Alan,
There was a book written in the 1960's titled, "Silent Spring". THAT book predicted an extreme outcome IF we kept using DDT (egg shells weakened and life forms that reproduced by eggs would NOT reproduce) where the birds and many other species would die. BECAUSE of that book, we obtained a lot of environmental law safeguards (that HAVE BEEN mostly REVERSED by a massive corporate lobbying/propaganda effort).
The precautionary principle of science dictated that we STOP using DDT.
The precautionary principle of science dictates that we STOP using fossil fuels. The science is much clearer than it was for DDT!
But the point is, at the time the book was written, MANY PEOPLE said it was "ABSURD" to believe DDT could cause the extinction of several thousand Monotreme species (mammals that lay eggs). They did not want people shouting from the rooftops that:
WE were in danger, along with the Monotremes, because if DDT did that to egg shells, WHAT ELSE MIGHT IT DO? You and Ashvin provide sad evidence that History repeats itself.