it was…

This isn't shit that has dried out so that it is as hard as a rock. This shit actually was in the right place/time to actually turn into a rock.

I'm not a paleontologist, so I don't deal with coprolites. Like most cat-owners, other than my daily doo, my main experience with proto-coprolites is scooping the litter box every day. And most of the time, they are nowhere near rock hard. So, what am I going to write about?
How bout a bit of self-referential thinking about coprolites?

When you think about it, fossilization has got to be incredibly rare. How much rarer for something that doesn't even have a structure to get fossilized? Most animals and plants, when they die, they start rotting, decaying to feed other organisms. Some eat specific items, like hair beetles and wool moths. (Just think how deep the planet might be in fur if nothing ever evolved to eat it.) Others, like fungi, are more generalists, and will eat any type of wood. One wonders if some type of fungi will soon evolve to feed on plastics?

Death leads to life. On a long enough scale, nothing we do will be permanent, until we colonize space. we will need to learn much better recycling than what we currently do, though probably will want to do quite a bit of it via biological means.

this post is for Week 3 of LJ Idol

Comments

[whipchick.livejournal.com]

Interesting thoughts - neat to learn some things!

[vik_thor]

»chuckles«
yeah, I like to give links if I can. :)

[baxaphobia.livejournal.com]

This was a hard topic. smile. Who knows if colonization of space will even be permanent.

[vik_thor]

Personally, I believe humans will eventually make it off this planet. The way it's going, not necessarily USAians, but humans. It's the only way for us to survive long term (though being space faring will change us in its own way…)

[noodledays.livejournal.com]

ia that you've included some interesting thoughts and ideas here.

[vik_thor]

Thanks!

[standgale.livejournal.com]

interesting ideas :)

[vik_thor]

Thanks!

[basric.livejournal.com]

Interesting ideas, but humans have had their chance SHOULD we colonize space and pollute it?

Nicely written.

[vik_thor]

Thanks!

I don't think we've gotten past the a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roanoke_Colony Roanoke Colony stage in colonizing space yet. Of course, LEO is already 'polluted' in one sense.
I think the first real, permanent settlements off Earth will be mining colonies on Luna, providing material for Solar Power Satellites.

[basric.livejournal.com]

Unless they come u with funding for NASA nothing will be done in space.

[vik_thor]

Haven't followed China's space program much, but have heard they are doing pretty good...

[myrna-bird.livejournal.com]

It would solve a big problem if something could eat up the plastics!

[vik_thor]

Yeah, as long as the timing is right. Don't want the fungi to start eating the milk jugs when they are still in the grocery store cooler, or in your fridge…

[imafarmgirl.livejournal.com]

Scooping the cat box is not among my favorite chores.

[vik_thor]

hehehe
doubt if it's anyone's

[whirlgig.livejournal.com]

I felt like I was at school reading that :) Great take on the prompt.

[vik_thor]

Thanks! (I think… :)

[karmasoup.livejournal.com]

I would agree that we certainly would need to recycle better first... I think that's one drop in a giant bucket of things we as a civilization would probably need to accomplish first. But yeah, the cycle of life does get one thinking.

[greenfernway.livejournal.com]

yup. We do a lot of kitty pan scooping too.