It was, sadly, the last night I was able to clearly see the tail. As I watched it through my binoculars, I felt a sense of loss, that soon, this comet would never be seen by me or anyone else again for thousands of years, unless a means to travel the Solar System is developed before it arrives again.
From Fifth Night of the Comet: End of the Tail, July 28th, 2020
I wrote these words over four years ago in my final article on Comet Neowise. The traveler’s estimated orbit is 6000 years, give or take a few centuries. I contemplated in 2020 what Earth was like in 4000 B.C., and what the planet, and humans, may be like circa 8000 A.D., although I did not go into specifics on the later.
Our most recent Comet A3 has an estimated orbit over thirteen time longer than Neowise’s, give or take a handful of millennia. The number used in all publications is 80,000 years. On the scale of the Universe, there is little difference between 6000 years and 80,000 years. Each is less than a blink of a cosmic eye.
For us, these spans of time are enormous. Not as far into the past as the dinosaurs, but well past known recorded history. So what were humans like 80,000 years ago? How about the state of the Earth? Were we in an ice age? I posed these questions to two popular AI models, Microsoft’s Copilot and OpenAI’s ChatGPT.
Here is Copilot’s answer on the question of the state of humanity back then (emphasis from the model):
Copilot:
What were humans like 80,000 years ago?Around 80,000 years ago, humans were Homo sapiens and were living in Africa. They were anatomically similar to modern humans but lived as hunter-gatherers. They used stone tools and had developed basic forms of symbolic expression, such as creating intricate designs on objects.
Their social structures were likely based on small, nomadic groups, and they relied on hunting, fishing, and gathering wild plants for sustenance. This period was also marked by significant innovations in tool-making and cultural practices.
ChatGPT, arguably the more expansive and refined AI model, answered the exact same question in far more detail:
ChatGPT:
What were humans like 80,000 years ago?Around 80,000 years ago, humans (Homo sapiens) were in the midst of their evolutionary journey, but they were already quite distinct from other species. This period falls within the Middle Paleolithic, and humans were still hunter-gatherers, living in small groups, and using basic tools. Here are some key aspects of what life was like for humans at that time:
1. Physical and Cognitive Traits
– Anatomy Humans were anatomically similar to modern humans, though not identical. Their bodies were generally robust and adapted to their environment, but they had some physical traits that might differ slightly from present-day populations (for example, the average height and body mass might have been different).
– Brain Size The brain size was comparable to modern humans, though there may have been variations depending on region.
– Cognitive Abilities Humans around this time had complex cognitive abilities. Evidence suggests they could think abstractly, communicate using language (though it’s not clear to what extent), and had a sense of culture and social structure. They made symbolic art, such as beads or carvings, indicating early forms of symbolic thinking.
2. Tool Use
– Humans were using stone tools, classified as part of the Mousterian tradition, which were more advanced than earlier tools. These included tools for cutting, scraping, and hunting, made using the Levallois technique, which involved shaping stones into specific forms.
– They may have used bone tools as well, and evidence of fire control (for warmth, cooking, and protection) is seen in archaeological records from this period.
3. Social Structures and Culture
– Social Groups Humans lived in small, mobile groups or bands, typically consisting of 20 to 50 people. These groups were likely composed of families and extended kin.
– Social Roles There was likely some division of labor based on age, gender, and ability, although the specifics remain speculative.
– Art and Symbolism Evidence of symbolic behavior has been found in the form of body decoration (such as beads made from shells or bones), cave paintings, and carvings on objects. This suggests that early humans had the ability to think symbolically and had some form of ritual or artistic expression.
4. Diet and Survival
– Diet Humans were primarily hunter-gatherers, relying on wild animals, fish, and plant materials for food. They would have hunted large and small game, gathered fruits, nuts, seeds, and tubers, and probably engaged in some form of early agriculture or plant management, though farming was not yet widespread.
– Adaptation to Environment Humans around 80,000 years ago lived in diverse environments, from Africa to parts of Asia and Europe. They were highly adaptable to a wide range of habitats, from savannas and forests to colder climates, depending on the region.
5. Migration and Geography
– By 80,000 years ago, Homo sapiens were largely confined to Africa, though some evidence of migration to the Middle East and southern Asia is seen around this time. The first significant human migrations out of Africa are believed to have occurred around 60,000 to 70,000 years ago, spreading across Asia, Europe, and eventually to Australia and the Americas.
– There is evidence that humans may have interacted with other hominin species, such as Neanderthals in Europe and Denisovans in Asia, through competition, interbreeding, or shared resources.
