The text discusses the use of proper analysis methods when discussing scientific matters in order to prevent development of incorrect theorems and misinformation.  Gould dismisses speculation as useless when discussing scientific hypotheses since it does not provide any material affirmation or rejection of evidence(23). For speculation to generate any positive ideas it must be restricted to only certain lines of thoughts. He uses the examples of theories developed to explain the extinction of dinosaurs in order to demonstrate this. There are three hypotheses that developed as explanations for the extinction of the dinosaurs; Sex, Drugs and Disasters (Gould 24). The first hypotheses stated that dinosaurs were unable to reproduce due to increase in global temperatures and so their population gradually declined until eventually they became extinct. Sperms are only potent at fairly low temperatures and as earth’s temperatures rose the dinosaurs were rendered infertile. The second theory claims that consumption of poisonous plants is what led the dinosaurs to die. Dinosaurs did not have taste buds which would have identified the poisons nor did they have the livers necessary to filter the substance from their bodies and so gradually got poisoned and died.  The final theory blames an asteroid for killing most of the major organisms that lived on earth at the time. When the asteroid measuring ten kilometers in diameter hit earth, it raised such a huge cloud that most organisms died especially the dinosaurs.  Of all these theories, only one has sufficient evidence for it to be considered as credible, the disaster theory. There has been proof of an increase in Iridium rocks found around earth when the dinosaurs became extinct.  Calculations have already demonstrated that an asteroid of that size would cause major disaster to the earth and could end life on it. The final proof of a theory’s validity is its crossover to other disciplines and it is through the study of the past that we can prevent such a situation befalling humans.

References

Gould, Jay S. Sex, Drugs Disasters and The Extinction of Dinosaurs.The Flamingo’s Smile: Reflections in natural history.WW Norton and company. [New York]: 1984.