Clipmarks | Silkweaver's 'climate' clips

Is Planet-scale Geo-Engineering Needed to Reverse Global Warming?

Thu, 04 Sep 2008 01:48:40 GMT

clipped by: Silkweaver
clipper's remarks: "This puts a special responsibility on us to stay civilized and give refuge to the unimaginably large influx of climate refugees,' he said, adding that carrying on with 'business as usual' would probably kill most of us this century.

Clip Source: www.dailygalaxy.com

James Lovelock,the controversial environmental scientist and Oxford professor who developed the Gaia hypothesis of the Earth as a self-regulating organism, warns humans may have to attempt planet-scale engineering of the climate because global warming is happening faster than experts have been predicting.

"Safe forms of 'geo-engineering' should be used if they can buy us a little time to adapt to a rapidly changing climate."

The startling new ideas Lovelock proposes range from artificially altering the climate range from using a constellation of trillions of space craft as a sun-shade or dust particles in the stratosphere to reflect solar energy to 'seeding' the oceans with iron particles to stimulate algae, which absorb CO2.

Scientists at Stanford University reported that a 2 per cent reduction in the amount of sunlight warming the Earth is more than enough to offset a doubling of CO2 in the atmosphere, and suggested it would be possible to deflect sunlight from the Arctic

Tags: climate change, geo engineering

Is a "Little Ice Age" Imminent? -Maverick Scientists Say "Yes"

Tue, 26 Aug 2008 15:59:38 GMT

clipped by: Silkweaver
clipper's remarks: The idea is especially intriguing considering that most of the world is in preparation for global warming. Could we be preparing for the wrong scenario?

Geophysicist Phil Chapman, the first Australian to become an astronaut with NASA, notes that pictures from the US Solar and Heliospheric Observatory show that there are currently no spots on the sun. He believes this is the reason why the world cooled rapidly between January last year and January this year, by about 0.7C.

"This is the fastest temperature change in the instrumental record, and it puts us back to where we were in 1930," Dr Chapman writes in The Australian today. "If the temperature does not soon recover, we will have to conclude that global warming is over."

Sorokhtin believes that, in spite of the results of certain recent studies, lack of sunspots does indicate a coming cooling period. In fact, he calls manmade climate change "a drop in the bucket" compared to the cold brought on by inactive solar phases.

Clip Source: www.dailygalaxy.com

Evidence has mounted that global warming began in the last century and that humans are, at least in part, responsible.

The concern is that the warming of our climate will greatly affect its habitability for many species, including humans.

Evidence for abrupt climate change is readily found in ice cores taken from Greenland and Antarctica.

One of the best known examples of such an event is the Younger Dryas cooling of about 12,000 years ago

This event began and ended rather abruptly, and for its entire 1000 year duration the North Atlantic region was about 5°C colder.

Could something like this happen again? It sure could, and because the changes can happen all within one decade—we might not even see it coming.

Now an 11-year low in Sunspot activity has raised fears among a small number of scientists that rather than getting warmer, the Earth could possibly be about to return to another cooling period.

Tags: climate chnge, ice age

100 Million Green Facts You Didn’t Know About Junk Mail

Sat, 23 Aug 2008 13:20:57 GMT

clipped by: Silkweaver
clipper's remarks: Jim Ford, the report’s author, said: “Junk mail has implications for climate change that start in the forest, continue through paper production, printing and distribution, and end with recycling or landfilling.”

Clip Source: ecoworldly.com

A report by ForestEthics, the nonprofit environmental organization whose mission is to protect endangered forests, has made a very startling revelation: that there are 100 million green reasons why junk mail are an annoying intrusion.

Not that the 100 billion pieces of junk mail Americans receive each year are irksome enough or that the emissions of junk mail are equal to those of over nine million cars or 51 million tons of greenhouse gases.

The group estimates that every year, more than 100 million trees are cut down to make junk mail - the equivalent of clear-cutting all of Rocky Mountain National Park every 4 months!

According to the report (PDF), those trees come from endangered forests like Canada’s Boreal, the forests of the Southeastern United States, Indonesia and northern Europe, as well as smaller areas of rare or disappearing forest ecosystems in the Western United States, Brazil, Chile, and Russia.

Tags: environment, trees, junk mail

Does the Milky Way Influence Earth's Biodiversity Cycles? Research Says "Yes"

Wed, 13 Aug 2008 21:49:25 GMT

clipped by: Silkweaver
clipper's remarks: The boost in cosmic-ray exposure may have a direct effect on Earth's organisms, according to paleontologist Bruce Lieberman. The radiation would lead to higher rates of genetic mutations in organisms or interfere with their ability to repair DNA damage. In this way, the process could lead to new species while killing off others.

