Stuff I Found

Wednesday, May 20, 2009

Biodiversity caused by galaxy?

According to this article:

Normally, our galaxy's magnetic field shields our solar system from this "galactic wind." But every 64 million years, the solar system's cyclical travels take it above the galactic plane.

"When we emerge out of the disk, we have less protection, so we become exposed to many more cosmic rays," Melott has said.

The boost in cosmic-ray exposure may have a direct effect on Earth's organisms, according to paleontologist Bruce Lieberman. The radiation would lead to higher rates of genetic mutations in organisms or interfere with their ability to repair DNA damage. In this way, the process could lead to new species while killing off others.


Wild idea . . . so wild, it just might work . . .

Does that mean we can accelerate human evolution by radiating ourselves the proper amount, even though we'd have to kill some of ourselves in the process?

Are humans technically even really "evolving" right now anyway?

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