Quote:
Originally Posted by Cordelier
Sam - I agree that the methane hydrate release is one of the leading explanations, but I think it's far from certain that this was the cause of the PETM. It's my understanding that there are several viable possible causes for what happened then.
Regardless, though, my point is that there have been several periods of global warming and cooling throughout the Earth's history - all of which have had natural causes, and not all of which can be definitively explained by science. What caused the ice ages to occur and retreat? Was it volcanic action? Solar cycles? Or was it a combination of natural events working in concert?
I just think there are too many things under heaven and earth that cannot be explained by science to accept that the root causes of global temperature cycles are fully understood. This may be an old-fashioned and outdated point of view, but I still subscribe to the point of view that the Earth is so vast and natural processes so powerful that they dwarf anything that we ourselves are capable of, even with our technology and industry.
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1. That's correct...those who insist that the current mild "spike" in mean global temps MUST be caused by humans simply cannot explain why other such spikes, both modern, pre-modern, prehistoric and before occured. Ask any of them to explain the nearly 9-degree F spike in mean global temps in the 1930s. But bring popcorn and a comfy pillow.
2. It's not an "old fashioned" view. It's a rational view. The irrational view is: since we hate free market capitalism, and the US, let's find a way to destroy both by claiming that a clearly cyclical, natural warming trend is caused by humans (mostly American humans) and then go about first, destroying the US economy and then, meddling in the immense natural cycles about which we know next to nothing. We can't predict the weather next week with any accuracy, but why should that mean we can't say what climate will be like in 100 years? Our computer models fail to predict PAST climate conditions, but why should that mean we shouldn't cherry-pick som Gospel out of them for predictions of what climate will be like 20, 50 or 100 years from now!?
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