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We are basically pissing in the wind

kcdionysus said:
I was thinking the same thing as regards this thread. If Mars had an atmosphere and water, clouds etc. similar to ours, something happened over time and now it's gone. It would be interesting to understand how and why this happened...
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The solar wind 'blew' the atmosphere away. The Earths magnetic field deflects the solar wind (because it is charged particles) around the planet hence why we have the auroras at the N and S poles.

Whether Mars ever had a magnetic field is another question.

Today the atmospheric pressure on Mars is so low that water will 'boil' away on the surface - well where it is warm enough to be liquid.

Cheers,

DV
 
Joe P said:
Darth,

The concentration of CO2 in the atmosphere had been growing year in and year out since the Industrial Revolution and is at the highest level in hundreds of thousands of years -- a level unprecedented in human history, in fact.

It would seem as though the fizzy gas isn't being taken up by plants as quickly as it's being released by a variety of sources.

Joe
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That is correct. I think the under water process is slower but eventually I think equilibrium may well be reached. True the CO2 level may be higher than when we were kids but it may stabilise otherwise Venus here we come.

Remember that once upon a time in a far far distant past there wasn't even any oxygen on this piece of rock but loads of CO2 and other rather nasty gases. Photosynthesis changed all that.

I do however believe that we should reduce burning fossil fuels for other reasons one of which is pollution. I just don't believe in the hysteria over CO2.

A lot of research has been done on an endless supply of energy (thats while the Earth is inhabitable). The answer? Heat engines powered by the Sun to create electricity from which Hydrogen can be extracted from water for portable fuel. There are a few of these power stations that have been working for years. Problem is where on this planet is there loads of sunshine but not many people where you can build millions of heat engines? Those places tend to have people who blow things up and kill one another. Humans eh?

Cheers,

DV
 
Darth,

What's being discussed in this thread is the current CO2 level, which is rising and therefore not being taken up as quickly by plants as it's being released.

The Earth during its Hadean eon is of course fascinating, but it's not germane to this discussion.

Joe
 
Steven Toy said:
What are the desired outcomes?

Are there any unintended consequences?

Do the potential benefits outweigh any potential unintended consequences?

Are there any ways in which we could mitigate any unintended consequences?

What are the risks we face?

Is it likely that we will arrest current trends?

If not can we mitigate the effects?

Of the two, arrest or mitigation, which is more desirable?

Which is more feasible?

What are our intended outcomes?

How can we REALISTICALLY achieve them?
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These questions read like a ploy to stifle any action at all, because they seem to crave a certainty that is currently beyond the limits of our knowledge and experience. The physical systems involved are extremely complex. We cannot predict with any certainty what level of change is needed to influence CO2 levels, nor how long it will take, so it is far too early to say that there is nothing we can do.
 
So we've just had the hottest year on record.

Now i've got a mosquito in the office, this is Essex UK and the windows are always open and the only heating is the computer.

Can't be right for January?
 
I have decided its all a lot of communistic bollox.

The thread might as well be closed now the answer has been arrived at.
 
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