Climate Science What may be the science story of the century is breaking this evening, as heavyweight US solar physicists announce that the Sun appears to be going into a spell of low activity, which could mean that the Earth – far from facing a global warming problem – is heading into a mini Ice Age.The announcement made on 14 June, 2011 (18:00 UK time) comes from scientists at the US National Solar Observatory (NSO) and US Air Force Research Laboratory. Three different analyses of the Sun's recent behaviour all indicate that a period of unusually low solar activity may be about to begin. Ivar Giaever Nobel Laureate 1973 The claim (how can you measure the average temperature of the whole earth for a whole year?) is that the temperature has changed from ~288.0 to ~288.8 degree Kelvin in about 150 years, which (if true) means to me is that the temperature has been amazingly stable, and both human health and happiness have definitely improved in this 'warming' period. Latest IPCC Report Bombshell According to a preliminary report released by the IPCC, there will be no detectable influence of mankind’s influence on the Earth’s weather systems for at least thirty years, and possibly not until the end of this century. The Summary for Policymakers of the Special Report on Managing the Risks of Extreme Events and Disasters to Advance Climate Change Adaptation, is in stark contrast to other statements made by the IPCC. It shows that mankind’s influence on the weather is far smaller than natural factors. If and when mankind’s influence becomes apparent it may be just as likely to reduce the number of extreme weather events as increase them. People have been talking about this Guide Entry. Here are the most recent Conversations: Journal Entries Welcome to this Researcher's Journal. If you'd like to comment on anything they have written here, just click the relevant 'Discuss this Entry' button. Cat in Distress (May 13, 2010)Today, as the sun came out and the cat pranced around in the garden, little did I know what would come to pass. The noise a cat makes, well mine, when it wants to attract attention is a plaintive squeek. Not a rusty squeek, more a half squeek; sort of hitting the nerve endings and disturbing the subconscious. It began at around 1425. The half squeek, hitting my subconscious, and then, by a process close to osmosis, making me feel disturbed and anxious. Was that the noise from a cat in distress? I dismissed it, for a while, until the subconscious started prodding. Then adreniline set in, and I was up and searching. Where was the half squeek coming from? Was the cat in trouble and distress? Had it been caught, run-over and crawled back from the road with all limbs smashed? I searched all the nooks and crannies inside the house, even though I knew the cat was outside. I searched the length and breadth of the garden, calling out. At this point my wife joined in too. We searched parts of the garden even foxes are scared of, while rattling a carton of Whiskas Temptations and calling out his most familiar phrases. No sign. No trace, nothing. Back into the house, for both of us and then, after a few minutes that half squeek again. Nerves on edge. Where is the cat, where? Then wife, who had recently downloaded a game called Virtual Villagers, Tree of Life, demonstrated a sound emanating from the game when the mouse selected a small baby. The half squeek! That's another 30 minutes I could have done without...the cat strolled up later for snacks. Click here to discuss this (4 replies, Latest reply: May 16, 2010) In Praise of Mice (Jan 24, 2010) Wee, sleekit, cowrin, tim'rous beastie, O, what a panic's in thy breastie! Thou need na start awa sae hasty Wi bickering brattle! I wad be laith to rin an' chase thee, Wi' murdering pattle. Click here to discuss this ( 1 reply, Latest reply: Mar 1, 2010) A Close Run Thing (Jan 12, 2010) It's Tuesday and we had not been out since Saturday. The cat was growing more concerned, as diminishing supplies of pouches and kibble were beginning to resemble the final meal at The Alamo. Although the weather was warmer than of late, there was still a quantity of slushy snow on the road, on the slippery, dangerous, downhill, twisty, insurance-claim road. The weather forecast was also a concern. It was suggesting some parts of Dartmoor would get up to 10cm of snow. However, the forecast for my locality was for sleet, and later, for heavy rain. This changed later in the morning to just sleet; no mention of snow or rain. What to do? The forecast for tomorrow was for thick fog. Should we go now, and get home before the sleet and (possible) heavy rain or wait until tomorrow, when all the snow lying around would be washed away by the rain, but with the added hazard of fog? It was 1315. The sleet was forecast for 1500 and the heavy rain (now removed from the forecast) later in the night. So clearly, the weather was forecast to be warming and we would not have a problem with ice or snow. Let's go then, off to the shopping centre near Torquay, about 20 km away. The traffic was flowing freely, the roads dry and clear. But, as we reached the shops at around 1350, it began to rain, quite heavily. We rapidly did the shopping, restocking with essential cat foods, water, fruit juices, milk, breads, croissants, some ready meals for emergencies, and lots of vegetables. By this time it had started to sleet, quite heavily. It