More About the Shows and How to Use Them

In a previous post I talked about a few series including Life, Planet Earth and Aftermath. As a follow up I wanted to include some links that tell you more about the show.
Information about Life can be found here. There are many videos from the show and behind the scenes.
Information about Planet Earth can be found here. This is another Discovery Channel show, just like Life, and there is a lot of good videos from the show and about the show.
Information about Aftermath can be found here. This show is by National Geographic and on this site there is a lot of information about the show like an overview, photos and lots of videos.

Ithaca College has a website that includes some really good lesson plans about looking at Climate Change in the media. I think that this would be really interesting to include in a college course since society today has become so focused on the media. The media influences our thoughts about news stories, celebrities, scientific evidence and almost everything else. A good activity may be to find an article that is told in multiple lights depending on the source that is talking about it. Working with the media and looking how climate change and global warming is being portrayed in the media would be a good thing to work on with students. Global Warming tends to have more of a negative connotation in society, a good activity for students would be figure out why. What is being said about global warming that is turning it into something evil and not climate change? (Other than the scary facts about how it is actually occurring)

Looking for Climate Change Shows

There are many shows and movies now a days about climate change and the impacts that are being seen worldwide. There have been movies in the past like Day After Tomorrow and An Inconvenient Truth that are all about what could happen to our planet if things get out of our control. And although that may seem far fetched and not possible, recently it has become clear that it is a very strong possibility. There has also been multiple shows on TV that are giving the public a chance to learn more about the history of our planet and the changes that it is currently going through. Some of these series include: Life (fantastic series), Planet Earth, Aftermath, Cosmos (which is so much more than just about space) and lots of specials on the Discovery Channel and National Geographic. Cosmos really interested me because they have a special episode completely based on climate change, the others touch on it but this is completely focused on it.  

The show Life is a really cool show that gives an in depth look into certain aspects of life on this planet. It does it in a very interesting manner and really gives you a lot of good information. I recorded this show when it first came out, and it was definitely worth it. Each episode is about an hour long, and each episode has a specific theme to it.  Another Series I really looked into was Cosmos, which is definitely more than just about space. It is all about the planet and why it is the way it is. You can see the trailer and other information here as well as the trailer for the climate change episode here. Climate change is a motif in all the episodes but there is a specific episode completely dedicated to the topic.

A show called Years of Living Dangerously on Showtime is another good show that really goes into climate change and show the effects that society is currently facing. The show is "hosted" by well known celebrities, and in one of the future episodes it includes Micheal C. Hall. Anyone who has Netflix and common sense will recognize him from the show Dexter so I was really excited to see the episode he was included in. The first episode goes into Texas and shows the drought that they are currently facing that is causing almost the whole town to uproot and find work elsewhere. A good activity to include with this could either be finding out other places that are facing similar effects of climate change or just other places in society that have to deal with the changing climate. This could include places receiving less precipitation or more frequent weather events. I think it would be good to explore more into the everyday effects people are having to adapt with. 

Global Warming Quiz

Here is another quiz from National Geographic about global warming this time. It has the same sort of layout, where you get information about each question's answer. This time the quiz is more focused on energy and the future possibilities. I did the quiz and I had gotten the same as the previous... 50 percent. There are some interesting questions on there that definitely inform you of some things you probably would not have known otherwise. Here is the link to take the quiz yourself!

Source: "Global Warming Facts, Global Warming Information, Global Warming Questions, Quiz - National Geographic." National Geographic. N.p., n.d. Web. 29 May 2014.

Geothermal Energy?

What is geothermal energy? It is a source of energy using the heat that is already in the earth. It uses steam and hot water that is trapped in layers underneath the surface and converts it into electricity or energy. Many countries rely on this method already as a heating source. There are over 20 countries that use this for heating and/or cooling or electricity. The huge benefit for geothermal energy is that it can be extracted without the use of a fossil fuel such as coal or oil. The only problem is that it releases hydrogen sulfide, which at low concentrations smells like rotten eggs. There is also the fluids that are left over that have a slight toxin level to them. To read more about geothermal energy, click here.

Source: "Geothermal Energy Information, Geothermal Power Facts - National Geographic." National Geographic. N.p., n.d. Web. 26 May 2014.

The Big Energy Question

Also on the National Geographic website I found a page full of discussion on important energy issues. This gives people a chance to express their opinions. I truly believe it is places like this where people can get some extremely innovated ideas. People can just think of thinks that may actually spark an idea that could lead to a solution. The topics on this page includes innovation in transportation, clean energy, biofuels and much more. To read what some of the people are saying click here.

Source: "The Big Energy Question." National Geographic. N.p., n.d. Web. 29 May 2014.

Climate Quiz

What do you know about climate? There is a quiz on the national geographic to test how much you know about climate change on our planet. You can take the quiz here. After you answer each question it tells you whether you are correct or not, and gives a brief explanation of the answer. I took the quiz and got 50 percent. The questions on the quiz are more about what is being effected by climate change past, present and future. It teaches you some cool facts that you probably didn't know, and some are actually kind of scary!

Source: "Freshwater Quiz: Climate Change -- National Geographic." National Geographic. N.p., n.d. Web. 29 May 2014.

WHAT CAN I SAY?!

So what's the difference... global warming....climate change.... it's all the same thing right? WRONG! Global warming refers to the global temperature increasing. While climate change refers to a much broader area. Climate change refers to how climates are taking the increase in global temperatures. This means like weather patterns, sea level rise and ocean acidification. NASA prefers the term climate change over global warming because it is a better representation of what the planet is going through since it does not only cover the increase of global temperature. To read more about where the phrases originated from, and the debate click here.