6. Coexistence with Other Hominins
– Homo sapiens were not the only hominin species on Earth at this time. Other species like Neanderthals (in Europe and parts of western Asia) and Denisovans(in Asia) existed alongside early humans.
– There is evidence suggesting that humans may have interacted with or competed against these other species, and even interbred with them, which contributed to the genetic diversity of modern humans. In summary, 80,000 years ago, humans were anatomically modern, cognitively advanced, and living in small, mobile groups. They relied on tools, developed early forms of culture and symbolism, and were beginning to expand out of Africa, setting the stage for the eventual spread of humans across the globe.
In summary, 80,000 years ago, humans were anatomically modern, cognitively advanced, and living in small, mobile groups. They relied on tools, developed early forms of culture and symbolism, and were beginning to expand out of Africa, setting the stage for the eventual spread of humans across the globe.
There you have it – everything you ever wanted to know about our nomadic ancestors 80,000 years ago. Did any of them look up at the night sky and see Comet A3?
What about the environment these humans lived in? From Copilot again first:
Copilot:
What was the Earth like 80,000 years ago?Around 80,000 years ago, Earth was in the midst of the Last Glacial Period, also known as the Ice Age. During this time, large parts of the planet were covered in thick ice sheets, and global temperatures were much cooler than they are today.
The climate was harsh, with extensive ice covering parts of North America, Europe, and Asia. Sea levels were significantly lower, exposing land bridges between continents, such as the one between Siberia and Alaska, which allowed early humans and animals to migrate.
Despite the cold climate, early humans like Homo sapiens were thriving and beginning to innovate with tools and symbolic expression. The environment was also home to a variety of megafauna, such as woolly mammoths, saber-toothed cats, and giant ground sloths.
And yet again, ChatGPT by default provided far more detail without me explicitly requesting a word count or outline structure:
ChatGPT:
What was the Earth like 80,000 years ago?80,000 years ago, Earth was in the midst of a glacial period, part of the Pleistocene Epoch, which spanned from about 2.6 million to 11,700 years ago. This was a time of significant climate fluctuations, marked by alternating glacial (cold) and interglacial (warmer) periods. The Earth’s environment and ecosystems were very different from what we experience today, especially in terms of climate, geography, and biodiversity. Here are the key features of the Earth 80,000 years ago:
1. Climate and Ice Ages
– Glacial Period Earth was in the midst of a glacial phase, specifically the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM), which occurred about 20,000 years after 80,000 years ago, but the climate was already quite cold and dry.
– Global Cooling Average temperatures were significantly colder than today, with global temperatures estimated to be 4–7°C cooler than present. Large ice sheets covered much of the northern continents, including parts of North America, Europe, and Asia.
– Polar Ice Caps The Arctic and Antarctic regions were covered with thick ice sheets, and glaciers extended much further south in the northern hemisphere. The extent of ice over land and sea affected sea levels, which were lower than today by around 120 meters (400 feet).
– Vegetation Zones In many areas, vegetation zones were more limited due to the colder climate. Large regions were covered by tundra (cold, treeless plains) or boreal forests (taiga) in the northern latitudes, while temperate forests and grasslands existed in warmer areas.
2. Geography
– Ice Sheets and Glaciers North America, Europe, and northern Asia were largely covered by massive ice sheets. For example, the Laurentide Ice Sheet covered much of Canada and parts of the northern United States, while the Scandinavian Ice Sheet covered Scandinavia and parts of northern Europe.
– Lower Sea Levels With so much water locked in ice, sea levels were significantly lower than today, exposing land bridges that connected continents. For example, the Bering Land Bridge connected Asia to North America, facilitating the migration of humans and animals between these regions.
– Land Bridges and Migration The lower sea levels also exposed land connections like the Bering Strait and parts of Southeast Asia, which would later play a significant role in human migration out of Africa and across the globe.
3. Biodiversity
– Large Mammals The Earth’s ecosystems were populated by many large mammals, often referred to as the Pleistocene megafauna. These included:
– Mammoths and mastodons (large relatives of elephants)
– Woolly rhinoceroses
– Saber-toothed cats and cave lions
– Giant ground sloths
– Giant deer (like Megaloceros)
– Predators and Herbivores The colder climates favored large herbivores that could withstand the cold and graze on tough grasses and shrubs, while apex predators, like cave bears and large cats, hunted them.
