02 January, 2007

A geo-historical revolution

I’m actually in work today, despite the building being Officially Closed: you can still come in, but there’s no heating or canteen staff to provide coffee. However, an opportunity to engage in some warming ROFL’ing is provided by Adamant (via Pharyngula): a merging of the sequence of events in the geological record, scaled according to the biblically-based timescale of Archbishop Ussher, and human history. Here are some highlights which appeal to the paleogeographic nerd in me:

  • 1384 B.C.: Shang Empire scraps compass research when China drifts over south magnetic pole.
  • 1314 B.C.: On his way home from Troy ,Odysseus makes wrong turn into Tethys Ocean ;Homer writes it up.
  • A.D. 1492: Panama's rise from sea thwarts Columbus's discovery of Japan.
  • A.D. 1522: Sneak asteroid attack by Hernan Cortez smashes Aztec Empire
  • A.D. 1588: Spanish Armada frustrated by continuing absence of English Channel.

Of course, the Young Earth Creationists think that most geology was confined to the year of Noah’s Flood, so this parody suffers from being rather less ridiculous than the ideas it is parodying.

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