Source: Wall, Tim. "War of the Words: Climate Change or Global Warming? : DNews."DNews. N.p., 6 May 2014. Web. 28 May 2014.

5 Common Misconceptions about Antarctic Ice

These five myths are commonly heard from the people who are denying that climate change exists. On this site they discuss the five most common misconceptions about the Antarctic ice melting. Here are three of the five myths:

1. The Antarctic ice is not shrinking, it is getting bigger.
1. The ice may seem like it is getting bigger, but what people are seeing is sea ice, not land ice. When scientists refer to the ice melting, they are referring to the land ice or the glaciers melting. And there is a possibility of the glaciers melting being caused by the growing amount of sea ice.
2. It must be all those volcanoes.
1. Volcanoes are not to blame for the melting ice. Climate change is definitely what is effecting the Antarctic with no exceptions. There are multiple examples of places that have a good amount of volcanoes and have glaciers covering it's surface.
3. It's all a global warming conspiracy.
1. False. All of the facts point towards humans causing global warming. What scientists report and what news shows talk about are all based on observed data not computer based simulations or projections. There is no global warming conspiracy there are numerous facts and data to back up the fact that humans are causing the climate to change.

If you want to read the other two you can click here to read more information about the myths and why they are wrong!

Source: Oskin, Becky. "Common Misconceptions About Big Changes : DNews." DNews. N.p., 14 May 2014. Web. 28 May 2014.

The Arctic Ice Could Melt Faster Than We Thought!

All throughout the ocean there are underwater volcanoes that will sometimes erupt. There are volcanoes that are present underneath the Antarctic ice sheet, which could potentially lead to huge problems. If these were to erupt, the heat would cause the ice sheet to melt at a much faster rate and would cause abrupt sea level rises. If the ice were to melt at an accelerated pace, society as a whole most likely will not be able to completely prepare for such a sudden rise in sea levels. For more information about volcanic reactions effecting the ice you can look here.

Source: Heltzel, Paul. "Antarctic Melt Could Increase Volcanic Activity : DNews."DNews. N.p., 20 May 2014. Web. 28 May 2014.

For All You Non-Believers...

As with almost every issue, there is going to be two sides. Even things that you would think are common knowledge or relatively simple, like 9/11 or other tragic events, somehow have conspiracies behind them. Even with every fact pointing towards something being true, there are going to be people that don't believe it. And even nowadays with every single sign pointing towards global warming being real and happening, there are still people saying that it isn't real. As this group is becoming fewer and fewer, here is some solid proof that climate change is happening and effecting us more than we may know. On this website it shows you ten signs that climate change is happening, but all of these coincidentally have to do with rising sea levels and ice melting. Could it be any more obvious how much of a reality climate change is?

Source: Mulvaney, Kieran. "1. Carbon Dioxide Concentrations in the Atmosphere Are Increasing : DNews." DNews. N.p., 22 Apr. 2013. Web. 27 May 2014.

2,000 Year Old Ice Core

Scientists have recently successfully drilled into a 2,000 year old ice core in Antarctica, and can now directly observed how much the climate has evolved. In these ice cores scientists are able to receive information about previous climates using the chemistry of the air that was caught in the snow and ice. Ice cores are a very useful tool in paleoclimatology. From these little pieces of ice you can find our the solar radiation, volcanic activity and even storm events that occurred in the previous climates. Analyzing this cored will help scientists understand the series of ice ages and warm periods that occurred in the past. For more information about this drill you can read it here.

Source: AFP. "Polar Scientists Drill 2,000-year-old Ice Core : DNews." DNews. N.p., 8 May 2014. Web. 28 May 2014.

The Earth

The climate is a complex system of functions that allow our planet to sustain life. But how did everything come to be the way it is now? How did water become such a vital role to our planet? Why are we able to sustain life? The climate of our planet corresponds to how our planet was created. Here are 8 of the planet's biggest questions answered. And if you want to see even more facts about Earth and it's uniqueness you can find it here, which have 50 facts about Earth and it's cool features.

Sources: 

Oskin, Becky. "So Many Questions : DNews." DNews. N.p., 22 Apr. 2014. Web. 28 May 2014.

Bryner, Stephanie Pappas and Jeanna. "50 Interesting Facts About The Earth."LiveScience. TechMedia Network, 18 Mar. 2012. Web. 28 May 2014.

A New Fuel Source...Seawater!

If it wasn't already apparent enough, society today is extremely dependent on oil as a fuel source. The price of oil can fluctuate and it comes to the point of where we kind of have to accept it no matter the cost, because we rely on it so heavily. The US Navy has been looking into other fuel sources for their ships and other machines, one of those sources has been sea water. While this source is plentiful, it was originally difficult to find a way to turn this into energy. Scientists have found a way to extract the carbon and hydrogen from the sea water and liquidate it. The article here calls this a game-changer, allowing ships to refuel right in the middle of the ocean. Many carriers and submarines would have to abandon their mission to refuel if they relied on oil, but if they were to rely on sea water there would be no need for abandonment. This may be able to expand into other areas on the Military or into society as a whole.

Source: AFP. "US Navy Game-Changer: Seawater Turned in Fuel : DNews." DNews. N.p., 8 Apr. 2014. Web. 28 May 2014.

