You think about the grand time-line of things. Things (mammals, reptiles, birds, etc) had been walking this spot tens of millions of years before humans were a concept. Human history, in comparison, hasn't been that long, especially any history that we consider to be above prehistorical, aka 'civilization.' Yet, despite the fact that we are a blip on the grand scale of things, we are still bringing on the next major extinction event. That's man's legacy.
Today, I went to the last of the three John Day Fossil Bed exhibits (yesterday's was the Sheeprock Unit/Blue Basin), the Clarno Unit. Each unit is very distinct, not only in appearance but also in regards to the participation level allowed to the visitors. Painted Hills was pretty but without a lot of substance. Sheeprock was very educational but there was a BIG emphasis on the "don't touch!" Clarno let us walk amongst the rocks and find fossils on our own. We pretty much stayed on path, only venturing slightly off to look at the sides of boulders which have fallen from the Wile-E rocks above. They had exposed fossils of leaves and branches in them and, in some cases, whole tree trunks. It was pretty awesome.
It got me thinking to what we're leaving behind. Tens of millions of years from now, when maybe the lizards (or aliens) have evolved to excavate the earth, will they find the fossils left by tropical lava flows, consisting of cokes cans and remote controls?
I'm not trying to be too down on humanity but I don't want to let us off the hook either. We're really screwing up this world. It's pretty evident when a state-run tourist attraction admits as much.
Still, I'm really glad I came out this way. It was a great experience with a good friend that I will treasure.
1 comment:
You should watch "Life After People" on the History Channel. They ask the exact same questions.
Post a Comment