If future studies confirm the galaxy-biodiversity link, it would force scientists to broaden their ideas about what can influence life on Earth. "Maybe it's not just the climate and the tectonic events on Earth," Lieberman said. "Maybe we have to start thinking more about the extraterrestrial environment as well."

Clip Source: www.dailygalaxy.com

Horoscope enthusiasts will be happy to hear that a grand cosmic force does indeed seem to be responsible for controlling the direction of all life on Earth. However, this grand cosmic cycle has more to do with extinction than finding a tall, handsome stranger.

Research has revealed that the rise and fall of species on Earth seems to be driven by the undulating motions of our solar system as it travels through the Milky Way.

Some scientists believe that this cosmic force may offer the answer to some of the biggest questions in our Earth’s biological history—especially where evolution has fallen short.

Researchers at the University of California, Berkeley found that marine fossil records show that biodiversity increases and decreases based on a 62-million-year cycle.

Our own star moves toward and away from the Milky Way's center, and also up and down through the galactic plane. One complete up-and-down cycle takes 64 million years- suspiciously close to the Earth's biodiversity cycle.

Tags: astronomy, life cycles, evolution, biodiversity

Viruses can catch colds, says study that redefines life itself

Sun, 10 Aug 2008 22:06:46 GMT

clipped by: Silkweaver
clipper's remarks: Prof La Scola and his colleagues were surprised to spot a smaller type of virus attached to the virus-making factory inside infected cells. The new virus - Sputnik - was unable to infect cells by itself but seemed to hijack the larger to achieve its infectious aims.

By regulating the growth and death of plankton, giant viruses - and satellite viruses such as Sputnik - could be a major influence on ocean nutrient cycles and climate.

"These viruses could be major players in global systems," Nature is told by Prof Curtis Suttle, an expert in marine viruses at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver.

Clip Source: www.dailygalaxy.com

viruses can apparently get sick.

Even better, they're made sick by another virus.

Viruses are the ultimate example of KISS - Keep It Simple Stupid. Nothing but a core of genetic material in a protein shell, they may not be able to do anything but replicate (and even then only with a host cell), but they also outnumber us umpty-billion to one.

Their simplicity also makes them hard to kill

Researchers at the Centre Nationale de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS) have now discovered a virus, named "Sputnik" for its extreme simplicity, which can hijack the viral factory of another pathogen and insert its own code into the program.

The double-victimised cell now manufactures Sputniks, and copies of the original virus which do manage to be made suffer from damage and imperfections because of this second-super-sub-cellular-sabotage.

Clip Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

the discovery of a giant virus that itself falls ill through infection by another virus seems to suggest they too are alive

Tags: virology, biology, molecular biology

Green Group Declares the Future Leader in Clean Energy Is… China?

Tue, 05 Aug 2008 18:12:15 GMT

clipped by: Silkweaver

Clip Source: blogs.discovermagazine.com

China currently leads the world in its use of renewable energy, and is poised to also take first place on investment in clean energy technologies, according to a new report from an international non-profit, The Climate Group.

The report serves as a stark contrast to the steady drumbeat of recent news about China’s pollution problems, which include the smoggy air of Beijing that may imperil Olympic athletes during this month’s summer games.

The report says that China has hardly shed all of its allegiance to dirty energy; [I]t is building one coal-fired power station a week and its carbon dioxide emissions have surged since 2002, from seven percent of the global total to more than 24 percent

However, the government’s investment in clean technology is on an upward trend, the report says. In 2007, China’s $12 billion investment in renewables was second only to Germany’s; by 2009, China’s renewables-investment is expected to be the world’s largest

Tags: clean energy, environment, china

Breakthrough in Solar Energy: Scientists mimic plants' energy storage system

Thu, 31 Jul 2008 22:58:24 GMT

clipped by: Silkweaver
clipper's remarks: 'GIANT LEAP' FOR CLEAN ENERGY

Sunlight has the greatest potential of any power source to solve the world's energy problems, said Nocera. In one hour, enough sunlight strikes the Earth to provide the entire planet's energy needs for one year.

James Barber, a leader in the study of photosynthesis who was not involved in this research, called the discovery by Nocera and Kanan a "giant leap" toward generating clean, carbon-free energy on a massive scale.

"This is a major discovery with enormous implications for the future prosperity of humankind," said Barber, the Ernst Chain Professor of Biochemistry at Imperial College London. "The importance of their discovery cannot be overstated since it opens up the door for developing new technologies for energy production thus reducing our dependence for fossil fuels and addressing the global climate change problem."

Clip Source: www.physorg.com

In a revolutionary leap that could transform solar power from a marginal, boutique alternative into a mainstream energy source, MIT researchers have overcome a major barrier to large-scale solar power: storing energy for use when the sun doesn't shine.