Climate Model? How about a Universe Model?!

We all know about climate models, they can explain simple things in the climate or the climate as a whole. Up until now, scientists were never able to create a model (just like our climate ones) that displayed the entire universe as a whole. But now for the first time they created a model that shows the universe at the beginning up until now. This model is special because it shows a large and small scale changes at the same time. In this model scientists are able to fast forward, pause and zoom in to specific areas to get a better look. If you were to put this model into a modern day computer, it would take 2,000 years. The reason that this really interested me is because the building blocks behind these computer models are all mathematics equations. Here is the article from the Discovery Channel.

Source: O'Neill, Ian. "Mind-Blowing Computer Simulation Recreates Our Universe : DNews." DNews. N.p., 7 May 2014. Web. 28 May 2014.

Moonshine as a Fuel?

On Episode 210 of the show Mythbusters they tested to see whether or not moonshine would suffice as a fuel to power a car. They set up an experiment that tested how well the cars operated, performed and the longevity of the car. In order to give it the best shot possible they used the same make and model car, but from three different decades, each having a different method of fuel injection. They used a 1970s, 1990s and a 2010s car, with a carbureted, fuel-injected and a modern fuel-injected engine. The course that they set up tested the car in starting up, accelerating, maneuvering and turning. Using 192-proof moonshine, the cars didn't completely hold up to the test. While the 1970 and 1990 cars either had trouble starting up or sputtered on the course, neither were able to make a complete lap. The 2010 car had a little bit easier of a time, but was definitely noticeably slower. It was able however to complete all three laps. From this point on they tested strictly with the 2010 car. They tested three different proofs of moonshine, and as a conclusion, they were actually able to prove it true! Who knew moonshine could power a car?

For a summary of the episode, here is a link to the Wiki (look under moonshine myths): here
For some pictures of the episode here is the link to discover: here

Glaciers

This is a before and after painting of a glacier melting. As global warming progresses through the years, glaciers that could be used to cool the planet (ice albedo) are now melting at an accelerated pace. The ice albedo feedback is essential to our climate and it's balance. This and the other feedbacks are what influence the climate and its variability. As the ice melts, there is less of a chance for the planet to cool itself down. If the melting rate slows down, there is a chance the the ice albedo effect can catch up and cool down the planet.

Source: http://www.treehugger.com/culture/diane-burko-puts-climate-change-on-a-canvas-with-politics-of-snow.html

The Effects of Climate Change in a Picture

Global warming does not necessarily mean that the entire globe is facing the same effects. A rise in temperature globally can mean more precipitation in some parts of the world, with less precipitation in other parts of the world. Some parts of the world are going to experience frequent extreme weather conditions like tornadoes, tsunamis, earthquakes or hurricanes. Other extremes people may face would be the temperatures. There could be colder winters and hotter summers and extreme highs and lows are going to become more common. The hot weather shown on the right could become a reality in the US with the rising temperatures, causing more frequent droughts.

Source: http://kabq.org.au/welcome-to-the-low-carbon-diet/what-is-climate-change

Feedbacks

Why are feedbacks such an important aspect of climate change? It can either cool down or warm up our planet. There are many different feedbacks that occur on this planet the the clouds, ice and ocean create. There are still feedbacks that scientists don't know too much information about and how they influence our climate. You can learn more information about feedbacks and the ones we don't know enough about at this website.

Source: http://www.metoffice.gov.uk/climate-change/guide/science/explained/feedbacks

The Hazards of Nuclear Energy

There are so many pros and cons when in comes to using nuclear energy. There is the risk of a power plant explosion, which could cost many lives, but there is the benefit of not relying on non renewable resources. An accident that occurred during routine maintenance in India that killed six people, is now causing people to protest at the site. This can easily delay the country's plan to further the nuclear power industry. In this article you can read more about India's nuclear industry and the protest that occurred.

Source: "Nuclear Power Plant Accident Triggers Protests in India - India Real Time - WSJ." India Real Time RSS. 15 May 2014. Web. 15 May 2014.

Paleoclimatology

Paleoclimatology was always interesting to me, because it was a really cool way to determine the past's climate. At this website you can learn more about the different proxies that they use like tree rings and ice cores. Tree rings and ice cores have a lot in common when it comes to reading them, because they each have layers that scientists can analyze and record. These layers are periodic and allow the findings to be ordered into a chronological order.

Source: "Climate Data Information." Ice Cores. Web. 17 May 2014.

Climate Change is Still Really Hurting Florida

As a coastal state, Florida is getting hit pretty hard when it comes to climate change. Beaches and sea life are seeing this climate change faster than expected. And even worse, they are having to deal with the rising sea levels. This is already an effect that people have to deal with, because rising sea levels have caused increased flooding. Agriculture and wildlife are also already being effected which is really beginning to hurt Florida. In this article here you can read more about the effects climate change is having on Florida.

Source: Fishkind, Hank. "Fishkind: Effects of Climate Change Affect Florida Now."Fishkind: Effects of Climate Change Affect Florida Now. 16 May 2014. Web. 17 May 2014.

A Sassy Rant About Climate Change

In the mornings I love to look at CNN every now and then because they always have some really interesting articles. This time it was an opinion article about the importance of the Antarctica ice melting. The writer of the article starts off with a very sarcastic tone, making it a little easier and fun to actually read. In the end, the article was informative and extremely fun to read. I think that the sarcasm in the article really gave it a serious touch, it seems like he is kind of a "fed up" with the debates. And aren't we all?

