ThreatWatch | Global Warming and Rising Seas

This has been a ThreatWatch trend I've been following for a while, and seems to keep popping up in Mainstream Media. It can be broken down into two lines: celestial activity further erodes our protective atmosphere ("further", being "in addition to human activity") and the water levels rise as the temperature goes up.

The Threat from Space:

First, let's go way back, when the early Earth had an "alien atmosphere" with high CO2 levels that contributed to melting the "snowball Earth" and making the planet lifeform-friendly in more areas. (NatlGeo)

But to our current predicament: Bummer: Cracks in the magnetic shield may bring on massive solar storms during the next expected peak activity cycle of solar wind, starting in about 2012. (NatlGeo) Cool: But scientists have also discovered a new layer of the magnetosphere they're descibing as a "warm plasma cloak". (NatlGeo) Bummer: But the sun may be "stealing" our atmosphere...! (NatlGeo)

The worst part: we may already be screwed. (good) (NPR) But the optimists at Wired are still looking for solutions, in their The 2012 Apocalypse, and How to Stop It. (wired)

Or, of course, we could also be screwed by a gamma-ray burst. But let's keep our Threats From Space separated, shall we? (NatlGeo)



And move on to the Threat From Rising Water...

A study of Coral canyons in Mexico indicate sea levels can rise quite rapidly. (nyt)

And studies indicate North America is at greater risk of an Antarctic ice-sheet-melt than other regions of the world. (CBC) And I keep wondering if I'm over 1.2 metres above sea level, in my fine abode in sunny Kitsilano. (straight) But we're not alone: New York and Boston are reportedly "directly in the path" of a sea level rise. (NatlGeo) Except we may still be worse off: Insurance Bureau of Canada warns that flood damage is not covered in this country. (cbc)

The ironic part is the concept of water stress: water availability against water demand. (H604) Is it time for a National Water Policy...? Is access to water a Human Right...? (straight)

Let's add the consideration that rising heat also threatens the world's food supply. (wired) In fact, we could see a global food crisis before the end of this century. (CBC)

Plus global warming leeches oxygen from the ocean, creating "dead zones" where no life can survive. (NatlGeo) Just for fun, I should also throw in mention of the areas of "toxic algae" that contaminate shellfish, another frightening development surrounding food supply. In fact, there's a toxic bloom just off the coast of British Columbia. (cbc)

Or, of course, we could all just get wiped out by a tsunami, like the one that hit ancient New York. (bbc) Which reminds me, for the "travel advisory threatwatch" section: if you're going to Guadeloupe, be aware that part of the island of Dominica (about 50km away) may fall off and trigger a deadly tsunami. There will be less than 10 minutes of warning. Or would be, rather, considering there are no warning systems set up for tsunamis in the Caribbean. (NatlGeo)

And, as if the current climate condition doesn't already fill you with hope and optimism, here's a Seed article with five scientists talking about Geo-Engineering. (seed) Great. I swear, first one-way ticket to the uncharted stars and I sign up.

Or I could go surfing. Waves are so purdy.