Is global warming real?

Question

Or is just another form of mind control by the media?

Answer 1

Nothing in science is real, only whether it matches up against the proof.

Global warming is supported by the vast majority of climate specialists and geologists. With a small number dissenting.

Dissent is good, because science is a debate, not a set of facts.

The real problem with proof is this.
1. The world climate changes by itself anyway and this process is not understood.
2. The time scale is long so it is not easily observed.
3. The computer models have limits imposed on them by the computing power of today (they can't even get tomorrow's weather forecast right, what can they say about the whole world in 20 years time).

In favor of it being right.
1. There is a recognised mechanism for global warming. (it is not just that we can see the weather getting warmer, but we can explain it and model it).
2. The data supports the model.

Now lets do a little risk analysis.

If it is wrong and we do nothing, nothing happens
If it is wrong and we do something, nothing happens
If it is right and we do nothing, we all die.
If it is right and we do somethng, we have a fighting change.

Answer 2

Natural global warming is certainly real, without it the world would be 33 degrees C colder than it is, life would never have evolved and the majority of the planet would be permenantly covered in ice.

Contrary to what some people think, anthropogenic (man-made) global warming is almost certainly real. Some people don't accept that humans have contrinuted to global warming but not accepting something doesn't alter the fact it is or isn't happening.

The basic concept of global warming is actually very simple and has been understood for over 100 years. It boils down to the fact that if you increase levels of greenhouse gas you increase levels of warming - greenhouse gases prevent thermal radiation escaping from our atmosphere, the more there are the more thermal radiation is trapped. It's more or less the same as wearing extra layers of clothing to trap more heat and keep you warm.

If you have a look at this webpage that I created it answers your precise question... http://profend.com/global-warming/pages/establish.html

Answer 3

Global warming is NOT real, its just a political/media mind control thing like you said. I agree that the earth may be going through a cycle that it warms slitely and cools, ever so aften. But the idea that man or as the Bush haters would say, President Bush made this happen is totally wrong.

Answer 4

The theory of "Global Warming" as set out by liberal extremists is "The Earth is warmer now that it has ever been before, even in prehistoric times. It is ALL man's fault. It will result in mass death and destruction. We must completely change the way we live to avoid this."

The REALITY is:

- The Earth has gone through 100% natural warming and cooling periods before, and these periods can last a very long time (thousands of years) - such as the last Ice Age. By the way, the warming which ended the last Ice Age thousands of years ago was not cause by SUV's.

Answer 5

While the media has changed our thinking on a lot of issues-this ones for real folks. In fact the media is lagging behind on this one so far. But that will change and I would imagine sooner rather then later.
If we all did our part now to help the planet and the scientists were wrong, the planet would be better off don't you think? And if the scientists are right- we then have taken steeps to try and help the planet. It's a win win for all of us.
It's those who sit back and do nothing then cry for help when it's too late that worry me.

Answer 6

This is a difficult question for the average person because [like a lot of major questions] there are "experts" on both sides of the argument that are certainly more intelligent and have more facts available than most of us. Also they are more intelligent and better educated than I am [and possibly than you are] so you can only be subjective about it. We do know that there have been continual changes in the climate throughout the history of the Earth and we also know that spewing huge amounts of noxious gases into the atmosphere has got to have some effect. Could it be a bit of both?

Answer 7

Of course global warming is real. If not for global warming by greenhouse gases, the Earth would be an iceball (as it was in two periods, the last one ending 665 million years ago). Global temperature is primarily controlled by the constituent atmospheric gases. The Earth's atmosphere has varied greatly in its history and there have consequently been periods of global warming and global cooling. Volcanic activity has often been responsible. The greatest volcanic activity the Earth has ever seen, 251 million years ago (mya) covered Siberia in lava flows several hundred feet deep (Siberian traps) and caused the Earth's temperature to rise 26 degrees F. The result was the sudden extinction of 90-96% of all life on our planet (Permian/Triassic mass extinction event). The geological sediments following this era are known as the "dead zone." A less extreme supervolcanic event warmed Earth 14 mya bringing about tropical forests in Europe. All polar ice melted and Florida was under 200 feet of water (I like to look for marine fossils at Cargill Mines in Florida). Another supervolcanic event ended the Pleistocene Ice Age. The reason supervolcanic events have often warmed our planet is that they alter our atmosphere by pumping tons of carbon dioxide into our atmosphere. Human activity now mimics a supervolcanic event. Unless we want to see the consequences of a Florida 200 feet under water or the sudden extinction of 90% of species, perhaps we should take this phenomenon of global warming more seriously.

Answer 8

I'm starting to feel that I am the only one to believe astronomers. If you browse calculations from astronomers their are changes going on with our orbit. Orbit to the sun, orbit of the moon. Along those lines.Why did the government change the atomic clock two years ago? No doubt their are many causes to recently recorded changes. Curios knowledge seekers cant just follow media suggested direction. Research even the least likely areas of all possibility. That is science. ???!!!

Answer 9

Its real but the effect threatened is not real.

Summary

World leaders gathered in Kyoto, Japan, in December 1997 to consider a world treaty restricting emissions of ''greenhouse gases,'' chiefly carbon dioxide (CO2), that are thought to cause ''global warming'' severe increases in Earth's atmospheric and surface temperatures, with disastrous environmental consequences. Predictions of global warming are based on computer climate modeling, a branch of science still in its infancy. The empirical evidence actual measurements of Earth's temperature shows no man-made warming trend. Indeed, over the past two decades, when CO2 levels have been at their highest, global average temperatures have actually cooled slightly.

To be sure, CO2 levels have increased substantially since the Industrial Revolution, and are expected to continue doing so. It is reasonable to believe that humans have been responsible for much of this increase. But the effect on the environment is likely to be benign. Greenhouse gases cause plant life, and the animal life that depends upon it, to thrive. What mankind is doing is liberating carbon from beneath the Earth's surface and putting it into the atmosphere, where it is available for conversion into living organisms.

Human use of coal, oil, and natural gas has not measurably warmed the atmosphere, and the extrapolation of current trends shows that it will not significantly do so in the foreseeable future. It does, however, release CO2, which accelerates the growth rates of plants and also permits plants to grow in drier regions. Animal life, which depends upon plants, also flourishes.

As coal, oil, and natural gas are used to feed and lift from poverty vast numbers of people across the globe, more CO2 will be released into the atmosphere. This will help to maintain and improve the health, longevity, prosperity, and productivity of all people.

Human activities are believed to be responsible for the rise in CO2 level of the atmosphere. Mankind is moving the carbon in coal, oil, and natural gas from below ground to the atmosphere and surface, where it is available for conversion into living things. We are living in an increasingly lush environment of plants and animals as a result of the CO2 increase. Our children will enjoy an Earth with far more plant and animal life as that with which we now are blessed. This is a wonderful and unexpected gift from the Industrial Revolution.

Answer 10

GLobal Warming is as real as it can be.