Source: Safina, Carl. "Rising Oceans Will Be Unstoppable." CNN. Cable News Network, 01 Jan. 1970. Web. 16 May 2014.

Climate Change and it's Real Life Effects

When browsing the internet about recent news in climate change, I found a series of videos done by NASA that show climate change and it's effects on the planet.There are several videos in this series, about a lot of interesting things. How bees and pollination are effected, how important glaciers are and how our oceans effect climate change are all part of this video series that help really visualize global warming. Underneath the top ten videos of climate change there are other videos more specifically about life, the ocean, the atmosphere and ice.

Source: "CLIMATE REEL." Global Climate Change. Earth Science Communications Team, n.d. Web. 16 May 2014.

Why are States Trying to Prevent the Chesapeake Bay From Getting Cleaned Up?

I know it probably seems crazy, who would be against cleaning up a bay that once was filled with wildlife such as clams and crabs? Believe it or not there are 20 states that are not even close to the bay that are rejecting the idea of cleaning it up. This is because the bay is strongly polluted by chemicals and urban runoff that is produced from local factories and/or farms. These states that are not bordering the bay are trying to prevent a bill that reduces the pollution and save the wildlife. In this article, you can see more in depth about why these states are trying to prevent it.

Source: Valetine, Katie. "Why Are 20 Far-Away States Trying To Block The Cleanup Of The Chesapeake Bay?" ThinkProgress RSS. N.p., 16 Apr. 2012. Web. 15 May 2014.

Why are We Not Already on the Road to Recovery?

Since climate change has become such a major issue within the past few years, why does nothing seem to be getting done about it? Why are there no policies, laws, rules or regulations that help us control our carbon output? Besides the finances of building these new energy sources, what exactly is holding us back? Part of this answer is relatively simple, and that's the fact that Democrats and Republicans have a very hard time with agreeing...on anything! In this article here, there is a lot more of the subject of why not much is getting done through the government. Why is cap and trade being denied with no possible modifications to fix it? Why are conspiracy theories still floating around as if there is any evidence? The world may never know.

Source: http://www.nytimes.com/2014/05/12/opinion/krugman-crazy-climate-economics.html?_r=0

When the Economy Starts to Get Effected

Although the economy has always been influenced by climate change, lately it has been having a stronger impact than normal. In particular, it has been starting to influence insurance companies and their policies for natural disasters, that now occur more due to the climate changing. These climate change scenarios could take an extreme toll on businesses and individuals if they are not properly prepared for. In this article, you can read more about the world's oldest and biggest insurance market and what they are recommending for insurance agencies worldwide to do about climate change and it's damages.

Source: Stern, Nicholas, and Julia Kollewe. "Lloyd's Calls on Insurers to Take into Account Climate-change Risk." The Guardian. Guardian News and Media, 08 May 2014. Web. 21 May 2014.

Climate Change is Being Seen Worldwide

Here in the US we see climate change effecting us in was such as extreme weather and extreme temperatures. Across the globe, some countries are having a harder time with the change of climates. The Middle East and Africa are having trouble with droughts causing water deprivation and crop shortages. For undeveloped countries global warming is definitely taking a larger toll on them. At this website you can learn some more information about what they are going through, and how they are trying to handle it.

Source #6: Davenport, Coral. "Climate Change Deemed Growing Security Threat by Military Researchers." The New York Times. The New York Times, 13 May 2014. Web. 20 May 2014.

The Most Accurate Video You Will Ever See About Climate Change

Bill Nye is definitely well known in the science community for facing against skeptics in debates about climate change. But why is there even a debate to begin with? We all know climate change is happening, there are statistics that confirm it! In this video they show what a "debate" against climate change should look like. And without trying to ruin anything about the video... this is the way that global warming debates are supposed to go!

Source #4: Mooney, Chris. "WATCH: John Oliver and Bill Nye Show Why Cable News Climate "debates" Are so Ridiculous." Mother Jones. 12 May 2014. Web. 21 May 2014.

Jim Anderson and his Quest to Solve Climate Change

After I watched the Bill Nye video off of the Smithsonian website this video played immediately after it, so obviously I had to watch it! The video opens up with something that would scare almost anyone: When it comes to climate change, there is no safe place to live. Climate change effects everyone and can only be changed if everyone is in it together. This video definitely emphasizes that and I think it was really interesting to watch.

Source #5: History, Travel, Arts, Science, People, Places | Smithsonian." History, Travel, Arts, Science, People, Places | Smithsonian. Web. 21 May 2014.

Bill Nye the Science Guy!

Bill Nye has always been one of my favorite scientists since I was growing up. Once I saw that he narrated a talk about climate change I was immediately interested. The talk is definitely simplified down to the basics, but I think it shows the proof of concept very well. There is a part of the video where they do an experiment that can be easily replicated at home. This entire concept is the source as to why the globe is warming. If anyone was skeptical about the idea of climate change, this entire video will shut them right up!

The video is here.

Source #3: "Climate Change 101 With Bill Nye the Science Guy." History, Travel, Arts, Science, People, Places. Web. 21 May 2014.

How did the Wildlife Make it Through This Polar Vortex?

