Wednesday, September 25, 2019

Haley Reading Group: “Pleistocene Park”

[The Best American Science and Nature Writing (2018)]


Ross Andersen’s “Pleistocene Park” follows the scientist Nikita Zimov and his attempt to “solve the problem of climate change” by making the world green (2). Although most people see Nikita working to build and maintain a park, Nikita is using the park to hopefully address greenhouse gases and other serious climate issues.

Nikita states the goal of this park is to “spread across Artic Siberia and into North America, helping to slow the thawing of the Artic permafrost” (2). He’s hopeful that this park created in 1966 will deter the frozen underground layer from defrosting because it has the potential to release some of the deadliest “climate-change accelerants” into the atmosphere (2).

What did you find most useful about the article, and why?

Here are some comments from peers:

I found the part stating the significance about grass throughout history to be the most important part, because today's society is forgetting the effects grass and trees have on people. Andersen stated, "Grasses became the base layer for some of the Earth's richest ecosystems" (p. 10). --Samantha A.

What I found most useful about Ross Andersen’s “Pleistocene Park” was the paragraph when the importance Nikita Zimov’s park was described. On page 4 Andersen states, “If this intercontinental ice block warms to quickly, its thawing will send as much greenhouse gas into the atmosphere each year as do all of America's SUVs, airlines, container ships, factories, and coal-burning plants combined." This is such a bold statement that people should be fearful of. --J.K.

What I found most useful about this article is that thawing of ice blocks will continue to send increasingly large amounts of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere (4). An event this drastic could be irreversible if it progresses to a certain point. --J.R.

59 comments:

Unknown said...

I found the part of the article demonstrating how significant grass is to be one of the most important parts. Anderson states, "By allowing themselves to be eaten, they partner with their own grazers to enhance their ecosytyem's nutrient flows." (10) I think it's important because people don't really know how much grass is needed and they don't always take care of it when they should. --M.K.

Jaydyn Z. said...

I found Ross Anderson's "Pleistocene Park" to provoke many thoughts surrounding our society's current problem of managing and preventing climate change. I was interested in the part of the story where Anderson discusses how if the ice melts, greenhouse gases will be emitted cause climate change. I think this particular idea could evoke people to aid in the cause of forming more grasslands to prevent the defrosting.
The fearful and persuasive language Anderson and Nikita Zimov use to describe this potential event causes the reader to believe in Zimov's cause. For example, Anderson states, "Were that frozen underground layer to warm up too quickly, it would release some of the world's most dangerous climate-change accelerants into the atmosphere, visiting catastrophe on human beings and millions of other species." (2). It creates a call to action for the readers.

Arielle Stallworth said...

The part that I found the most useful was "the the pattern that pairs human arrival with megafaunal extinction is clearest..." (14). This part was most useful because it showed that the arrival of humans changed many things as far as the world goes. This quote proves many things I believe in. I am a strong believer that human are the reasoning behind global warming because of all of the fuels and gasses that we release into the atmosphere throwing off the normal balance of the o-zone. With this information being gained I am also seeing that human being on the Earth today are continuing to mess with global warming seeing as the issue still arises today.

Kaelyn Cupil said...


What I found most useful about the article was the utopian mindset of Nikita first made clear on page 2 of the reading. It was invigorating to read about his vision for his park, regardless of the damage us humans have done to the earth already like what's detailed on page 4, greenhouse gases and thawing ice patches. As state on page 22, the last page of this section, "...people are trying to summon whole landscapes..." which seems impossible, but the fact that the impossible is being tried is amazing. It gives me hope that great minds like Nikita will somehow save the earth for all of us.

Anonymous said...

The idea I read on page 13 explains how many scientist thought that all the animals were disappearing due to the weather changes, but when we read farther were told how the animals had lived previously through many different climate changes and survived. So this known fact pushes us to believe humans were the reason these animals went extinct. This is most interesting to me because I never would’ve placed humans in my reasons of animal extinction category.-Alle H.

Laurel White said...

What I found to be useful is that “when modern humans walked out of Africa , some 70,000 years ago , we shared this planet with more than 30 land-mammal species that weighed more than a ton “ (13). This sentence is important because it’s relating to people in Africa and how 70,000 years ago the people had to learn to live with the animals and interact with them . L.W

Unknown said...

