Warning of repeat of historic climate catastrophe

[indigobusiness]

A SUDDEN and catastrophic change happened to the Earth’s climate about 5,000 years ago and history could be repeating itself today, scientists have warned.

New research suggests that the "monumental" change would have had a major impact on emerging cultures at the time.

The scientists behind the evidence, from Ohio State University, in the United States, warn that the lesson from the past is to beware of "tweaking" the planet’s finely tuned climate system, which can have drastic consequences.

Data from sources ranging from ancient frozen plants to ice core records and pollen deposits suggest a sudden drop in temperature 5,200 years ago, followed by a brief surge.

The most likely explanation is a huge solar oscillation which caused the Sun’s energy output to fall precipitously and then flare up. This had a devastating impact on Earth, the research suggests.

snip

http://news.scotsman.com/scitech.cfm?id=1433922004

solar storm thread

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=115x16404

[gmoney]

1. Gosh, wouldn't that have been about the time of Noah's flood?

It's OK... the rapture will come soon enough. Yeah, right...

[Xithras]

2. Interesting thought

Looking at the precedent proposed here, the temperatures took a steep drop for a while, followed by a steep climb.

Sounds eerily like what we're seeing right now. The "steep drop" was the Little Ice Age, followed by our current steep climb.

I wonder how hot it got 5200 years ago...

[indigobusiness]

3. Not sure, but when the ice-caps melt and the permafrost thaws,

massive stores of CO2 are released into the atmosphere. Not to mention the methane waiting to be released from the bottom of the sea (when it rises a bit in temperature). Methane is 10 times worse than CO2, as a greenhouse gas.

I suspect the natural balancing act will cause a climatological snap-back as the Gulf Stream conveyor skids to halt from the influx of fresh water into the north Atlantic, and an ice-age will result.

The last ice-age came on with staggering swiftness.

[Viva_La_Revolution]

4. I grew up in CO, so the snow and cold won't be an issue for me....

And goodie! I'm in Portland now, so the coast will be closer!! :wow:
:nuke:

[indigobusiness]

5. The surfing will be terrific...

but you will have to fight for your tacos.