While all of us were cozy in our beds with our heated blankets and hot chocolate, how were the wildlife surviving out there in the abnormally cold winter? Here is a website that talks more about how the animals are adapting to these frigid winters. Some animals survive through hibernation, while others learn more unique ways to adapt. Flying squirrels were seen cramming into small tree holes and huddling together and a ruffed grouse would bury itself in the snow and create a miniature igloo to protect itself from further cold spells. These are just two examples of how some of the wildlife was adapting during the Polar Vortex, but there are many other examples on the website.

Source #2: Miller, Matt. "How Will the Polar Vortex Affect Wildlife?" Cool Green Science. 8 Jan. 2014. Web. 21 May 2014.

Burmese Pythons Invade the Everglades

In one of my math classes, Operations Research, we looked at real life problems and used linear programming to help us find solutions. One of the problems proposed were the evasive species of Burmese Pythons invading the Everglades. Florida is currently facing the problem of trying to control the pythons but since they eat pretty much everything and are extremely difficult to find let alone catch. The snakes actually go brought over to the US as pets, but are rapidly spreading as an evasive species. The reason I bring this up is because since the US is getting warmer, there is now a larger area that these snakes are able to survive in. These snakes are one of the largest snakes on the planet, and although 2,000 have already been killed, that is only a fraction that is still out there. The snakes are beginning to gain ground in moving up Florida, and in no time they could continue to move right up the US. Climate change and global warming is making it easier for these snakes to survive in places they possibly never could have before, making them an even worse threat for us.

Source #1: United States. National Park Service. "Burmese Pythons." National Parks Service. U.S. Department of the Interior, 18 May 2014. Web. 20 May 2014.

What's your carbon footprint like?

Here is my look into becoming carbon neutral!

Test 3

Here is my Test 3!

Why are Climate Models so Important?

Here are a few common questions about climate models and the answers as to why they are so important!

Why Did The Vikings Leave Greenland?

Here is my explanation as to why I think they abandoned their settlements and went back to Europe!

High Profile Scientific Publications

Here is my document discussing the publication by Marcott et al. and how it was interpreted in the media.

Other Resources for Poster Design

"Effective Poster Design." Effective Poster Design. N.p., n.d. Web. 22 Apr. 2014.

This site is very useful in helping design posters. There is a step by step instruction with further explanation 

for how to start and complete the poster. It is very easy to read and understand and I believe it has some 

very good tips.

"UNC Health Sciences Library." Design and Layout. N.p., 24 Mar. 2014. Web. 22 Apr. 2014.

This site is really helpful in the design of the poster from beginning to end, including the software being used 

to create the poster. This software includes three different versions of Microsoft PowerPoint as well as 

Adobe Photoshop. 

Tipping Points

The tipping points that I found in Emanuel (2007), UC Berkeley News Center, and Scientific American:

• Periodic oscillations of the Earth's orbit that primary effects the Earth's orientation
• Water vapor accumulates in the atmosphere, causing the atmosphere to warm, allowing more water vapor to accumulate
• Ice and snow can accumulate, making it's way toward the equator. The ice and snow would reflect sunlight back into the atmosphere causing the planet to continue cooling
• Arctic Sea ice has essentially diminished past a certain threshold, claiming that it will be a relatively rapid increase to losing all of the ice
• Major changes in the ocean currents or air circulation 
• Ocean temperatures or acidity

Quaternary Period

Here is my description of the Quaternary Period along with a figure, enjoy!

Test 2!

Right here is the link my second test! Enjoy!!

Tree Rings

Tree rings are one of the many proxies used to estimate the past's climate changes. As a tree grows in a year it produces a new ring, which varies in width allowing us to estimate the climate due to how much the tree grew. The trees that we focus on are normally found in a temperate climate, where they have a dry season. The trees that do not have a dry season end up growing year round and that makes it hard to determine any climate changes because the rings are not defined to one per year. The trees growth are influenced by precipitation, temperature, sunlight and wind. All of these factors can help us determine the climate of that specific growing season. Trees can grow for thousands of years and hold data from all of the past climates. When the tree rings are thicker that normally points toward a climate that favors the growth of the trees, while having narrow means the opposite. With the amount of data that has been collected scientists are able to estimate from hundreds to thousands of years in the past locally. By combining this proxy with other proxies scientists have been able to estimate regional and global climates.

Climate Change Videos

For the first video, located here, I feel as though the main take home message was that before humans were involved, there was a clear pattern that the Earth was going through. The globe would cool down and have an inter glacial period and then warm back up. Then from that point on it would cool down until another ice age occurred, and this pattern continued. Since humans have been involved, the amount of CO2 in the air has sky rocketed, and doesn't look like it is going to shrink any time soon.

In the second video, which you can find here, the sole purpose of this video also seemed to be toward end. With all of the data that paleoclimatologists gather from proxies such as corals, ice cores and tree rings the temperature of the globe is still hotter than the past thousand years. Even with the room for error, this still holds true. Between the first and the second video, there is a strong motif of the fact that the planet is a little off it's regular course.

The main idea for the third video, found here, seemed to be that the climate of the environment around lakes impact the lake itself. When the climate is warmer it effects the plants and their growth as well as the particles that are spread into the water.When these are measured you are able to find out information about the environment during a specific time period.

Bradley: Natural Archives, changing climates

Overall I believe that the lecture was interesting and intense. If I could ask him any two questions it would be these:

1.  What about the places that do not have ice there? How do we help determine the climate in those areas?

2.  Where are the places that hold the oldest ice?

Both of these questions I feel would be interesting to have answered by Ray Bradley. I would like to know these answers because they personally interest me when it comes climate change and paleoclimatology.

