It’s a commonly spread fiction that oil comes from dinosaurs because when people hear fossils, their brains immediately jump to dinosaurs. However, that’s not the case.
The truth may be less exciting to some, but oil and other fossil fuels are not actually formed from the remains of dinosaurs. The oil we’re drilling and pumping to the surface as fuel is formed from diatoms, small organisms such as algae and bacteria that lived long before dinosaurs even existed. Source
@roguetrick@TheSlad I occasionally talk to groups kids or sometimes adults about dinosaurs. A lot of them are still surprised to learn that all birds actually are dinosaurs (descendants from the only lineage(s) that managed to survive the K-Pg extinction event).
Surprisingly (or perhaps not surprisingly) people’re often resistant to the idea that birds are dinosaurs, i.e. that not all dinosaurs died out. The fact that many were feathered is helping shift the paradigm
They won't. There are bacteria that eat plastic. There is no path* to creating oil or coal again, biology is too good at breaking hydrocarbon precursors
If enough greenhouse gasses get released by this breakdown of hydrocarbons, and the temperature rises enough, the oceans may stop circulating and loose all their oxygen. The resulting die off and anoxic environment might be enough to form a massive new layer of tar and proto-oil with some luck.
@ProfessorProteus@_haha_oh_wow_ Given that there’s a finite number of carbon atoms & water molecules etc on the planet (setting aside the stuff that arrives on meteorites etc), there’s no doubt that in your body, & almost certainly in the steak or salad or whatever you’re eating, there’ll be some molecules that were inside a few dinosaurs, & quite possibly passed through the guts of one & of various other animals too (from the Hadean to a few days ago) at some point.
Ackchually, oil is mostly from plant matter.
TIL
A more entertaining source:
https://what-if.xkcd.com/101/
We need to induct Randal into the wholesome four at some point.
Edit: typo
Induct? Or has he committed a crime I'm not aware of?
The crime of being wholesome and helping other people!!
Ok, autocorrect hates me. Thanks for pointing that out.
And non-plants like algae and bacteria.
I am under the impression that's coal.
Oil is from sea life. Though I did read that in the 80s so entirely possible its nonsense.
Yes and no. They're both hydrocarbons.
Coal is organic matter from dry land, so typically plants.
Oil is from organic matter that fell to the ocean floor, so microbial life, algae and the like.
But both are from and end up as the same types of organic molecules. Carbon and hydrogen.
Can Texas just go back to being a shallow anoxic sea?
Please?
@JasonDJ @Cornelius_Wangenheim 😂
Yes. A lot of such places are still below the seabed, hence off-shore oil-rigs.
Nah, coal is plant matter too.
Trees from before anything existed that could break down wood
Yeah, that's what I said!
I guess algae and bacteria are close to plants.
How close? Like cousins or Alabama cousins?
Louisiana cousins I believe.
Not really, especially in this science sub
Dinosaurs -> chickens
Chickens -> pulverized chicken paste
Pulverized chicken paste -> dinosaur shaped chicken nuggets
Dinosaurs = Chickens
Therefore dinosaur shaped dinosaur nuggets
@roguetrick @TheSlad I occasionally talk to groups kids or sometimes adults about dinosaurs. A lot of them are still surprised to learn that all birds actually are dinosaurs (descendants from the only lineage(s) that managed to survive the K-Pg extinction event).
Surprisingly (or perhaps not surprisingly) people’re often resistant to the idea that birds are dinosaurs, i.e. that not all dinosaurs died out. The fact that many were feathered is helping shift the paradigm
I don't think we have the technology yey to create dinosaur shaped chicken nuggets. The ones I have seen usually are shaped like nondescript blobs.
It is possible, but it's wasteful and expensive.
Actually, it's mostly plancton.
Let's make microplancton plastic toys.
Wait. What about microplastics in the oceans ?
They will become new oil in a million years.
They won't. There are bacteria that eat plastic. There is no path* to creating oil or coal again, biology is too good at breaking hydrocarbon precursors
*Except by deliberate human industry
If enough greenhouse gasses get released by this breakdown of hydrocarbons, and the temperature rises enough, the oceans may stop circulating and loose all their oxygen. The resulting die off and anoxic environment might be enough to form a massive new layer of tar and proto-oil with some luck.
Since we are all full of microplastics, does that mean we are part dinosaur?
We are full of stars
I'd say no, because the microplastics aren't really a part of our DNA. But that's just my definition.
I think we could say that we all have dinosaurs inside us, just like our pesky skeletons.
But aren't like 50% of cells in your body bacteria? I'd say those are considered part of you. But I get what you are saying.
Does it need to be part of your DNA?
If I weigh 99 Kg, and I eat 1 Kg of ravioli, I am 1% ravioli.
Like I said, it's just the way I feel about it. Yours is a compelling argument though, and honestly more fun!
no, you'd be 69% ravioli
@ProfessorProteus @_haha_oh_wow_ Given that there’s a finite number of carbon atoms & water molecules etc on the planet (setting aside the stuff that arrives on meteorites etc), there’s no doubt that in your body, & almost certainly in the steak or salad or whatever you’re eating, there’ll be some molecules that were inside a few dinosaurs, & quite possibly passed through the guts of one & of various other animals too (from the Hadean to a few days ago) at some point.
Plastic is almost entirely made from plants much older then dinosaurs, but if you ate a chicken on the other hand...
Does mechanically separated chicken count?
The circle of life is really about the CO
2we make along the waydinosaur necromancy
This meme never gets old
I thought this was a guide to the game "Workers and Resources: Society Republic"
I must be playing it too much...
I just picked that up in the summer sale! Looking forward to playing it.
It's way too addicting... But oh so good
Life is short, but an idea is forever.
And yet, a sense of the true self exists in the false self.
restoration
Stage Three: The sign marks the absence of basic reality. The image calls into question what the reality is and if it even exists.
And thus Philosoraptor was born
Where’s my steggo?
ah there it is. hiding in the back,
Ah yes, triceratops and T-Rex.
Why not the iPad? It’s as far time wise to the Rex as the Rex is to the tops.
Are you confusing Triceratops with Stegosaurus? Triceratops and T. Rex both lived in the late Cretaceous.
Totally. I’m no Expertosaurus on this, I’d consider myself more a… Nooboraptor.