Until now, solar power has been a daytime-only energy source, because storing extra solar energy for later use is prohibitively expensive and grossly inefficient. With today's announcement, MIT researchers have hit upon a simple, inexpensive, highly efficient process for storing solar energy.

Requiring nothing but abundant, non-toxic natural materials, this discovery could unlock the most potent, carbon-free energy source of all: the sun.

Inspired by the photosynthesis performed by plants

have developed an unprecedented process that will allow the sun's energy to be used to split water into hydrogen and oxygen gases.

may be recombined inside a fuel cell, creating carbon-free electricity to power your house or your electric car, day or night

Tags: energy, solar energy, photosynthesis

Do Not Read This !

Fri, 25 Jul 2008 14:08:56 GMT

clipped by: Silkweaver
clipper's remarks: At the current state of our planet, and mounting evidence to human induced climate change, these rich resources of fossil fuels are nothing short of a Faustian proposition.

Clip Source: www.sciencedaily.com

The area north of the Arctic Circle has an estimated 90 billion barrels of undiscovered, technically recoverable oil, 1,670 trillion cubic feet of technically recoverable natural gas, and 44 billion barrels of technically recoverable natural gas liquids in 25 geologically defined areas thought to have potential for petroleum.

The U.S. Geological Survey assessment released July 24 is the first publicly available petroleum resource estimate of the entire area north of the Arctic Circle.

These resources account for about 22 percent of the undiscovered, technically recoverable resources in the world.

The Arctic accounts for about 13 percent of the undiscovered oil, 30 percent of the undiscovered natural gas, and 20 percent of the undiscovered natural gas liquids in the world. About 84 percent of the estimated resources are expected to occur offshore.

we're providing the same information to everyone in the world so that the global community can make those difficult decisions.

Tags: fossil fuels, environment

Mystery of the Earth's Polar Caps 41 Million Years Ago

Fri, 25 Jul 2008 13:18:55 GMT

clipped by: Silkweaver

Clip Source: www.dailygalaxy.com

New research to test global ice volume approximately 41.6 million years ago shows that ice caps at this time, if they existed at all, would have been small and easily accommodated on Antarctica.

The findings contradict a recent controversial suggestion that Earth was extensively glaciated at this time despite having been much warmer than today, most likely because of high atmospheric carbon dioxide levels.

The beauty of the new results

is that they resolve a big problem

How can there have been more ice than today during an interval that was much warmer than today?

The answer is that there was not more ice – that idea was a mistake based on inadequate data.

The results give us renewed confidence in our understanding of the sequence of geological events and thus the controls on ice sheet existence.

The research is a classic example of the amazing way in which the Earth System is so intricately integrated

Tags: climate, climate change, geology

Environmental Threats of the Future

Fri, 25 Jul 2008 13:11:49 GMT

clipped by: Silkweaver
clipper's remarks: Every technological breakthrough will bring with it new problems and dangers, but also the means to deal with them. We just have to tread carefully and responsibly.

Clip Source: www.dailygalaxy.com

Forget about rising global water levels: Researchers, policymakers and environmental campaigners have identified 25 potential future threats to the environment

• Biomimetic robots that could become new invasive species.

• Experiments involving climate engineering, for instance ocean 'fertilization' and deploying solar shields

• Increased demand for the biomass needed to make biofuel.

• Disruption to marine ecosystems caused by offshore power generation.

• Experiments to control invasive species using genetically engineered viruses.

Some of the threats identified are more speculative, such as robots that imitate animal behavior and microbes made from synthetic molecules and might eventually behave like invasive species.

Tags: futurism, environment

The cost of saving the planet: $190 Billion

Tue, 22 Jul 2008 16:12:22 GMT

clipped by: Silkweaver
clipper's remarks: Make no mistake about it...

Clip Source: weirdandinteresting.blogspot.com

What would it cost to wipe out world poverty, guarantee universal health care, stabilise population growth and roll back the ravages of global warming?

About $190 billion a year, or the equivalent of a third of U.S. annual military expenditure, a prominent environmental economist says in a new book.

"Once you accept that climate change, population growth, spreading water shortages, rising food prices etcetera are threats to our security, it changes your whole way of thinking about how you use public resources," Lester Brown told Reuters in an interview.

From eradicating adult illiteracy to restoring fisheries and stabilising water tables, the head of the Earth Policy Institute think tank in Washington calculates the cost of saving civilisation in a new edition of his best-selling "Plan B".

The $190 billion price tag compares with $1.2 trillion that world governments spent on military budgets in 2006. The United States splurged the most with $560 billion.

