h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

It strikes me that the answer for too many events these days is put down to "global warming". The earth is a complex dynamic structure so when I heard that scientists in China had found Everest to be shrinking (I forget the exact figure but believe it was certainly more than a meter) and blamed this on global warming I did smile a wry sort of smile and sighed "oh not again".

Agreed, sea levels are rising, but only very gradually. To my mind a more logical explanation for the decrease in the height of Everest would be linked to the movement of the earth's crust and the liklihood that the period of active mountain building whereby the rocks forming the Himalayan chain were forced up as a result of a collision between two of the earths continental plates, that the sheer weight of the rocks forming these mountains is now gradually settling downwards into the more viscous layers beneath the crust.

Don't all mountains slowly wash away to the valley below..??.........

The sea level is rising but this can be a chain reaction. Rise a little, melt the ice, rise a little faster, melt more ice and so on. When a tall object starts to fall over it move slowly and can be stopped, then it falls faster and it can not be stopped.

What drew my attention to this was that apparently the rate at which Everest had apparently "shrunk" was greater than that which would be expected by normal processes like erosion or could be accounted for by the present rise in sea levels.

"Hi Wendy" - A simple message that brought you here to "Wonderland"
Please tell me that our conversation on that thread didn't cause you any distress because it, with the help of others, has caused me no end of trouble.

Two things I would like to know is: Has anyone reproduved the chinese result? After all, something can only be scientific if the result is reproducible. And this sounds like a very strong claim.
Secondly: how do the Chinese think that global warming reduces the hight of mount everest? After all it is a mountain made, mainly, of rocks and earth etc. How would higher temps affect this?

If it's true that mt everest is lower by a meter, what sounds like a more logical explanation is that perhaps the top simply collapsed. some rocks shifted and a small avalanche took down a piece. (this is just a sugestion that sounds slightly more logical to me than global warming. By no means is it a scientific sugestion...)

Rod

The thing that intrigues me is that ... is it only Everest that has shrunk?

Therefore I wonder whether the action of frost has played a part in dislodging some rocks from the summit as Rod points out, or are they just measuring the height of the snow cap which is nonsensical really as snow and ice are ephemeral.

Or, have other summits in the region diminished in a corresponding manner in a similar height above sea level which would suggest, perhaps, the sinking of the whole mass of rocks of the Himalaya uplifted by the collision of two major techtonic plates of the Earth's crust back into molten core beneath?

Wendy - Please read and reply to post 5 of this thread.

Ancient Brit, OK, Let's meet as if with a glass of wine "Cheers to Ellen MacArthur" and take a step back from what has passed before.

I appreciate being introduced to h2g2. I guess it would have been inevitable eventually with the BBC messageboards transferring to the h2g2 system combined with my innate curiosity and desire to learn on the "web" that I would have ended up here ... hopefully in a friendly, welcoming and adult environment and from there I would have explored and discovered.

I am not a woman to be bossed around, publicly criticised, or shadowed on her every move. I have seen far too much of life to accept that from anybody and admit to find such behaviour intimidating.

I do not want to become embroiled in any personal feuds on this site.

I take as I find.

Now that you know how I stand I hope that you will view me with a different light and treat me as an equal and an intelligent human being.

Wendy - My intention was to ease you into the other DNA sites. I am so sorry that you got the wrong impression. If the message that I started with 'Hi Wendy' was to be replaced I could explain every post that I made. The point where I lost you was when you went walkabout. around the time I gave you the link to a message that I had planted the message here F94020?thread=554214#p6374939 on the hub.
SEF and Amy helped you and from there on you were in wonderland and I was in Hell.
OK it may have seemed that I was bossing you around but what I did I was not supposed to do. I didn't want to put you in at the deep end of h2g2. all I was trying to do was to take you in gently. Having wetted your appetite I wanted you out of the Hub because that is not the place for general conversation. Particularly the thread we were on.
Please click on my name and put a message on my space.
So that we can carry on this conversation on a more private line.

Ancient Brit

Forget the concept of "walkabout" Ancient Brit. I was NOT YOURS to control in the first place. I am a free spirit and thereby am free to explore and learn. OK you turned the key but once the door was unlocked I am a free spirit to explore. I am not your property and am certainly not answerable to you or under your control. It is this attitude that intimidates me. I have experienced this in work and will certainly not stand for it on-line.

Go wendy!
Sorry if I'm butting in, but I just feel that I should say that this is a very friendly and welcoming community (most of the time anyway). I'm not to sure about adult, there are some occasions in which i realy doupt this (ask if you want some good examples of this). But don't let that stop you. Here, have some on me

And welcome!! (I almost feel as if we should give a welcoming party (parties are good ))

Rod

PS: sorry if I have now scared you away. was not my intention. just hope to make you a bit at home... R

Not at all Rod, I am one for pointless and or funny discussions and will partake in a or something stronger with anybody, especially if we can have a party and put the world to rights in the mean time.

well, in that case: \r/ and on me

*walks over to the stereo to put on some music...
any preferences?

Though, before the party realy takes of, I'd like to point out that we are slightly getting of topic (as usual... )

*wanders back to his drink

Rod

Rod, Sorry about that, I went outside and was some time.
Got lost in a blizzard up on Everest and it took a while to find the front door again

Music? mmm ABBA always raises the spirits at a party, Fleetwood Mac, Chris Rea, Moby, Enigma, depends on the mood .... Not punk or jazz for me though.

A click will do the trick A3163033

am listening to "Arrival Album" as I click.

it's Queen here. Heaven for Everyone. Great music

and

Rod

Ah .. "A Kind of Magic" one of my favourite tracks

what does any of thishave to do with global warming