[ExI] Fermi Paradox and GRB bursts

[Dan]

On Friday, October 3, 2014 12:02 PM, spike <spike66 at att.net> wrote:
>> ...GRBs vary in duration and strength. ...Evolution could be
>> postponed for millions of years.
> 
>> ...BillK

> Not at all.  Evolution does its best work when things change
> quickly.   Good chance we won't like the outcome, depending of
> course on how we define "we."

I don't think Bill literally no evolution would take place, but if we consider evolution toward technological civilization, all else being equal, it would likely reset the clock. I think it might have more of an impact now than hundreds of millions of years in terms of Earth for the reasons previously stated: evolution reinventing large primate-like intelligence capable of making technology might take a much longer time given that save for humans (and I think if it happened this moment, humans would almost certainly go extinct*), all nearby contenders are almost extinct as it is. A GRB would likely push them over the edge.


Regards,

Dan

* If humans don't go extinct, then, IMO, it's another story. Then it's a matter of how fast humans can recover. If we had viable settlements off Earth, my guess they would survive (humans living sheltered on Mars would be impacted, but my guess is not to the same degree; humans living in space would likely have radiation sheltering -- either getting fried or surviving with class) and that would be a life preserver even for humans on Earth. Why? Off world humans could aid in recovery on Earth -- in the event any were left there. Well, IMHO. ;)
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