Comments on: The Perspective of Time http://ancientshore.com/2009/11/08/the-perspective-of-time/ Paleontology, Geology, and Landscape Sun, 12 Feb 2012 16:25:36 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.com/ By: Graham http://ancientshore.com/2009/11/08/the-perspective-of-time/#comment-156 Mon, 09 Nov 2009 23:31:32 +0000 http://ancientshore.com/?p=1078#comment-156 Thank you everyone for the comments on this post so far!

Deep time is certainly problematic in scale for the average person, even if it is inherently obvious in occurrence. I quite like using spatial scales to depict time; I have taught classes before where we used 1 mm to represent 100 years (i.e., your maximum possible lifespan), then started measuring: back to the start of civilization, back to the start of the ice ages, back to the end of the Cretaceous. It is very illuminating!

]]> By: Steven Kukla http://ancientshore.com/2009/11/08/the-perspective-of-time/#comment-155 Mon, 09 Nov 2009 23:14:04 +0000 http://ancientshore.com/?p=1078#comment-155 The average person is totally unable of relating to the deep time (eons, eras epochs, etc.). Scientists & journalist have attempted to depict deep time using stacked bar graphics, hash-marked lengths, fast-forwarded animated clips, and other means. However, as analogies, I think they all lack in that they use visual means to convey a sense of time. We certainly understand and can feel what it is to wait, and we can experience time in moments, hours, days, months, years, decades, but we really lack the ability to fully experience the depths of geologic time. I have gained a better sense of deep time through my amateur fossil collecting and by reading some geology books (e.g. The Mountains of Saint Francis, by Walter Alvarez). But I still wonder how to convey a more visceral experience of deep time to the layman (in a sound bite, in a 30-second spot, or in a museum drive-by). Here’s a mashup idea for an innovative museum…add a deep time slider to Google Earth and let folks see how a locale map changes as you go back in time & perhaps add ability to access linked list of life-forms that lived in that locale (per the fossil record).

]]> By: uberVU - social comments http://ancientshore.com/2009/11/08/the-perspective-of-time/#comment-154 Sun, 08 Nov 2009 23:06:27 +0000 http://ancientshore.com/?p=1078#comment-154 Social comments and analytics for this post…

This post was mentioned on Twitter by Allochthonous: Great post on the importance – and peoples’ general ignorance – of Deep Time http://bit.ly/1vreTo...

]]> By: Tweets that mention The Perspective of Time « Ancient Shore -- Topsy.com http://ancientshore.com/2009/11/08/the-perspective-of-time/#comment-153 Sun, 08 Nov 2009 21:29:19 +0000 http://ancientshore.com/?p=1078#comment-153 [...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Cian Dawson and mo, Chris Rowan. Chris Rowan said: Great post on the importance – and peoples' general ignorance – of Deep Time http://bit.ly/1vreTo [...]

]]> By: Chris Rowan http://ancientshore.com/2009/11/08/the-perspective-of-time/#comment-152 Sun, 08 Nov 2009 20:54:55 +0000 http://ancientshore.com/?p=1078#comment-152 Great post. I think Deep Time trumps even plate tectonics as the most important concept in Earth science.

]]> By: thelocalguide http://ancientshore.com/2009/11/08/the-perspective-of-time/#comment-151 Sun, 08 Nov 2009 18:40:54 +0000 http://ancientshore.com/?p=1078#comment-151 nice photos :) really liked the 2 mountain peaks one.

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