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[-] essteeyou@lemmy.world 272 points 2 months ago

Polaris is 45-67 million years old.

The oldest total-group chondrichthyans, known as acanthodians or "spiny sharks", appeared during the Early Silurian, around 439 million years ago.

It's not even close.

[-] ChicoSuave@lemmy.world 72 points 2 months ago

Dinosaurs died off 65 MYA. Dinosaurs were most likely gone before Polaris formed.

[-] i_stole_ur_taco@lemmy.ca 68 points 2 months ago

They probably died off because they couldn’t use Polaris for navigation!

[-] mkwt@lemmy.world 25 points 2 months ago

Polaris goes in and out of North Star status on the 26,000 year precession cycle. So for the duration of humanity (let's say 100,000 years), there have been decent chunks of time where it's not in use.

[-] sorrybookbroke@sh.itjust.works 13 points 2 months ago

You gotta rest up man, that's a pretty big job for one star

[-] FuglyDuck@lemmy.world 11 points 2 months ago

Can you imagine having to give directions to a bunch of illiterate primates? Ugg. I’d have quite after the first thousand years.

[-] Tar_alcaran@sh.itjust.works 2 points 2 months ago

They trade off. There are other stars that make for good pole star candidates

[-] aeronmelon@lemmy.world 13 points 2 months ago

I’m now sad that dinosaurs could never look up and see Polaris.

[-] ZeffSyde@lemmy.world 6 points 2 months ago

Eh, they got to see the thousands of other stars that are now obscured by light/atmospheric pollution.

[-] stewie3128@lemmygrad.ml 4 points 2 months ago

Most nights even I can barely see Polaris.

[-] toynbee@lemmy.world 29 points 2 months ago

I came here to question whether that claim is true, saw your post, and thought something like "well, that settles that." Then I scrolled down and saw neatchee's (great username) post and now my whole world is uncertain.

[-] LustyArgonianMana@lemmy.world 3 points 2 months ago

Appalachian mountains are even older

this post was submitted on 07 Oct 2024
861 points (99.1% liked)

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