On Aug 11, 2007, at 3:42 PM, Robert Holmes wrote:
> On 8/11/07, [EMAIL PROTECTED] <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
>>
>> Certainly there is a need for heretics and I consider myself a minor
>> heretic and mystic outlaw, but to deny the reality of global
>> warming/climate
>> change is just stupid. <snip>
>>
>
> No it's not. Given the conclusion of the IPCC report that there's
> a 90%
> confidence in the existence of anthropogenic warming, Dyson's
> comment is 10%
> not stupid.
>
> Robert
I have to agree .. in the sense that a SFI climate paleontologist
couched the issue:
There is certainly a very recent correlation between CO2 and an
upward trend in temperature. But when one looks at multi-million
year variations, we are actually in a cool area, and that the cause/
effect between any human activity pales in comparison to things like
meteor impacts and volcanic action. Thus much of the buzz is likely
very inaccurate and unfounded. BUT, personally, there is certainly
no reason to NOT minimize man's impact on the environment.
I think when the dust settles (so to speak!) we'll find that we
simply currently have no idea why the earth goes through ice ages and
hot ages. We may get hints if we really honestly try. But I go
along with the SFI researcher: it doesn't hurt to be cautious.
Its interesting that there are large gas/oil reserves under the ice
caps. Yet how did that happen if these result from organic decay?
Dyson also has an answer for that: there may be earth-core activities
that contribute a great deal to oil.
-- Owen
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