in 2008 paleontologist Paul Sereno announced a remarkable find from the
announced a remarkable find from the
announced a remarkable find from the Sahara where he had been looking for
Sahara where he had been looking for
Sahara where he had been looking for dinosaur bones
he found bones all right but not the
he found bones all right but not the kind he was looking for Sereno had
kind he was looking for Sereno had
kind he was looking for Sereno had literally stumbled upon the largest
literally stumbled upon the largest
literally stumbled upon the largest known graveyard of Stone Age people
known graveyard of Stone Age people
known graveyard of Stone Age people including this mother buried with her
including this mother buried with her
including this mother buried with her two children
twelve thousand years ago this gold
twelve thousand years ago this gold bleaching desert had been a lush green
bleaching desert had been a lush green
bleaching desert had been a lush green lakeside oasis supporting a thriving
lakeside oasis supporting a thriving
lakeside oasis supporting a thriving culture
culture
culture and an abundance of wild game
then the Earth’s axis wobbled ever so
then the Earth’s axis wobbled ever so slightly the climate changed the desert
slightly the climate changed the desert
slightly the climate changed the desert spread and the culture died today it is
spread and the culture died today it is
spread and the culture died today it is mainly human activity that causes the
mainly human activity that causes the
mainly human activity that causes the African deserts to spread over grazing
African deserts to spread over grazing
African deserts to spread over grazing slash-and-burn agriculture deforestation
slash-and-burn agriculture deforestation
slash-and-burn agriculture deforestation and overuse of groundwater are
and overuse of groundwater are
and overuse of groundwater are exacerbating climate change
if current trends continue the continent
if current trends continue the continent might be able to feed only 25% of its
might be able to feed only 25% of its
might be able to feed only 25% of its population by 2025 change is part of our
population by 2025 change is part of our
population by 2025 change is part of our history it’s certainly going to be part
history it’s certainly going to be part
history it’s certainly going to be part of our future and it’s really incumbent
of our future and it’s really incumbent
of our future and it’s really incumbent upon us for our own survival or success
upon us for our own survival or success
upon us for our own survival or success as a species to be able to anticipate
as a species to be able to anticipate
as a species to be able to anticipate and adapt to those changes and modern
and adapt to those changes and modern
and adapt to those changes and modern man is far from safe millions of the
man is far from safe millions of the
man is far from safe millions of the world’s poorest populations in 2008
world’s poorest populations in 2008
world’s poorest populations in 2008 suffered severe food shortages as crops
suffered severe food shortages as crops
suffered severe food shortages as crops failed and food prices spiked widespread
failed and food prices spiked widespread
failed and food prices spiked widespread riots broke out in Haiti where starving
riots broke out in Haiti where starving
riots broke out in Haiti where starving families resorted to eating mud cookies
families resorted to eating mud cookies
families resorted to eating mud cookies sold by vendors
the US produces a large percentage of
the US produces a large percentage of the corn that is consumed not just here
the corn that is consumed not just here
the corn that is consumed not just here locally but worldwide excessive drought
locally but worldwide excessive drought
locally but worldwide excessive drought excessive rainfall any of those factors
excessive rainfall any of those factors
excessive rainfall any of those factors that reduce your yields will then have
that reduce your yields will then have
that reduce your yields will then have an influence on that particular sector
an influence on that particular sector
an influence on that particular sector of the economy which then has a ripple
of the economy which then has a ripple
of the economy which then has a ripple effect on other parts of the
effect on other parts of the
effect on other parts of the agricultural economy as well and an
agricultural economy as well and an
agricultural economy as well and an insidious new threat to the world’s food
insidious new threat to the world’s food
insidious new threat to the world’s food supply is on the rise a potentially
supply is on the rise a potentially
supply is on the rise a potentially disastrous disease it’s a weak virus
disastrous disease it’s a weak virus
disastrous disease it’s a weak virus previously found only in East Africa it
previously found only in East Africa it
previously found only in East Africa it is spread as far as Iran and threatens
is spread as far as Iran and threatens
is spread as far as Iran and threatens to push out into India and the rest of
to push out into India and the rest of
to push out into India and the rest of Asia such plagues could wipe out our
Asia such plagues could wipe out our
Asia such plagues could wipe out our ability to grow food on a large scale it
ability to grow food on a large scale it
ability to grow food on a large scale it is with this in mind that scientists in
is with this in mind that scientists in
is with this in mind that scientists in Norway last year completed a new
Norway last year completed a new
Norway last year completed a new safeguard the Doomsday Seed Vault buried
safeguard the Doomsday Seed Vault buried
safeguard the Doomsday Seed Vault buried deep into the side of an Arctic mountain
deep into the side of an Arctic mountain
deep into the side of an Arctic mountain the new vault will house copies of seeds
the new vault will house copies of seeds
the new vault will house copies of seeds from all known varieties of food crops
from all known varieties of food crops
from all known varieties of food crops keeping them in case they are needed to
keeping them in case they are needed to
keeping them in case they are needed to save a starving planet
but short of such a crisis the human
but short of such a crisis the human population showed no signs of shrinking
population showed no signs of shrinking
population showed no signs of shrinking of 2008 growing to an estimated 6.7
of 2008 growing to an estimated 6.7
of 2008 growing to an estimated 6.7 billion
fortunately human ingenuity is showing
fortunately human ingenuity is showing signs of expanding as quickly as our
signs of expanding as quickly as our
signs of expanding as quickly as our numbers and in 2008 many of our greatest
numbers and in 2008 many of our greatest
numbers and in 2008 many of our greatest breakthroughs came as we grappled with
breakthroughs came as we grappled with
breakthroughs came as we grappled with ways to limit our impact on our earth
ways to limit our impact on our earth
ways to limit our impact on our earth and survived
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