The part I found most useful was on page 3, where Nikita was describing his challenging relationship with his father. Sergey was the first one who actually developed the idea for Pleistocene Park, then handed it to Nikita. The author describes this sense of control thart Sergey had over Nikita throughout his life, asking Nikita to move back home while he was ultimately trying to start a family with his girlfriend at the time. The quote that stood out to me was, "'It is difficult to dedicate your life to someone else's idea'" (3). This quote is powerful because Nikita is obviously dedicating his life to this project his dad came up with, despite how hard it is. The bigger picture is a better world and Nikita's commitment to that is powerful. - L.D

Charlie said...

I think that the most useful piece of the article was when the author discussed how if the permafrost was to thaw out quickly, most of the world's most dangerous climate change accelerants would be released into the atmosphere (pg. 2). This piece of information explains how climate change is much more than just the warming of a planet and rising sea levels. Much of the world's toxic gases and chemicals that have been released over billions of years have been stored within the permafrost. If the frozen ground eventually thaws out, all of those gases will leak back into the atmosphere at a much quicker rate over a shorter time period.

Jalen White said...

The thing that stuck out to me was that science has advanced so far that the idea of recreating an extinct animal is within the realm of possibility. On page 6, Anderson talks about how geneticist George Church has been able to edit Asian elephant’s Genes to more mammoth-like traits. When asked about this, he said that the gene editing part was “easy”.
I just find it amazing that in our lifetime we have made vast steps into technology that we could’ve never before fathomed. On one hand it makes me hopeful for what we can accomplish in the future, but on the other it makes me wonder why exactly haven’t we been using this new advancements for the betterment of the world. Nikita Zimov’s idea is very noble, and people like him should continue to promote awareness about our world’s climate issue.
Jalen W.

Unknown said...

I found the statement "If this intercontinental ice block warms too quickly, its thawing will send as much greenhouse gas into the atmosphere each year as do all of America's SUVs, airliners, container ships, factories, and coal-burning plants combined" (page 4) to be the most useful. It gives a comparison that the reader can use to scale the effects of the melting of the ice to. After reading that sentence, the reader can understand how comparable the effects of the permafrost melting are to the emissions that are already being produced.

Terence Jones said...

I found it interesting that Nikita has a dream that can have a an impact on the Earth, positively. Wanting to bring back an extinct animal from long ago to help reshape a landscape that has been effected by climate change. Its also quite riveting that the idea of mammoths being cloned or resurrected can reshape the land simply by just carrying out its natural life. Awesome I'd say that this creature had a lot of power in its past environment and maybe in this one if Nikita's project comes to success. T.J.

Terence Jones said...

I found it interesting that Nikita has a dream that can have a an impact on the Earth, positively. Wanting to bring back an extinct animal from long ago to help reshape a landscape that has been effected by climate change. Its also quite riveting that the idea of mammoths being cloned or resurrected can reshape the land simply by just carrying out its natural life. Awesome I'd say that this creature had a lot of power in its past environment and maybe in this one if Nikita's project comes to success. T.J.

Brooke Harris said...

The part of the article that really stuck with me was the idea on page 2 that with a seemingly subtle change such as more grass, could help slow the progression of thawing. At the same time though, if the idea doesn't work or doesn't work fast enough, too much thawing could sky rocket the amount of greenhouse gas, causing more melting and worse climate change. It is important because, knowing that back in the
Pleistocene the balance between these two factors was so important that even changing something so small such as the amount of grass within ecosystems seems doable yet impossible as it might cause more problems to arise. - Brooke H.

Deja Lane said...

Something I found interesting was that Anderson's viewpoint and use of diction emphasizes how the melting is permafrost is extremely harmful to the environment to the reader. He does this to push how Pleistocene Park and the resurrection of woolly mammoths will be beneficial to the environment and slowing climate change. He, however, purposely avoids addressing how creating woolly mammoths will increase the amount of life on Earth and reduce our resources.
In addition to reducing resources, woolly mammoths also would add to the greenhouse gasses. Similar to cows, woolly mammoths will produce gas, and as large animals, they will produce a lot.

Deja Lane said...

