Melting Siberian permafrost could impact climate

[Cowperson]

More climate debate stuff . . . . . in the LA Times this a.m.

Ancient woolly mammoth bones and grasslands locked in the Siberian permafrost are starting to thaw and could potentially unleash billions of tons of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, accelerating global warming, a team of Russian and American scientists has concluded.

The area involved is vast — 400,000 square miles. If the permafrost continues to thaw and releases heat-trapping carbon dioxide, it could dramatically increase the 730 billion metric tons already in the atmosphere, the scientists said in a study published in today's issue of the journal Science.

http://www.latimes.com/news/nationwo...home-headlines


Cowperson

[rubecube]

Don't you listen to Bush? There's no such thing as global warming!

[Cheese]

I watched a program on the Wooly Mammoth Hunters awhile ago...fascinating stuff actually. The tusks literally appear out of nowhere. I had no idea that there was as much quantity of these as they appear to find.
They turn around and sell these tusks and bones to Musueums and treasure hunters around the world.
There have actually been finds where the Mammoths found have all bones, hair and other remnants saved in the ice.

Wasnt there also an article that Japanese or Chinese scientists were trying to recreate the Mammoth thru DNA cloning?

[Cowperson]

Originally Posted by rubecube

Don't you listen to Bush? There's no such thing as global warming!

I think Mr. Bush would actually like the above article as it points to natural sources of peril rather than man-made ones . . . . . . the debate - in general - isn't about whether global warming is happening but rather about whether its a natural, cyclical process or one induced by man.

Cowperson

[Hakan]

Another example of a positive feedback mechanism. Heat the Earth up to a certain point and then there's nothing you can do to reverse as the feedback mechanisms take over. Scary stuff.

[Kybosh]

Originally Posted by Cheese

Wasnt there also an article that Japanese or Chinese scientists were trying to recreate the Mammoth thru DNA cloning?

You are correct sir. I know that this research group has said they will attempt it but I have no idea what kind of progress (if any) they are making. It sounds like they will likely make more of a half-breed between a mammoth and a modern elephant if it ever ends up working in the first place.

http://news.nationalgeographic.com/n...lymammoth.html

[arsenal]

More fuel for the fire:

Appearing before the Commons Committee on Environment and Sustainable Development last year, Carleton University paleoclimatologist Professor Tim Patterson testified, "There is no meaningful correlation between CO2 levels and Earth's temperature over this [geologic] time frame. In fact, when CO2 levels were over ten times higher than they are now, about 450 million years ago, the planet was in the depths of the absolute coldest period in the last half billion years." Patterson asked the committee, "On the basis of this evidence, how could anyone still believe that the recent relatively small increase in CO2 levels would be the major cause of the past century's modest warming?

The story is here: Link

So if that is the case, how much effect on the Earth is the melting permafrost going to have?

[ricosuave]

Originally Posted by Kybosh

You are correct sir. I know that this research group has said they will attempt it but I have no idea what kind of progress (if any) they are making. It sounds like they will likely make more of a half-breed between a mammoth and a modern elephant if it ever ends up working in the first place.

http://news.nationalgeographic.com/n...lymammoth.html

The latest here on that, didn't want to start a new thread...

http://technology.sympatico.msn.cbc....mammoth-genome

[HOZ]

Originally Posted by rubecube

Don't you listen to Bush? There's no such thing as global warming!

Please find the actual quote. I would like to see if you are actually making this up. It seems people suffer from Bush Derangement Syndrome and need to blame him for everything including bad weather.

[HelloHockeyFans]

Darn. Saw a thread by Cowperson and thought he was back.

[Displaced Flames fan]

Originally Posted by HelloHockeyFans

Darn. Saw a thread by Cowperson and thought he was back.

Same here. I miss Cowperson.

[T@T]

Originally Posted by arsenal

More fuel for the fire:

"In fact, when CO2 levels were over ten times higher than they are now, about 450 million years ago, the planet was in the depths of the absolute coldest period in the last half billion years."

The story is here: Link

So if that is the case, how much effect on the Earth is the melting permafrost going to have?

That find was debunked faster than it took for Mr.Carter to write it. he conveniently left out the part where there was little sunlight in that particular cold period as a major catastrophe had happened on the planet (major comet/asteroid strike) proven by fossal records that blocked the sun for months and possibly years. No wonder the earth was cold.

Maybe Mr.Carter should write an article and answer why after 10,000 the permafrost is melting at an un-heard-of astronomical rate right now! or explain why the Arctic is melting so fast that polar bears are so hungry their now eating each other.

Personally i don't get the bickering between the pro global warmests and the anti's. It just doesn't matter anymore, the damage is done with no chance of a reversal, We, our children and their children have to live with it and in the future they'll probably talk about us as the stupid people who ruined the planet.

[Locke]

Yeah, but the Siberians are loving it!!

[Jayems]

I blame moo-cows.

http://abcnews.go.com/Technology/Glo...ory?id=2723201

[T@T]

Originally Posted by Jayems

I blame moo-cows.

http://abcnews.go.com/Technology/Glo...ory?id=2723201

As funny as that is it could have a big impact, but in the end it still comes back to us as we are the ones who breed the hell out of them to take care of our meat-eating needs. since the year 1900 our population has grown from 1.4 billion to 6.2 billion. thats 4.4 billion more people who need that juicy ribeye and milk.

[Bagor]

Originally Posted by T@T

Maybe Mr.Carter should write an article and answer why after 10,000 the permafrost is melting at an un-heard-of astronomical rate right now! or explain why the Arctic is melting so fast that polar bears are so hungry their now eating each other.

Or what effect the dumping of billions of tonnes of methane locked under the frost might have on CC.

Originally Posted by T@T

As funny as that is it could have a big impact, but in the end it still comes back to us as we are the ones who breed the hell out of them to take care of our meat-eating needs. since the year 1900 our population has grown from 1.4 billion to 6.2 billion. thats 4.4 billion more people who need that juicy ribeye and milk.

Time to get rid of cows and move onto Kangaroos.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/7551125.stm

[Phanuthier]

Originally Posted by HelloHockeyFans

Darn. Saw a thread by Cowperson and thought he was back.

Me too

[Devils'Advocate]

Originally Posted by T@T

Personally i don't get the bickering between the pro global warmests and the anti's. It just doesn't matter anymore, the damage is done with no chance of a reversal, We, our children and their children have to live with it and in the future they'll probably talk about us as the stupid people who ruined the planet.

I agree. I think the environmentalists should now STFU and realize that this one is lost. Right now doing ANYTHING about Climate Change is just rearranging deck chairs on the Titanic. The right wingers have won. Now we should start preparing for the resulting possible disasters by building stronger levees and planting more trees to slow desertification.

[Five-hole]

Originally Posted by T@T

Personally i don't get the bickering between the pro global warmests and the anti's. It just doesn't matter anymore, the damage is done with no chance of a reversal, We, our children and their children have to live with it and in the future they'll probably talk about us as the stupid people who ruined the planet.

I'm not sure it's fair to say that our generation is the one that ruined the planet. I think generations have been working on it for decades.

In fact I'd say our generation has been one of the most environmentally concerned and progressive in history. Unfortunately, that isn't saying much.

[chris lindberg]

Originally Posted by T@T

polar bears are so hungry their now eating each other.

Really?