Kuvunjululwa Izakhiwo Zasendulo Eziningi Zasefulethini

Ibhalwe nguWendy Williams
Ukumbozwa komhlangano wesi-5 we-International Deep Sea Coral Symposium, e-Amsterdam

"Izixhobo zamakhorali zasendulo" nguHeinrich Harder (1858-1935) (I-Wonderful Paleo Art kaHeinrich Harder)

I-AMSTERDAM, NL, Ephreli 3, 2012 - Eminyakeni engaphezudlwana kwezigidi ezingu-65 edlule, i-meteor yashayisa ulwandle ngasogwini manje osekuyi-Yucatan Peninsula yaseMexico. Siyazi ngalo mcimbi ngoba ukushayisana kudale ukuqhuma kwamandla okubeke phansi ungqimba lomhlaba wonke lwe-iridium.

Ngemva kokushayisana kwaba nokushabalala lapho zonke izibankwakazi (ngaphandle kwezinyoni) zanyamalala. Ezilwandle, ama-ammonite abusayo afa, njengoba kwenza izilwane eziningi ezidla ezinye ezinkulu njengama-plesiosaur amakhulu kakhulu. Amaphesenti angaba ngu-80 kuya kwangu-90 ezilwane zasolwandle angase ashabalala.

Kodwa uma iplanethi yangemva kokushayisana yayiwumhlaba wokufa - futhi bekuyizwe lamathuba.

Eminyakeni eyizigidi ezimbalwa kuphela kamuva, ekujuleni kolwandle endaweni manje eyidolobha laseFaxe, eDenmark (kwakuyisikhathi esifudumele kakhulu emhlabeni kanye namazinga olwandle ayephakeme kakhulu), amanye amakhorali angavamile kakhulu asungula indawo. Baqala ukwakha izindunduma ezaba banzi futhi ziba zinde njalo ngonyaka ngamunye odlulayo, ekugcineni baba, endleleni yethu yesimanje yokucabanga, izakhiwo ezinhle zamafulethi ezamukela zonke izinhlobo zezilwane zasolwandle.

Izindunduma zaba izindawo zokuqoqa. Amanye amakhorali ajoyina lesi simiso, kanye nezinye izinhlobo eziningi zezilwane zasolwandle. I-Dendrophylia candelabrum yabonakala iyinhle kakhulu njengohlaka lwezakhiwo. Ngesikhathi iplanethi iphinda ibanda futhi amazinga olwandle ehla futhi lezi zindlu zamakhorali, lezi zindawo zakuqala ze-Cenozoic Co-Op Cities, zashiywa ziphakeme futhi zomile, izinhlobo ezingaphezu kuka-500 zasolwandle zase zizinzile lapha.

Dlulisela phambili kweyethu i-21st Century. Ukumba inkwali yesikhathi eside ezimbonini kudale "umgodi omkhulu kunawo wonke enziwe umuntu eDenmark," ngokusho komcwaningi waseDenmark uBodil Wesenberg Lauridsen waseNyuvesi yaseCopenhagen, okhulume emhlanganweni wabacwaningi bamakhorali abandayo obuhlangene e-Amsterdam kuleli sonto.

Lapho ososayensi beqala ukutadisha le “mbobo” nezinye izakhiwo eziseduze zokuma komhlaba, baqaphela ukuthi lezi zindunduma zamakhorali zasendulo, ezahlehlela emuva eminyakeni eyizigidi ezingu-63, yizona ezindala kakhulu ezaziwayo futhi zingase ziphawule isigaba sokuqala semisebe se-eco-structure esanda kuguquka.

Ezinhlotsheni zezinto eziphilayo ezitholwe ososayensi “efulethini” lasendulo kuze kube manje, eziningi zazo azikaziwa.

Ngaphezu kwalokho, usosayensi waseDenmark utshele izethameli zakhe, izinsalela eziningi ezengeziwe ngokunokwenzeka zisezindundumeni, zilindele ukutholwa. Kwezinye izindawo, ukulondolozwa kwezindunduma akuzange kube kuhle, kodwa ezinye izingxenye zezindunduma ziveza izindawo zokucwaninga eziyinhloko.

Zikhona izazi ze-paleontologists zasolwandle ezifuna iphrojekthi?