Something I found interesting was that Anderson's viewpoint and use of diction emphasizes how the melting is permafrost is extremely harmful to the environment to the reader. He does this to push how Pleistocene Park and the resurrection of woolly mammoths will be beneficial to the environment and slowing climate change. He, however, purposely avoids addressing how creating woolly mammoths will increase the amount of life on Earth and reduce our resources.
In addition to reducing resources, woolly mammoths also would add to the greenhouse gasses. Similar to cows, woolly mammoths will produce gas, and as large animals, they will produce a lot.
-Deja L.

Quanicia Rudd said...

What I found to be most useful from Ross Anderson's article, "Pleistocene Park", was when the idea of humans being the reason behind animal extinctions was introduced on page 13. The article gives enough evidence to show that humans are the biggest factor when examining why species go extinct. Climate change is also a factor in this but human rampage, has had a very negative impact on wildlife. There are several patterns that show human-arrival caused species to be gone forever.

Kendall Dow said...

What I found most interesting was that the father of Nikita put all of his work and effort into the hands of his son. Also, Nikita sees the big picture. What motivates him to do this project is his three children and their future. Some people, like Donald Trump, don't pay attention to climate change or "don't believe it" because it will happen after their life span. The next generation should be informed and very concerned about the situation. Something needs to be done now before it is too late for humanity. Nikita and his father is a prime example.
-Kendall Dow

Evan Senat said...

I found it very intriguing that mammoths played such a monumental role in the growth and maintenance of grasslands.It is also very impressive that scientists are so desperate to have mammoth presence in the wilderness returned that they are willing to use genome-editing technology to bend the laws of reproduction and artificially form a new generation of mammoths by using modified Asian elephant genes. While I understand that this is an action full of pure intentions, it is quite terrifying to know that humans have harnessed this power, especially when we are the reason behind the mammoth extinction in the first place.

Evan Senat said...

I found it very intriguing that mammoths played such a monumental role in the growth and maintenance of grasslands.It is also very impressive that scientists are so desperate to have mammoth presence in the wilderness returned that they are willing to use genome-editing technology to bend the laws of reproduction and artificially form a new generation of mammoths by using modified Asian elephant genes. While I understand that this is an action full of pure intentions, it is quite terrifying to know that humans have harnessed this power, especially when we are the reason behind the mammoth extinction in the first place. -Evan S.

Bria B said...

The first chapter of this book really revealed the topic of the book. I found the first chapter really interesting that it brings up environmental issues such as global warming and the effects of this problem. Such as on page 4 when the author mentions those consequences such as: oceans becoming more acidic, putting us in a loop, everything will heat up resulting in melting, and other factors which raises questions on where this will lead us in the future? It's very interesting that this chapter cultivates the meaning of Nikita's father work and his goal of his project to secure the planet and its creatures. How within this story, woolly mammoths are the centered mammal and how this center can be use as a solution to create greenhouse gases because of their size there will be large increase of gas. This let alone can create ways of thinking of how we as people can back track or turn global warming around, ways to end and prevent it before there is no turning point and the consequences start to develop. This can also allow people to become imaginative in create ways to save our planet. - Bria Brandon

Nia Marshall said...

This quick overview of Pleistocene park and all the hard work that went into research and experimenting, to bring forth a solution to the ever-going problem of greenhouse emission was very fascinating. The idea of bringing back a woolly mammoth by altering the genes of Asian elephants and eventually introduce them into the park along with many other herds of animals,to me was a very different approach to solving gas emissions and reverting the land. However, I feel that there are many other factors that play a role in this idea, some of which can have a positive impact and others that can ultimately make things worst for us and the planet. - Nia M.

Anonymous said...

What I found most useful was Nikita's comments about what nature is (11). "Ask any kid 'Where do animals live?' and they will tell you. 'The forest.'","They should think of the grasslands." Before reading the article that was my thought process on what nature should ideally look like. After reading the article I am more interested in changing my thought process and understanding why grasslands are more preferable to forests when it comes to nature.
Chris W.

William Shanklin said...

I found the passage on pages 13-14 the most important/ useful due to the explanation of climate change. In this passage Anderson describes the effects of climate change and how it directly increases the extinction rate of animals. Another important aspect of this passage was how Anderson states how the scientists theories of extreme climate change has many weaknesses.

