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Arctic ice shrinks to all-time low; half 1980 size: Worrisome?

American☆Atheist 2012/09/20 09:13:05
Related Topics: Arctic, 1980, Low, News
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  • Icarus 2012/09/20 11:27:36
    yes
    Icarus
    +6
    Very. We're causing extremely rapid global warming - the Arctic ice is clearly going to be gone in summer in the next few years, and that's a substantial positive feedback which will accelerate other, larger positive feedbacks such as permafrost decomposition and release of methane from seabed hydrates. There is little prospect of this changing any time soon, because greenhouse gas emissions are rising faster than ever, and it will take decades to turn that around, even when it becomes painfully clear to everyone that we have to.
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  • Frannin 2012/09/25 21:15:47
    yes
    Frannin
    That's extremely worrisome and that's no hoax either.
    reply
  • Leslie Hope 2012/09/21 15:06:12
    yes
    Leslie Hope
    +1
    Former Climate Change Denier here. I based my argument on the fact that humans' yearly production of CO2 was less than that of many natural processes. Where I was mistaken was: (1) confusing the issues "Climate Change" and "Human-caused Global Warming", (2) ignoring basic chemistry's concept of reaction equilibrium, and (3) not taking Positive Feedback Loops into consideration. The issue of equilibrium means that human-produced CO2 is "new" CO2 in that it is from formerly-sequestered fossil sources. Adding more of either side of a reaction moves the whole equation. Fossil carbon was sequestered naturally as it appeared (geologic sources into biological material) over many millions of years, but we are releasing it back into the environment practically overnight (<200 years). The result is directly observable over a few decades. It's undeniable. Unfortunately, I think it is irreversible, accelerating, and catastrophic. To quote Futurama's Bender, "We're bones"!
    reply
  • Steve Leslie ... 2012/09/21 17:03:43
    Steve
    +2
    Nice to see someone with critical thinking skills around here. You're exactly right. Natural CO2 production has been in equilibrium with natural sinks for millenia. Added human CO2 has no built-in sinks yet, so levels rise.



    I fear you're right about positive feedbacks leading to almost inevitable catastrophe. It's time for planning bold interventions. I fear major famines in poor countries are just a year or two away.
    reply
  • Magus BN-0 2012/09/21 05:44:19
    yes
    Magus BN-0
    +3
    Yet wingnuts are still going to claim global warming's a hoax.
    reply
  • Balladeer-PWCM-POTL 2012/09/21 04:58:29
    no
    Balladeer-PWCM-POTL
    let me guess 'it's Bush's fault'
    reply
  • America... Ballade... 2012/09/21 04:59:02
    American☆Atheist
    People like Bush.
    reply
  • Ballade... America... 2012/09/21 05:00:24
    Balladeer-PWCM-POTL
    AHHH thank you you didn't disappoint me well hide under your bed...the world is coming to an end...bet you are all ready for that mayan calender thing
    reply
  • America... Ballade... 2012/09/21 05:01:41
    American☆Atheist
    You this the 2012 thing is real but not science?
    reply
  • Ballade... America... 2012/09/21 05:03:27
    Balladeer-PWCM-POTL
    Junior at 53 I have lived through, by a rough estimate ,15 times when the world was suppose to end. It's still here...and I'm still here...hide under your bed
    reply
  • America... Ballade... 2012/09/21 05:06:06
    American☆Atheist
    Conservatives say the world was going to end.
    reply
  • Ballade... America... 2012/09/21 05:07:32
    Balladeer-PWCM-POTL
    conservatives REAL conservatives KNOW that global Warming is a crock....question why don't you greeners use Sat Data for temps?
    reply
  • America... Ballade... 2012/09/21 10:23:17
    American☆Atheist
    I agree, real cons don't understand science.
    reply
  • Ballade... America... 2012/09/21 16:23:38
    Balladeer-PWCM-POTL
    Yes we do believe it or not...especially yours truly who bears the Family name of a Great Astronomer
    reply
  • America... Ballade... 2012/09/22 03:38:23
    American☆Atheist
    Conservatives have always been against science, from saying the earth was flat to denting evolution and GW.
    reply
  • Ballade... America... 2012/09/22 03:40:43
    Balladeer-PWCM-POTL
    Riiigghht that's why you socialists are all greeners
    reply
  • America... Ballade... 2012/09/22 06:43:06
    American☆Atheist
    What socialists? Does "greeners" mean people who accept GW? If it does then you make no sense because it is science.
    reply
  • Ballade... America... 2012/09/23 03:09:39
    Balladeer-PWCM-POTL
    junk science...skewed science you greeners reject data from sattelites and rural stations because it doesn't support your asinine theory....Global warming is the modern day version of the nazi 'living space'
    reply
  • America... Ballade... 2012/09/23 08:34:56
    American☆Atheist
    Junk science is not something that scientists agree with.
    reply
  • Ballade... America... 2012/09/23 21:13:27
    Balladeer-PWCM-POTL
    Junk Science is any 'science' that attracts socialists and hollywood types
    reply
  • America... Ballade... 2012/09/25 07:09:17
    American☆Atheist
    Do you realize that scientists are not on your side?
    reply
  • Ballade... America... 2012/09/25 20:23:01
    Balladeer-PWCM-POTL
    only 90% of them are...the ones that don't erase data so it can't be peer reviewed...the 10% of these alleged scientists are useful Idiots for Green Comminuism
    reply
  • America... Ballade... 2012/09/26 08:41:10
    American☆Atheist
    90 percent are not on you side.
    reply
  • Ballade... America... 2012/09/26 17:46:03
    Balladeer-PWCM-POTL
    riiiiggghhht
    reply
  • America... Ballade... 2012/09/27 12:16:27
    American☆Atheist
    Glad you agree.
    http://www.skepticalscience.c...
    reply
  • Invader_Ellie_Slamacow 2012/09/21 04:45:30
    no
    Invader_Ellie_Slamacow
    I'm in good hands. If my God is for me, who or what can be against me? His love is all I need to be secure.
    reply
  • Icarus Invader... 2012/09/21 11:32:54
    Icarus
    Nice fantasy, but in the real world there are no gods, so we have to help ourselves or suffer the consequences.
    reply
  • Steve Invader... 2012/09/21 17:00:02
    Steve
    Didn't really work for the Jews during the Holocaust. Or any of the victims of natural disasters.



