Largest North America Climate Change In 65 Million Years, Study Shows

Science Daily ^ | February 8, 2007 | University of Florida

[rbookward]

The largest climate change in central North America since the age of the dinosaurs 65 million years ago, a temperature drop of nearly 15 degrees Fahrenheit, is documented within the fossilized teeth of horses and other plant-eating mammals, a new study reveals.

[Obadiah]

Largest North America Climate Change In 65 Million Years, Study Shows

[Strategerist]

What they mean is that, over a 300,000 year period 33.5 million years ago, AVERAGE temperatures dropped 15 degrees.

[rbookward]

> Does this mean the temperature has dropped 15 degrees from then?

No, they're saying the temperature was, on average, 15 degrees cooler back then.

The point is, global average temperatures change. Get used to it!

[SomeoneNeedsToSayIt]

So I think we can all safely say the bumper sticker should read...

"Climate Change Happens"

[KarlInOhio]

and carbon isotopes act as barometers, revealing relative humidity.

Barometers measure relative humidity? You learn something new (and wrong) every day.

[dforest]

Apparently many of us took it the same way. We have been bombarded with this stuff daily. Thanks for the advice.

[Strategerist]

No, they're saying the temperature was, on average, 15 degrees cooler back then.

Umm, no, they aren't saying that either. Sigh.

The article really isn't all THAT unclear.

[theDentist]

1) There's big money in "disaster".
2) There's big money in "disaster research", bigger still if your findings confirm the theory.They don't provide more grant money to those who disagree.
3) There's no interview with anyone who may contest the "findings".
4) Looking at prehistoic teeth and making such a precise judgement seems like manure to me.

And specifically, who funded the research to begin with?

[Fitzcarraldo]

My bad, thanks.

[snarks_when_bored]

MacFadden and his colleagues argue that Great Plains fossils show that 33.5 million years ago there occurred a 400,000 year long transition from the Eocene to the Oligocene epochs. During that 400,000 year transition, the average temperature in North America dropped nearly 15 degrees.

[saganite]

If the poster of the article hadn't unnecessarily excerpted the article the confusion could have been avoided.

[rbookward]

>> No, they're saying the temperature was, on average, 15 degrees cooler back then.

> Umm, no, they aren't saying that either. Sigh.

You are, of course, right. I was over-simplifing, I guess.

[Strategerist]

Hardly anyone is getting wealthy from paleontology.

I'd wager that your average local dentist or orthodontist is making a lot more than your average paleontologist, with fewer educational expenses.

[Doogle]

is documented within the fossilized teeth of horses and other plant-eating mammals

..and in Helen Thomas's lizard skin notebook

[yankeedame]

Read the article before posting. Sometimes it's a good idea.

Yeah, but then where's the fun in that?

[saganite]

There's big money in "disaster".


Even a 35 million year old disaster? I doubt it. This is just research into past climate change which has no bearing on the current debate because man wasn't even around then.

[JimSEA]

That it happened 33.5 million years ago and over a 400,000 year time span seems buried in the story. Put another log on the fire!

[dforest]

It happens, and I believe someone down in the line of posts pretty well summed it up. Sorry

[Chili Girl]

Yay - I won't need my AC so much this summer!

[Tokra]

"..and in Helen Thomas's lizard skin notebook"

There - that's a better description.