What Caused the Ice Ages?

In order for the Ice Ages to occur, it was not just a simple cause and effect. There are four things that have to occur before an Ice Age begins. The first thing that needs to be set up would be the boundary conditions. This means that the position of the continents would have to be further north, to allow an ice sheet to be formed. Also having tectonic plates collide, creating mountains, would emit less CO2 in the air. The second thing needed is the trigger, which has to do with the Earth's rotation around the Sun. With the boundary conditions pushing the Earth towards a tipping point, a small trigger like the Earth being just a little bit farther from the Sun can trigger dramatic changes. Feedbacks occur when the ice and snow cause the Earth's albedo to reflect more of the energy and absorb less. This causes the planet to get colder, pushing it to create more snow and continue the effect. The tipping point then occurs as the snow and ice begin to build up, the globe gets colder and glaciers begin to form. This is how the Ice Ages began.

The Figure above shows the variation that the Earth can have when orbiting the Sun. When Earth becomes too far away, it creates a great environment to host an Ice Age.

Source: here

Paleoclimatology

What is paleoclimatology? 
Paleoclimatology is the study of past climates. By determining what had happened in the past, scientist hope to understand better what the future may hold for us.

How is it studied? 
You can find different chemical and physical alterations around the world that show the previous climates and how the ocean land and air were affected. Some of the things studied are able to determine a characteristic that is world wide and others are for specific regions. "Proxy" records is the name of the things that scientists find in the environment. Proxy records are the records found in tree rings, in the skeletons of the coral reef, ice cores from glaciers and sediments buried in the ocean and land.

Why is it studied?
Studying this helps scientists reconstruct the past in order to help determine what may happen in the future or with human influence. It has already been previously shown using paleoclimatology that the Earth's climate can dramatically change within a matter of decades. Paleoclimatology also shows us the human influence that already exists on the Earth.

The Climate was Cooling? Wait what?

Yes, it is true. In the mid 20th century the globe was actually cooling due to aerosol emissions. The globe only cooled about 0.1 degrees Celsius, but this was a huge change in the trend of the 20th century. The aerosols had such an influence on the climate because it has direct and indirect effect. The aerosols were put in the atmosphere primarily from burning fossil fuels. The primary idea from reading this article and this article is that the cooling during this time was unexpected and was very confusing at first. When the scientists were able to study it more once they realized it was a hiatus, it became more evident that the sulfate aerosol emissions that us humans were producing. The skeptical science website and the article by Jeff Tollefson both seem relatively reliable. I personally felt like the article used more facts and science to make complete sense out of the subject. Tollefson is a reporter for Nature magazine, which is a well known and highly reliable source.

Feedbacks- What Exactly Are They?

Feedbacks can be hurtful and push the climate more towards global warming, but they can also be helpful by cooling the planet and attempting to balance global warming out. Feedback occurs when a change in our climate causes another change in climate. There are two kinds of feedback, positive and negative. Negative means that the feedback is going against the trend in climate. This means that if the globe is warming, this feedback would cause the climate to cool. A positive feedback means that the feedback further pushes the current trend of the climate. If the climate was warming, this feedback would further push the climate towards warming. Feedbacks have the ability to dramatically effect the climate, which is what makes them so important. The more that scientists understand about feedbacks, the more that they are able to make future climate predictions. The ice albedo feedback refers to the light that is reflected on Earth's surface, which is a positive feedback. This means that surfaces that have a higher albedo like ice and snow will reflect more sunlight into space. The Arctic is an example where the snow is melting due to global warming. The land and ocean absorbs more energy, which in turn causes the globe to warm even further. As the globe continues to warm, more land is exposed which is causing global warming to get worse.

Source: here

Ice Cores and Why They're Awesome!

The cool thing about ice in the arctic and other cold areas is that snow/ice layers on top of each other throughout the year. The snow and ice tell a lot about the temperature because in these frigid areas, the snow and ice don't actually melt. This allows the people analyzing the ice to help determine temperatures and climate of that certain layer. The snow varies in chemistry, as well as winter snow being different than the summer snow. Light and heavy oxygen can be found within the ice cores which can help indicate the climate and atmosphere for that time period. The snowfall collects dust, human pollutants, sea salt, ash and gas bubbles which then get preserved and can now be analyzed. Ice cores can be used to reconstruct temperatures, precipitation, volcanic eruptions and even forest fires. The way that ice cores are formed allow them to be easily read by showing distinct seasonal markers.

An example of an ice core is below:

Source: here

Ocean Sediments---Looking for a Job!

Ocean sediments looking for a job! Help-out the poor ocean sediments and create a Linkedin profile for them. You can do that directly in Linkedin and post the link on your blog or create a blog post with what you would post on Linkedin.

• Why are you special?

I am special because I am found within the ocean, which is a large portion of the Earth. This means that there is a lot of information that I can share. I can be found in the shells of tiny animals and plants that had a calcium carbonate shell.

• What skills, expertise, and characteristics do you have?

I can tell a lot about the chemistry as well as the temperature of the ocean. I also have the ability to tell you a lot about wind and water currents.

• What sets you apart from other job candidates (aka proxies)?

I can tell a lot of different things that other proxies cannot, mostly about the ocean. This means I can show when the ocean was cold and when it was warmer. I can also tell the chemistry of the water at certain periods in time.

• What are your ideal challenges where you can really excel?

