Milutin Milanković (1879-1958) was a Serbian mathematician, astronomer, climatologist, geophysicist, civil engineer, doctor of technology, university professor and popularizer of science. Milanković is best known for his explanation of Earths long-term climate changes caused by changes in the position of the Earth in comparison to the Sun, now known as Milankovitch Cycles. He saw that periodic variations in Earths elliptical rotational motion around the Sun altered the amount of solar radiation striking the poles. In combination, every 100,000 years or so, these variations have sent Earth into a period of cool temperatures and spreading ice. 30,000 years ago, Earth began a relentless descent into winter. Glaciers pushed into what were temperate zones. Ice spread beyond polar seas. New layers of ice accumulated on the vast frozen plateau of Greenland. At three kilometers thick, Greenlands ice sheet is a monumental formation built over successive ice ages and millions of years. Its so heavy that it has pushed much of the island down below sea level. And yet, today, scientists have begun to wonder how resilient this ice sheet really is. Ice, in its varied forms, covers as much as 16% of Earths surface, including 33% of land areas at the height of the northern winter. Glaciers, sea ice, permafrost, ice sheets and snow play an important role in Earths climate. They reflect energy back to space, shape ocean currents, and spawn weather patterns. But there are signs that Earths great stores of ice are beginning to melt. To find out where Earth might be headed, scientists are drilling down into the ice, and scouring ancient sea beds, for evidence of past climate change. What are they learning about the fate of our planet... a thousand years into the future and even beyond? (Video: around 31 mins): Earth in 1,000 Years ForbiddenKnowledgeTV/page/26219.html - Alexandra P.S. Please share Forbidden Knowledge TV emails and videos with your friends and colleagues by using the Forward to a Friend link within this newsletter, below. Thats how we grow. Thanks.
Posted on: Sun, 16 Mar 2014 01:00:34 +0000
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