Freethought & Rationalism Archive

GunnerJ · 01-01-2003, 03:18 PM

The Future is Wild

Looks like a documentary on how animals and plants (but presumably with an emphasis on the former) could evolve in the future. Looks interesting.

Could a Mod copy this to Media and Pop Culture?

Liquidrage · 01-01-2003, 03:33 PM

Yeah I was going to post this to remind people it's on tonight at 8pm ET/PT

I'm interested to see how it walks the line of good science vs sensationalism that sells.

Godbert · 01-01-2003, 03:39 PM

Northern Europe will be ruled by the 150 pound Shagrat?
I've got to see that!!

Mediancat · 01-01-2003, 05:26 PM

The future animals are based at least in part on new work by Dougal Dixon -- the man responsible for the inventive and fun After Man: A Zoology of the Future , which is my favorite book of all time. So I'm expecting it to be fun, but still grounded in legitimate scientific speculation.

Rob aka Mediancat

Mediancat · 01-01-2003, 05:31 PM

While I'm thoroughly enjoying it so far, the one thing I don't like is that they're saying "scientists predict in the future it WILL happen like this" rather than simply "could." Other than that quibble, though . . . .

-- Rob aka Mediancat

My kingdom for a reedstilt!

pz · 01-01-2003, 05:35 PM

I'm watching it now. I'm not impressed. It's not as if there is some shortage of exotic organisms and peculiar evolutionary stories in existence right now, that they need to make up a bunch of stuff about the future.

I also find it aggravating because it gives the completely false impression that biologists can predict the course of evolution.

(I'll also copy this thread as requested)

Mediancat · 01-01-2003, 05:47 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by pz

I'm watching it now. I'm not impressed. It's not as if there is some shortage of exotic organisms and peculiar evolutionary stories in existence right now, that they need to make up a bunch of stuff about the future.

I also find it aggravating because it gives the completely false impression that biologists can predict the course of evolution.

There's a shortage of it presented before a mass audience, though, and this is entertaining and seems plausible enough.

PLus, while yeah, I wish they were saying could rather than will, I think it's pretty obvious they're predicting the future rather than simply presenting a plausible scenario.

(edited to remove potential gratuitous insult)

Rob aka Mediancat

"Withdraw, my lord; I'll help you to a reedstilt."

Liquidrage · 01-01-2003, 06:16 PM

I would have to agree that the wording used for the predictions is poor at best.

I had to explain to my wife that no one can really predict that X animal will evolve into Y like they are saying.
She kept saying, "No, they're saying the scientists say so".
And she of course trusts the narrator speaking on behalf of the anonymous scientists on the TV more then my take on it.

It took a little effort but she finally understood what I was saying.

Mediancat · 01-01-2003, 06:53 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Liquidrage

And she of course trusts the narrator speaking on behalf of the anonymous scientists on the TV more then my take on it.

Not completely anonymous; like I said, Dougal Dixon, the genius who wrote After Man, is behind at least part of it.

Further, deponent knoweth not.

Rob aka Mediancat

Reedstilting at windmills

GunnerJ · 01-01-2003, 07:05 PM

It was kind of cheesey, but interesting.

I cringed, though, everytime the narrator said "Scientists predict that..." What, does every simgle person with a PhD in the hard sciences get together every year to discuss what will happen to quails and the city of Paris in the future? It would have been nice to see even a cursory nod to the highly speculative nature fo the whole show. But no, we get the voice-over saying, "This is no fantasy, scientists have predicted this based on the laws of evolution."

:banghead:

Don't get me started on the "birds came from avain dinosaurs" and "re-evolution" crap.

Still, they get thumbs up for making turtles into the largest land creatures ever, and that giant jellyfish was pretty badass.

01-01-2003, 03:18 PM	#1
GunnerJ Banned Join Date: Sep 2001 Location: a place where i can list whatever location i want Posts: 4,871	Anyone get Animal Planet? The Future is Wild Looks like a documentary on how animals and plants (but presumably with an emphasis on the former) could evolve in the future. Looks interesting. Could a Mod copy this to Media and Pop Culture?

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01-01-2003, 03:33 PM	#2
Liquidrage Veteran Member Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Tallahassee Posts: 1,301	Yeah I was going to post this to remind people it's on tonight at 8pm ET/PT I'm interested to see how it walks the line of good science vs sensationalism that sells.

01-01-2003, 03:39 PM	#3
Godbert Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: southern california Posts: 779	Northern Europe will be ruled by the 150 pound Shagrat? I've got to see that!!

01-01-2003, 05:26 PM	#4
Mediancat Contributor Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Baltimore County, MD Posts: 19,644	The future animals are based at least in part on new work by Dougal Dixon -- the man responsible for the inventive and fun After Man: A Zoology of the Future , which is my favorite book of all time. So I'm expecting it to be fun, but still grounded in legitimate scientific speculation. Rob aka Mediancat

01-01-2003, 05:31 PM	#5
Mediancat Contributor Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Baltimore County, MD Posts: 19,644	While I'm thoroughly enjoying it so far, the one thing I don't like is that they're saying "scientists predict in the future it WILL happen like this" rather than simply "could." Other than that quibble, though . . . . -- Rob aka Mediancat My kingdom for a reedstilt!

01-01-2003, 05:35 PM	#6
pz Veteran Member Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: Morris, MN Posts: 3,341	I'm watching it now. I'm not impressed. It's not as if there is some shortage of exotic organisms and peculiar evolutionary stories in existence right now, that they need to make up a bunch of stuff about the future. I also find it aggravating because it gives the completely false impression that biologists can predict the course of evolution. (I'll also copy this thread as requested)

01-01-2003, 06:16 PM	#8
Liquidrage Veteran Member Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Tallahassee Posts: 1,301	I would have to agree that the wording used for the predictions is poor at best. I had to explain to my wife that no one can really predict that X animal will evolve into Y like they are saying. She kept saying, "No, they're saying the scientists say so". And she of course trusts the narrator speaking on behalf of the anonymous scientists on the TV more then my take on it. It took a little effort but she finally understood what I was saying.

01-01-2003, 07:05 PM	#10
GunnerJ Banned Join Date: Sep 2001 Location: a place where i can list whatever location i want Posts: 4,871	It was kind of cheesey, but interesting. I cringed, though, everytime the narrator said "Scientists predict that..." What, does every simgle person with a PhD in the hard sciences get together every year to discuss what will happen to quails and the city of Paris in the future? It would have been nice to see even a cursory nod to the highly speculative nature fo the whole show. But no, we get the voice-over saying, "This is no fantasy, scientists have predicted this based on the laws of evolution." :banghead: Don't get me started on the "birds came from avain dinosaurs" and "re-evolution" crap. Still, they get thumbs up for making turtles into the largest land creatures ever, and that giant jellyfish was pretty badass.

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