In Which An Important Decision Must Be Made
The following email comes courtesy of Emmy S. No wait, that’s too obvious. E. Smith. Okay, let’s just call her Franklin.
Here’s what I got: There are microbial mats that have this really strange metabolism that can both oxidize and reduce elements (in this case sulfur). These algal mats (and biology in general) are really lazy and prefer to take up the lightest available isotope. This is a process known as fractionation. Anyway, these algal mats were fractionating sulfur isotopes like mad in the early oceans, and we’re able to see this record in ancient rocks that we find today. The sulfur isotope record can actually tell us when different metabolisms (sulfate reducing, sulfate reducing/oxidizing) arose. And because these weird oxidizing and reducing algal mats needed oxygen for some of the intermediate metabolic stages, they must have lived close to the surface of the ocean and there ***must have been oxygen in the atmosphere***. This is very important and the timing of the rise of these algal mats has implications for the timing of the Great Oxidation Event (our atmosphere wasn’t always oxygenated). Very exciting.
You know another thing i’m working on? Snowball earth. Have i told you about this? This is the theory that there were at least two complete global glaciations, that two times in history the earth was a giant snowball. this is a highly contentious theory, at least in some circles. there are many scientists that would bet their lives on the slushball earth hypothesis. so what do you think: snowball or slushball? another mini/maybe major project of mine is working on small shelly fossils. that is actually the scientific name for the little buggers. small shelly fossils. i’m thinking about devoting the next 5 years of my life to them. i’m also thinking about devoting the next 5 years of my life to making a mockumentary on the scientific community, all the while pretending to be a part of it. tough choice: small shelly fossils or betrayal?
maybe i’ll just have a bunch of babies.
this is a horrible thing to say, but here i go anyway. didn’t all of mongolia’s livestock die last summer? that would have been the perfect time for you to go. and, at least according to dania, mongolians love salad. i’ll scope things out for you.
no need to say anything to amos. i just wear exclusively harvard apparel. even to bed. every time he looks at me he’s reminded.
Why have I bothered to reprint this email? Besides the obvious awesomeness of it, our protagonist is in need of help. Your help! Please give your advice as to what she should do by answering the following poll:
Loading ...I thank you, and Franklin thanks you.
Please Note, The results of this poll will in no way affect global warming, unless you choose answer 3.
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About The Author
dancewithsunflowers
I prefer not to think of all the misery but of all the beauty that still remains. -Anne Frank
The fact that betrayal was higher than snowball earth, that those two were my narrow down choices, really reminds me why I come to this blog. That is to say, to betray snowball earth. And decency.