This week in science: start your Interocitors! ::posted Sat, 13 Sep 2014 13:00:02 +0000:: ift.tt/1m1VK1v rss@dailykos (DarkSyde) Youve seen some closeups of Comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko, but this image gives an idea of what it might actually look like if you were onboard the Rosetta spacecraft. One of Rosettas two solar panels provides context for its true apparent size and the dim light from a sun more than 300 million miles distant. Click on image for Phils dissertive interocitation. This week scientists at the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) confirmed that 2013 was a record year for the quantity of heat trapping carbon dioxide in our atmosphere. One obvious reason for that is humans keep pumping more into the air. But another factor may be coming into play: But the other possibility is a bit more surprising: According to the WMO, early data suggests that the worlds oceans and forests are now absorbing a bit less of our extra carbon-dioxide than they used to — which means that more CO2 ends up in the atmosphere, where it traps heat and warms up the planet. So, somewhere on the hellish path to a cool Venus, the future Earth might have frothy seas of seltzer. Traditionally, oceans and forests have acted as giant sponges, soaking up roughly half of our carbon-dioxide emissions each year. (Indeed, thats why oceans are now acidifying at the fastest rate in 300 million years, with dire consequences for marine life.) But if theyre now starting to absorb less carbon-dioxide overall — and, again, its still too early to say for certain — that could mean even more global warming going forward. There is a potentially serious feedback issue here. A warmer atmosphere soon spells warmer oceans, especially at the surface. Warmer water holds less CO2 in solution, which means the oceans absorb even less, leading to higher concentrations in the atmosphere which in turn traps more heat, causing warmer air ... rinse and repeat. This week several brilliant planetary scientists pleaded for wisdom in front of the House Science Committee. A committee dominated by ultra-conservative politicians, some of whom believe NASA is engaged in a massive international conspiracy to conceal advanced alien Interocitors, hype climate change, or that modern biology, geology, and cosmology are all lies straight from the pit of Hell. Stonehenge was BIG. Will evolutionary interocitators ever get anything right? Now theyre trying telling us the largest predatory dino to ever walk on land actually swam and was half duck and half croc! The iWatch certainly sounds kinda cool—go to hell, Switzerland! But isnt it long past time for us to be able to order our very own Interocitor? [Forwarded by the MyLeftBlogosphere news engine. Link to original post below:]
Posted on: Sun, 14 Sep 2014 12:46:02 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015