Murr has done it again. She’s the only writer I know who can make you howl at things that should be making you cry, and still get her point across. A scientist with a truly skewed view of the world and its antics, as usual (and, this time, unfortunately) she’s right on with her observations of our foolishness — and its likely results. Attendez…
In the beginning, about four and a half billion years ago, the earth was very hot, but at least it wasn’t humid. The atmosphere, such as it was, contained hydrogen and helium, elements that were so tiny they kept floating off. Nearly a half-billion years later, the crust had finally begun to sturdy up, so the molten bits had to blow their way through it via volcanoes. This produced carbon dioxide, steam and ammonia but no free oxygen. It was not hospitable to life, and I believe it. I visited my fourth-grade teacher’s apartment once, and it smelled like ammonia, and I thought I was going to die….
Murrmurrs: A Brief History Of Air.
Shhhhhh….
Thanks Bill! I assure you my old biology degree is entirely vestigial. I’m just making it all up, now.