Here Today... Gone To Hell!

http://www.independent.co.uk/environment/climate-change/exclusive-no-ice-at-the-north-pole-855406.html

It seems unthinkable, but for the first time in human history, ice is on course to disappear entirely from the North Pole this year.

The disappearance of the Arctic sea ice, making it possible to reach the Pole sailing in a boat through open water, would be one of the most dramatic ? and worrying ? examples of the impact of global warming on the planet. Scientists say the ice at 90 degrees north may well have melted away by the summer.

"From the viewpoint of science, the North Pole is just another point on the globe, but symbolically it is hugely important. There is supposed to be ice at the North Pole, not open water," said Mark Serreze of the US National Snow and Ice Data Centre in Colorado.

If it happens, it raises the prospect of the Arctic nations being able to exploit the valuable oil and mineral deposits below these a bed which have until now been impossible to extract because of the thick sea ice above.

Seasoned polar scientists believe the chances of a totally ice-free North Pole this summer are greater than 50:50 because the normally thick ice formed over many years at the Pole has been blown away and replaced by huge swathes of thinner ice formed over a single year.

This one-year ice is highly vulnerable to melting during the summer months and satellite data coming in over recent weeks shows that the rate of melting is faster than last year, when there was an all-time record loss of summer sea ice at the Arctic.

"The issue is that, for the first time that I am aware of, the North Pole is covered with extensive first-year ice ? ice that formed last autumn and winter. I'd say it's even-odds whether the North Pole melts out," said Dr Serreze.

Each summer the sea ice melts before reforming again during the long Arctic winter but the loss of sea ice last year was so extensive that much of the Arctic Ocean became open water, with the water-ice boundary coming just 700 miles away from the North Pole.

This meant that about 70 per cent of the sea ice present this spring was single-year ice formed over last winter. Scientists predict that at least 70 per cent of this single-year ice ? and perhaps all of it ? will melt completely this summer, Dr Serreze said.

"Indeed, for the Arctic as a whole, the melt season started with even more thin ice than in 2007, hence concerns that we may even beat last year's sea-ice minimum. We'll see what happens, a great deal depends on the weather patterns in July and August," he said.

Ron Lindsay, a polar scientist at the University of Washington in Seattle, agreed that much now depends on what happens to the Arctic weather in terms of wind patterns and hours of sunshine. "There's a good chance that it will all melt away at the North Pole, it's certainly feasible, but it's not guaranteed," Dr Lindsay said.

The polar regions are experiencing the most dramatic increase in average temperatures due to global warming and scientists fear that as more sea ice is lost, the darker, open ocean will absorb more heat and raise local temperatures even further. Professor Peter Wadhams of Cambridge University, who was one of the first civilian scientists to sail underneath the Arctic sea ice in a Royal Navy submarine, said that the conditions are ripe for an unprecedented melting of the ice at the North Pole.

"Last year we saw huge areas of the ocean open up, which has never been experienced before. People are expecting this to continue this year and it is likely to extend over the North Pole. It is quite likely that the North Pole will be exposed this summer ? it's not happened before," Professor Wadhams said.

There are other indications that the Arctic sea ice is showing signs of breaking up. Scientists at the Nasa Goddard Space Flight Centre said that the North Water 'polynya' ? an expanse of open water surrounded on all sides by ice ? that normally forms near Alaska and Banks Island off the Canadian coast, is much larger than normal. Polynyas absorb heat from the sun and eat away at the edge of the sea ice.

Inuit natives living near Baffin Bay between Canada and Greenland are also reporting that the sea ice there is starting to break up much earlier than normal and that they have seen wide cracks appearing in the ice where it normally remains stable. Satellite measurements collected over nearly 30 years show a significant decline in the extent of the Arctic sea ice, which has become more rapid in recent years.

So now the russias and attack us even easier?  Kidding.

This is troublesome to say the least.

More liberal propaganda......

The Mayans never predicted it so it can't be true.

:rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl:

fuckin awesome.


Hopefully this will not happen, i didnt think it had melted that rapidly!

first time in HUMAN history?  so who were the greedy SUV driving republicans who made it dissappear before humans came along?.

Simple logic for a simple mind. ::)

CO2 levels and temperature changes are cyclical. However levels have increased 35% since the start of the industrial revolution, to their highest point in 650,000 years. The rapid change isn't predicted by any natural cyclic change, but it's very accurately predicted if you factor in human behaviour. There is no scientific controversy about this, except for fake and deceptive science which can mainly be traced back to oil companies - remember those guys who are charging you $4.50/gallon, think they have a vested interest?

What about the greedy SUV driving democrats?  You're an idiot if you think democrats don't drive SUVs and big trucks.  I can name 15 off the top of my head just out of my friends and co-workers.  Hell, Gore's private jet probably adds more to the problem than anyone's SUV.  Just a dumb post really.

They're both dumb posts.  I can't believe how over the top some of you americans are about your politics...

OMG - Krispy Kreme donuts went up 35 cents!  I saw <insert politician here> eating one, it must be the fault of <political party>. 

uhh..I believe that was sarcasm, and Plitt is awesome at sarcasm as he's pointed out a few times.

meh i live on a hilll in Nebraska. I'm safe : ok:

and i'm pretty sure Axl has a boat

:peace:

What if Axl takes two of everything and builds an Arc for the flood?

We shall call it "Arc De La Axl".

Robin Finck is going to feel like a right dumbass.

Agreed.

Here is a thought: If we are wrong, we are out some money but will probably have cleaner air to show for it. What happens if we were right and listened to guys like you instead? What are the consequences?

Here is a thought: If we are wrong, we are out some time for praying but will probably have some good fellowship. What happens if we were right and listened to guys like you instead? What are the consequences?

For the non religious, do you ever think of having a religion just for backup, just incase there is a God?

Nope, If there is a God, and it is anything like the Judeo-Christians believe, then he is about a petty fucker that I want nothing to do with.

I already told you knucklehead: Clean air.




What in the hell does this have to do with religion?

It's a thought but it isn't yours unless your real name is Pascal.

That wouldn't work.   

If there is a God and if he IS as vain as the church makes out, then he'd see right through it. 

Pascal's Wager is kinda flawed in my opinion.   But interesting all the same.

i think we all need a touch of cheese to take our mind off the worlds problems.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yNb8po-ufu8

It's totally flawed. The only interesting thing about it is that people still think it's their original idea.

Trick question...most Republicans agree humans "came along" in the 1st 7 days of human creation a couple thousand years ago!!!!!!   :hihi:

me and my 5 year old nephew are seriously worrying about this issue.  :(

we are in danger.

Don't worry about the short-term.  Our lives won't change too much.  My kids and your nephew will have some worries...their kids will have serious problems.  Just remember, the whole Arctic shelf could melt and their will still be the jackasses out there who say it's not anthropomorphic warming.