Apocolypse thread

[Mr. Bungle]

That's because the idea of humanity destroying itself is so feasible. Face it, we're scumbags.

[Havoc]

Only a grain?

This would cover about half of what is needed to deal with Fox news.

[Mr. Bungle]

I don't understand. I thought the saying "Take something like a grain of salt" meant to take it with skeptiscism. Why would you take it with a lot of salt?

This must be some European thing I'm not getting.

[Nate]

I don't understand. I thought the saying "Take something like a grain of salt" meant to take it with skeptiscism. Why would you take it with a lot of salt?

This must be some European thing I'm not getting.

The idea is that you need to take more than a single grain of salt's worth of skepticism to balance out Fox New's shitness.

[MeechMunchie]

Where I come from it's a "pinch" of salt, anyway.

[STM]

You posh lot with your sodium chloride. We just use sodium.

And that's how we all die. Sodium.

If humanity does cease to exist, it'll probably just be because of evolution. I imagine that even though evolution for homo sapiens is slowing down, it won't outright stop, in a million years, we might be homo sapiens sapiens sapiens! Though I imagine we'll have mutated into something new long before that date when Iran bombs Israel and America bombs Iran and China bombs America and The Solomon Islands bomb China.

[Sekto Springs]

I think we should start a new thread debating the ratios and distribution of metaphorical condiments.

[Bullet Magnet]

I will consider your suggestion with a side of mint jelly.

[MeechMunchie]

I will ponder your proposal with a dash of mustard.

[Sekto Springs]

There's more of gravy than what's grave about this thread.

[MeechMunchie]

I might actually be in a production of that. If I get in, I put 40% of my success down to my sideburns.

[STM]

If I got to choose the apocalypse, like if there was a big apocalyptic spinner. I'd make it land on 'zombie'. I like that scenario the most. If the world is going to be destroyed, there should be zombies.

[Mr. Bungle]

I agree. And since I live in the middle of Buttfuck Nowhere, Ontario, I should be able to fend of zombies for quite some time.

[Bullet Magnet]

Until the great undead snake of Toronto's main infestation worms its way up to you.

[Mr. Bungle]

I live nearly 6 hours from Toronto, 10 minutes outside a town with a population of under 1,000, out in the boonies.

So hopefully any zombies from Toronto would simply drop dead from hunger before they get to me.

[STM]

Zombies would probably radiate from the cities so it'd be a few days or weeks before you got hit I guess. I live too close to London, I reckon I'd have three days.

[Bullet Magnet]

Once everyone realised that zombies are dead with no body heat of their own, they'll head north.

Canada will be inundated with millions of American refugees, and they'll bring the infection with them.

The zombies will freeze in winter. And then so will everyone else.

[STM]

Do viruses die at sub-zero temperatures?

[Bullet Magnet]

Technically they can't die at all on account of not being alive. But no, they don't. In fact they seem to be more structurally stable at cooler temperatures, though that may vary with species. The freeze-thaw process of water can destroy them, and the more times it occurs, the more are destroyed.

In fact, the avian flu cycle may be perpetuated by virus particles released during the spring thaw. And ancient viruses may wait in permanently frozen water such as the most northerly lakes. They might be released by global warming. We can only hope that the fact that hardly anyone lives near them keeps such strains contained.

[STM]

Oh, that reminds me. Since many scientists debate that viruses are or aren't alive, I heard there was a theory that they were a form of extra-terrestrial life. What do you think about that? It's something I've wanted your opinion on for weeks. Also, why don't you classify viruses as living?

Mrs Nerg...

[Bullet Magnet]

They are no more alive than a computer virus is an operating system. It's just a pre-packaged piece of genetic code that hacks the protein synthesis function of a cell and forces it to make more virus particles, destroying them in the process. Many infect particular cells so that the body's immune response and/or normal processes facilitate distribution to other hosts.

But without living cells they are nothing but inert protein capsules.


I don't know anything about them being extra-terrestrial, or what would motivate someone into adopting such a position. Seems unlikely to me.

[STM]

But surely, the fact that viruses have to infect a host to survive is some proof of their living state? Also, don't viruses evolve? That was one of the real fears about H1N1, that it would evolve into something altogether more lethal. I think they're fascinating to be entirely honest, I should really read up some more on them.

[MeechMunchie]

They're not alive. They can't reproduce on their own, and the ability to reproduce is what seperates lichens from rocks.

[STM]

You've obviously never met my pet rock.

[Havoc]

We're a virus and we're alive, aren't we? Rep to whoever gets the movie reference and quotes it correctly (I trust you not to cheat).

[Nate]

We're a virus and we're alive, aren't we? Rep to whoever gets the movie reference and quotes it correctly (I trust you not to cheat).

Jeez, man. You really think anyone wouldn't recognise a Matrix reference?




The issue with deciding whether viruses are alive is that you first have to define 'life'.

[Havoc]

No quote, no rep!

[Nate]

I don't want your rep. I prefer to mock your reference than to play your game.

[Havoc]

[Mac Sirloin]

Big spiders.

Lots of big-ass, angry spiders.