For those of you interested in exploring more...
Wikipedia's Article - additional info and links
Discovery Channel - additional info, links, and a really cool interactive feature
BBC - the British network co-produced the movie, and has some cool stuff on its site
USGS Volcano Hazards site - a lot of good information
Live Science - more info
So what do you think of the movie? Which sites had the best info, graphics, or activities?
Monday, December 11, 2006
Monday, December 04, 2006
Brrr...It's Cold - Who Says Global Warming Is a Bad Thing?
Let's look at the controversy from another angle - who says it's a bad thing?
The Bright Side of Global Warming looks at some of the advantages to a warmer Earth including a longer growing season and a reduction in cold-related diseases and death. Other tout the ingenuity of humankind and believe that a challenge will foster the development of new and better technology. Read "A Reason to Be Optimistic."
Is it happening? There are two questions here - one: is the Earth in a period of warming and two: is it caused by human activity, specifically greenhouse gas emissions? New Scientist.com has an article called "State of Denial."
There is evidence that ecosystems of temperature-dependent creatures are narrowing, moving north or moving to higher altitudes. One place it is being studied is in the Andes. Is this a good or bad thing? Yes, it may be considered bad for ecology or biodiversity reasons, but on the flip side, species that adapt and survive will be better suited for a future, warmer world if that's in our cards.
Finally, the Earth is an amazing regulator (although we humans may not be happy with some of its methods). Past warming trends have been negated by large outputs of volcanic dust from eruptions. For example, 1916 was called "The Year Without a Summer" due to the eruption of Mt. Tambora in Indonesia.
While global warming may be the reason for the increase in strength of hurricanes as reported by scientists at MIT, this year was surprising quiet after the busy seasons of the past couple years. My personal theory is that they may find we are cycling into an ENSO, or El Nino Southern Oscillating phenomena, a warming fo the Pacific that is often accompanied by drought in the west, flooding in the midwest, and a supression in Atlantic hurricanes.
So, what are your thoughts? A warmer Earth means a decrease in cold-related deaths, but an increase in heat-related ones. Insects will thrive. Growing seasons will be longer, although grwoing zones may change. We will use less resources on heat, but more on cooling.
Are we smart enough to make our lives better with improved technology?
The Bright Side of Global Warming looks at some of the advantages to a warmer Earth including a longer growing season and a reduction in cold-related diseases and death. Other tout the ingenuity of humankind and believe that a challenge will foster the development of new and better technology. Read "A Reason to Be Optimistic."
Is it happening? There are two questions here - one: is the Earth in a period of warming and two: is it caused by human activity, specifically greenhouse gas emissions? New Scientist.com has an article called "State of Denial."
There is evidence that ecosystems of temperature-dependent creatures are narrowing, moving north or moving to higher altitudes. One place it is being studied is in the Andes. Is this a good or bad thing? Yes, it may be considered bad for ecology or biodiversity reasons, but on the flip side, species that adapt and survive will be better suited for a future, warmer world if that's in our cards.
Finally, the Earth is an amazing regulator (although we humans may not be happy with some of its methods). Past warming trends have been negated by large outputs of volcanic dust from eruptions. For example, 1916 was called "The Year Without a Summer" due to the eruption of Mt. Tambora in Indonesia.
While global warming may be the reason for the increase in strength of hurricanes as reported by scientists at MIT, this year was surprising quiet after the busy seasons of the past couple years. My personal theory is that they may find we are cycling into an ENSO, or El Nino Southern Oscillating phenomena, a warming fo the Pacific that is often accompanied by drought in the west, flooding in the midwest, and a supression in Atlantic hurricanes.
So, what are your thoughts? A warmer Earth means a decrease in cold-related deaths, but an increase in heat-related ones. Insects will thrive. Growing seasons will be longer, although grwoing zones may change. We will use less resources on heat, but more on cooling.
Are we smart enough to make our lives better with improved technology?
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