horned-one thx, I'll look it up.

Johnny Cat, I'd say we humans are evolving if knowledge/self-awareness and adaptation are a reliable indication, but that does not apply universally. You could even argue that some or most people are becoming dumber and less adaptable, if stronger from a purely nutritional/immunological POV.

Also, adaptation can be self-destructive as you mention.

As a layman, I never understood how some biologists argue that human evolution is over. If evolution works, how can it possibly stop? Also, the fact that we are aware of these evolutionary mechanisms and often influence it(saving Pandas from extinction, for instance) adds even more unintended consequences to the whole equation.

That's probably just Cthulhu rising from the deep to fulfill his eldritch mandate of destruction.

Xtina, why is it that whites and whites only can be thrashed, criticized and ridiculed in modern "art" these days? How is this less racist than the usual prejudiced remarks against blacks, indians etc?

Anytime a scientist talks as if s/he's foaming at the mouth or insists s/he has the backing of the entire scientific community there is a loss of credibility, sounds like some rapper dissing a rival from the other Coast.

If the Coral Barrier really is doomed, that's it, nothing to do unfortunately. Trying to scare people into action usually backfires because of the very tone of doom and gloom inevitability so prevalent in certain areas these days.

Finally, two questions:
-carbon cycles: can we even try to control them? Should we blame every single catastrophe on it?
-evolution: to what extent can and should we try to influence it? Should all species, including humans, just grow and grow exponentially?