[cogitator]

Not now, silly. 55 million years ago. But it's important to understand what happened.

[RedBloodedAmerican]

"The ocean would have much more water if it weren't for all the sponges" - 2T

[The_Victor]

Modern carbon dioxide input from fossil fuel sources to the earth's surface is approaching the same levels estimated for the PETM period, which raises concerns about future climate and changes in ocean circulation, say the scientists. Thus, they say, the Paleocene/Eocene example suggests that human-produced changes may have lasting effects not only on global climate, but on deep ocean circulation.

This conclusion cannot be logically supported. If CO2 levels at the PETM were similar to today, then a human cause cannot be a logical assumption, since man was not present at the PETM event.

[MoJoWork_n]

The release of frozen methane from under the ocean floor is right up there on cataclysm-meter with Everest-sized space rocks hitting the planet.

(Definitely not a good thing.)

[MinuteGal]

Reading this while utterly FREEZING in Florida.

Leni

[DHak]

Bush's fault!

[SunkenCiv]

Although the events described unfolded millions of years ago and spanned thousands of years, the researchers, affiliated with the Scripps Institution of Oceanography, say they provide one of the few historical analogs for warming-induced changes in the large-scale sea circulation, and thus may help to illuminate the potential long-term impacts of today's climate warming.

Since the climate change today is natural, just as it was then, Scripps demagogues can join the long list of global warming demagogues who can dine on my feces.

Caves reveal clues to UK weather
by Tom Heap
Saturday, 2 December, 2000

At Pooles Cavern in Derbyshire, it was discovered that the stalagmites grow faster in the winter months when it rains more. Alan Walker, who guides visitors through the caves, says the changes in rainfall are recorded in the stalactites and stalagmites like the growth rings in trees. Stalagmites from a number of caves have now been analysed by Dr Andy Baker at Newcastle University. After splitting and polishing the rock, he can measure its growth precisely and has built up a precipitation history going back thousands of years. His study suggests this autumn's rainfall is not at all unusual when looked at over such a timescale but is well within historic variations. He believes politicians find it expedient to blame a man-made change in our weather rather than addressing the complex scientific picture... He said he wanted greater awareness to ensure "future decision-making could be made based on scientific data and not on political expediency".

I like that closing sentence -- "future decision-making could be made based on scientific data and not on political expediency". I wouldn't count on it, but that would be great.

[SunkenCiv]

Just adding this to the GGG catalog, not sending a general distribution.

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