A professor at the University of Texas at Austin believes planet Earth would be better off if Mother Nature simply killed off 90 percent of the human population—and he predicts that is exactly what will happen in the not-too-distant future. According to Professor Eric Pianka, a specialist in herpetology and evolutionary ecology who was named the 2006 Distinguished Texas Scientist by the Texas Academy of Science, human beings have strained Earths natural resources to the breaking point, leaving the planet “parched.” Pianka believes the solution to this crisis is to eliminate the cause, by decreasing the number of human beings living on Earth from 6.5 billion to around 700 million—a 90 percent reduction. Pianka is convinced that Nature eventually will exterminate the majority of humans through widespread disease or other effects of global warming—and he seems delighted at the prospect. “This is really an exciting time,” he told the audience at a recent presentation of his “doomsday talk,” which is designed to raise awareness about the dangers of overpopulation and excess demands on the environment. “Every one of you who gets to survive has to bury nine.” Not everyone is quite so gleeful as Pianka at the prospect of widespread death and destruction. Some critics have called Pianka a “loose cannon” and have slammed him for advocating what they consider “worldwide genocide.” According to a Wikipedia article about Pianka , a report to the Department of Homeland Security that he was “fomenting bioterrorism” led to an interview with the FBI. What do you think? re Piankas ideas sound, silly or dangerous? Join the forum discussion and share your thoughts with other readers. More information: Doomsday: UT prof says death is imminent – Seguin Gazette-Enterprise Earth needs a 90% decrease in human population, Texas professor says –Association of American Physicians and Surgeons environment.about/b/2006/04/17/reduce-human-beings-by-90-percent-to-solve-environmental-woes-says-scientist.htm Texas Academy of Science speech[edit] Piankas acceptance speech[13] for the 2006 Distinguished Texas Scientist Award from the Texas Academy of Science[14] resulted in a controversy in the popular press when Forrest Mims, vice-chair of the Academys section on environmental science, claimed in the Society for Amateur Scientists e-journal The Citizen Scientist that Pianka had endorsed the elimination of 90 percent of the human population through a disease such as an airborne strain of the Ebola virus.[15] Mims claimed that Pianka said the Earth would not survive unless its population was reduced by 90% suggesting that the planet would be better off if the human population were reduced and that a mutant strain of Ebola (which has up to a 90% mortality rate) would be the most efficient means.[16] Mims affiliate at the Discovery Institute, William Dembski, then informed the Department of Homeland Security that Piankas speech may have been intended to foment bioterrorism.[17] This resulted in the Federal Bureau of Investigation interviewing Pianka in Austin.[18] Pianka has stated that Mims took his statements out of context and that he was simply describing what would happen from biological principles alone if present human population trends continue, and that he was not in any way advocating for it to happen. The Texas Academy, which hosted of the speech, released a statement asserting that Many of Dr. Piankas statements have been severely misconstrued and sensationalized.[19] However, Dr. Kenneth Summy,[20] an Academy member who observed the speech, wrote a letter[21] of support for Mims account, saying Dr. Pianka chose to deliver an inflammatory message in his keynote address, so he should not be surprised to be the recipient of a lot of criticism from TAS membership. Forrest Mims did not misrepresent anything regarding the presentation. Pianka has appeared on NBC-affiliate KXAN Austin[22] and on two cable talk shows Tuesday ... to try and clear his name. Pianka posted an explanation on his University of Texas website that said in part:[23] have two grandchildren and I want them to inherit a stable Earth. But I fear for them. Humans have overpopulated the Earth and in the process have created an ideal nutritional substrate on which bacteria and viruses (microbes) will grow and prosper. We are behaving like bacteria growing on an agar plate, flourishing until natural limits are reached or until another microbe colonizes and takes over, using them as their resource. In addition to our extremely high population density, we are social and mobile, exactly the conditions that favor growth and spread of pathogenic (disease-causing) microbes. I believe it is only a matter of time until microbes once again assert control over our population, since we are unwilling to control it ourselves. This idea has been espoused by ecologists for at least four decades and is nothing new. People just dont want to hear it... I do not bear any ill will toward humanity. However, I am convinced that the world WOULD clearly be much better off without so many of us... We need to make a transition to a sustainable world. If we dont, nature is going to do it for us in ways of her own choosing. By definition, these ways will not be ours and they wont be much fun. Think about that. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eric_Pianka
Posted on: Sat, 12 Jul 2014 23:29:17 +0000
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