Overview
myths about global climate change from the Skeptical Scientist Website
When replying back to your classmates' response, be sure you have also read the myth and data sections being discussed, as well as, any articles they've provided. Explain why you agree or disagree on certain points. You may also provide links to other articles that offer additional scientific data.
Additional Material: Global Climate Readings and Activities
Reading: U.S. EPA website with lots of information on global climate change
Reading: National Science Foundation funded project describing global climate change
Reading: NASA sponsored project for teachers about global climate change
Reading: National Geographic overview of global warming
Reading: Manufacturing efficiency and reduction of carbon emissions
Reading:International Energy Agency (2007) on manufacturing efficiency
Activity: Explore this interactive Global Effects Map.
Activity: Video on CO2 offsets in tree preservation (carbon banking).
Activity: NPR audio (https://www.marketplace.org/?legacy_topic=sustainability/calculating-value-carbon-trees) on trees and carbon calculations.
please respond to these 3 discussions:
1.Basic scientists say two observations were made in 1988 and 2002. One states that Pluto's Axis is tilted at a large angle and the other suggests the length of the orbit. Both of these claims were made in a recent paper. The sunlight is 900 times weaker than earth. Scientists also claim the sun's output has declined over decades however Pluto and Neptune are exhibiting brightness and heating is not known on other bodied planets. The climate myth by Fred Thompson states that people think earth is suffering from a fever along with other planets in our solar system.
Intermediate scientists say Pluto is in a seasonal event of 14 years and an elliptical orbit that takes 250 years to complete. Warming cannot be caused by solar variations as the sun has shown no long-term trend for the past 50 years along with Pluto getting 900 times less sunlight than earth. Again, this theory of Pluto warming goes along with Earth and other planets even though there has been no change in the sun's activity in the past 50 years. In fact, scientists believe the sun's activity has declined.
I was unable to get the quiz link to work so instead, I went to NASA and took their test. Out of 9, I got 5 questions correct. This tells me I know some of the Global warming but not enough to yet make major changes to help reduce this issue of Global warming that could make a major difference. Right now, I am able to make my minor changes to start.
2. The article I chose is arguing that global warming is not happening because we still encounter record low colds. Although I have often made the joke during winter days or early snows, "what happened to global warming?", this article debunks this claim. It's easy to believe global warming is not happening or maybe not as bad as portrayed simply because there's nothing "globally warm" when it's a record cold low. However, the article states, that although we can still encounter record cold lows, we are actually experiencing double the amount of record highs. Over the last five decades the temperature has risen by 0.2 Celsius each decade (John Cook). This consistent rise in temperature from 1970 also follows a steep rise in the human population. In 1970, the world's population was around 3.6 billion, today it is at 8.04 billion (United Nations-World Population Prospects). We would still see record cold lows even as the temperature rises, although, if we experienced global cooling, would we encounter double the record lows? I believe based off what the article says about global warming, we would see double the amount of record lows if we were in a global cooling. The article also states that the U.S. hottest day recorded was in 1934. The extremes on both sides of the temperature can still be reached, it's the global average temperature that is concerning. What we observe day-to-day makes us overlook what's happening decade-to-decade.
-Mikie
Sources:
https://skepticalscience.com/global-warming-cold-weather.htm
<a href='https://www.macrotrends.net/countries/WLD/world/population'>World Population 1950-2023</a>. www.macrotrends.net. Retrieved 2023-01-18.
3. The article the I chose to discuss "Hurricanes are not linked to global warming". In the article it discusses how the science community is separate on the discussion "whether storms are getting stronger and more frequent or whether the equipment that we find and observe them on is just more advanced". In the article it explains that "hurricane frequency was also addressed in a study that used climate models to simulate hurricane response to warming in the North Atlantic. Increasing temperature leads to an increase in vertical wind shear which may inhibit the formation of hurricanes (Vecchi & Soden 2007). Thus, the impact of global warming on hurricane frequency is one area requiring further research and more data". There needs to be more data studied on this, but the evidence is clear that global warming is causing more tropical storms and hurricanes by the increase of vertical shear wind which my inhabit the formation of hurricanes as stated above. This is proves that with more of the vertical wind the more chances there will be a hurricane to form. The article also explains that "Elsner found weaker hurricanes showed little to no trend while stronger hurricanes showed a greater upward trend. In other words, stronger hurricanes are getting stronger. This means that as sea temperatures continue to rise, the number of Category 4 and 5 hurricanes hitting land will inevitably increase." The amount of hurricanes are not going down we are not seeing a downward trend in smaller hurricanes and in reality we are seeing an upward trend in the amount of stronger hurricanes that come to shore. All of the information in this article has shown that we are spotting or experiencing more hurricanes and tropical storms since the 1970's.
“Climate Science Glossary.” Skeptical Science, retrieved January 19, 2023, https://skepticalscience.com/hurricanes-global-warming-intermediate.htm.