The implications of climate change Anderson depicts lead many to believe that climate change is the main cause of extinction. However, Anderson later describes the extinction rate increase being due to human rampage, based off the evidence he gives of a raise in extinction rate where human presence is. The reason I found this particular passage important is due to many not understanding the implications of climate change on animals, and because the evidence given that the extinction rate being raised by human presence alone. - William Shanklin

Ta'mya Cummings said...

I found it interesting how there is a debate on if climate change is the main cause of extinction. On page 13, it states how climate change is a main factor of extinction, but it has many weaknesses backing up the claim. One of the weaknesses is that many animals living millions of years ago was able to adapt to the climate changes happening in their environments, which made it less likely for their species to die out. On the other hand, only small animals were able to survive at the end of the Pleistocene versus larger mammals that stores more meat, which supports climate change. Even though climate change might not be the main cause of extinction, it is still a small piece of the bigger issue and should still be focused on. Ta'mya C.

Torian Henry said...

What I found most useful about the reading was how it was vey informative about how connected each aspect of life and the environment is connected. For example, The Idea of how resurrecting the wholly mammoth would be incredibly beneficial for the environment, but will also take away from other organisms because of the trade-off effect. This reading was also useful in a sense that it puts in perspective the advancement and creativity of modern science and technology. From the reading I got the feeling there an effort inform about how climate change can/is effecting the environment today with the notion of the melting permafrost. That topic is very relevant and informative to present matters regarding the side effects of global warming effecting all facets of life.
Torian Henry

Alexis Austin said...

I found that in 'Pleistocene Park', Sergey saying how,"All I want is to bring animals back to the Arctic." The experiments it would take to make something like that happen and bringing back the woolly mammoth by tampering with the genes of Asian elephants of modern times and then wanting to have them interact with other animals is a complete reversion to the land we now walk upon. It shows how humans can clear away our 'sin' of making these animals extinct thousands of years ago and possibly saving the planet. -Alexis Austin

Alexis R. Austin said...

I found that is 'Pleistocene Park', the want to have a complete reversion to the planet we as humans now control is an interesting idea. Sergey said on page 18, how "All I want is to bring animals back to the arctic" and bring woolly mammoths back by tampering with Asian elephants gene and then putting the woolly mammoth with other animals would be an helpful and extreme steps towards wiping away humans 'original sin' and making the planet healthier. -Alexis Austin

Chaianna Curry said...


The most useful piece that I found from this article was the author's comment, " But nature isn't fixed, least of all human nature"(16). I think this statement is a huge reflection of the negative relationship humans have had with nature both in the past and now in the present. The Earth is constantly giving all she has to us, and we repay her with destruction.

You would think that with the major developments humans have had in technology and research, issues like climate control and extinction would not be nearly as prevalent as they are now. However, like the quote states, "nature isn't fixed." Glaciers are melting, temperatures are rising, and life-sustaining ecosystems are falling apart. This is because the nature of human beings has become a selfish one. We are more concerned with our own personal aesthetics. So until we reflect and fix our societal problems, the problems of Mother Earth will never be solved.
Chaianna C.

William Akpan said...

Reading this chapter, the part I found most interesting was the passage where it was discussed that while the woolly mammoth is "fresh in its grave", it would be near impossible to recover DNA from the carcasses. I found it useful that when put in that situation the scientists did not give in, they persisted and decided to look into the DNA of Asian Elephants and attack the problem from that angle. In the passage "...But you may not need one. A mammoth is merely a cold-adapted member of the elephant family"(Anderson 5). I thought there was a valuable lesson specifically in that passage about how to find solutions even when they are not easy to find. -William A.

Madison McKinley said...

I found the importance surrounding the vision of the grassland as a combating force to climate change to be especially useful. Similarly to what most people think, I also believed that forests played a large role in relationship to the earths well-being; however, Nikita states "That's what people think of when they think about nature. They think about birds singing in a forest. They should think of the grassland" (Anderson, p.11). Common themes involving climate change express concern for forests and oceans which leaves the preservation of grasslands overlooked. This chapter was able to inform readers on a particular habitat that has the potential to positively impact human lives. - Madison McKinley

Noah Jones said...