was 1440. Setting off back in the direction from which we had journeyed, the traffic was still flowing freely, but the roads were wet. A gritter sped by spraying rock salt onto the soaking wet road. That would be washed away within minutes. What a waste! We passed through the urban area and headed for the country road. The sleet was heavier, but not a problem. It was 1500. Another gritter ahead did a U-turn at the roundabout, and headed back to the depot for fresh supplies. The sleet was now rapidly turning to snow. We were on the last leg. It was the last few kilometres before we had to negotiate the twisty, uphill, dangerous road. A slow moving Jeep ahead was taking its time, as the snow began to fall heavily. It was driven by someone either taking great care, or someone who had just passed their driving test and was returning home having recently discarded the 'L' plates. It was 1510. The snow was clearly going to win at this rate. At last, the turn-off appeared, and we went up the twisty road in a, careful, low gear, negotiated all the bends, slopes, avoided the granite walls, and gingerly crunched through the rapidly deepening snow. The drive came into view and we swept in, and ran for cover after unloading the supplies. Within a few minutes the car was covered in snow and within 30 minutes the car tracks had disappeared under 2 cm of snow. (By 1900 some 10 cm had fallen). We had made it by the skin of our teeth. The weather forecast was still saying our locality was to have some sleet. No mention of 10 cm of snow. And it's now 2030, and it's still snowing. The local roads are all blocked, and people have been stranded on the notorious Halden Hill a few kilometres away. So much for local weather forecasts! Click here to discuss this (2 replies, Latest reply: Jan 13, 2010) Architects and Global Warming (Dec 9, 2009) From http://www.spectator.co.uk/coffeeho...ek-as-a-climate-change-denier.thtml >>>A few days before, I had written an opinion piece with the rather attention seeking headline Is global warming hot air? I’d wanted to see if my readers, who are mainly architects, agreed with the line now adopted by the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) that ‘man made’ climate change is the greatest challenge facing the profession. Given that about 30% of them have lost their jobs in this recession and some of them will never work again, I wondered if RIBA might not have some more immediate issues to address. >>> See the link for more.  Click here to discuss this (No replies) Out of Work (Oct 2, 2009) Work, what is it? Well, I think it's a way of rich people getting richer and poor people working. We toil to feed ourselves. But most of the results of that labour feeds a rich person, their pension fund or both. My pension fund has been depleted by IFAs, regulatory incompetence (and government denials), bankers and their greed and stupidity and also, I have to admit it, a neglected mattress. When you are working for someone, you receive a wage, but in return you are a slave.You also have the vague promise that when you are too old to walk properly you will get enough money to pay for cat food. I now think this was a lie. You get nothing for cat food or yourself and family. So out of work, including that laughable retirement phase, is the only time you don't save for a pension. Joy! Click here to discuss this (No replies) Click here to see more Journal Entries Most Recent Conversations
Most Recent Guide Entries These are all the Guide Entries this Researcher has created. If you'd like to read them, click on the link, and if you want to talk about them, use the 'Discuss this Entry' button when you get there. From h2g2: A87762513 Favourite Children's Authors (Jun 18, 2012)From h2g2: A53361470 Climate Science (Jan 18, 2011) From h2g2: A69930138 UPDATE: Mobile Phones (Jun 11, 2010) From h2g2: A67054025 Touchscreen Smartphones, Android versus Apple. (Apr 23, 2010) From h2g2: A66652842 Loudmouth (Apr 16, 2010) From h2g2: A65726193 UPDATE: Pistachios (Mar 29, 2010) From h2g2: A65432423 A Wanderer In Exeter (Mar 23, 2010) From h2g2: A63820163 A Brief History of Manufacturing Glass for Windows (Feb 24, 2010) From h2g2: A62394131 The Trouble With Ciphers (Jan 26, 2010) From h2g2: A61916646 The Legal Side of Death in England and Wales (Jan 15, 2010) Click here to see more Guide Entries Most Recent Edited Entries These are all the Edited Entries to which this Researcher has contributed. They obviously read the Writing Guidelines and submitted their Guide Entries to Peer Review: why don't you too? From h2g2: A87767536 Favourite Children's Authors (Sep 13, 2012)From h2g2: A73111222 Touchscreen Smartphones: Android versus Apple (Oct 11, 2010) From h2g2: A70357386 The Trouble With Ciphers (Sep 20, 2010) From h2g2: A68064447 A Wander Through Exeter (Jul 19, 2010) From h2g2: A66569115 A Brief History of Manufacturing Glass for Windows (Jul 12, 2010) From h2g2: A61700933 Oliver Heaviside, Physicist (Jun 28, 2010) From h2g2: A63025085 The Legal Side of Death in England and Wales (Apr 26, 2010) From h2g2: A62229378 PC Operating Systems (Apr 19, 2010) From h2g2: A61030522 The River Lemon: From Haytor to Lyme Bay, Devon (Feb 15, 2010) From h2g2: A60814451 A Short History of Telecommunications in Malmesbury, Wiltshire (Feb 8, 2010) Click here to see more Edited Entries Friends List |
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