Nutrino traps

[rstephen@cswnet.com (Roger A. Stephenson)]

Hello all,

Well I can't believe anyone could believe a nutrino emission could cause
the K-T event. If that were the case I think all life, not just large
forms, are subject to the same likelyhood of stopping a nutrino, developing
cancer as a result, and dying in numbers high enough to lead to planetwide
eco-collapse as I am to be out of debt by daylight. I'm sorry, but it aint
happ'nin'. While it may be that nutrinos make up a portion of the "dark
matter" in the known universe, the threat they pose to us or any other
(earth) creature, is insanely miniscule. No matter the source or
positioning.

Nutrons, on the other hand, are very real threat, and not just to large
lifeforms. A nutron star, passing anywhere near our solar system, would be
a serious plroblem. Surely this is what was meant. If Nemesis exists, what
if it is a nutron star? Bombardment by comets from the oort cloud, and a
BIG dose of nutron radiation, would be a one two combination that could
result in the K-T event. I think the bombardment alone would (did) do the
trick, but we're talkin' theory there as well. Maybe the irridium deposits
are a byproduct of nutron radiation reacting with upper atmosphere dust
after "the" impact.

Until absolute, unquestionable, without-a-doubt-in-the-world proof come
down the pike we really don't know what caused any of the mass extinctions.
As surely as life has reestablished itself time and time again there have
been reiventions and innovations which ultimately fail. Why? 'Cause there's
always another mass extinction waiting in the wings. Like clockwork? I
don't think so, as the geologic record seems to vary from one such event to
the next, but they do come.

If Levy-Shoemaker were to have whacked this little blue ball we wouldn't be
here, nor nearly anything else.

Roger A. Stephenson
rstephen@cswnet.com