The most important concept that I got from this story is the idea that we should be able to “cooperate across centuries” which is stated on page 3 of the text. In the story it talks about how Nikita’s father Sergey passed the idea of Pleistocene Park to Nikita, and how he is furthering his father’s plan. This whole idea of elders and their younger children, grandchildren, and so on being to communicate is very important to the advancement of humans as a civilization. We even see problems from inability to communicate throughout generations in our own world. I think that in many instances, older generations living now, especially in politics, see the world from their own perspective, and they sometimes fail to see the younger generations perspectives. I think we all now need to realize that we have to understand the visions and wants of older generations and ancestors, and also the visions and wants of younger generations to fully understand what will be the best decisions to make for positive outcomes and quality of life for future generations thousands and thousands of years after us. - Noah Jones

Unknown said...

The most useful piece of information that I had found in the selection was the information on the state of the Arctic. The Arctic's ice sheets reflect a considerable amount of energy that the sun radiates, and sends the reflected energy into the atmosphere and creating greenhouse gases. Ross Andersen states, "Nowhere is warming faster, or with greater consequence, than the Arctic" (4). The ice sheets in the Arctic are melting at dangerous pace due to the rise of carbon-dioxide caused from humans, and the melting is progressively getting worse. The swamping of coastal populations, mega-droughts, and extinction are issues that can all arise if the melting of the ice sheets continue to worsen.
-Connor W.

Unknown said...

The most useful piece of information that I had found in the selection was the information on the state of the Arctic. The Arctic's ice sheets reflect a considerable amount of energy that the sun radiates, and sends the reflected energy into the atmosphere and creating greenhouse gases. Ross Andersen states, "Nowhere is warming faster, or with greater consequence, than the Arctic" (4). The ice sheets in the Arctic are melting at dangerous pace due to the rise of carbon-dioxide caused from humans, and the melting is progressively getting worse. The swamping of coastal populations, mega-droughts, and extinction are issues that can all arise if the melting of the ice sheets continue to worsen.
-C.W.

Connor Woolfolk said...

The most useful piece of information that I had found in the selection was the information on the state of the Arctic. The Arctic's ice sheets reflect a considerable amount of energy that the sun radiates, and sends the reflected energy into the atmosphere and creating greenhouse gases. Ross Andersen states, "Nowhere is warming faster, or with greater consequence, than the Arctic" (4). The ice sheets in the Arctic are melting at dangerous pace due to the rise of carbon-dioxide caused from humans, and the melting is progressively getting worse. The swamping of coastal populations, mega-droughts, and extinction are issues that can all arise if the melting of the ice sheets continue to worsen.-C.W.

Anonymous said...

The most useful piece of information that I had found in the selection was the information on the state of the Arctic. The Arctic's ice sheets reflect a considerable amount of energy that the sun radiates, and sends the reflected energy into the atmosphere and creating greenhouse gases. Ross Andersen states, "Nowhere is warming faster, or with greater consequence, than the Arctic" (4). The ice sheets in the Arctic are melting at dangerous pace due to the rise of carbon-dioxide caused from humans, and the melting is progressively getting worse. The swamping of coastal populations, mega-droughts, and extinction are issues that can all arise if the melting of the ice sheets continue to worsen.-Connor W.

Keaira C. said...

I actually found many of the things discussed in the article to be thought provoking and insightful. This article also includes discussions on many things that I know I wasn’t originally aware of, and information that I found very interesting. For example, I didn’t know something like increasing the grasslands of an area could have such an impact on slowing the speed of the thawing of permafrost, which could release so many greenhouse gasses, creating toxins into the air that we so significantly rely on.
Overall, I believe one of the most useful things that was mentioned in the article was Nikita’s desire and need to solve climate change, it’s important for individuals to take personal accountability and action to help make the world a better place. Nikitia wants to solve climate change for the future, for the future of his daughter’s, and he wants to bring back the extinct species’ for the betterment of specific ecosystems and the environment. Of course, when it comes to topics like climate change, only one person can’t be responsible for the issue, everyone in the world is, but steps toward improvement and trying to implement healthy behaviors starts with you and what you have control over.
-Keaira C.

Christopher Yancey said...

I found it quite ironic that Nikita states he is not doing this project for the mammoths or any animal but for us humans, but the article then goes into how we can attempt to bring them back and the benefits they would have on creating the ecosystem Nikita envisions.
i also found it interesting how Nikita is so set on his vision that "in general, i like trees, but here, they are against my theory." (pg 2) then proceeds too destroy trees in order to create a grassland for large mammals such as the suspected mammoths. I was fairly confident it was popular opinion, in terms of slowing climate change and regulating of greenhouse gasses, that having more trees is more beneficial.