– Hominins Homo sapiens coexisted with other hominin species, such as Neanderthals in Europe and Denisovans in Asia. Early humans, however, were confined mostly to Africa at this time, although they may have already begun some of their first migrations outside Africa.
4. Ocean and Atmospheric Conditions
– Colder Oceans The oceans were colder than today, with ice caps extending further down into the northern seas. This likely affected ocean currents and weather patterns globally.
– Increased Carbon Dioxide Atmospheric CO2 levels were lower than in the present day. The cooler climate, lower CO2, and lower sea levels were characteristic of this ice age phase.
– Monsoon and Rainfall Patterns The global climate would have been drier overall due to the cold, but some areas, like tropical regions, would have had seasonal rainfall patterns similar to those seen today.
5. Human Populations and Habitats
– Humans in Africa Homo sapiens were still confined to Africa, where they lived in a variety of environments, from savannas and grasslands to forested regions. Early humans were hunter-gatherers, living in small groups and using basic tools.
– Interaction with Other Hominins While Homo sapiens lived in Africa, Neanderthals were present in Europe and western Asia, and Denisovans occupied parts of Asia. There was likely some interaction (including interbreeding) between these human species, though the details are still being studied.
– Migration and Early Movement While Homo sapiens did not fully migrate out of Africa until a few thousand years later, there were likely small-scale migrations and movement patterns occurring along the fringes of Africa or into nearby regions like the Middle East.
6. The Natural World and Landscapes
– Savannas and Forests in Africa In regions like sub-Saharan Africa, the landscape would have included open savannas, dense forests, and river valleys. The climate was cooler and drier than today’s tropical environments, with a more variable rainfall pattern.
– Forested and Grassland Regions in Eurasia Northern parts of Eurasia (like Europe and Asia) would have been dominated by cold, treeless tundra or sparse boreal forests, while southern regions (Mediterranean, parts of India and Southeast Asia) were likely grasslands or open woodlands.
– Australia and the Americas In Australia, marsupial megafauna like giant wombats and marauding giant kangaroos roamed the land, while in the Americas, early humans had not yet widely spread but were slowly moving into the continent.
7. Earth’s Atmosphere
– Lower Carbon Dioxide CO2 concentrations were about 180-200 parts per million (ppm), which is significantly lower than today’s levels (~410 ppm), contributing to cooler temperatures during the glacial period.
Summary
80,000 years ago, Earth was much colder, with vast ice sheets covering much of the northern hemisphere. Sea levels were lower, allowing land bridges to connect continents, and large megafauna roamed the landscapes. Humans, confined to Africa at the time, lived as hunter-gatherers in small, mobile groups. The environment was starkly different from today, with cooler global temperatures, lower sea levels, and dramatic contrasts between the ice-covered regions and the warmer, more temperate zones where humans and animals thrived.
Much of the information provided by AI is well known, though there are a few mild contradictions above. If I were truly doing research on the Earth 80,000 years ago, I would absolutely be cross referencing and confirming all of this data before publication or use.
I also asked the AI language models what the Earth will be like in 80,000 years, when Tsuchinshan returns, but as you could imagine, the answers were vague and not worth mentioning. AI, in my current view, has some nice uses for mild hobby research such as I have shown here, but none of the models are Hari Seldon’s psychohistory, at least not yet, which could be used to predict the future on a galactic scale.
To summarize the summaries, 80,000 years ago was an ice age. I always felt the ice age is far more relatable to us than, say, the dinosaurs. The Earth of 65 million years ago is almost alien, in all terms of geography, climate, and life. But the world of 80,000 years is frighteningly similar to our modern Earth, with believable animals like mammoths and saber-toothed tigers, just obviously colder.
And finally, to get a perspective on how vast the time difference is between the last ice age and the extinction of the dinosaurs, I asked…
What is 80,000 divided by 65 million, expressed as a percentage?
To find 80,000 divided by 65 million expressed as a percentage, you follow these steps:
- Divide 80,000 by 65,000,000:
[ \frac{80,000}{65,000,000} = 0.00123077 ]- Convert the decimal to a percentage by multiplying by 100:
[ 0.00123077 \times 100 = 0.123 \% ]So, 80,000 divided by 65 million is approximately 0.123%.
If we go back to the last time Comet A3 was within range of Earth, that was still only 12% of 1% of the way back to the dinosaur extinction!
I could go on and on, but this was not intended as an AI article, but a reflection on a comet. Our Earth, 80,000 years ago, was extremely different from what A3 passed by weeks ago. Or was it?