I would like to be able to characterize the oxygen levels in my sediments. Oxygen can either be heavy or light and I would like to sort it in to categories, which I am very good at. I would also excel at dating these oxygen samples.

• Where would you like to work?

My ideal place to work would be on the ocean floors, I feel like I would be able be most beneficial if stationed there.

Our Survey Questions!

Here is our personal choice questions, and here are the responses!

Bathtub Model

The bathtub model can be used to explain the climate and different futures. I personally like this model because it is easy to understand and the concept allows you to play with different situations in order to determine the outcome. For example, the first tub that was shown was a tub at an equilibrium state. In this state the amount of water being put in the tub is the same amount that is leaving the tub. This allows the water in the tub to stay at a constant level. Comparing this to the environment, if humans were not on this planet, the atmosphere would be at an equilibrium due to the natural processes on Earth. Another situation that can occur for Earth is that more carbon dioxide being put into the atmosphere than it is being taken out. This would mean turning up the faucet on the bathtub. This would cause the tub to over fill. This simulates when humans began using machines and producing carbon dioxide, putting more in than the natural amount. The opposite could also occur, where more carbon dioxide is being taken out than is being put in. The additional amount of carbon dioxide being added by humans can also be shown in this model by adding a second faucet. This would show that carbon dioxide is being put into the atmosphere by multiple sources. Some plants and oceans are partially absorbing some of the extra CO2, which can be represented by more holes on the bottom or  larger hole. Additional bath tubs can be added to the circuit in order to represent other parts of the carbon cycle. You can then change the input and output of the water in the tub in order to coordinate it with the emissions. This is a nice representation of the Earth's atmosphere and the multiple influences that cause it to warm up or cool down. This can be used to predict or visualize the future outcomes if we lower our emissions, keep them the same or even make them greater.

My Climate Widget!

What is the big connection between climate change and extreme weather events and disasters?

• Based on what you just saw and read - how would you answer this question?

There is definitely a connection between climate change and the extreme weather events/ disasters. There are going to be years where extreme conditions occur. But when these conditions are record breaking, more that regular, that is when you can draw connections. With climate change, the globe is heating, causing more rain in certain places, more drought in other places and sometimes more extremes/disasters. There is no significant amount of proof saying that they are 100% connected, but there is nothing to prove that is not.

• What are the connections? Does it even matter?

The most recent extreme weather disasters like Hurricane Sandy or all of the wildfires occurring, are not necessarily pure coincidence. There is proof that climate change has been linked to multiple heat waves. When it comes to linking climate change to specific hurricanes or droughts is where it becomes particularly shady. Personally, I don't feel as though we need to necessarily prove the connection between the two at this current moment. The extremes are causing people to open up their eyes enough to see that the climate is changing. Although there is no proof that the extreme weather is directly associated with climate, there is enough there to convince people it is.

• Is there a good analogy you can use to illustrate the connections?

The connections between climate change and the extreme weather patterns/disasters are like human emotions and different scents. It is believed that different scents make us feel different ways. How else would Yankee Candle be so popular? This is called aromatherapy. Although there way not be significant proof of this method, people still use candles and other scents to manipulate their emotions. There are scents that relax you, make you sleepy, give you more energy and other things. Although there is no real direct science, there is no science proving that it is not true. This is very similar to climate change and weather. Although there is no proof that the global warming is causing extreme weather, there is nothing saying that it is not.

• And - who is Kevin Trenberth?

He is a senior scientist with the federal government's national center for atmospheric research, He is originally from New Zealand, as well as a former rugby player. He also earned his doctorate degree from MIT. He has spent a significant amount of his career studying variability in climate but has recently switched to studying the global water cycle and how it is responding to climate change. He is currently leading a world climate research program.

Montreal Protocol VS Kyoto Protocol

It is sometimes said that the Montreal Protocol did more to slow climate change than the Kyoto Protocol - how is that possible?

• About 40 years ago, it was discovered that there were pollutants in the air called chlorofluorocarbons that are slowly but surely eating away at our ozone layer. The ozone layer that is being affected is what protects the Earth from harmful radiation, and if it does not stop disappearing, everyone would be severely affected by illnesses and skin diseases. In 1990 the Montreal Protocol was announced, which was enforced by many nations and allowed countries to stop using CFC's. This completely prevented us from losing our ozone layer. The building up to the Montreal Protocol first began in 1974. Two scientists, Sherwood Rowland and Mario Molina, discovered that CFC's have the ability when sprayed to be carried up miles into the atmosphere. When there and mixed with the sun's UV rays, there was a chemical reaction that caused the depletion of the ozone layer. As this layer began to weaken, more UV rays were able to reach the Earth's surface. Although most of the companies that used or sold CFC's stopped using them, companies that completely depended on it decided to take more risks. These would be the companies that produced air conditioners or refrigerators. These companies began to rise again, and by the mid-1980s, the CFC level was peaking again. This caused a strong danger to our ozone level once again. A curve ball hit the scientists again when a large hole in the ozone was discovered above Antarctica. This added more urgency to the already pressing situation. The plan was to phase out CFC's with a ten year plan, being the Montreal Protocol. In 1990, after the Protocol was passed, they refined the agreement to a three part plan. This reflected what they wanted, but differentiated the responsibilities. Another protocol, the Kyoto Protocol was another plan to slow down and hopefully stop global warming. The Kyoto Protocol was developed after Montreal, and only included a control over greenhouse gases. The Montreal Protocol covers greenhouse gas emissions as well as other substances that negatively affect the atmosphere. This is mainly why it seems as though the Montreal Protocol was more effective in slowing the climate than the Kyoto Protocol. CFC's were proven to be very influential on our planet's atmosphere and had a huge impact. Once these chemicals were removed, our climate change crisis was sufficiently slowed.