Eboni G. said...

The part that I found most useful about the article is the in depth description of the wholly mammoth. Despite the more scientific language being used, the mammoth (in addition to the elephant) is spoken about in a way that respects their life force. Another aspect I found interesting was the part where they said "In nature, no event happens in the isolation". I found this to be important because this idea is present in our current society as well.

Eboni G.

Kevin Parker said...

What I found most interesting while reading this article is how little I knew about the dangers of the Siberian permafrost melting can have on food chains, our atmosphere and our global climate as a whole. For me this article put into perspective the importance of understanding the environmental threats we are faced with and, the solutions that are being discussed not only by the leaders of America but of other countries as well.

I'Lysa Walker said...

What I found most useful, yet perplexing was the list of "apocalyptic climate-change" potentials that could occur if the green house gas emissions increased substantially: "Coastal population centers could be swamped. Oceans could become more acidic. A mass extinction could rip its way up from the plankton base of the marine food chain. Megadroughts could expand deserts and send hundreds of millions of refugees across borders, triggering global war" (Anderson 4). The potentiality of these things occurring is anxiety inducing and if not handled with utmost care and precaution could end up catastrophic, and this catastrophe's origins would be at the Artic if the thawing of the permafrost does not deaccelerate.

Kobi said...

What I found significant about this article was how ignorant I was of the Siberian permafrost melting and the harm it caused to food chains, and our environment. This article mad me think about the atmosphere and pay attention to what we are doing how to help.

Abdul Nelson said...

What I found most useful in the article is the reason why Pleistocene Park was discovered and created. In the book, it says, "Pleistocene Park is meant to slow the thawing of the permafrost. The location of the park is between the Siberian tundra and woods of the taiga. These two locations make total sense because the geography allows the park to thaw

Carah F. said...

I thought the idea of trying to combat global warming by creating a park with more grasslands is useful and a good idea to decrease greenhouse gases. George Church’s idea of bringing back the mammoth and potentially other animals to create a new ecosystem will help get rid of greenhouse gases. (p. 6) However, there are always consequences of trying to change or add something to an ecosystem, and we won’t see those consequences until after they happen.

Anonymous said...

I thought the idea of trying to combat global warming by creating a park with more grasslands is useful and a good idea to decrease greenhouse gases. George Church’s idea of bringing back the mammoth and potentially other animals to create a new ecosystem will help get rid of greenhouse gases. (p. 6) However, there are always consequences of trying to change or add something to an ecosystem, and we won’t see those consequences until after they happen.
-Carah F.

Unknown said...

The main concepts I found to be most useful is the explanation of the harmful effects of the "intercontinental ice block" thawing too quickly and the greenhouse gases that will be released into the atmosphere(4), and the explanation of how humans play a key role in animal extinction(13). Both of these explanations highlight the real problem in the article.
-J. Smith

Anonymous said...

The thing that I found most interesting about this article was the way that the author wanted to bring back certain animals because of our "human sin". He want to bring animals back to the Arctic and he saw this benefitting the environment instead of focusing on "climate change". I like how his plan to bring back animals that were extinct help bring the earth back the way it was before. Shamon S

Anonymous said...

What i found most useful about this article is the acknowledgement of climate change in general. It seems that climate change is not really talked about, but as the problem is becoming more prevalent their are people who are shedding light on this unprecedented catastrophe. Anderson states that the more apocalyptic climate change becomes, the greater risk of global war actually happening increases (4). I feel that this is one of the most useful topics covered throughout the entirety of the article.

Kailey B. said...

What I found most interesting was on page 10 how Andersen went into such vivid detail on how the plants have traveled form the waters to land. The way that life on earth has evolved itself to respond to the criteria of which its held at is so complex. But how he says the grasses army-crawled onto continents and pushed whole Forrests into Skys is such unique way of saying evolution took place(10). I feel like plant evolution is overlooked by the way animals have also gone through the same conditions.

Anonymous said...

What I found most useful in Ross Andersen’s “Pleistocene Park” is when Nikita said that he wasn’t doing the geo-engineering scheme to help animals but instead to help humans (2). I think it shows that a lot people tend to only care about climate change if it directly impacts them. Some fail to realize that we are not the only species that needs saving.
—Kayla P.

