Sunday, April 19, 2009
Clues in the coral
One scientist has studied layers of coral in Mexico and argues that sea levels can rise as much as 10 feet in 50 years. Is this a reason to respond more aggressively to the possibility of anthropogenic global warming, or evidence that the world is a dangerous place anyway and that we are going to need all the wealth and energy at our command to contend with the instability that Mother Nature will inevitably throw against us?
12 Comments:
By 
JPMcT, at
Sun Apr 19, 09:46:00 PM:
Logic provides the answer:
1. We cannot change the weather
2. We can adapt to the weather.
3. Those with a functional intellect should adapt.
4. The future will belong to those who adapt.
QED
By Georg Felis, at
Sun Apr 19, 09:56:00 PM:
Sounds like George Strait had it right.
By Diane Wilson, at
Sun Apr 19, 10:00:00 PM:
Did that scientist note that the 10 foot rise did not occur because of anthropogenic warming?
The world is a dangerous place, and Mother Nature is a bitch.
By 
, at
Sun Apr 19, 11:32:00 PM:
"The study, being published Thursday in the journal Nature, suggests that a sudden rise of 6.5 feet to 10 feet occurred within a span of 50 to 100 years about 121,000 years ago, at the end of the last warm interval between ice ages."
We can go back over 100,000 years ago and nail a sedimentary rock wall down to a 50 year window? Wow.
Did they find the fossilized SUV's, coal plants, incandecent lightbulbs, and 60 inch palsma TVs in that layer as well?
Also, did he find clay tablets that show what idiotic governmental policies ended that warming trend and brought on the next ice age?
By Ron Russell, at
Sun Apr 19, 11:32:00 PM:
The ocean levels have been rising for the past ten thousand years. While studying coral formations off the west coast of central FL at depths between 15 to 30' I found evidence of paleolithic man. Camp sites consisting of stone artifacts such as scrappers and projectile points along with bones of now extinct creatures. The levels could continue to rise, but as of today, no definative evidence has been produced to prove that assumption. I say assumption, because it is just that--not even to the point of a concise theory. I provide a link to some points I personal found on and off the Florida coast. Artifacts
By , at
Mon Apr 20, 12:28:00 AM:
The KEY variable is that there will be nine billion people by 2050! The impact on nature will be extraordinary but since most of the increase will be among third world blacks and browns, we must be forced to pay, NOW!
By JPMcT, at
Mon Apr 20, 06:45:00 AM:
@Anon 12:28
By 2050, do you think the climate will still be on the top of our agenda?
I think not..
It will be well below Hunting and Gathering!
By , at
Mon Apr 20, 12:12:00 PM:
From Link:
Obama is implementing policies that don't stand to reason ... yet we're collectively ineffective at calling him on it. Even if you're a leftist, how can you support policies that you should know won't work or that are grounded in specious science. Larry Summers ... your nose is growing ...
We're about to declare CO2 the equivalent of a carcinogen -- how did that happen and to what end. Am I now an enemy of the planet, because I'm breathing.
By , at
Mon Apr 20, 02:25:00 PM:
"Am I now an enemy of the planet, because I'm breathing."
You become an enemy of the planet when those who oppose you are allowed to define themselves as "friends" of the planet without discussion or opposition.
By , at
Mon Apr 20, 03:44:00 PM:
At the end of then last ice age the sea levels rose about fifty meters (300 feet,) drowing much of the American continental shelf, This was because the glaciers that covered Boston and Detroit and Toronto and Vancouver all retreated (melted back)--since then, the land that was weighted down by the ice has been rising steadily (in Arctic archaeology, you look for the older camp sites up the hill while the youngest ones are close to sea level.)If all of Greenland's glaciers were to melt, or Antartica's, we would have a substantial sea rise, but given that the world has been getting colder that is unlikely. On the other hand, various people will use that to try and scare people into supporting their own enslavement. Google [Nils Axel Morner] for info on sea level rises.
By , at
Mon Apr 20, 03:46:00 PM:
Sorry about the numbers above. 50 meters is 150+ feet, not three hundred.)
By Brian Schmidt, at
Mon Apr 20, 04:32:00 PM:
The correct policy response to the distressing result of a single study is only to do more studies. I say this as someone who thinks the extreme danger of AGW has been well-proven by multiple studies/theory/instrumental recordings/predictions/computer modeling.
If and ony if this study gets more support, it gives additional reasons why we shouldn't destabilize the climate even more than we are currently.