Tags: planet, humanity, budget

500 Billion Tons of Prehistoric Organic Matter May Massively Accelerate ‘Global Warming’

Tue, 22 Jul 2008 02:28:07 GMT

clipped by: Silkweaver
clipper's remarks: While some dismiss the 52-year-old as an alarmist crank, his theory is steadily gaining credibility in the scientific community. "There's quite a bit of truth in it," Julian Murton, member of the International Permafrost Association, told Reuters. "The methane and carbon dioxide levels will increase as a result of permafrost degradation."

Clip Source: www.dailygalaxy.com

For thousands of years animal waste, and other organic matter left behind on the Arctic tundra, have been sealed off from the environment by permafrost.

Now climate change is melting the permafrost and freeing mass quantities of prehistoric “ooze” from its state of suspended animation.

Russian scientist, Sergei Zimov, has been studying climate change in Russia's Arctic for 30 years now. He is worried that as this organic matter becomes exposed to the air it will drastically accelerate global warming predictions even beyond some of the most pessimistic forecasts.

"This will lead to a type of global warming which will be impossible to stop,"

microbes that have been dormant for thousands of years will spring back into action. They’ll begin once again to emit carbon dioxide and methane gas as a by-product.

"Permafrost areas hold 500 billion tons of carbon, which can fast turn into greenhouse gases

Tags: climate change, global warming, greenhouse gas

The Atomic Age Enters a New Dawn

Mon, 14 Jul 2008 20:10:46 GMT

clipped by: Silkweaver
clipper's remarks: Current nuclear technology is still suffering from problems of safety and waste management. The forced economic investment in nuclear power at present, is diverging present and future resources from finding cleaner and safer solutions.

Clip Source: www.spiegel.de

Germany may still be debating whether to abandon its nuclear phase-out plans, but the rest of the world is already moving full steam ahead into expanding the use of nuclear technology.

It was seen as risky, dangerous and uneconomical. Less than 10 years ago nuclear energy was still being treated as yesterday's news.

Today the sinister technology, still more unpopular than almost any other, is experiencing an unexpected comeback.

Thirty-six new reactors are currently being built worldwide, while another 81 are in the planning stages.

Two fundamental developments are fueling the nuclear energy comeback.

The international effort to combat climate change favors power generation technologies that involve relatively low emissions of carbon dioxide.

Rising oil prices are also a boost for nuclear energy.

In light of these new realities on the energy markets, many are now once again seeing nuclear energy as the lesser evil.

Tags: energy, nuclear energy

Climate crisis breakthrough? Artificial photosynthesis "a step nearer"

Sun, 13 Jul 2008 22:35:15 GMT

clipped by: Silkweaver
clipper's remarks: Artificial photosynthesis promises an efficient way of producing Hydrogen, which could potentially provide a clean fuel for vehicles: all that would be needed is water. Although a long way off, this breakthrough satisfies a vital requirement of any future models.

Clip Source: current.com

The quest for a way to artificially recreate photosynthesis may be a step closer, thanks to a breakthrough by a team of Chinese researchers, who are investigating the use of carbon 'nanotubes'.

The key step, which is carried out continuously in plants, is the breakdown, using light, of water into its Hydrogen and Oxygen components: This has long been a goal of chemists, but has so far eluded them.

Photosnthesis requires that several electrons involved in the reaction are energised, and is referred to as a "multiple electron system".

The challenge has been to recreate these multiple electron systems in the lab, but so far no one has succeeded in creating one with sufficient energy to power photosynthesis.

he promise of Carbon nanotubes, is that their structure is such that for each 32 carbon atoms in its fabric, it can 'accept' (i.e. absorb) a single electron

and could potentially act as a 'receiver molecule' for artificial photosynthesis.

Tags: carbon nanotubes, photosynthesis, renewable energy

Global Warming Talks Leave Few Concrete Goals

Thu, 10 Jul 2008 21:33:50 GMT

clipped by: Silkweaver
clipper's remarks: I think I remain speechless about that

Clip Source: www.nytimes.com

Nearly everyone had something to cheer about on Wednesday after the major industrial powers and a big group of emerging nations pledged to pursue “deep cuts” in emissions of heat-trapping gases in coming decades

President Bush, who had insisted that any commitment to combat global warming must involve growing economies as well as the rich nations, recruited China and India to the table and received rare accolades from some environmentalists for doing so

But behind the congratulatory speeches on Wednesday, some experts said, was a more sobering reality

The documents issued by the participating countries had very few of the concrete goals needed to keep greenhouse gases from growing at their torrid pace

Group of 8 pledged to “move toward a carbon-free society” by seeking to cut worldwide emissions of heat-trapping gases in half by 2050

statement did not say whether that baseline would be emissions at 1990 levels, or the less ambitious baseline of current levels, already 25 percent higher

Tags: global warming, climate change, g8