Anonymous said...

Before reading Ross Anderson’s, Pleistocene Park from the Atlantic m the future of our land and species to us is oblique. This chapter sheds light on real life scenarios never brought to surface. Looking at a future with immense environmental problems helps humans realize what they can do today to prevent reaching that point in the future.
Although saving mammoths and wildlife seems the focus of this writing piece, humans are clearly the prime beneficiary. Pleistocene park is a shot at saving the ecosystem for all of the human race. After all we are the one to destroyed it. - Vanessa H

Sydney B. said...

The most interesting thing that I took from Ross Andersen's "Pleistocene Park" was the idea that humans are benefited the most by any improvement we make on our environment. He also sheds light on the idea that our daily use of cars and other motor vehicles could be helping our environment, which I thought was very interesting.

Jacolby Galvain said...

The most interesting thing I found in the article was the purpose that “Pleistocene Park” which according to the article published by the the Atlantic, “Pleistocene Park is meant to slow the thawing of the permafrost,” This quote peaks my interest due to how it connects to the significance of the parks landscape placement which evidence shows in the article, “For decades, the Zimovs and their animals have stripped away the region’s dark trees and shrubs to make way for the return of grasslands. Research suggests that these grasslands will reflect more sunlight than the forests and scrub they replace, causing the Arctic to absorb less heat.”

Anonymous said...

What I found most interesting in this text was the connection between humans and the extinction of the larger versions of the common animals we know today. “Before humans arrived, the Americas were home to mammoths, bear-sized beavers, car-sized armadillos, giant camels, and a bison species twice as large as those that graze the plains today”(pg 14). This can be an example of why the the animals got smaller. More species arrived in the area so the others had to figure out how to survive on a more limited space. It interest me in how the time really adapts a species. - S Bowens

Anonymous said...

While them talking about how “The mammoth’s extinction may have been our original ecological sin” and them covering their travels were interesting. As a avid car enthusiast the sections about how some frozen pungent soils are defrosted they can release even worse greenhouse gases than carbon dioxide and how he’s hoping parks will absorb the greenhouse gases. I found the first part useful because it proved automobiles aren’t the only offenders as the media likes to claim and push electric vehicles, which ironically are even more destructive to the environment due to the mining of lithium and non disposable batteries that are not only volatile/combustible but have chemicals that can poison water and soil)and a lot of electricity comes from plants that use gas to produce the electricity, but some poorly maintained or contaminated grasslands and ecosystems are responsible as well. The second part I found useful because carbon absorption plants are starting to be a thing too, and these parks along with the plants should make emissions plunge. Also considering nuclear energy could help the environment as well, as its one of if not the cleanest form of energy we know of. - C. Galloway

Anonymous said...

What I found useful was how Pleistocene Park will help slow the thawing of the Artic permafrost. I think this was useful because it will help keep the air clean. -Z. Blissett

Kailey B. said...

What I found most interesting was on page 10 how Andersen went into such vivid detail on how the plants have traveled form the waters to land. The way that life on earth has evolved itself to respond to the criteria of which its held at is so complex. But how he says the grasses army-crawled onto continents and pushed whole Forrests into Skys is such unique way of saying evolution took place(10). I feel like plant evolution is overlooked by the way animals have also gone through the same conditions. -Kailey B.

Anonymous said...

What i found the most interesting was on page 2, the reference to Jurassic Park. Nikita also said " I'm not one of these cazy scientist that just want to make the world green. I am trying to solve the larger problem of the climate. I'm doing this for humans." This is was interesting because in Jurassic Park the scientist was mad, but he was also trying to change the world. These two are similiar yet different due to the animals they are trying to revive. -Anthony H.

Anonymous said...

I found that if the ice block thaws, it will send greenhouse gas into the atmosphere(p. 4). I think this is useful because they are trying to stop the ice block from melting so that it'll help with a lot of problems that are to come if the block melts too fast. ~Demetria J.

Amia Welch said...

I believe the most useful part of this article was when they discussed the ice block thawing too quickly. Andersen state's, "its thawing will send much greenhouse gas into the atmosphere each year...". Global warming has been a big red flag that is not discussed enough. A lot of people are not aware of it and I believe people need to know not only for now, but our future.

Amia Welch