What is causing the shift in earth's climate? Are there any other theories besides human causes?

Question

Has the earth's climate changed in the past? PLEASE EXPLAIN WITH AS MUCH FACTUAL BACKUP AS POSSIBLE.

Answer 1

There is no SET answer to this question, but billions are being spent to answer it.

Causes are legion though - Variations in the sun's output are considered a major contributor though (Straight logic there - a small increase in the percentage output of a furnace that size is going to have a LOT more impact than my driving an SUV).

Other causes are changes in the interior heat level of the Earth's Core, desertification, and, believe it or not, volcanoes.

A single volcanic eruption puts out about a YEAR'S worth of greenhouse gasses from humans and animals combined. Remember, cows fart a lot. (The output from bio sources, including flatulence and decay is about a third of the total output of greenhouse gasses). And about 50-60 volcanoes erupt every year...So you can figure, every year, there is about the same as 50 years worth of output from every other cause...JUST from volcanoes.

One thing to remember about the 'Global Warming' folks - 30 years ago these same folks were talking about how we were all going to be freezing to death and starving due to the coming ice age.

Climate change seems to be pretty normal and the jury is still WAY out on how much of that is anthropogenic (human caused).

Orion

Answer 2

I suppose some of it is natural. There have been fluctuations in past history, though evidence is pointing to US as a major contributor to what is now happening. The rise in temperatures is just too sharp. Human nature apparently has an inherent need to blame it on something ELSE other that itself, it would seem. There have been many theories in the past, and they do include an ice age AS A RESULT OF global warming, due to changes in the ocean currents' temperatures, which effect our climate. When these currents change temperature it can effect what parts of the Earth are now hotter or colder. The oceans temperatures are what drive the ocean currents, also. This can spell disaster. And maybe another Ice Age.

Answer 3

Human activity is responsible for a very small percentage of climate change . The Earth is warming , but climate change is natural . Climate is in a constant state of flux .
According to NASAs own studys the Suns radiation output has increased at a rate of 0.5 percent per decade for at least the last three decades . Many other NASA funded studys show that the warming of the Sun has been going on for a century or more .
If it is correct that the increased radiation output of the Sun has been ongoing for a century or more , humans will be acquited of blame for global warming .
Do a google search on NASA Sun output or something like that . You will find many articles quoting prominent NASA scientists discussing this issue .
Forget about mainstream media givivng you the whole story though .

Answer 4

The cause of global warming or climate change, is due to the current carbon flux. This has happened through out geological history. Most of the carbon was in the atmosphere when the Earth was first forming. Over time earlier photosynthesis organism began to develop and thrived due to the high amounts of CO2. Eventually the carbon in the atmosphere became trapped in fossil fuels and carbonate rocks (limestone). Since then the burning of fossil fuels and geological activity, such as volcanoes, have transfers the carbon back to the atmosphere. This is called the carbon cycle.
The carbon cycle is natural. However we are speeding up the cycle. As carbon increases in the atmosphere, global temperatures will too.Temperatures have gone up and down through out geological history. These changes are referred to as glacial and interglacial periods. You can tell that we are in interglacial period by visiting the Alps and watching the glaciers recede.
I am starting to feel that I am going on and on. There is much that causes global warming and cooling that I haven't even touched on. If you would like to learn more, I would recommend taking a intro to geology course at a college with a geology department or finding some general books about it or your local bookstore.

Answer 5

Yes, there are other theories!.

First of all, statistical data about the structure of greenhouse gases. This aproach gives a very clear message: human contribution to global warming is almost insignificant (around 0.2%)

There's also the theory of positive feedback loop. This theory explains a process where man-made emissions warm a bit water and ice, this increase water vapor emissions generating a positive loop that makes human contribution to global warming significant.

Other study says that there's a negative feedback loop in the dynamics of clouds formation. This has a cooling effect that contrarests the positive loop.

I have written an interesting article about this issue:

Global Warming - Separating Fact from Fiction:
http://ibloga.infoartperu.com/ibloga_07012522291058.cfm

Answer 6

The earths climate is always changing. You want facts? How about the ice age...heard of that? That's a fact. Apparently there was global warming then as well.

Answer 7

It was elementary to respond to this question, in spite of the incontrovertible fact that, attainable suggestion has replace into too biased and inspired via (undesirable) greed. My rule of thumb is that if the advice leaning the two way income the provider of this suggestion, then that suggestion is questionable; if I offered Fords and claimed that Fords have been the superb automobiles ever made, no it is easy to have faith me! I do have faith that we do bypass by climate replace of a organic order and that pollution is a "undesirable ingredient" yet that regulatory measures and public rigidity has wiped sparkling up our surroundings to this variety of degree for guy's result to be minimum different than in the indoors cities the place too many automobiles pushed on massive sq. miles of cement impact the "community climate".

Answer 8

It's a matter of Gloom or Groom
Is to allegory say Law or Grace
http://www.godshew.org/BigMeltdown.htm