grungy-gonads 54 Posted September 23, 2008 Share Posted September 23, 2008 I thought I would share this, as this kind of end of the world thing (are we there yet?) is always popular. Quote: The first evidence that millions of tons of a greenhouse gas 20 times more potent than carbon dioxide is being released into the atmosphere from beneath the Arctic seabed has been discovered by scientists. The Independent has been passed details of preliminary findings suggesting that massive deposits of sub-sea methane are bubbling to the surface as the Arctic region becomes warmer and its ice retreats. Underground stores of methane are important because scientists believe their sudden release has in the past been responsible for rapid increases in global temperatures, dramatic changes to the climate, and even the mass extinction of species. Scientists aboard a research ship that has sailed the entire length of Russia's northern coast have discovered intense concentrations of methane – sometimes at up to 100 times background levels – over several areas covering thousands of square miles of the Siberian continental shelf. In the past few days, the researchers have seen areas of sea foaming with gas bubbling up through "methane chimneys" rising from the sea floor. They believe that the sub-sea layer of permafrost, which has acted like a "lid" to prevent the gas from escaping, has melted away to allow methane to rise from underground deposits formed before the last ice age. They have warned that this is likely to be linked with the rapid warming that the region has experienced in recent years. More here Link to post Share on other sites
JA2340 16 Posted September 23, 2008 Share Posted September 23, 2008 stop farting, then! Link to post Share on other sites
Tubby Beaver 209 Posted September 24, 2008 Share Posted September 24, 2008 The Arctic must be 1 smelly place right now!! Link to post Share on other sites
HelperElfMissy 42 Posted September 24, 2008 Share Posted September 24, 2008 Well according to this story we might be in the clear in the Land Down Under.... http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2008/09/23/2372518.htm?section=justin Quote: Scientists have discovered a "chemical equator" that divides the polluted air of the Northern Hemisphere from the largely uncontaminated atmosphere of the Southern Hemisphere. Researchers from Britain's University of York found evidence for an atmospheric chemical line about 50 kilometres wide in cloudless skies in the Western Pacific, with levels of carbon monoxide four times higher on the northern side. I never was good at chemistry..so if the CO is kept at bay does that mean the methane might stay over there too? Link to post Share on other sites
Rag-Doll 0 Posted September 24, 2008 Share Posted September 24, 2008 Methane Ice is fairly common and it isn't limited to the artic - it is found in temperate oceans as well. That suggests that while a change in temp in the artic might cause some methane ice to convert to gas there is no reason to suggest that all or even most of it will. Another chicken little episode, me thinks. Link to post Share on other sites
NoFakie 45 Posted September 24, 2008 Share Posted September 24, 2008 Originally Posted By: Rag-Doll Another chicken little episode, me thinks. It's funny you should say that now we have an all-time winner as chicken little. It's Henry Paulson and his financial cronies. GIVE ME 700 BILLION NOW OR ITS THE END OF THE WORLD! Even the doomerist of environmentalists give us till 2100. Link to post Share on other sites
Rag-Doll 0 Posted September 24, 2008 Share Posted September 24, 2008 Originally Posted By: Mr Wiggles Originally Posted By: Rag-Doll Another chicken little episode, me thinks. It's funny you should say that now we have an all-time winner as chicken little. It's Henry Paulson and his financial cronies. GIVE ME 700 BILLION NOW OR ITS THE END OF THE WORLD! Even the doomerist of environmentalists give us till 2100. Amateurs! All this whining about pandas and polar bears and stuff, what did it get them? A couple of mill here and a couple of mill there. Save the Whales Yeah right. Save the Banks! Now that's a call to rally around. Link to post Share on other sites
gerard 6 Posted September 24, 2008 Share Posted September 24, 2008 ... Link to post Share on other sites
Tubby Beaver 209 Posted September 24, 2008 Share Posted September 24, 2008 I kinda laugh at the Polar bear thing, after all it was a climactic event that changed them from run of the mill Grizzlies into Polar Bears in the first place. As long as we humans don't kill them through shooting etc(as they head more into our towns)then there is a good chance that they will simply adapt to the new environment Link to post Share on other sites
Rag-Doll 0 Posted September 24, 2008 Share Posted September 24, 2008 Some of the populations are even on the increase, such is the damage being wrought on the environment by our cruel and callous life style. Link to post Share on other sites
thursday 1 Posted September 25, 2008 Share Posted September 25, 2008 what politicians on the increase? get out your hunting rifles. Link to post Share on other sites
69 5 Posted September 30, 2008 Share Posted September 30, 2008 Anyone else see the news item on the monkeys 'terrorising' communities in Karuizawa. Tons of them monkeying around on house roofs etc. If only they would stay in the onsens.... Link to post Share on other sites
Davo 1 Posted October 1, 2008 Share Posted October 1, 2008 I'm pretty sure those monkeys are big farters as well-Death to them all! The problem with this methane stink up (aside from the fact that it's going to wipe out civilisation) is that news like this makes people think "Well...WTF, nothing we can do about it anyway so may as well carry on as usual". Then again, that's pretty much what people ahve been doing anyway. Ohh, the pessimism! Link to post Share on other sites
grungy-gonads 54 Posted October 1, 2008 Author Share Posted October 1, 2008 (about the monkeys) At least they don't use cars and have factories. Link to post Share on other sites
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