PBS Space Time

How We Know The Earth Is Ancient

PBS Space Time

Summary

Marketers are increasingly voicing concerns about the effectiveness of their advertising campaigns, highlighting a phenomenon known as "bullspend." This term refers to the disconnect between impressive metrics, such as impressions, and actual revenue generation. Many professionals are realizing that focusing solely on vanity metrics can mislead stakeholders, particularly when financial results are scrutinized. The call to action is clear: marketers should prioritize measurable outcomes that directly impact the bottom line.

The podcast also delves into the historical context of how humanity has understood the age of the Earth. From ancient cosmogonies to early scientific estimates, the quest to determine the planet's age has evolved significantly. Notable figures like James Usher and Georges-Louis Leclerc Comte de Buffon made early attempts to quantify Earth's age, but it wasn't until the advent of modern geology and radiometric dating that more accurate estimates emerged. Today, scientists agree on an age of approximately 4.5 billion years, supported by various independent measurements, including those from lunar samples and meteorites.

The discussion emphasizes the importance of understanding geological time and the processes that shape our planet. As scientific methods have advanced, so too has our comprehension of Earth's history, revealing a timeline that dwarfs human existence. This perspective invites reflection on our place in the universe and the vastness of time that has preceded us.

Show Notes

PBS Member Stations rely on viewers like you. To support your local station, go to: http://to.pbs.org/DonateSPACE↓ More info below ↓Uploaded 07-04-20Sign Up on Patreon to get access to the Space Time Discord! https://www.patreon.com/pbsspacetimeSign up for the mailing list to get episode notifications and hear special announcements!https://mailchi.mp/1a6eb8f2717d/spacetimeCheck out the Space Time Merch Storehttps://pbsspacetime.com/In astronomy we talk about billions of years like it’s no big deal. But how can we be sure about timescales so far beyond the capacity for human intuition? Our discovery of what we now call deep time is very recent - as recent as our discovery of the true spatial vastness of our universe. And it came as scientists tried to measure the age of the Earth. What they found was as shocking and humbling as anything seen through the telescope.Hosted by Matt O'DowdWritten by Dan Falk and Matt O'DowdGraphics by Leonardo Scholzer, Yago Ballarini, and Pedro OsinskiDirected by: Andrew KornhaberExecutive Producers: Eric Brown and Andrew KornhaberEnd Credits Music by J.R.S. Schattenberg: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCRl6-nb4iOnsij-vnpAjp0QSpecial Thanks to Our Patreon Supporters!Big Bang SupportersAlexander TamasDavid NicklasFabrice EapJuan BenetMorgan HoughRadu NegulescuQuasarChristina OegrenMark HeisingVinnie FalcoHypernovawilliam bryanchuck zegarDanton SpiveyDonal BotkinEdmund FokschanerHank SJohn HofmannJohn PollockJohn R. SlavikJordan YoungJoseph SalomoneJulian TyackeMathewMatthew O'ConnorMatthew RyanSyed AnsarTimothy McCullochGamma Ray BurstA GAdrian HatchAlecZeroAndreas NautschBradley JenkinsBrandon labonteBrandon LattinBrian BlanchardCraig StonahaDan WarrenDaniel LyonsDavid BethalaDavid HughesDFaulkDouglas CantrellEric KieblerFrederic SimonGeoffrey ShortGraydon GossGreg SmithJohn FunaiJohn RobinsonJosh ThomasJustin WatersKevin LeeKevin WarneKyle HoferMalte UblMichael ConroyMirik GogriNick VirtueNick WrightNickolas Andrew FreemanPatrick SuttonPaul RoseProtius ProtiusRandall SylviaRobert IlardiScott GossettSean WarniahaShane CalimlimSteve BradshawTatiana VorovchenkoTim StephaniTonyfaceTybie FitzhughYannick WeynsYurii Konovaliuk Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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