This Figure shows the two possible futures that we could have had, whether or not the Montreal Protocol was founded. This focuses on the Chlorine concentration, which is not restricted under the Kyoto Protocol.

Source: here

THE MOST TERRIFYING VIDEO YOU'LL EVERY SEE

This video, "The Most Terrifying Video You'll Ever See" is quite brilliant. He uses more of the fact that there may be something out there that impacts us, but whether or not it actually exists is not the problem. The real problem is whether or not we are doing something. At the very worst, we do nothing and global warming exists, the world as we know it no longer will. But if we play it safe, and global warming does not exist, it is a much better option than a catastrophic ending. I think this is a fantastic approach to it.

Fixing the Communication Failure

• What is cultural cognition?

Cultural cognition refers to the influence of group values on risk perceptions and related beliefs. These group values reflect on equality, individualism, authority and community.

• How does protective cognition manifest itself in the context of climate change science?

It is the main cause of political conflict over the credibility of scientific data on climate change and other environmental risks.

• Explain the two specific techniques suggested for improving scientific communication.

One method is to explain information in a way that affirms peoples beliefs rather that threatens them. This is because people tend to reject information that may prevent them from doing activities that are valued by their group. But in the other hand if they are also presented information that upholds their commitments then they are more likely to be open-minded about the subject. The second technique is to make sure that the evidence is backed up by a diverse panel of experts.

• What, unfortunately, is the reality of most scientific communication.

The method is to normally flood the public with as much information as possible, assuming that all of the truth will drown out the lies.

Test #1

Test #1 with my survey questions on there too!

Ozone! What don't you know?

After reading this article about the ozone, here is three things I never knew:

1. One Chlorine atom can destroy 100,000 "good" ozone molecules
2. Over exposure to UV is believed to be contributing to the increase in melanoma, one of the most fatal of all skin cancers. It is believed that the chances of getting it has at least doubled since 1990.
3. Breathing in "bad" ozone can cause a lot of health problems. Chest pain, coughing, throat irritation and congestion are just some of the symptoms. It can worsen bronchitis as well as asthma and emphysema.

Should a nuclear power plant be built?

Click here to see my decision grid with explanations as to why we should or should not build a nuclear power plant!

Nuclear Power

Is it the solution to a cleaner future? Or is it risking our lives for something that isn't worth it?
Look at the Pros and Cons here.

Survey Categories

Here are my ideas for what our categories should be for our class survey!
Click here!

My Abstract

I have begun my Abstract and will continue to work on it as I think of more ideas.
You can view it here.

If You See Something, Say Something

Who is Michael Mann? He is the director of the Earth System Science Center at Penn State University as well as the author of The Hockey Stick and the Climate Change Wars: Dispatches from the Front Lines."Who is James Hansen?

He is the former director of the NASA Goddard Institute for Space Studies. He warns the the pipeline from Canada to the US is something that we should definitely not do, or we have very little way from recovering from that.

Who is Steven Schneider?He worked at Stanford University and died in 2010. He believed that we should have a forceful approach on Global Warming.

In two sentences: summarize this opinion piece: This opinion piece is about recognizing that climate change is occurring and that action against it needs to be taken. Who knows what would happen if the people that can see it occurring and decided to do nothing about it, would their children be expected to accept our consequences?

You can find the article here.

Richard Alley

Who is Richard Alley?
Richard Alley is a professor of Geo sciences at Penn State University. He is a member of the National Academy of Sciences, the Academy of Arts and Sciences. He focuses some of his studies on large ice sheets, and studying ice cores (up to two miles deep) in Greenland and Antarctica. He is currently studying whether or not the ice sheet run a risk of falling into the ocean and flooding the coast lines. He is also the author of the book Two Mile Time Machine.

Five Major Points

• 100 years ago, scientists found fern plant fossils in Antarctica, where now there are penguins. What happened? Climate change and the continents moved.
• Science changes, and when theories go wrong they don't always disappear, he uses the term "zombies"
• The world is warming: there is more than enough scientific evidence to prove it. There is ice that is/closing to melting. The North Pole moves very slightly every year.
• The world is warming mostly because of fossil-fuel CO2. We burn more than the earth is supplying us. We should learn while we burn, or learn other methods of energy before we run out of the fuels the the earth gives us.
• The people that are saying global warming stopped:  it is a zombie. He talks a lot about although the climate varies, the long term trend is very evident, which is that global warming is most definitely still occurring.

If I could ask him one question: What made you become interested in climate change?


Watch the video:

What Does This Cartoon Mean?

In this cartoon there are two people, and what looks like a giant rock. One person is trying to push the boulder up the hill saying "Hey, let's do something about climate change" While the other person is on the other side of the rock saying "No". Inside the rock is written "Status Quo". The person saying "No" is trying to prevent the rock from moving up the hill, while the other person is trying to push it up the hill. I feel as though the person on the left, are the people who are trying to make the status quo change and help better the environment. While the person on the right represents the people who don't care about the situation.

Most Important Questions in the Questionnaire

What are the critical questions to ask?
Click here for what I feel were my most important.

Who is being effected by Global Warming?

Climate Change Questionnaire!

Take a look at my climate change questionnaire here.