    "God helps those who help themselves."
    reply
  • Steve 2012/09/21 02:49:32
    yes
    Steve
    +2
    It's dramatic, rapid, progressive, and will lead to severe weather patterns -- these will further endanger food production. Famines are not far away.
    Arctic ice
    reply
  • Tim Terror 2012/09/20 16:57:41
    yes
    Tim Terror
    +2
    It's the Antarctic we have to worry about more. The Arctic ice cap is like an ice cube melting in a glass. It won't make it overflow. The ice in the Antarctic is mostly on land. If that melts we're in real trouble.
    reply
  • Icarus Tim Terror 2012/09/21 11:39:45
    Icarus
    +1
    It's already doing so.
    reply
  • Tim Terror Icarus 2012/09/21 13:15:43
    Tim Terror
    +1
    As is the Greenland ice shelf. Worrying times indeed. Anyone that disputes this is in total denial of the facts. Whether it be man made or natural that isn't the point. The world is heating up at an alarming rate.
    reply
  • Darkitec 2012/09/20 13:52:23
    no
    Darkitec
    Ice on the other side of the globe is larger than it's ever been. Global warming is nothing but a tax and spend hoax.
    reply
  • Steve Darkitec 2012/09/21 02:52:51
    Steve
    +3
    No, sea ice around Antarctica is stable. But theres thousands of times more ice on land in Antarctica than in the seas, and land mass of ice there is declining rapidly:

    times ice land antarctica seas land mass ice declining rapidly
    reply
  • Bronar 2012/09/20 13:50:19
    yes
    Bronar
    +1
    Yes, but unless we stop China from burning twice as much coal as the US we cannot stop it. If we were to do so our energy costs would further tank our economy. And the only way to be able to exert pressure on China would be no to be so in debt to them. Moral: End runaway government spending!
    reply
  • irish -liberty or death! 2012/09/20 12:48:11
    no
    irish -liberty or death!
    because it isn't true.

    http://www.iceagenow.com/Grow...
    reply
  • Connor ... irish -... 2012/09/20 21:36:30
    Connor June
    Sure feels like it here.
    reply
  • irish -... Connor ... 2012/09/20 22:10:30
    irish -liberty or death!
    what? and ice age? we had spring begin in feb. here in Pa. and now its the 1st day of fall and its cold. climate is changing. but the ice at the poles is growing.
    reply
  • Steve irish -... 2012/09/21 02:53:55
    Steve
    Sorry. See images above. Ice at the poles is decreasing rapidly and dramatically.
    reply
  • irish -... Steve 2012/09/21 12:52:03
    irish -liberty or death!
    no it isn't.LOL
    how do explain the growth of glaciers?and colder temps?

    http://www.iceagenow.com/Area...
    reply
  • Steve irish -... 2012/09/21 16:57:07
    Steve
    Over 90 percent of all glaciers in the world are retreating. Only a very few major glaciers are increasing.



    Global temps have been increasing. Most of the hottest years on record have been in the past decade.



    Antarctica is still a very cold place, but the waters around it have been gradually warming. Thus the major retreat of ice shelves. Glacier outflow of the West Antarctic Ice Sheet (WAIS) has increased dramatically. That whole ice sheet can become unstable, and the ice there would raise global ocean levels by many feet.



    Your link compares two cherry-picked dates in DECEMBER!!!



    Sea ice changes rapidly in early winter....any two years can look completely different on the same December date, and it means nothing.



    Accurate comparison requires looking at ice at the annual minimum, always early to mid September. That's what I've shown above. Look for yourself:

    http://arctic.atmos.uiuc.edu/...



    For actual science about climate the best site is probably:

    http://skepticalscience.com/
    reply
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