More evidence against the "ecocide" theory of Easter Island
A study led by archaeologist Carl Lipo challenges Easter Island's collapse narrative, suggesting sustainable population practices. AI analysis estimates lower population capacity, supporting sustainable agriculture theories and resilience against ecocide.
Read original article
A new study challenges the traditional narrative of Easter Island's collapse due to ecocide. Research led by archaeologist Carl Lipo suggests that the island's population did not experience a catastrophic decline as previously believed. Lipo's team used AI analysis of satellite imagery to estimate the island's agricultural capacity and sustainable population size. They found that the island could support around 3,000 people, contradicting earlier estimates of up to 16,000 inhabitants. The study indicates that the islanders practiced sustainable agriculture techniques like lithic mulching to enhance soil fertility. These findings support the theory that Easter Island's inhabitants lived within the island's environmental limits and adapted to resource constraints. Lipo's research challenges the popular narrative of societal collapse and offers a new perspective on how ancient populations could thrive in a limited-resource environment. The study provides fresh evidence against the ecocide theory and highlights the resilience of Easter Island's communities in the face of environmental challenges.
Related
Monitoring marine litter from space
A new ESA Discovery study showcased using satellites to monitor marine plastic litter, identifying dense patches in the Mediterranean Sea. Findings offer insights for pollution management and suggest potential for enhanced detection technology.
Potatoes Are the Perfect Vegetable–But You're Eating Them Wrong
Potato consumption in the US has dropped by 30%, favoring frozen over fresh options. Debates arise on reclassifying potatoes as a vegetable, impacting health and nutrition. Despite being nutrient-rich, concerns persist over unhealthy associations with deep-fried products. Challenges in breeding productive varieties for climate change and disease are noted, highlighting the historical importance of potatoes.
Degrowth In Japan: Mending the "metabolic rift" of capitalism
In Japan, Kohei Saito promotes degrowth to address overconsumption and climate crisis, advocating for a shift from GDP to well-being indicators. He warns against relying on GDP-linked technological solutions for sustainability.
The First Animal Ever Found That Doesn't Need Oxygen to Survive
Scientists discovered Henneguya salminicola, a jellyfish-like parasite surviving without oxygen inside salmon. This challenges oxygen-dependency beliefs, shedding light on anaerobic metabolism evolution and life's adaptability to extreme conditions.
US Forest Service proposes protections for old-growth trees, without logging ban
The US Forest Service proposes protecting old-growth trees in national forests, allowing public input but not enforcing a logging ban. Concerns arise over loopholes and lack of specific guidelines. President Biden's order aims to restrict logging, with ongoing updates planned.
7 commentsWait, so the thesis here is that they never actually collapsed, that the 3,000 person population noted by Europeans was always the stable population of the island?
It also suggests that they did cut down all their trees, but they did so not to build Moai statues, but to sort of kickstart their lithic agriculture.
I don't know enough to know whether cutting all your trees down and not being able to grow them back counts as an ecological collapse, or whether that was the only way they could sustain even three thousand people.
I'd love to hear the other side of this argument. I'm no expert, but this sounds weird to me.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nCyzrie_les&list=PLR7yrLMHm1...
Takeaway: Jared Diamond’s Easter Island collapse theory seem remarkably out of touch.
and the thesis:
> Rapa Nui (Easter Island) is often used as an example of how overexploitation of limited resources resulted in a catastrophic population collapse. A vital component of this narrative is that the rapid rise and fall of pre-contact Rapanui population growth rates was driven by the construction and overexploitation of once extensive rock gardens. However, the extent of island-wide rock gardening, while key for understanding food systems and demography, must be better understood ... We show that the extent of this agricultural infrastructure is substantially less than previously claimed and likely could not have supported the large population sizes that have been assumed.
Tl;dr - Any argument about population collapse doesn't make sense as the maximum population is overestimated.
Easter Island is the closer situation that we have to a Mars colony. Ecocide don't needs people deliberately chopping every single tree. Just triggering an irreversible process that can slowly evolve for a couple generations.
Human stupidity started the process, but rats alone would be more than capable to finish it and kill every single inhabitant on the island by thirst or diseases
>To increase yields, the natives initially cut down the island's trees to get nutrients back into the soil.
>When there were no more trees, they engaged in...
That sounds to me like the theory is correct, at least to the extent of the islanders using up their trees unsustainably. The fact that they then found other methods of surviving and their population didn't go down after using up the trees doesn't mean that they didn't permanently damage the environment.
Related
Monitoring marine litter from space
A new ESA Discovery study showcased using satellites to monitor marine plastic litter, identifying dense patches in the Mediterranean Sea. Findings offer insights for pollution management and suggest potential for enhanced detection technology.
Potatoes Are the Perfect Vegetable–But You're Eating Them Wrong
Potato consumption in the US has dropped by 30%, favoring frozen over fresh options. Debates arise on reclassifying potatoes as a vegetable, impacting health and nutrition. Despite being nutrient-rich, concerns persist over unhealthy associations with deep-fried products. Challenges in breeding productive varieties for climate change and disease are noted, highlighting the historical importance of potatoes.
Degrowth In Japan: Mending the "metabolic rift" of capitalism
In Japan, Kohei Saito promotes degrowth to address overconsumption and climate crisis, advocating for a shift from GDP to well-being indicators. He warns against relying on GDP-linked technological solutions for sustainability.
The First Animal Ever Found That Doesn't Need Oxygen to Survive
Scientists discovered Henneguya salminicola, a jellyfish-like parasite surviving without oxygen inside salmon. This challenges oxygen-dependency beliefs, shedding light on anaerobic metabolism evolution and life's adaptability to extreme conditions.
US Forest Service proposes protections for old-growth trees, without logging ban
The US Forest Service proposes protecting old-growth trees in national forests, allowing public input but not enforcing a logging ban. Concerns arise over loopholes and lack of specific guidelines. President Biden's order aims to restrict logging, with ongoing updates planned.