The Arctic–The Most Rapidly Warming Part of the Planet

The Arctic is already the most rapidly warming part of the planet, and methane released from melting ice there might accelerate warming world-wide. BBC News reports:

Scientists have identified thousands of sites in the Arctic where methane that has been stored for many millennia is bubbling into the atmosphere.

The methane has been trapped by ice, but is able to escape as the ice melts.

Writing in the journal Nature Geoscience, the researchers say this ancient gas could have a significant impact on climate change…

“The Arctic is the fastest warming region on the planet, and has many methane sources that will increase as the temperature rises,” commented Prof Euan Nisbet from Royal Holloway, University of London, who is also involved in Arctic methane research.

“This is yet another serious concern: the warming will feed the warming.”

How serious and how immediate a threat this feedback mechanism presents is a controversial area, with some scientists believing that the impacts will not be seen for many decades, and others pointing out the possibility of a rapid release that could swiftly accelerate global warming.

Of course conservatives don’t have to worry about this because to them this is all a hoax. They aren’t going to believe in “theories” such as evolution, or gravity, or believe that the earth is round.

 

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Sarah Palin Continues To Have Problems With Geography

It appears that Sarah Palin believes she can see (or vote in) Texas from Topeka. Residents of Topeka, Kansas had the pleasure of receiving this robocall from Palin: “Hello, Texas! I’m Sarah Palin.” The message went on to recommend votingĀ  for Ted Cruz, a candidate endorsed by the Tea Party Express in the Texas primary. Of course I wouldn’t put it past Tea Party members in Kansas to try voting for Ted Cruz in Texas. They do tend to have a fuzzy concept of how our political system works.