==> pickover/pickover.10.p <==
Title: Cliff Puzzle 10: The Ark Series
From: cliff@watson.ibm.com

If you respond to this puzzle, if possible please send me your name,
address, affiliation, e-mail address, so I can properly credit you if
you provide unique information.  PLEASE ALSO directly mail me a copy of
your response in addition to any responding you do in the newsgroup.  I
will assume it is OK to describe your answer in any article or
publication I may write in the future, with attribution to you, unless
you state otherwise.  Thanks, Cliff Pickover

      * * *

1.  Given a large ark containing 2 individuals of every animal species
in the world, what would be the approximate total weight of all the
organisms?  How would your answer differ if you included every plant,
bacterial, and fungal organism?

2.  Assume that all other organisms on earth were dead except for those
on the ark in question 1, and that the animals were released 1000 years
ago.  What would you expect to be surviving today?  (Assume that, where
applicable, a male and female were used for each species.)

3.  Assume that the year is 1992 and that it rained for 40 days, and the
rain covered all the land on the earth.  Further assume that the flood
waters receded to pre-flood days within several months.

   What would be the geopolitical changes as a result of the
temporary flood?

   What would be the ecological changes as a result of the
temporary flood?