Re: New predictions for the timeline
Posted: Fri Sep 16, 2022 9:03 am
A reader sent me this –
Hey Will, I recently learned about Flood basalt formations occurring from massive volcanic eruptions and I think the next one should be included in the future timeline. I know you have included the next supervolcanic eruption at 900,000 AD and mentioned "potential future technologies developed by humanity (or its descendants) by then, such as the ability to control tectonic plates and the underlying mantle." so I think would make sense to include that in the next 10-50 million years we could see a case of the kind of eruption which has been linked to prior mass extinctions. I think it would make sense for this to be included in the future timeline with a range the same way you have mentioned that for 30 to 40 million years in the future at some point during this period, an asteroid 10-20 km in size comes on a direct collision course with Earth. The median interval calculated for the flood basalt eruptions is 23 million years apart (11 eruptions in the past 250 million years). The Earth could even experience two of this type of eruption during this time frame. To put this in perspective: a Flood basalt eruption caused the End-Permian Extinction which is the Earth's most severe known extinction event. Thanks.