I enjoyed your description of the recenr daf yomi on the mopuse that is half earth. However, the discussion ignored the most interestiing issue. i.e. the discussion showed that Chazal followed the science of their time. The important question, not addressed, is whether we change halacha based on modern science.
Can one eat birds that grow from trees? Can one kill lice on shabbat and similat questions that have been debated by modern poskim
Eli Turkel
We discussed this in brief in the Insights to Shabbos 12:2, and more in depth in the Discussion list, there. An entensive discussion of that issue can be found in Rav Carmell's footnote to Michtav me'Eliyahu, vol 4 p. 355.
Rabbi Slifkin's article deals with Rav Carmell's footnote and many other sources, you can contact him at zoorabbi@zootorah.com .
Be well,
Mordecai Kornfeld